When New York-based Streetworks Development, decided to redevelop the iconic Hudson’s Bay building in downtown Vancouver, it turned to Pace Group to provide a wide range of strategic communications, event management, media relations and public engagement services to support its City of Vancouver development application process and public announcement.

As an iconic Vancouver landmark for over 100 years, we recognized there would be tremendous public interest in the building’s redevelopment and how Streetworks would use this historic opportunity to advance and support economic development, retail revitalization, heritage retention and Indigenous reconciliation.

To support the public announcement of the redevelopment, we worked with Streetworks to create a permanent interactive exhibit at the store, which featured informative storyboards, a project model, take-home materials and opportunities for the public to share feedback or ask questions about the proposed project. Held during the COVID pandemic, thousands of people attended the announcement in-person as well as via a virtual presentation. Media coverage of the announcement and exhibit opening was extensive and overwhelmingly positive.

As the City of Vancouver continues to consider the proposal, the exhibit continues to host visitors while we continue to meet regularly with Streetworks and keep them apprised of all project-relevant news related to Canadian retail, real estate, land development, City of Vancouver, Indigenous and heritage issues.