Heritage Commercial Renovations in Gastown and Chinatown
Gastown and Chinatown contain some of Vancouver's most compelling commercial spaces, and some of the most challenging to renovate. These heritage buildings, many dating to the 1890s and early 1900s, have unreinforced masonry walls, timber framing, limited ceiling heights, and building systems that predate modern code requirements by a century.
Renovating a heritage commercial space in Gastown triggers Heritage Commission review. The exterior of the building is typically protected, which means storefronts, signage, and any visible alterations need heritage approval. Interior work is less restricted, but structural modifications (adding mezzanines, removing walls, changing floor openings) may trigger seismic upgrade requirements under the BC Building Code.
We've built out restaurants, retail spaces, and creative offices in Gastown and Chinatown heritage buildings. The work requires trades who understand old-building construction and a project manager who can navigate the heritage review process efficiently. Permit timelines for heritage commercial work in Vancouver run 8 to 14 weeks: longer than non-heritage, but predictable if the submission is thorough.
Restaurant Buildouts Across Vancouver
Vancouver's restaurant scene is competitive, and the buildout quality matters: both for the dining experience and for operational efficiency. We've done restaurant buildouts from fast-casual concepts to full-service dining rooms across Main Street, Commercial Drive, Kitsilano, and the West Side.
Every restaurant buildout starts with the kitchen. The cooking equipment drives the ventilation requirements, the ventilation drives the ductwork routing, and the ductwork routing affects the ceiling plan in the dining room. Getting this sequence wrong (designing the dining room first and trying to fit the kitchen in afterward) is the most common mistake in restaurant construction. We plan the kitchen and mechanical systems first and design the front-of-house around them.
Restaurant permits in Vancouver require coordination between the building department, the fire department, and Vancouver Coastal Health. Liquor primary applications add another layer. We manage all of these reviews in parallel and build the schedule around the longest review timeline so one process doesn't hold up the others.
Office and Professional Space Buildouts
The office market in Vancouver is evolving. Hybrid work has changed what tenants need: more collaboration space, fewer private offices, better technology infrastructure, and upgraded ventilation. We build out offices that reflect these shifts, from small professional suites to larger corporate floors.
Tenant improvement budgets in Vancouver range widely. A basic professional office buildout (new partitions, flooring, lighting, and paint) runs $80 to $140 per square foot. A design-forward creative office with custom millwork, exposed structure, and upgraded mechanical systems runs $150 to $250+ per square foot. Medical and dental offices are at the top of the range due to specialized plumbing, ventilation, and infection control requirements.
We work with commercial interior designers or provide our own design services for smaller tenant improvements. Either way, the design is completed and approved before construction begins: no building on incomplete drawings that lead to field decisions and cost overruns.
Retail Renovations
Retail construction in Vancouver moves fast: tenants need to be open, and every week of construction is a week of lost revenue. We build retail spaces on aggressive timelines without compromising quality. A typical 1,500 to 3,000 sqft retail buildout in Vancouver takes 6 to 10 weeks from permit to occupancy.
For national and regional retail chains rolling out new locations, we provide consistent execution across multiple sites. Standardized designs, approved materials, and established relationships with the trades and suppliers these projects require. We can manage multiple concurrent retail buildouts across Metro Vancouver.
Vancouver Commercial Permits
Commercial permits in Vancouver go through the Development, Buildings and Licensing department. Review timelines depend on the scope: a straightforward tenant improvement in a newer building may take 6 to 10 weeks. A heritage building conversion or a change-of-use application takes longer, sometimes 12 to 16 weeks or more.
We submit complete applications with all required documentation: architectural drawings, mechanical and electrical plans, fire protection drawings, and any required studies (heritage, environmental, accessibility). The building department's review is faster when they don't have to ask for missing information. We also coordinate health authority review for food-service establishments and fire department review for all commercial occupancies.
- Lease review and scope assessment
- Design and permit coordination
- Heritage Commission review where required
- Full construction management
- Multi-trade coordination and quality control
- Occupancy permit and business licence coordination
Frequently asked questions
What triggers Heritage Commission review for a Gastown commercial renovation?
Any visible alteration to the exterior, storefronts, signage, or other changes, needs heritage approval since these buildings, many from the 1890s and early 1900s, are typically protected on the outside. Interior work faces less restriction, but structural changes like adding a mezzanine or removing walls can trigger seismic upgrade requirements under the BC Building Code. Permit timelines for heritage commercial work run 8 to 14 weeks.
What should drive the design of a Vancouver restaurant buildout?
The kitchen equipment, not the dining room. Cooking equipment drives ventilation requirements, ventilation drives ductwork routing, and ductwork routing shapes the dining room ceiling plan. Designing the front-of-house first and trying to fit the kitchen in afterward is the most common mistake we see. Permits also require coordinating the building department, fire department, Vancouver Coastal Health, and liquor primary applications where relevant.
What does a professional office buildout cost per square foot in Vancouver?
A basic buildout with new partitions, flooring, lighting, and paint runs $80 to $140 per square foot. A design-forward creative office with custom millwork and upgraded mechanical systems runs $150 to $250 or more. Medical and dental offices sit at the top of that range because of specialized plumbing, ventilation, and infection control requirements.