[New Westminster] Pier West | 180M / 149M | 53 / 43 fl | U/C

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Shift

Preliminary website is up for Bosa's Waterfront towers in New West:

http://bosadev.com/waterfront/

The site at 660 Quayside Drive, currently a surface parking lot, was previously owned by Larco and had been envisioned for redevelopment as far back as 1996
with as many as five towers originally proposed with approximately 1,000 units and above-ground parking.

A revised rezoning proposal for three towers including a hotel in 2014 before the site was ultimately sold to Bosa Development in August 2016 for $63,000,000 ($79 per buildable SF).

The current proposal is now for a two-tower scheme that includes:
◾two residential towers: 53-storeys (phase 1) & 43-storeys (phase 2)
◾building heights of 584 ft & 472 ft.
◾665 units
◾156 one-bedrooms, 441 two-bedrooms & 68 three-bedrooms
◾a total density of 4.52 FSR
◾a 3-storey commercial building with retail at grade and childcare above
◾40 space childcare facility
◾2 acre of new public park including extension of Westminster Pier Park
◾929 parking stalls on 3 levels of underground parking

http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/0...front-project/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/0...front-project/

Cool that the wave pattern is created by mullion fins. That should be easy to implement.


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/0...front-project/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/0...front-project/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/0...front-project/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/0...front-project/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/0...front-project/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/0...front-project/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/0...front-project/


http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2017/0...front-project/

********************

Couple of other pics from Hive:


Artistic rendering of the two towers proposed for 660 Quayside Drive in New Westminster. (Amanat Architect / Bosa Development)
http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/660-q...stminster-bosa


Artistic rendering of the two towers proposed for 660 Quayside Drive in New Westminster. (Amanat Architect / Bosa Development)
http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/660-q...stminster-bosa


Diagram of the towers in relation to the immediate area. (Amanat Architect / Bosa Development)
http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/660-q...stminster-bosa


View of the towers from SkyBridge in Surrey. (Amanat Architect / Bosa Development)
http://dailyhive.com/vancouver/660-q...stminster-bosa

[Klazu]

Awful quality rendering, but the towers look nice. They will be built almost on top of water which will be interesting to see. Also, that's a lot of parking.

[Cypherus]

Great looking towers. Will change the urban fabric for New Westminster and give it a downtown core.

[vanman]

I don't get how a couple of skyscrapers with surface parking and a roundabout next to park can be the "downtown core" of New West. If anything it is more of a suburban development on the fringe. Columbia Street will always be the downtown of New West.

Anyways thanks for the post OD.

[rickvug]

Originally Posted by vanman

I don't get how a couple of skyscrapers with surface parking and a roundabout next to park can be the "downtown core" of New West. If anything it is more of a suburban development on the fringe. Columbia Street will always be the downtown of New West.

Rather than phrase it as the new "downtown core" I'd state that this will become the most important focal point. It is the lynchpin that connects Quayside, DT NW, and Pier Park. To this end, I hope that the plaza area at the foot of Begbie will be larger than it looks in this rendering.

[Shift]

Originally Posted by vanman

I don't get how a couple of skyscrapers with surface parking and a roundabout next to park can be the "downtown core" of New West. If anything it is more of a suburban development on the fringe. Columbia Street will always be the downtown of New West.

How is this any different than Coal Harbour? Also New West is the centre of Metro Vancouver, not the fringe.

[vanman]

When did I argue that it was different than Coal Harbour? Coal Harbour is clearly more urban and better connected to the downtown core but is also somewhat sleepy and suburban.

My point is that this Quayside development is on the fringe of downtown New West, not that New West is on the fringe of Metro Vancouver.

[Millennium2002]

The design of the parkade... beside the river and below the water line... that's rather daring...

If they do it right, this will be stunning to look at and visit when finished.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Shift

How is this any different than Coal Harbour?

I see this as New West trying to replicate Coal harbour -
the problem is that Coal Harbour had its railway tracks removed.

I still think that with the escarpment, the model should have been the projects to the east of Coal Harbour
- decking over the tracks (and the roadway) and providing more open pedestrian areas.

[rickvug]

This one will be interesting to watch. A game changer for sure, especially considering that the riverfront trail from Pier Park to Sapperton Landing will likely complete around the same time (ie. 5 years from now). The larger park, improved connectivity, restaurant and all of the density coming into the area should make for a great people place.

