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Today, the developers announced they have partnered with Aquilini Group to operate the Homewood Suites by Hilton hotel at CC4.

“The arrival of a Homewood Suites to Surrey is a tell-tale sign of the incredible growth and magnetism of Surrey as a modern, world-class metropolitan city and a regional economic powerhouse especially here in the downtown core where the Health and Technology District is located,” said Kirk Fisher, CEO of Lark Group, in a statement today.

“We are privileged to partner with the Aquilini Group to bring the Homewood Suites by Hilton, to Surrey and increasing the city’s expanding hospitality amenities to support continued growth and investments to the region.”

There will be a total of 189 studio and one-bedroom suites with separate living and sleeping spaces, along with fully equipped kitchens. The hotel will span 132,000 sq. ft. of floor area, occupying the top nine levels from floors 17 to 25. This includes a 6,000 sq. ft. tower rooftop amenity space with a bar, patio, BBQ area, fire pit, and backyard lawn areas.

Hilton’s Homewood Suites brand is known for offering all-suite, residential-style, extended-stay hotel operations — designed for not only tourists but also business travellers and other longer types of stay.

This long-term stay option would also well serve visitors of the area’s healthcare and medical research campus anchored by Surrey Memorial Hospital, including people working in or accessing medical services and families of patients.

A future new Hilton hotel next to SkyTrain’s future Oak-VGH Station in Vancouver will also include the Homewood Suites long-term stay brand for a portion of the hotel property, which is also strategically next to Vancouver General Hospital.

Best known for their ownership of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, Aquilini Group currently operates nine hotels across the country, including the Atrium Hotel Vancouver next to the PNE/Hastings Park.

“The Homewood Suites by Hilton represents an exciting step forward for the Aquilini Group and our hospitality brand as we continue to expand our presence across Canada,” said Walther Lauffer, vice president for Aquilini Properties LP.

“We believe that the integration of Homewood Suites to the Health and Technology District in Surrey will provide exceptional amenities for visitors, tenants and guests to the region, and significantly increase the opportunities for health, education and commercial spaces by creating a dynamic environment where businesses can thrive.”

This property will help address Metro Vancouver’s growing hotel room shortage, with Destination Vancouver projecting there is a need for 20,000 additional hotel rooms across the region, including 10,000 outside the city of Vancouver.

Beneath the hotel floors, Civic Centre 4 will also contain space for Western Community College’s Surrey campus expansion and a Stong’s Market grocery store.

This will be the B.C.-based chain’s third location, with other Stong’s Market locations on Dunbar Street in the Vancouver Westside, Northwoods Village in North Vancouver District, and Squamish. This new Surrey location will also feature a STEMS floral shop by Stong’s.

Not including back-of-house storage space, the Stong’s Market will span 4,600 sq. ft. of retail space, while the STEMS shop will occupy 1,040 sq. ft.

“We are thrilled to welcome Stong’s and STEMS to the Health and Technology District,” said Fisher. “Their commitment to community and quality aligns perfectly with our vision for CC4 and the broader District. As we continue to expand, we aim to create a vibrant environment where residents and businesses can thrive together.”

City Centre 4 is expected to reach completion in late 2025. Construction first began in late 2021.

Homewood Suites by Hilton will open in Spring 2026, while the Stong’s Market will open in Fall 2025.

Also under construction is City Centre 5 at 9714 137 St. — a 24-storey, mixed-use student housing tower located immediately to the north of City Centre 4. According to an application submitted to the City in November 2024, this will be a 218,000 sq. ft. building containing 397 student housing units — configured into approximately 944 beds — across 190,000 sq. ft. Each unit will feature its own private bathroom, a feature that sets this student residence apart from many other Canadian post-secondary residences where shared bathrooms are more common.

City Centre 5 will also house about 15,000 sq. ft. of office space, 9,000 sq. ft. of retail/restaurant space and a 4,000 sq. ft. childcare facility.

The significant student housing uses in the City Centre 5 tower will support Western Community College’s academic space expansion in the City Centre 4 tower, as well as the growing presence of Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia in the area. The complex of towers is also about an eight-minute walk south of SkyTrain’s King George Station.

Both towers are designed by WA Architects.

Altogether, ICT Group and Lark Group have plans to build a total of eight towers for the Health and Technology District just north of Surrey Memorial Hospital.