Surrey City Centre Redevelopment Plans

[paradigm4]

I think there was supposed to be benches integrated. And 3 Civic Plaza will have a shop or two on the plaza once it's done.

[Whalleyboy]

Benches and planters will likely be added in the end. From what I recall the benches and planters are suppose to be movable. It's so when events are being held they can be pushed to the side. This is just them opening now so people can see and have early access. I'm sure when its fully done they will have a grand opening event there and it will look really nice.

Also yes to the comment about lighting. Its amazing bright there at night. But its a good bright not the blinding kind.

Also the comment for centrals plaza. People need to remember the benches and the seating for the coffee shop were added after it was done.

[GMasterAres]

Yah that's why I was trying to be cautious in my commentary. I mean it still isn't technically complete even though it is "open" and 3Civic has been built yet as Paradigm said they plan on having stuff on the plaza. I figured some benches and maybe planters and such will be added eventually as it is just open now + still construction going on.

I do hope they don't do like in Toronto what was mentioned with adding clutter, I like the idea of open spaces, just think it needs a little bit more over time to not make it feel like there should be troops marching and tanks rolling through like Red Square in Moscow.

[Whalleyboy]

If you look at the rendering photos it shows trees are suppose to be there. So I'm sure they are likely gonna add more green in there as time comes closer to the grand opening of that area. I am part of the city speaks thing and they say grand opening is like april 26 I think. So still plenty of time to add some trees and benches in to the area.

[Nites]

They should put a 30 foot statue of James Cheng in the court yard.

[Whalleyboy]

So they have add trees in the plaza now

[tybuilding]

Originally Posted by Whalleyboy

So they have add trees in the plaza now

Party for the Planet will be held in the new plaza. http://www.surrey.ca/partyfortheplanet/

[memememe76]

I just noticed this afternoon that a new Take Five Cafe will be open at the bottom of the new City Hall building. It's the first established coffeeshop in the area (although I like the ones owned by the eccentric Italian man and the sweet Korean couple--the one inside the library is not all that memorable). Surprised Blendz or Waves didn't get the site.

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by memememe76

I just noticed this afternoon that a new Take Five Café will be open at the bottom of the new City Hall building. It's the first established coffeeshop in the area (although I like the ones owned by the eccentric Italian man and the sweet Korean couple--the one inside the library is not all that memorable). Surprised Blendz or Waves didn't get the site.

That's not the way it works. They are all franchises so in essence the person purchasing the location decides if they want to open their own brand coffee shop or buy into a franchise. It isn't Waves, Blendz, Starbucks, or Take Five for example that go "We want to go into X location."

Just franchises.

So ultimately the person investing into that spot decided based on fees, initial investments, ongoing royalty and advertising costs, and contract terms that Take Five Café was the best franchise go move towards in that location. Take Five is expanding its brand right now so I think it is a good location for one to go into anyway. I don't drink coffee though so I don't care either way someone else would have to say if they are a good brand or not.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by jhausner

That's not the way it works. They are all franchises so in essence the person purchasing the location decides if they want to open their own brand coffee shop or buy into a franchise. It isn't Waves, Blendz, Starbucks, or Take Five for example that go "We want to go into X location."

Just franchises.

So ultimately the person investing into that spot decided based on fees, initial investments, ongoing royalty and advertising costs, and contract terms that Take Five Café was the best franchise go move towards in that location. Take Five is expanding its brand right now so I think it is a good location for one to go into anyway. I don't drink coffee though so I don't care either way someone else would have to say if they are a good brand or not.

Starbucks does not franchise locations like this. It would be corporate owned.

Ron.

[GMasterAres]

Sorry not sure why I listed Starbucks. They are one of the few that dont franchise youre right.

[jbrizzy]

Starbucks actually does both, I have friends that work at both corporate and franchised Starbucks. I know that the airport has franchised Starbucks.

[spm2013]

....

[Blease]

Any chance we could get an Urban Fare in City Centre?? Surely with all the shiny towers popping up, there must be a growing number of yuppies in the area.

Originally Posted by spm2013

Aren't those the Safeway/Urban Fare type licensed locations?

http://www.starbucks.com/business/licensed-stores

[SpongeG]

starbucks calls them "licenced concepts"

anyway how is the mall doing with target open now? went to the target at christmas it seemed a lot busier than when it was a zellers

[Whalleyboy]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

starbucks calls them "licenced concepts"

anyway how is the mall doing with target open now? went to the target at christmas it seemed a lot busier than when it was a zellers

Each target that has open I've noticed seems busy at first. But they seem to slow right down after the first 2 months of being opened once people realized its cheaper to still go to walmart.