Although I like the concept and am super bullish about what this means for Downtown New West I worry that the scale will feel overbearing and out of place. It makes the 20 story buildings on Columbia look like mid-rises! I think New West could do with one or two 40+ story towers nearby to even things out. The floor plates also look large. I do like how it meets the ground on the first three stories.

One of the things I've been trying to guess is the selling price per square foot. From what I understand Brentwood and Metrotown presales have been getting $900+ per square foot. New West is normally a good deal cheaper but recently I know that the Trapp and Holbrook building just behind this location has been getting $850 per square foot. Given that these will be taller, iconic buildings right on the water with a park attached I'd have to imagine that they will sell at a hefty premium. A 25% premium on $850 a square foot would break $1,000 per square foot. Well within the realm of possibility. I'd guess that 25% is understating it. With Bosa buying this land at $79 per buildable square foot they should come out with a huge profit even with much higher construction costs given the waterfront location and underground parking.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by rickvug

Although I like the concept and am super bullish about what this means for Downtown New West I worry that the scale will feel overbearing and out of place. It makes the 20 story buildings on Columbia look like mid-rises! I think New West could do with one or two 40+ story towers nearby to even things out.

Those "renderings" are anything but realistic about the scale of this project. The ridge rises rapidly and makes 25-floor towers towards the top of it won't appear much shorter than this building, I bet.

I still have to wonder where is parking for this project going to be? It doesn't appear above ground, so I guess the only place is under the new park (one can see the two staircases). I would think that will be an expensive dig this close to the water.

[osirisboy]

The height is great and they look like they could be cool looking. However, it's unfortunate that it went from 1,000 units originally down to 660. they could easily get a third tower on the site

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

The height is great and they look like they could be cool looking. However, it's unfortunate that it went from 1,000 units originally down to 660. they could easily get a third tower on the site

I feel like the small commercial building will be a placeholder for a third tower sometime in the future.

As for near buildings that will be of similar height, the 4th tower of Plaza 88 will be 38 or 40 floors, can't remember now. Riversky will be 28 and 33 floors too.

There's still plenty of potential for more buildings to be built downtown. A number of nondescript buildings on decent sized plots in downtown to be redeveloped.

[djmk]

They plan to build 2 rather large towers basically above (or at least potentially above) water.

woah.

[Vin]

Years ago, I was hoping that they would include something like this during the redevelopment of Olympic Village neighbourhood, which never happened. Thank you, New West!

[Aroundtheworld]

The parking seems excessive for such a transit friendly location. This development doesn't need 1.5 spots per unit.

[rickvug]

Originally Posted by Aroundtheworld

The parking seems excessive for such a transit friendly location. This development doesn't need 1.5 spots per unit.

I'd hope that a good proportion of that parking will be for the general public. The location will need it given that the current use is a large parking lot.

Also, I can confirm that all parking is under ground. It will be complicated and I'm sure it will cost a boatload. As it has been explained to me, first the water will be blocked off to make a "bathtub" that can have all water pumped out. That bathtub is then sealed and filled in with parking. I believe the parking will be two levels and be under the park as well. Because of the complexity of this and the size of the buildings right on the water construction is estimated to take 5 years.

[Aroundtheworld]

Originally Posted by rickvug

I'd hope that a good proportion of that parking will be for the general public. The location will need it given that the current use is a large parking lot.

Right, but I imagine most visitors would also be taking transit to this location since it is very transit friendly.

I wonder if there are any plans for New West to get car share? I could see it working there, but probably only if parts of Burnaby had it as well.

[dothediu]

Originally Posted by rickvug

I'd hope that a good proportion of that parking will be for the general public. The location will need it given that the current use is a large parking lot.

Also, I can confirm that all parking is under ground. It will be complicated and I'm sure it will cost a boatload. As it has been explained to me, first the water will be blocked off to make a "bathtub" that can have all water pumped out. That bathtub is then sealed and filled in with parking. I believe the parking will be two levels and be under the park as well. Because of the complexity of this and the size of the buildings right on the water construction is estimated to take 5 years.

Wow...I was thinking about this and how they can do an underground parking, when all the condo parking in the area are above ground. And this is literally right beside the river. I hope their bathtub doesn't leak.

[cornholio]

Should have forced them for a grade separated crossing further up at McKenzie. There already was a on ramp to the park-aide there. Just rebuild it and build a grade separated crossing there to tie into the proposed dead end of the street. Close the Begbie crossing.