A 130-year-old music institution is closing temporarily for a major renovation costing $1.5-million!
The hotel closes on Sunday night and is scheduled for renovations to last for 18 months. The building at the corner of Granville and Drake, was built by Canadian Pacific Railway to house its single male workers. It became a beer parlour and then a blues club in 1985, hosting local and international acts.
Instead of selling the aging club, owner Waide Luciak and the developer next door, Rize Property Alliance, struck a deal. The developer bought the Yale and is paying for safety upgrades, seismic upgrading, soundproofing and other necessary work. There are plans for more windows facing the street, new floors and carpets and a new stage.
Once the renovations are complete, Rize will sell the club back to Luciak for the original price. In exchange, the developer gets to build its neighbouring condo development 10 stories higher.
