[Burnaby] Station Square | 35,38,48,41,52 fl | Completed

[red-paladin]

I didn't know this, but Save-on-Foods is closing on December 29th!
That's why they are moving the Pharmacy to the spot in the plaza under the pub.
Apparently the new store won't be complete and open until 2015, but they want to start demolition of the old store far before then! That must mean they are going to sell the phase two condo towers a lot sooner than I figured they would.

[osirisboy]

Which one is tower 2 again?

[jlousa]

I was there last Friday evening and the place was deserted, the staff easily outnumbered the customers on what should've been a busy time, so I'm not surprised they are closing. I haven't been there for years so I have no idea if it's been a gradual decline or if it's based solely on the construction scaring people away.

[vanman]

^Of the few times that I've been to that save on in the last 5 years it has always been dead.

And to Osiris tower 2 is supposed to be the tallest tower of the entire development.

[Waders]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

I didn't know this, but Save-on-Foods is closing on December 29th!

That is what I always suspect will eventually happen. That place is always dead with very few customer. I think Save-on-Foods might even save some money by closing earlier. The demolition work creates another reason for customer to avoid that area.
IMO it might be be better for the developer to close off the whole area and accelerate the development plan.

[GeeCee]

The redevelopment plans for this place sure have been erratic for this place. At first, all the businesses out front were going to stay open for a few years (red robin, boston pizza, etc), but then they ended up closing.. now save on foods which was going to remain open until the new store opened is closing as well?

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by GeeCee

The redevelopment plans for this place sure have been erratic for this place. At first, all the businesses out front were going to stay open for a few years (red robin, boston pizza, etc), but then they ended up closing.. now save on foods which was going to remain open until the new store opened is closing as well?

As much of a business loss all you mention surely is, perhaps the only positive way to look at it is that won't be any resistance, any "hangers-on" (there shouldn't normally be, I would have thought). Companies seem to want to leave.

As such, this may, in some way, provide a kind of inverse impetus for the project to go ahead, with a few less barriers in the way. Once it gets built, it'll have a going retail service centre.

And indirectly and only by chance, would this provide an opportunity to either refurbish the adjoining streetscape, or renew it entirely, making it smart and green and crisp, to go with this large project and the market it will generate.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by logan5

The one square mile that makes up Metrotown, had a population in 2001 of 25 000 people, so today that population has to have grown to close to 30 000 people. Hard to believe considering how dull the street life is.

I think this next round of heavy development will finally push Metrotown's density to the point of overcoming that mammoth malls urban stifling nature. There are some who will disagree, but I see Metrotown having close to Downtown type densities in 20 years.

Browsing back, I caught this, and could not agree more or hope for better. If planners and architects have taste and a certain synchronicity, we could see the downtown-type densities, with sleek tall buildings, office or residential, meeting a crisp, redone Kinsway; new curbs, corners and lighting, planted strips where landscaping will improve the visual aesthetic, sleek buildings with lawns that meet the sidewalk .... almost a feeling of a (very) small-scale Westwood Boulevard....

[Homeowner]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

I didn't know this, but Save-on-Foods is closing on December 29th!
That's why they are moving the Pharmacy to the spot in the plaza under the pub.
Apparently the new store won't be complete and open until 2015, but they want to start demolition of the old store far before then! That must mean they are going to sell the phase two condo towers a lot sooner than I figured they would.

I am not surprised they are closing SAVE ON FOODS. it's a construction zone around that area.

With CONDO #1 selling out quick it looks like they are pushing ahead with CONDO #2

[logan5]

Originally Posted by Homeowner

I am not surprised they are closing SAVE ON FOODS. it's a construction zone around that area.

With CONDO #1 selling out quick it looks like they are pushing ahead with CONDO #2

Maybe this whole project will be completed much sooner than anticipated. Driving west up Kingsway from New West, the Mark is really prominent, and now you can see a couple other significant buildings starting to creep into the skyline. Been said already, but Metrotown is going to feel so different in a decade.

The one easy, quick, and relatively cheap fix for the mega mall parking along Kingsway would be to build 1 story of retail. There is a small example of that in New Westminster, at that IGA mall.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Waders

That is what I always suspect will eventually happen. That place is always dead with very few customer. I think Save-on-Foods might even save some mony by closing earlier. The demolition work creates another reason for customer to avoid that area.
IMO it might be be better for the developer to close off the whole area and accelerate the development plan.

It does make sense.
That Save-on-Foods reflects the old business model for Save-on-Foods - big mega store, category killer - but in recent years, Save-on-Foods has become the "expensive store" (along with Safeway) due to the unionized workforce, so they have adjusted their business model to be more like the "boutique" Save-on-Foods at Madison Centre. The Pemberton Plaza (North Vancouver) store is also "too big" - and recently closed off its former book area (probably handed back to the landlord).

[SpongeG]

that save on was way too big, it had customers but they were so spread out you'd never know - the produce section and that side of the store was so big

the coquitlam store is the same way too big and such a waste of floor space

[Waders]

All 4 mature trees on Kingsway had been cut down over the weekend.
I guess there is not enough room to retain the trees?
Even though tree might be replanted after the new building is completed, it will take 3 decades before they will reach the same size.

[officedweller]

Does Kingsway need to be widened there?
Maybe they've decided to expropriate the old A&B Sound?

[red-paladin]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Does Kingsway need to be widened there?
Maybe they've decided to expropriate the old A&B Sound?

I wish, but I really doubt it.

[DKaz]

I used to frequent the Station Square Save On Foods when I lived near BCIT, that location is really big and uninviting. They never modernized to the new look so the manager likely knew for years that something was up. But then again, Ironwood in Richmond also has the old look. I preferred Save On Foods for prices that were closer to Superstore but less busy.

I also used to work at Madison Save On Foods. It's been union for years, but I believe in 2006 it was a two tiered union. I was a stocker working for $9 an hour, I believe the senior staff made more than $25 an hour. I believe it was 5,000 hours to get to second tier. It was hard work, physically demanding and we had to be fast and efficient. I enjoyed it anyway, gave me some extra spending money above what I was making full time and I was pretty buff a few months in, that took me be surprise.

Which trees are we talking about?

[vanman]

Update from this morning. The parkade gives a gives a great overview of the demolition.

[officedweller]

With MetroTower III being built - maybe it'll be time to build the office towers on that Superstore parking lot in the background there.

[Waders]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Which trees are we talking about?

From vanman's last post, the 2nd picture shows on Kingsway just outside the demolition zone, there is no longer any tree on the sidewalk.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Does Kingsway need to be widened there?
Maybe they've decided to expropriate the old A&B Sound?

isn't the old A&B Sound a heritage building? it used to be a bank back in the day