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A look inside Vancouver's gutted Canada Post building as redevelopment takes shape

The Post preserves aspects of the former Canada Post building and is predicted to house more workers than any other office building in Vancouvers history.

'The Post' development will include historical features from the 1950s building, which fills entire city block

Maggie MacPherson CBC News Posted: Nov 23, 2019 9:00 AM EST | Last Updated: November 23, 2019

Construction workers walk through the gutted frame of the former Canada Post building in Vancouver on Nov. 15. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

At Hamiltonand West Georgia streets, adjacent to the downtown branch of theVancouver Public Library and Queen Elizabeth Theatre, sits the skeleton of the former Canada Post building.

Construction is underway on the former Canada Post building at Hamilton and West Georgia streets. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

This is the future site of "The Post", a development that will house more than onemillion square feet of office space and more than 185,000 square feet of retail space. It will include two towers, measuring 22storeys and 21 storeysin height, while maintaining the building's facade.

Other planned amenities for the development includemulti-use sports courts and a dog-walking area on the roof decks.

Images of the scale model and a rendering of The Post submitted by QuadReal Property Group. The building will retain the historic Canada Post exterior along with the additional office towers rising to 21 and 22 storeys tall. (Images of scale model by Ben Nelms/CBC).

Currently, the building stands as a gutted frame filled with construction workers, who are carefully preserving elements of the 1950s structure, which takes up an entire city block.

The redevelopment project is leadby QuadReal Property Group, a locally based real estate investor and development company.

Marc Ricou, senior vice-president of development in B.C. with QuadReal Property Group, is pictured at the site of The Post on Nov. 15. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

Construction

The construction site currently has four main sections.

In the centre of the building you can see construction of the circularparking ramp that will leadto parking onthe fifth and sixth levels of the building.

Due to the existing foundation of the building, the ability to dig deep for underground parking is limited. QuadReal's solution is to build parking above the main floor and in between the office towers on the fifth and sixth levels. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

Construction crews in the southwestend of the building arecurrently busybuilding a bank of 10 elevators.

Elevators are being placed in either end of the building to get people from street level into the office towers. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

The northeast side of the building will also hold elevator banks. This side of the building has the largestfoundation, which took 100 trucks of concrete, two concrete pumps and more than 12 hours to complete.

The foundation for future elevator banks on the north-east side of building. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

The Postwill also have an outdoor pavilion on its southwestside alongWest Georgia Street. Renderings show patio tables near large steps foroutdoor seating lined withplants. Currently, the pavilion is a gianthole in the ground filled with mud and construction equipment.

A construction worker waves hello while working inside a huge construction pit. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

Preserved elements

QuadReal projects that approximately 25,000 tonnes of carbon will be saved by retaining the existing structure.

Preserved elements include the building's central podium, welded-steel frameand original artwork such as the relief sculptureof a postal worker and coat of arms.

The Royal Coat of Arms of Canada on the southwest side of the Canada Post building. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

Tall windows are a prominent feature of the 1950s building. Here, a worker prepares the original frames for new glass. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

The Post will keep the original welded-steel frame of the historical Canada Post building. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC)

Take a 360tour of the northeastside of the building:

Construction of The Post is scheduled to be completed by fall 2023.

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A look inside Vancouver's gutted Canada Post building as redevelopment takes shape

'The Post' development will include historical features from the 1950s building, which fills entire city block

Construction

Preserved elements

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