Chris · September 25, 2007
The Province featured a story today about Vancouver’s new Ritz-Carlton and Shangri-La hotels currently under construction on West Georgia:
“You could call it the ‘Manhattaning’ of West Georgia Street.
Construction has begun on the 60-storey Vancouver Turn, which includes the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and private residences in the same tower at 1153 West Georgia St.
Within spitting distance, the city’s tallest-tower-to-be, the Living Shangri-La, now halfway on its way to 62 storeys, giving downtown Vancouver a bit of a New York look that few would have predicted several years ago. ”
I love seeing Vancouver’s hotel development scene highlighted in the press, but can we really call this the “Manhattaning” of Vancouver? Yes, we have some upscale hotel brands building in Vancouver, but one peek at the dramatic glass architecture throughout these projects hardly smacks of Manhattan.
Perhaps it’s the anticipated average rate push that reflects a Manhattan-ish change in our hotel market? That’s one potential fall-out of our luxury hotel boom that would benefit the entire city.
Maybe it’s that we are seeing so many chic hotel brands building in the city that it “feels” like Manhattan. Of course, both Shangri-La and Ritz-Carlton have been scouting locations in Vancouver for many years--and long before the Olympics were announced.
The “Manhattaning” of Vancouver must relate to the somewhat arrogant domain name of Ritz-Carlton’s website called Vancouver’sTurn.com. Sounds like it was written by The Donald himself!
Regardless...are we really striving to “Manhattanize” Vancouver in the first place?
0 comments | Permalink | Canada • Vancouver • Development
