[Surrey] GEC Education Centre | 165m | 49 fl | Proposed
 

Project: GEC Education Mega Centre
Developer: CIBT Education Group & WestStone Group
Architect: Chris Dikeakos Architects Inc.
Height: 49 fl | 165m (542ft)
Use: Mixed
Address: 10240 City Parkway
Current State: Proposed

https://i.gyazo.com/b6fcbb7b637a5ab5...ba8ef5e8c2.jpg

https://i.gyazo.com/84847118059dbe92...1519733003.png

https://i.gyazo.com/61e1ad0cb4c83ce3...1944ab5a63.jpg


Application Progress: https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Develo...ar=20&seq=0071

Is that new information about this project, or just what has been posted before?

Also one of the pics doesn't work and the link does not connect.

Sweet! Surrey joins Burnaby in "tallest in city" projects constantly one-upping each other. :D

I realize that this is as central in Surrey as it gets, but looking only at the rendering, one has to wonder if such a serious density is really warranted at such location. Looks like middle of nowhere! (I know it ain't but it's funny). :rolleyes:

I don't see this one going anywhere... not as proposed anyways.

I hope they build this tower.

That rendering makes it look like the middle of nowhere, but oddly it's missing the cluster of 5 towers around King George Station which should be visible in the background from that angle. Also is surrounded by towers to the east now. Better to think of this tower in context of the City Centre Plan that was just adopted.

News release from January 10. Sounds like they are still gathering funding?

Surrey project is the 'GEC Education Mega Center'

http://cibt.net/news/20170110.php

With WestStone Group involved as the partnering developer and owner of the land, seems somewhat promising that it will move forward.

I wonder how many feet in height this project (if built) will be?

Rough rule of thumb is 3 meters per floor, so approximately 150 meters.

Yeah, likely slightly less than 3 Civic Plaza.

So is this building strictly rental units for international students? Maybe a Sprott Shaw College "Main Campus" at the bottom?

LOL...sounds like an "high level" (re: 50 floor) Airbnb in the making.....:cheers:

That's correct for tower floors however if the podium is in fact education floors they will need to be 1.5 to 2.0x height so I'd assume: 6 floors at 5M then 44 floors at 3M and a mech floor at 6M for a total of 168M.

Just a wild ass guess of course.

I made a drawing of the GEC Education Mega Center in Surrey: http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=111510
The estimated height is 180 metres.
Surrey diagram: http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=75802173

This is awesome, finally something really tall that goes to the other side of King George Boulevard. Love densities such as this.

And that is also a big-city podium with retail: very nice.

The base of this building bears a strong resemblance to Telus Gardens in dt Vancouver.

Wow, that drawing is really well done. I really hope this is in fact taller than the 3 Civic plaza, it will make Surrey stay true to its motto of "the future lives here".

That's a fair bit bigger than Civic 3!

The development application has been submitted for this project.

https://urbansurrey.com/2017/04/07/d...n-mega-centre/

Details:

Development Permit, OCP & NCP Amendment, Rezoning from C-8 to CD, to construct a new 50-level mixed use building (consisting of commercial, college, dorm and hotel).

http://i.imgur.com/L9eqC2E.jpg

https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Develo...ar=17&seq=0159

Shift, what sort of a timeframe do you see for this project?

Hard to say, but this seems like a project that will move along relatively quickly now that it's under application, given the developer and investor group behind it, and the type of use.

I would guess approvals by the end of the year or early next. Construction could start 2018 or 2019 at latest. Then 3 years to excavate/build so 2021-2022 completion.

Have these people (CIBT) ever built anything before?

They say Levels 3-6 will be leased to "20 educational institutions from around the world". Seems specific. And why would educational institutions from outside of Canada want to congregate in Surrey?

Hope this all comes together but it's seems like an odd project

^They aren't the developer, WestStone Group is, but from their website:

CIBT Education Group Inc. is an education and student-housing investment company focused on the global education market since 1994. Listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and OTCQX International, CIBT owns and operates a network of business, technical and language colleges in North America and Asia.

http://www.cibt.net/about/


The sub-group of CIBT partnering with WestGroup on this tower is:

Global Education City (GEC) Holdings Inc., Vancouver, Canada

Global Education City Holdings Inc. (“GEC”) is an investment holding and management company with a special focus on education related real estate projects in Canada.

Starting in 2013, CIBT initiated plans to diversify its core business of education to include student residences through GEC.

Since then, GEC has developed a network of serviced apartments and hotels throughout the Metro Vancouver area, each at a centralized location and within approximately five minutes walking distance from a Skytrain station.

Since 2014, the company commenced has more than $100 mm worth of real estate projects. Out of all the projects in the pipeline, the most anticipated project is the Education Super Center, which will be first of its kind in North America, aggregating a number of multidisciplinary public and private schools at one location, including language schools, colleges, and universities, supported by long and short-term stay hotels connected to the Education Super Center.

http://www.cibt.net/about/business_model.php

I can't tell if the 'Education Super Center' and 'Education Mega Centre' are the same thing or 2 different projects. Can't find a location for the Super Centre other than "Vancouver, BC". They are spoken of as separate projects in a press release, and there's a separate rendering for the Super Centre on their website.


http://www.cibt.net/news/20170110.php

Here is their photo page:

http://cibt.net/news/gec-photos.php

They operate several existing student facilities in Vancouver
- including the VIVA Tower and the former Best Western on Granville @ Drake.

