VANCOUVER, BC – September 26, 2022 – Polaris Realty, owner of the iconic Harbour Centre in downtown Vancouver, announces today that Spencer Building Carrier Hotel has received its Development Permit from the City of Vancouver and is now set to become the region’s newest, state-of-the-art connectivity hub. The news serves as a critical completion marker both for the development of the data center, which serves to expand Harbour Centre’s existing infrastructure and connectivity in Western Canada, and the preservation of the historic building itself.
The new permit is a key milestone on the heels of a multi-year, multi-million dollar rehabilitation project of the iconic Spencer Building. Originally built in 1907, the building has served as a Spencer, Eaton’s, and Sears department store, as well as a downtown campus for Simon Fraser University. In 2016, a special heritage conservation plan was enacted to preserve the building’s gothic revival and art deco exterior—including restoring the masonry and stone sculptures and ornaments. The team worked closely with RDH Building Sciences to achieve this, and as a result of the meticulous effort, Spencer Building was presented with a Recognition Award for Heritage Conservation from Heritage BC.
“It’s important to us to do things the right way and to go through the proper processes, as a sign of respect to such a historic building,” says Harbour Centre’s Director of Operations, Antonio Dal Sasso, “This is a heritage building that has served as one of the city’s business hubs for over 100 years. It’s a part of the fabric of our city, and we’re excited to be part of its newest chapter.”
For the last two years, the experienced team that now makes up Spencer Building Carrier Hotel has been hard at work constructing plans for the innovation-forward data center on multiple floors in the iconic Spencer Building, with the aim of providing cloud and connectivity services to companies looking to connect to Vancouver’s communication networks and internet service providers. The development permit will allow the company to deploy outdoor equipment on the roof of the historic building, a complex yet critical step in the process which aims for completion by end of next year.
“Receiving this permit allows us to take the next step in our journey,” says Chris Jones, Director of Data Center Infrastructure & Operations. “Our facility will provide access to all the carriers, network operators, cloud onramps and other service providers in order to do business on the West Coast and beyond. The Spencer Building is a symbol of the city itself—it’s part of an exciting new technological future, but we’re also preserving the rich history of the previous generation that made the city what it is today.”
The news comes shortly after the company recently received a first-of-its-kind permit to build its own set of private manholes leading directly into the building.
For more information on Spencer Building Carrier Hotel, visit www.spencerbuilding.com
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About Spencer Building Carrier Hotel
Embedded in the rich history of Western Canada’s primary carrier hotel at Harbour Centre, Spencer Building Carrier Hotel will soon become Vancouver’s premier, brand-new, state of the art data center connecting providers in Canada, Asia, and various international locations. Spencer Building Carrier Hotel will serve as the primary Canadian landing point for the brand new Cascadia fiber trunk, connecting to Seattle, the Westin Building exchange, and future Washington landing points. With access to all major Canadian telecommunications providers, Tier 1 network operators, and peering exchanges, including a direct connect to VANIX, Spencer Building Carrier hotel will solidify itself as the primary connectivity hub in the Downtown Vancouver core. Construction is set to be complete in 2023.
For more information visit www.spencerbuilding.com
