[Surrey] King George Hub | U/C

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by xd_1771

^ Still could have integrated that. But, anyway, the free space does keep the area open for potential extra SkyTrain tracks and platforms.

I'm also talking about Park Place, though.

The Park Place retail was much larger in the past but Concord scaled it back because of lack of demand. People on these forums jump up and down constantly about how Surrey needs more shops, but getting new shops isn't as easy as just building more spaces. You have to actually have businesses willing to move in and lease/buy the space. You also need to have a good assortment of shops or else you get full spaces with 5 hair salons, 2 nail shops, a smoke shop/grocery store, and fast food joint which isn't really ideal for building "atmosphere."

Surrey still has a ways to go to build a walking community mentality. You're fighting car culture which was forced on all Surrey citizens for the past 30 years and is difficult to break. In time it will come and is starting to.

And let's face it, New Westminster has had a walkable community for decades really and is the oldest city in Metro Vancouver by a long shot and only JUST got an integrated development around a Sky Train station 20+ years after Sky Train first rumbled by New Westminster station.

We can't put unrealistic expectations on Surrey Central unfortunately.

Children don't go from baby to adult over night. There's the good ol' toddler, child, and teenager in between.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by jhausner

The Park Place retail was much larger in the past but Concord scaled it back because of lack of demand. People on these forums jump up and down constantly about how Surrey needs more shops, but getting new shops isn't as easy as just building more spaces. You have to actually have businesses willing to move in and lease/buy the space. You also need to have a good assortment of shops or else you get full spaces with 5 hair salons, 2 nail shops, a smoke shop/grocery store, and fast food joint which isn't really ideal for building "atmosphere."

Also worth noting that Plaza 88 is still quite empty, from a retail perspective. Other than some major players (Starbucks, Fresh Slice, Safeway), I'm not sure some of the businesses that are there are going to make it.

It's also worth noting that many tower developments even in downtown Vancouver have retail spaces that remain empty long after the tower has filled with residents. It takes months and years for a community to develop. However many now have successful retail components, it just took time to develop, and the foresight to build those retail elements into the design (I'm assuming this was a city requirement at the time of design).

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Also worth noting that Plaza 88 is still quite empty, from a retail perspective. Other than some major players (Starbucks, Fresh Slice, Safeway), I'm not sure some of the businesses that are there are going to make it.

It's also worth noting that many tower developments even in downtown Vancouver have retail spaces that remain empty long after the tower has filled with residents. It takes months and years for a community to develop. However many now have successful retail components, it just took time to develop, and the foresight to build those retail elements into the design (I'm assuming this was a city requirement at the time of design).

Well part foresight and part deep pockets able to sit on expensive empty space and eat the property taxes and costs associated with maintenance for many years. Concord has deep pockets so can sit on the retail space to get the right tenants in them.

Not many developers have such deep pockets though so when they go to build a site, if they can't fill the retail within 6 months, they simply don't build the retail. That's why a lot of new buildings even in downtown Vancouver don't actually have any retail at all.

There just aren't that many developers able to sit on large amounts of empty space.