New Westminster Updates

[CanSpice]

Downtown New West is going to look totally different (and awesome) in 10-20 years, especially with the towers coming to Columbia Square and lower 12th Street. Hopefully the other end of downtown gets some love soon, with whatever happens with the Columbia SkyTrain station and the old Army & Navy theoretically getting redeveloped.

[madog222]

77 units of social housing proposed by Aunt Leah’s Properties in the small triangle of SFHs south of Grimston Park, combined lots are about 22,000 sqft.

https://www.newwestrecord.ca/local-n...w-west-8493199

[madog222]

Here is our first look at a preliminary concept for the 22nd Station area plan, note the scope increase to include all of Connaught Heights and land east of 20th within the 800m radius.


Image from City of New Westminster https://www.beheardnewwest.ca/22ndst

[BaddieB]

^^^ I love the idea of having courtyards in between buildings on a block. Vancouver could really use the European model of mid-rise development

[jollyburger]

They've removed the last tower crane from the Royal Columbian Hospital project. Video:

https://fb.watch/r3l1ZHsvOw/

[mcj]

It's wild how secretive these in person meetings still are. I keep track of New West happenings more than most and still had no idea this was happening. Nice to see though.

[CanSpice]

Originally Posted by mcj

It's wild how secretive these in person meetings still are. I keep track of New West happenings more than most and still had no idea this was happening. Nice to see though.

Have you subscribed to the city's Citypage newsletter? The session at City Hall that this photo is from was announced in its February 29th and March 7th newsletters.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by CanSpice

Have you subscribed to the city's Citypage newsletter? The session at City Hall that this photo is from was announced in its February 29th and March 7th newsletters.

Thanks for that! I had subscribed to the Be Heard New West but not this. I see it was announced on there a week prior. Nice to see they held it in the evening, I probably could have actually attended! Although they really should be doing this online these days.

[Lexus]

2024-03-28

Some activities for new projects:

Behind Ovation, 810 Agnes St
33 storey rental, https://storeys.com/810-agnes-street...ld-properties/



DSC00661 by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

DSC00664 by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

DSC00665 by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

808 Royal Ave

Douglas College's New Westminster expansion with student housing

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/doug...n-construction

DSC00666 by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

DSC00667 by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

[Lexus]

2024-04-14

Untitled by Lexus LX, on Flickr

100 Braid St

Untitled by Lexus LX, on Flickr

Untitled by Lexus LX, on Flickr

[madog222]

New renderings for 811 Carnarvon St.

Tower height is listed as 142.8m taken from Agnes St.




Images from Reliance Properties / Yamamoto Architecture https://www.beheardnewwest.ca/809-carnarvon

[Metro-One]

That's a great looking project. I really hope it moves forward.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by madog222

77 units of social housing proposed by Aunt Leah’s Properties in the small triangle of SFHs south of Grimston Park, combined lots are about 22,000 sqft.

https://www.newwestrecord.ca/local-n...w-west-8493199

Now at 90 units in the 6 storey building. These renders are still at the preliminary concept stage.




Images from GBL Architechts https://www.beheardnewwest.ca/1923-marine

[CanSpice]

Originally Posted by madog222

Now at 90 units in the 6 storey building. These renders are still at the preliminary concept stage.

https://www.beheardnewwest.ca/1923-marine

Looks great, especially as the first project like this to pop up within 22nd Street SkyTrain station's TOD radius. I sure hope the city and province work on plans to improve pedestrian from that side of 20th Street to 22nd St SkyTrain station as it's nominally a 5-10 minute walk but crossing 20th is a bit of a pain.

[mcj]

Great to see a proposal for this area denser than a SFH after nearly 40 years of rapid transit service. Although, I think they kind of miss an opportunity here to at least put a secondary lobby (if not the main one) on the laneway facing the park. Would've made a better urban realm for the residents than having the only entrance on what is effectively a highway interchange.

[DevFan101]

Originally Posted by mcj

Great to see a proposal for this area denser than a SFH after nearly 40 years of rapid transit service. Although, I think they kind of miss an opportunity here to at least put a secondary lobby (if not the main one) on the laneway facing the park. Would've made a better urban realm for the residents than having the only entrance on what is effectively a highway interchange.

Agreed, but in the PDF, it does look like there's an exit on the third floor on the laneway side. Maybe just an emergency exit, but could conceivably be used as a secondary entrance. They probably didn't want to put a lobby on the third floor, and the slope makes it so the first floor could only be used on the highway side.

That said, there is a sidewalk and a parking lane for buffer from the highway, and they are incorporating a bit of open space by the entrance, so it shouldn't be too bad. The houses that are there right now go right onto the sidewalk, so it should at least be better than those.

[madog222]

New Columbia Theater redevelopment proposal for a 30 storey tower with a 95 room hotel and 216 residential strata units. This replaces a proposal from 5 years ago for a 22 storey tower.

Heritage revitalization includes restoration to the origional 1927 design of the Columbia Street facade while the auditorium will be rebuilt using period correct design and reuse of some of the existing plaster work.


Image from City of New Westminster council report https://pub-newwestcity.escribemeeti...a&lang=English

[rickvug]

Initial reaction to the Columbia Theatre proposal is neutral to negative. It is already heritage protected, both on the interior and exterior so there isn't any heritage benefit (some protected interior features will be destroyed). The theatre currently provides animation on the street with the shows that are playing. It would be great to have a hotel and more people on Columbia Street but at what cost while development is happening? The last thing Downtown New West needs disruption where businesses are already working well.

Most importantly, the report spells out that moving ahead with this development likely precludes two towers on the Army & Navy site next door. Army & Navy is a large site that is much better suited to tower development without the constraints of this development. I'd hate to see this Columbia Theatre redevelopment slow down or stop any progress on redeveloping that site.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by rickvug

Initial reaction to the Columbia Theatre proposal is neutral to negative. It is already heritage protected, both on the interior and exterior so there isn't any heritage benefit (some protected interior features will be destroyed). The theatre currently provides animation on the street with the shows that are playing. It would be great to have a hotel and more people on Columbia Street but at what cost while development is happening? The last thing Downtown New West needs disruption where businesses are already working well.

Most importantly, the report spells out that moving ahead with this development likely precludes two towers on the Army & Navy site next door. Army & Navy is a large site that is much better suited to tower development without the constraints of this development. I'd hate to see this Columbia Theatre redevelopment slow down or stop any progress on redeveloping that site.

Gets a positive reaction from me. The theatre, while heritage protected, is in dire need of an upgrade. If they could replicate the success of the Hollywood Theatre that would be an amazing addition to New West. There will be disruption in any case on this block as East of this site there's many potential redevelopments coming in the future anyways, such as the Columbia Station redevelopment and the redevelopment of the Army & Navy.

As far as the preclusion of two towers on the Army & Navy site, you'd be best telling Jacqui Cohen to get her a** in gear and start moving that along, since she's the only reason that site is being held back. I don't really have any sympathy for her leaving a giant hole on Columbia Street which has done much more damage to the street life than any other project would.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by rickvug

Initial reaction to the Columbia Theatre proposal is neutral to negative. It is already heritage protected, both on the interior and exterior so there isn't any heritage benefit (some protected interior features will be destroyed). The theatre currently provides animation on the street with the shows that are playing. It would be great to have a hotel and more people on Columbia Street but at what cost while development is happening? The last thing Downtown New West needs disruption where businesses are already working well.

The interior has had massive changes from the original design of a single large auditorium to two smaller threaters in the 70s. I believe heritage protection only convers the exterior and some plaster works and murals on the interior.