[Surrey] RCMP E-Division Headquarters | U/C

[giallo]

^ Indeed. That's got to be one of the worst uses of land I've seen in a long time.

[Millennium2002]

I was complaining about this for a bit, but it seems the wrong minds still prevailed...

Someone on this forum tried justifying this once by saying that there needed to be "security buffer zones" or something like that given that it houses various forensic laboratories and all + it's a headquarters for one of Canada's security establishments, but meh... I still think it could have been done better, especially the parking...

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by allan_kuan

I was complaining about this for a bit, but it seems the wrong minds still prevailed...

Someone on this forum tried justifying this once by saying that there needed to be "security buffer zones" or something like that given that it houses various forensic laboratories and all + it's a headquarters for one of Canada's security establishments, but meh... I still think it could have been done better, especially the parking...

I dont buy that argument at all. Look at the US embassy in ottawa or the national defence headquarters again in ottawa, both right downtown with the former being built with a crazy amount of security (each piece of drywall was x-rayed before it went in) That whole idea of needing all those parking lots for a buffer zone is BS

[phesto]

It's pretty simple guys - land in most areas of Surrey is still relatively cheap, and surface parking is WAY cheaper than underground parking. This is what makes campus style development attractive to institutions. It's an advantage that Surrey has over say, Burnaby, Vancouver, etc.

[vansky]

they just built a 1960's look with 2012's costs,

let me see who can argue with me on this one....if you could defend this building by saying that this is a beautiful piece of work, i would question ur aesthetic judgement

the thing looks like a jail, which it is i guess..if u could build a jail, at least build it like sfu...

[BodomReaper]

Pardon my ignorance, but what does the upcoming completion of this project mean for the existing E-Division headquarters in Vancouver? Are they going to keep utilizing that site, or can we look forward to a redevelopment?

[officedweller]

Yup - redevelopment of 8.5 ha near the future 33rd Ave Canada Line Station.

[BodomReaper]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Yup - redevelopment of 8.5 ha near the future 33rd Ave Canada Line Station.

Cheers

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Check out @KimSeale's bird's eye view of the new #SurreyBC #RCMP detachment in the #News1130 Air Patrol pic.twitter.com/AMEWit1q


http://twitter.com/News1130radio/status/250397240131215360/photo/1

Finding parking might be a problem.

[GMasterAres]

I'm the one that mentioned security buffer zones, but I didn't say parking lots could be used. They could have easily built everything under ground or the bulk majority under ground and used the landscape for buffer zones.

That said, I do know quite a few cops and the notion of parking all the cop cars under ground is one very few would be on board with. They have a belief in not having bottle necks and feel you can get cars out and on the road from a parking lot above ground faster (higher response time) than form underground parking.

I'm don't really buy that argument but its there. I'd more lean towards the land is cheap argument. I mean let's face it, it doesn't look any different than most malls constructed these days. Hell with the Guildford Mall redevelopment I was hoping they got rid of all the above ground parking and built buildings instead, some high rises too.

We can only dream. Would have been nice to have more of the parking underground with better land scaping and use of the natural area around though. All the land around it though is supposedly park land so I have my doubts the building with need to interface with much though.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by BodomReaper

Pardon my ignorance, but what does the upcoming completion of this project mean for the existing E-Division headquarters in Vancouver? Are they going to keep utilizing that site, or can we look forward to a redevelopment?

Following the pattern set by the city with the new Olympic Housing, the feds will likely give the land away dirt-cheap (pun intended) to encourage new condos on the site (and even include some non-profit housing).

Be prepared for this to take longer than the redevelopment of Little Mountain on Main St. with much more controversy.

[Whalleyboy]

Its worth noting a lot of the land was level and paved with thought of one day future adds might be needed. While Surface parking lot does look bad in the future it will come to be better instead of having to do more clearing of trees.

Also it will be a major shelter/base area for major disaster. So building underground parking could where cars could get blocked in from and earthquake doesn't really help.
Plus buffer zones do make sense for case like riots.(and zombies=P)

As for the old building I believe they will being putting up for sale to cover some cost of the new building. So redevelopment could be and option it all just depends who buys it out.