This rendering shows the "Super Centre" being in Richmond with Canada Line, Aberdeen Expansion and President's Plaza in the background:

http://cibt.net/news/images/gec/56.png
http://cibt.net/news/gec-photos.php

What's slated for the purple L-shaped plot to the lower right of this one? I've not heard of anything slated for there.

Ok I thought the 'Super Centre' might be in Richmond.

That's 2 very significant projects underway for them then.

Wonder what the timeline of the Richmond project is. Both seem to have been undertaken simultaneously.

So, does this project actually have a pulse now?

Just read this:

http://http://www.surreynowleader.com/entertainment/one-final-skate-at-surreys-old-stardust-site-this-summer-before-50-storey-tower-built-there/

As far as I know it always had a pulse. We've known for quite some time that the roller rink was getting demolished.

It says the roller rink closed in 2005. So it's just been sitting empty this time, and they are just opening it up for this event?

They are referring to it's former name 'Stardust' Roller Rink. It has been the Central City Arena since 2005 - more focused on a venue for Roller Hockey.

Project has always had a pulse since announced - application was submitted back in April as posted on this thread.

If the last skate is in July then sounds like they could be looking to demo the building by the Fall maybe?

Project still needs to go to council though. Oddly this was not one of the 'transformative projects' announced for 'Fast-Tracking' by the Mayor at her State of the City Address yesterday.

https://urbansurrey.com/2017/05/18/i...-city-address/

The Roller Rink has been given a 6 month extension on their lease til January. Demolition / construction to begin early next year.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/437026223.html

Design for Education Mega Centre approved by Surrey Design Panel, although no new renderings yet.

Tower is set to become the 2nd tallest in Metro Vancouver at 625 Feet.

3 Civic Plaza by comparison is 538 Feet.

Shangri-La is 645 Feet
Trump Tower is 616 Feet

Will go to Council for 1st & 2nd on Sept 11

https://urbansurrey.com/2017/08/02/d...-design-panel/

Nice!

Also according to the statement released by CIBT Group - it's now 55 Floors (but equivalent of 63 floors once double height floors are factored in).

I thought this would end up being in the 500ft range. Nice to see it surpass 600ft.

That's crazy a school will be the second tallest building in BC

I find the Trump Tower completely dreamy, it's insane to think a building in Surrey will out-do it in height.

Assuming the early renderings released are what was approved... the tower leaves a bit to be desired if it is to become the tallest in Surrey and 2nd tallest in Metro Vancouver.

3 Civic Plaza makes a much better tallest for Surrey in my opinion, not just in design, but also uses within the building, and context on the plaza at City Hall.

Here is a view of the Education Mega Centre site to help visualize how the tower will fit into the area:

http://i.imgur.com/K9KI7dq.jpg

Wow I was way off.

Still don't really understand the economics behind this one but would love to see it go forward.

Good! Let's have more of these tall towers! At least we will be able to experience a way nicer Surrey in our lifetime.

I don't see how this makes sense without the top 40 floors being condos.

Some further details of the proposal from the ADP minutes:

• 1 floor ground-level commercial
• 5 floors for a college and associated offices
• 33 floors student residence
• 12 floors hotel
• 4 floors amenity space
• 7 levels of underground parking

Requesting 12.23 FAR on gross site area.

Do they really need seven levels of underground parking???

^I believe it's due to the constrained size of the site. They also are required to give up road dedication for the construction of 102 Avenue through the site.


Updated rendering of the project courtesy of WestStone Group of what was approved at ADP. Massing and exterior has changed slightly.

https://urbansurrey.files.wordpress....6oqu.jpg?w=748

I would hope there is some hourly/daily parking as part of it; being skytrain station adjacent.

Thanks for the new render Shift. The original proposal was getting mixed reviews in the Canada's 50 Tallest Proposals thread.

I'm really excited for this tower, as the height we initially thought was around ranging from 168 to 180 but now since it will be 190.5m, I think thats impressive. Surrey is really trying to compete with the rest of Metro Vancouver witch will just bring the best out of every city in competition. Also it works with the demographic of surrey with the city having around 33% of people below the age of 25 plus Metro Vancouver is a gateway area to many asian countries such as China, India, and South Korea so seeing an international education mega centre is something that is plausible

I like the fact that it'll have 15-20 educational institutions is pretty unique. Having a lot more students with the expanded SFU and KPU in the neighbourhood should also encourage some other bars / pubs and cafe's to open up in the area. Also, with them having residences for students and another hotel should help KEEP students here instead of watching them leave right after class.

Thanks.
That's a cleaner looking design.

I think it's cool that the 2 tallest building in Surry will both be fairly narrow slabs, as opposed to point towers or square floorplate office buildings.

Surrey isn't competing with anybody. A private developer is proposing the height, not Surrey. Not sure if developers compete over height between cities in Metro Van. Regardless, taller towers like this are becoming more common proposals across the region. Wouldn't expect this to remain 2nd tallest for long.

Still not really a fan of the design. The relationship between the podium and tower seems kind of akward and the design isn't iconic enough for a new 'tallest' in Surrey. Would rather see a design like the Hampton Hotel proposal at this height. Will have to see the other sides of the building.. It should be fairly narrow given the site which may help it look better.