The former Four Seasons Hotel tower in Vancouver is being demolished in a controlled top-down process, marking a major change to the city’s skyline
Demolition of Former Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver Tower Underway
Downtown Vancouver’s skyline is changing as the former Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver tower has entered the major demolition stage. Visible progress is now underway at the top floors of the high-rise tower.
Crews have begun dismantling the tower from the rooftop downward. This top-down approach allows demolition to proceed safely in one of the city’s busiest urban environments.
Recent activity shows that the uppermost levels have already been removed. This marks the first major physical transformation of the years-long vacant hotel structure.
Demolition Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Property Owner | Cadillac Fairview |
| Demolition Start | Fall 2025 |
| Hotel Closure | Early 2020 |
| Height of Tower | 305 ft |
| Floors | 30 |
| Demolition Company | Dallas Watt Demo |
| Robotic System Used | Brokk |
As first reported by Daily Hive Urbanized in January 2025, Cadillac Fairview decided to demolish the tower structure above the base podium, which contains CF Pacific Centre mall. The top-down demolition process began last fall.
When the 1976-built, 372-room hotel closed in early 2020, the landlord intended to retain and renovate the tower for a new luxury hotel operator. A development permit application was submitted in 2022 for extensive retrofits, but it was ultimately cancelled.
The careful demolition of the 305-ft-tall tower is being carried out by Dallas Watt Demo. They are using a controlled demolition strategy with Brokk remote-controlled robotic systems. These machines allow operators to break down concrete from a safe distance, reducing risk to workers.
Crews are using the Brokk system, which was also used for the Empire Landmark Hotel tower demolition. The demolition involves removing concrete, rebar, and steel only. The hotel tower’s interior was completely gutted down to a shell space condition.
The tower’s exterior was fully wrapped to contain dust and debris during demolition. Water is sprayed when the robotic systems are in action to help keep dust on site.
Using robotic demolition rather than traditional methods reflects the challenges of removing a high-rise in a dense city core. The Brokk units enable crews to work within tight clearances while maintaining structural control.
Demolition of the former Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver tower will continue until crews reach the base podium rooftop of the mall. As demolition progresses throughout 2026, the tower’s gradual disappearance is expected to become more apparent.
This project marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the Central Business District. It signals the end of a familiar structure and the start of a new chapter for the site. The Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver tower was once among Vancouver’s tallest buildings.
Future Plans for the Site
Cadillac Fairview previously stated that it intends to pursue a new-build tower within the former Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver airspace above the mall rooftop. This project is expected to include a hotel use, but no specific development application has been submitted yet.
Regarding the mall property’s other major vacancy, the City of Vancouver approved Cadillac Fairview’s building permit application in December 2025. This will reconfigure the former Nordstrom department store’s 230,000 sq. ft. space into four new retail units, each with its own street-level entrance.
In November 2025, Aritzia announced it would occupy one of these units for its new downtown Vancouver flagship store. This store will take 40,000 sq. ft. across four levels at the intersection of Robson and Howe streets. The new Aritzia flagship store is also expected to feature a major restaurant destination.
More retailers are expected to be announced for the former Nordstrom space in 2026.