[paradigm4]

Also worth noting the main reason it was built in Green Timbers was because it's already Crown land. Same reason the Outpatient Hospital was built there. In a perfect world both facilities would've been closer to the downtown, rather than on the periphery, but governments don't usually spend excess money when they don't have to. Also, AFAIK, location and construction is decided by the province and feds for this, not so much the City.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

I think he is referring to how it lacks any sort of interaction with surrounding streets and the crap load of surface parking

edit, I guess there is only one street that it can have no interaction with

why did they build it like some suburban campus? and why would surrey allow this? Woudlnt this have been perfect for surreys "downtown" in a compact development? there is no reason why its sprawled out like this!

My guess would be due to safety issues. This eliminates the ability of someone to drive a car bomb in to a underground parkade and blow it up. It also makes it significantly easier to monitor the parking lots and the surrounding area. We are talking about the RCMP headquarters here, they are responsible for a lot more thne just producing street cops. Also this would have been designed in the early 2000's, atleast I would think so, in which case security would have been one of the top concerns.

But this is just a guess on my part...

[osirisboy]

No I still dont buy it. They could have built it way more denser than they did even with all the security concerns they have. And if someone wants to blow it up they are still going to find a way even if theres no underground parking! The US embassy in ottawa opened in 1999 so its fairly new and its built right downtown
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_the_United_States,_Ottawa

my basic point is this, they could've still built a very secure building that wasnt so sprawled out and thats all there is to it!

edit* even if they wanted to keep all that surface parking they could have still made this project interact better with the street!

[LeftCoaster]

What's the point though? Even if they had built it up against the street with underground parking there would never be any retail in the base and it would just be a dead un-animated wall anyway so it's not as though it was a big loss.

Just be happy this many jobs are coming to central Surrey.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

No I still dont buy it. They could have built it way more denser than they did even with all the security concerns they have. And if someone wants to blow it up they are still going to find a way even if theres no underground parking! The US embassy in ottawa opened in 1999 so its fairly new and its built right downtown
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_the_United_States,_Ottawa

my basic point is this, they could've still built a very secure building that wasnt so sprawled out and thats all there is to it!

edit* even if they wanted to keep all that surface parking they could have still made this project interact better with the street!

Hey dont get me wrong I totally agre with you, the percieved threat of terrorism is complete bs. If someone wants to do some damage there is millions of ways to do it. If you dont believe me then spend a day walking around and using your imagination a bit. If terrorism was such a threat then vigilante justice against other people, politicians or businesses would be a daily occurance.

I was just trying to think of the possible justification, at the end of the day we all know its no more safe, just like airplane travel is no more safe with all the ridiculous messures that are now in place. If someone wants to blow something up then they will blow it up, reducing the probability of something like that occuring from 1 in 1000000 to 1 in 990000 is not worth the costs.

[Whalleyboy]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

No I still dont buy it. They could have built it way more denser than they did even with all the security concerns they have. And if someone wants to blow it up they are still going to find a way even if theres no underground parking! The US embassy in ottawa opened in 1999 so its fairly new and its built right downtown
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_the_United_States,_Ottawa

my basic point is this, they could've still built a very secure building that wasnt so sprawled out and thats all there is to it!

edit* even if they wanted to keep all that surface parking they could have still made this project interact better with the street!

Your comparing to different types of building

An embassy is not expected to be as secure as a cop headquarters.
I mean come a natural disaster people aren't gonna be going to an embassy first they would first turn to cop and arm bases. This place will be a place where people can find shelter be it camp style to indoor.

[osirisboy]

Originally Posted by Whalleyboy

Your comparing to different types of building

An embassy is not expected to be as secure as a cop headquarters.
I mean come a natural disaster people aren't gonna be going to an embassy first they would first turn to cop and arm bases. This place will be a place where people can find shelter be it camp style to indoor.

actually they are especially in war torn countries. but in canada youre right embassies arent usually built as secure as some other places but trust me the US one is.

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

No I still dont buy it. They could have built it way more denser than they did even with all the security concerns they have. And if someone wants to blow it up they are still going to find a way even if theres no underground parking! The US embassy in ottawa opened in 1999 so its fairly new and its built right downtown
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_the_United_States,_Ottawa

my basic point is this, they could've still built a very secure building that wasnt so sprawled out and thats all there is to it!

edit* even if they wanted to keep all that surface parking they could have still made this project interact better with the street!

1999. That's 2 years before September 11, 2001. If it had started construction after Sept 11 I have a feeling the building would have looked much different in Ottawa. You could still go sit with the pilots in airplanes in 1999 and take water bottles and nail clippers through security...