The Westin Bayshore
Four and a half acres of tidal flats in Coal Harbour became the foundation for a new hotel. Engineers dumped fill onto the water to create solid ground. They sank concrete piles 40 feet down to reach bedrock beneath the mud. This engineering feat transformed unstable marsh into a stable base for construction. Local businessmen Hugh Martin and Douglas Welch led Marwell Construction on this project. Their original plan involved building a simple motel on the reclaimed land. The physical transformation required massive effort before any walls could go up.
Edward Carlson, head of Seattle-based Western Hotels, changed the scope of the project. He convinced Martin and Welch to build a full-service resort instead of their planned motel. Marwell and Western shared the $6 million construction cost between them. This partnership marked the first time Western Hotels built a property from scratch. Previously the chain had focused on managing existing hotels along the West Coast. The collaboration shifted the business model entirely for both parties involved.
On the 14th of March 1972, Howard Hughes moved into the three-room penthouse suite at the top floor. The eccentric billionaire lived there for six months without ever stepping outside his room. Media crews tried desperately to photograph him but failed in every attempt. No one saw him leave the hotel during that entire half-year period. His presence turned the quiet Vancouver location into a global news story. The world watched as the most famous fugitive stayed hidden behind closed doors.
A new eight-story tower wing was added to the complex in 1970. This expansion doubled the size of the original four-story structure. The low-rise building faced the street while the taller wing jutted out toward the water. Douglas C. Simpson designed the T-shaped layout with these two distinct wings. The chain officially became Western International Hotels in 1963 before adding the tower. Later renaming occurred when the parent company changed its name to Westin Hotels in 1981.
November 2015 marked the sale of the entire hotel complex for $290 million. This transaction represented the largest single-asset sale in Canada for that year. It set a record for any Vancouver hotel based on both per-key and gross-value metrics. The property now contains 499 rooms across its two buildings. Financial analysts viewed this price tag as a significant milestone for real estate in British Columbia. The deal concluded decades of operation under various ownership structures.
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Common questions
How was the land for The Westin Bayshore created?
Engineers dumped fill onto four and a half acres of tidal flats in Coal Harbour to create solid ground. They sank concrete piles 40 feet down to reach bedrock beneath the mud.
Who led Marwell Construction on the project that became The Westin Bayshore?
Local businessmen Hugh Martin and Douglas Welch led Marwell Construction on this project. Edward Carlson, head of Seattle-based Western Hotels, convinced them to build a full-service resort instead of their planned motel.
When did Howard Hughes stay at The Westin Bayshore penthouse suite?
On the 14th of March 1972, Howard Hughes moved into the three-room penthouse suite at the top floor. He lived there for six months without ever stepping outside his room.
What is the architectural design of The Westin Bayshore buildings?
Douglas C. Simpson designed the T-shaped layout with two distinct wings. A new eight-story tower wing added in 1970 doubled the size of the original four-story structure.
For how much money was The Westin Bayshore sold in November 2015?
November 2015 marked the sale of the entire hotel complex for $290 million. This transaction represented the largest single-asset sale in Canada for that year.