Hotel development being planned for corner of Pandora and Government

A new hotel is being planned for the corner of Pandora Avenue and Government Street, a site that was once home to the historic Westholme Hotel. 

The hotel is being planned by Redbrick, a Victoria-based, B Corp Certified group of companies who are looking to invest in the city’s next chapter by building a new Westholme Hotel—paying homage to the city’s historic landmark. 

The original hotel was first opened in 1911, but burnt down in a massive fire in 2019. 

Since that time, the hotel’s remains have been demolished and the site has been fenced off and left vacant. 

According to Redbrick, a hotel redevelopment application has been active for the property at 603 Pandora for several years. Under Redbrick, who have taken over the application, the site is now in the preliminary stages of redesign in collaboration with local developer Aryze. 

The company added that the new hotel’s plans will explore opportunities for public facing spaces and street level uses that support both visitors and local life downtown.

“Victoria is where Redbrick was built,” said Tobyn Sowden, CEO of Redbrick. “It’s where we live, work and continue to invest.”

“After 15 years downtown, we see Westholme as an opportunity to contribute to the next phase of growth in the city, guided by the same mindset that has shaped Redbrick from the beginning: creating lasting, meaningful impact.”

Redbrick says that regional planning and hospitality studies have identified a need for additional hotel capacity in Victoria’s downtown core. 

These studies found a need for approximately 2,000 net new hotel rooms over the next decade. Redbrick believes a new Westholme Hotel would help address this need by adding to the city’s current supply.

“Victoria has a real gap in hotel supply, yet this property—already zoned for hotel use—has been sitting empty for nearly a decade,” said Chris Quigley, VP of Development at Aryze. 

“We’re excited to be working alongside Redbrick—a fellow local B Corp who shares a strong vision for not only welcoming more visitors to our city, but delivering an exceptional landmark design that will shape our region’s future potential.”

With the Westholme project remaining in the early stages of planning, Redbrick and Aryze are focusing their efforts on early conversations with surrounding businesses, city council members, community members and neighbours before submitting rezoning and development permit applications.