Vancouver city council has approved Bonnis Properties’ application to redeveloped the famed Commodore Ballroom site in the heart of the downtown core.

The redevelopment site is located in the 800 block of Granville Street. The Commodore opened in 1930 and has hosted many legendary musicians, performers and groups, including David Bowie, Tina Turner, Kiss, The Clash, Count Basie, George Burns, Rudy Vallee, the Tragically Hip, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Sammy Davis, Jr.

The approval came at a public hearing after Bonnis revised its mixed-use project by scrapping an office component and inserting multi-residential. The move came after Bonnis spent several years in the approval process. The original proposal included a 17-storey office tower and featured a 14,700-square-foot, three-storey performance venue valued at $45 million, which Bonnis had planned to donate to the city.

The newly approved proposal calls for a 43-storey tower north of the Commodore and a 39-storey tower to the south. The towers are slated to include 500 rental homes, 100 hotel rooms, and five levels of retail, restaurants, and entertainment space.

Connecting floors will be built above the Commodore. Residential units will occupy the top two-thirds of the development. In addition, 15,000 square feet of social housing will replace 73 vacant rooms at the State Hotel.

All councillors present at the public hearing vote in favour of the redevelopment. Coun. Mike Klassen did not vote because he was away. But Klassen is very supportive of the project and welcomed council’s decision.

“Bonnis Properties has been focused on revitalizing this important hub for Vancouver’s downtown core alongside the entertainment district,” he told Connect. “I’m delighted to see city council’s approval of their bold plan to combine a mix of market and below-market rental housing, hotel rooms, commercial space and a heritage retention of the beloved Commodore Ballroom facade.”

A music buff, Klassen has attended many concerts and other performances at the Commodore.

“It will be a game-changer for the whole community,” he said of the redevelopment.

Company Principal Kerry Bonnis praised council’s support for the project and Granville Street redevelopment during the public hearing before the vote, Daily Hive Urbanized reported. He had harshly criticized city staff for failing to endorse the original plan, contending that delays in city approvals had hampered long-sought revitalization efforts on Granville Street.

Plans call for the highly popular underground bowling alley underneath the Commodore to be preserved.

Pictured: Proposed redevelopment surrounding the Commodore Ballroom in downtown Vancouver.

Rendering: City of Vancouver/Bonnis Properties