Holborn Group has submitted an ambitious plan for Downtown Vancouver that aims to redefine the city’s skyline. This proposed project, at 501 and 595 W Georgia Street and 388 Abbott Street, includes towers that would become the tallest in Vancouver and British Columbia. Designed by Henriquez Partners Architects, the scheme promises nearly 2,000 homes, hotel suites, social housing, and public amenities including arts spaces—all rooted in community and architectural innovation. This is one of the most significant development projects in Vancouver in 2025.
Project Overview & Key Features
Holborn Group, the Vancouver division of Malaysia-based TA Global, has revealed full details of its rezoning applications. The plan comprises four towers, with three major sites: 501 W Georgia Street, 595 W Georgia Street, and 388 Abbott Street. Together, they will deliver:
- 1,939 residential homes
- 920 hotel suites, with conference space measuring over 70,000 sq ft
- Additional commercial and amenity spaces, a large public plaza, and social housing.
The architectural inspiration comes from the rare glass sea sponge reefs found in the Pacific Northwest. Holborn’s president, Joo Kim Tiah, frames the project as generational: combining community need, architectural innovation, and reconciliation.
Site 1: 501 W Georgia Street
This is the largest site among the three, taking up an entire block bordered by Richards, Dunsmuir, W Georgia. The proposal includes:
- Two towers: a 63-storey North Tower (783 ft) and a 79-storey South Tower (889 ft). These towers would include 1,288 strata units, 273 purpose-built rental units, and major podium retail/amenity spaces.
- No studio units; a mix of one-bedroom (968), two-bedroom (392), and three-bedroom (201) units.
- Parking: 870 vehicle parking stalls; biking: an impressive 3,224 bicycle parking stalls in a nine level parking structure.
- A large public plaza (~17,000 sq ft) at Seymour & Georgia, including a restaurant pavilion, and an underground connection to the Granville-Station of the Expo Line.
Site 2: 595 W Georgia Street — British Columbia’s First “Supertall” Hotel Tower
- A 68-storey hotel tower planned, reaching 1,034 ft height—this would be the first “supertall” tower in Vancouver (defined as over 984 ft).
- The hotel includes 920 suites (split between short-stay and long-stay), sitting atop an eight-storey podium that includes conference space, restaurants, public uses.
- An observation deck & restaurant at the top, accessible to the public for free, plus a conservatory-style interior space, with transit-friendly amenities.
Site 3: 388 Abbott Street — Social Housing & Community Amenities
- This site is a 38-storey mixed-use tower with social housing: 378 units (studios, 1-br, 2-br, 3-br), with about 20% of the residential floor area dedicated to social housing.
- Also includes a childcare facility (~6,900 sq ft), Indigenous art gallery, artist-in-residence units, ground-level retail.
- The entire 388 Abbott tower will be donated to the City as the Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) for the larger project.
Controversies & Challenges
While ambitious, the proposal has met its share of concerns:
- Holborn has previously been criticized over slow delivery of promised social housing in other projects, notably Little Mountain.
- A heritage building, the Randall Building (1929) at 555 W Georgia, is to be partially retained. Another heritage building at 500 Dunsmuir was ordered demolished allegedly for safety after neglect.
- The zoning and rezoning applications will be processed simultaneously; public Q&A is scheduled (Nov-Dec).
You can also check our blogs about Proposed 48-Storey Condo at 5–15 Park Hill Road: A Vision for Forest Hill North and The Rise of PropTech in Canada: How AI and Virtual Tours Are Changing Real Estate.
Location & Urban Context
These sites are all in Downtown Vancouver, tightly integrated with transit, commercial zones, and cultural heritage. Close walking distance to Granville SkyTrain, shops, and major services. The location at W Georgia / Seymour / Richards / Abbott places it in Vancouver’s core, affecting views, shadowing, view corridors, heritage conservation, and public realm design.
Final Thoughts
Holborn Group’s proposal for the Georgia-Seymour-Abbott sites is more than just large-scale real estate—it could be a defining moment in Vancouver’s development history. Should these towers be approved and built, the 79-storey and 68-storey structures will reshape the skyline and set new height records in BC, while delivering nearly 2,000 new homes and a mix of housing types including social housing. The proposal reflects growing city pressures: to increase density, address housing affordability, and integrate amenities that go beyond just residential units.
The inclusion of a major hotel, free public observation decks, Indigenous art, and childcare shows clients and developers recognizing that large developments must serve both investors and communities. But challenges remain: heritage retention, concerns over shadows/obstructions, transportation impact, and trust given Holborn’s previous social housing delivery delays.
For Vancouver residents, urban planners, real estate investors, and policymakers, this proposal warrants close attention. It may become a blueprint for how high-density, mixed-use developments can be ambitious yet community-oriented. Navigating public feedback, design adjustment, and regulatory approval will be key. As Vancouver moves toward a future with growing housing demand and climate considerations, projects like this test the balance between architectural innovation, public benefit, and responsible growth.
