New Westminster Updates

[CanSpice]

Originally Posted by mcj

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.

I don't think that site's going to be redeveloped any time soon as Purpose Society just signed a new multi-year lease. The only thing that could really block that is the city not re-approving the alternate use of the space, but odds of that happening are pretty much zero.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by CanSpice

I don't think that site's going to be redeveloped any time soon as Purpose Society just signed a new multi-year lease. The only thing that could really block that is the city not re-approving the alternate use of the space, but odds of that happening are pretty much zero.

Exactly, she's in no rush. No reason that other property owners should cater to preclusions about what is going to happen with that site.

Edit: Excited for this proposal, looking at it again this will be such an improvement from Columbia Street. A renovated theatre, a new restaurant, a modern hotel, plus transit oriented housing. What's not to love?

[sitchensis]

Absolutely love that this redevelopment is happening, but good lord could we please have some architecture that reflects the city and isn't yet-another glass/spandrel rectangle?

[officedweller]

It would have been nice of the tower facade reflected the symmetry of the theatre facade (not necessarily an art deco copy, but at least something balanced).

[officedweller]

100 Braid

WesGroup drone video here:

https://twitter.com/wesgroup/status/1821952671407845503

[madog222]

Updated concept plan for the 22nd Street Station area, the final plan is due by the end of the year.




Images from City of New Westminster https://pub-newwestcity.escribemeeti...cumentId=19530

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by madog222

Updated concept plan for the 22nd Street Station area, the final plan is due by the end of the year.

I wonder if that'll be enough - from a Daily Hive article on CoV Skytrain stations:

Under provincial legislation, TOAs emanating from SkyTrain stations have an 800-metre radius, with the Tier 1 inner radius of 200 metres enabling residential building heights of at least 20 storeys and a floor area ratio (FAR) density of a floor area that is 5.0 times larger than the size of the lot. The Tier 2 middle radius of 400 metres enables residential building heights of at least 12 storeys and a density of 4.0 FAR, while the Tier 3 outer radius of 800 metres enables residential building heights of at least eight storeys and a density of 3.0 FAR.

To be fair it's not like New West can change zoning in Burnaby or build on the Fraser River. But... those rings are a bit on the small size and I haven't seen anything about upzoning any of Queensborough (part of the acres of parking at the sprawling Outlet Mall are within 800m).

[mcj]

Love the transit overpass and plaza. Really hope these get prioritized when we finally see this come to fruition.

Towers in the concept sketch look very reminiscent of the towers being built at Southgate.

Originally Posted by Sheba

I wonder if that'll be enough - from a Daily Hive article on CoV Skytrain stations:

To be fair it's not like New West can change zoning in Burnaby or build on the Fraser River. But... those rings are a bit on the small size and I haven't seen anything about upzoning any of Queensborough (part of the acres of parking at the sprawling Outlet Mall are within 800m).

From the document Madog222 linked, they took the provincial legislation into account with this. "Mid-rise" here is the requirement of 12 storeys / 4.0 FAR and "low/mid-rise" is the 8 storey tier.

[madog222]

Crane is up for the Douglas College tower.

[jollyburger]

Crane for 100 Braid is coming down soon

https://www.newwestrecord.ca/local-n...n-site-9632653

[SpongeG]

I hadn't been in the uptown area for a while was surprised to see the progress

PXL_20241017_195921169 by snub_you, on Flickr

PXL_20241017_201132488 by snub_you, on Flickr

PXL_20241017_201225530 by snub_you, on Flickr

PXL_20241017_201325106 by snub_you, on Flickr

PXL_20241017_201341187 by snub_you, on Flickr

[officedweller]

Columbia Square
New Westminster

Columbia Square plan leads to 'weird' and 'unorthodox' New West council meeting
https://www.westerninvestor.com/brit...eeting-9690872


https://www.westerninvestor.com/brit...eeting-9690872

Staff Report:
https://pub-newwestcity.escribemeeti...cumentId=19854

Columbia Square Policy Statement:
https://pub-newwestcity.escribemeeti...cumentId=19857

[officedweller]

Royal Towers
New Westminster

30 to 40 storey towers to be considered at prominent New West site
https://www.westerninvestor.com/brit...t-site-9698598

[sitchensis]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Royal Towers
New Westminster

30 to 40 storey towers to be considered at prominent New West site
https://www.westerninvestor.com/brit...t-site-9698598

Thank god. That entire site is an eyesore. Especially when you see old photos of the city and see what it replaced.

[GenWhy?]

These look to be the Columbia Square public benefits:
- 9,500sf of not-for-profit daycare
- purchaseable/leasable area for a school or add 6,000-12,000sf of daycare
- $60 million Density Bonus funds to the City
- 25% of the site area as public open space / park

[mcj]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Royal Towers
New Westminster

30 to 40 storey towers to be considered at prominent New West site
https://www.westerninvestor.com/brit...t-site-9698598

Here's the previous proposal from 2018, images taken from the urbanyvr article.











From the description of what's being proposed again, it seems like a rehashing of the 2018 proposal.

Originally Posted by sitchensis

Thank god. That entire site is an eyesore. Especially when you see old photos of the city and see what it replaced.

Are you able to find/share some of those photos? I'd be interested in seeing them

[mcj]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

These look to be the Columbia Square public benefits:
- 9,500sf of not-for-profit daycare
- purchaseable/leasable area for a school or add 6,000-12,000sf of daycare
- $60 million Density Bonus funds to the City
- 25% of the site area as public open space / park

Seems pretty reasonable, I'll be writing in support. The shopping centre is very dated and turning those parking lots into public open space is an understated benefit in and of itself, not to mention a refresh of the Save On Foods which has to be one of the smaller and neglected locations out there.

The school space is also desperately needed. Here's hoping the $60 million is spend on community amenities rather than the municipality doing the Province's job and using it for subsidized housing as some councilors suggest.

[GenWhy?]

Originally Posted by mcj

Here's hoping the $60 million is spend on community amenities rather than the municipality doing the Province's job and using it for subsidized housing as some councilors suggest.

My understanding from the policy is that 30% of their pot can only go to housing (6.1 page 2):

https://www.newwestcity.ca/database/..._Policy(2).pdf

So of that $60 million I can't imagine all of it going to housing... also crazy to think they'll have to pony up that much before a BP is issued. Also no idea where these annual allocation reports are.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

My understanding from the policy is that 30% of their pot can only go to housing (6.1 page 2):

https://www.newwestcity.ca/database/..._Policy(2).pdf

So of that $60 million I can't imagine all of it going to housing... also crazy to think they'll have to pony up that much before a BP is issued. Also no idea where these annual allocation reports are.

Interesting, I would assume that the childcare component of the project satisfies that category. It is also a 10-year old policy at this point, not sure if they're going to follow this, I'm sure they council could override past policy if they wanted to. 50% ($30M) of $60M going to general amenities won't really buy all that much in terms of civic facilities these days. Maybe a small library?

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by sitchensis

Thank god. That entire site is an eyesore. Especially when you see old photos of the city and see what it replaced.

what was there before? any pics? you piqued my interest