While centrals target seems to look busier then what zellars was I don't think its cause of it being target. I would personally say its likely do to the fact central has now filled out with more stores and the surrounding area has had an increase in population.

I know target as a whole has been doing really bad and plans are already being worked to close multiple locations now. Last I heard they reported over 2 billion in loses just in the US alone.

The company I work for has been keeping an eye on them since opening.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Blease

Any chance we could get an Urban Fare in City Centre?? Surely with all the shiny towers popping up, there must be a growing number of yuppies in the area.

Sorry man, it's still Surrey.

[SFUVancouver]

^ I could see an Urban Fare or Whole Foods making a move to get a presence in Metrotown in the relatively near future, based on the neighbourhood's large resident population, daytime office workforce, a substantial residential population increase in the development pipeline, and the established drawing power of the mall.

I think we are still a ways away from the top-tier grocery brands establishing themselves in Surrey City Centre. A large resident population in close proximity to the prospective store's location is critical to the success of high-end grocery, especially those of modest-middle and upper-middle class incomes (basically the top two quintiles) and those with lifestyle preferences for healthy and active living and the disposable incomes to exercise conspicuous consumption. Office workers buying lunch and beverages are an important, if somewhat counter-intuitive, part of the success of high-end grocery since these customers effectively treat the store like a cafe or restaurant and allow it to bring in substantial income at a time of day during the work week when it would otherwise be pretty dead. The office workers also tend to pick up things on their way home or before the weekend separate from their regular grocery shops and together this adds up to a substantial part of the work week's revenue. Whole Foods' Cambie Street location, which is one of the highest grossing stores in the company's entire empire and tops in Canada, benefits tremendously from the adjacent office workforce and its large population within walking distance. Hard as it is to believe when you're trying to find a parking spot in the underground parking, the majority of its customers patronize the store on foot. (My source for much of this admittedly anecdotal info is someone I know who works there.)

I could see a Whole Foods go into the King George Station development, likely in its second phase, which is retail heavy, but the jury's still out as to whether downtown Surrey will attract the substantial office sector and high income downtown residents that high-end grocery stores look for when considering a downtown location. What makes me think that location is likeliest is its proximity to the hospital and medical office district, plus immediate adjacency to a large walking distance resident population and modest office presence.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by Whalleyboy

Each target that has open I've noticed seems busy at first. But they seem to slow right down after the first 2 months of being opened once people realized its cheaper to still go to walmart.

While centrals target seems to look busier then what zellars was I don't think its cause of it being target. I would personally say its likely do to the fact central has now filled out with more stores and the surrounding area has had an increase in population.

I know target as a whole has been doing really bad and plans are already being worked to close multiple locations now. Last I heard they reported over 2 billion in loses just in the US alone.

The company I work for has been keeping an eye on them since opening.

yeah its too bad i love target, unfortunately i don't think most canadians even knew what target was and the way the media portrayed them canadians expected them to be cheap like walmart and when they found out they weren't they just didn't go back

i wonder if central could go more high scale or just leave that to guildford

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Sorry man, it's still Surrey.

Yes and we're not insane to pay inflated prices for the same stuff you can get in pretty much every other store. I mean really, Maple Leaf Chicken @ Urban Fare right now advertised at 17.61/kg yet it is 11.35/kg at the Superstore and still less at Safeway/Save-on.

Same stuff. Heck I just did a Superstore run yesterday and purchased 1 thing for sure that I can see on the Urban Fare flyer "on sale." The Earthbound Farm Organic Salad, purchased that exact item to make salads for the week and paid $3.95 for it. Compared to $5.99 at UF "On Special." Once you start buying food for a larger family, spending ridiculous amounts of extra money on the same food is just whole unjustified imo.

Unfortunately your attempted slag did point out a truth that most people living in Surrey don't have the drive to pay more for the same stuff just because of a name on the entrance door. Vancouver can keep the increased cost of living to itself imho. So I do agree with you Urban Fare most likely won't work in most of Surrey at this time. May work in South Surrey just like it probably would work at Metrotown because a lot of people in those areas have more money to spend than they know what to do with.

That said the new Fresh market in Fleetwood is jam packed and it has a more "urban" feel to it compared to the big box yet they have priced the food competitively and not insane just "because we're X store and better."