Suburban Updates - All Other Metro Vancouver Municipalities

[Vin]

Richmond, despite not being able to go too tall, is doing it right! They are putting office blocks, hotels, high-density retail stores and other entertainment services amidst condos. If only the Olympic Village in Vancouver would follow the same formula....This development in Richmond makes the City of Van planning unit look glaringly backward and 'provincial'.

[dubsH]

Originally Posted by Vin

Richmond, despite not being able to go too tall, is doing it right! They are putting office blocks, hotels, high-density retail stores and other entertainment services amidst condos. If only the Olympic Village in Vancouver would follow the same formula....This development in Richmond makes the City of Van planning unit look glaringly backward and 'provincial'.

Have you been to Aberdeen Square? That place is dead (and by the looks of it, less than 10% leased). With the 'luxury' outlet mall one station away (as well as Aberdeen Centre itself and Marine Gateway), I wonder if there's enough demand to make it "luxury".

Also, isn't Marine Gateway a much taller version of whatever's happening in this phase of the International Trade Centre? There's no hotel, sure, but there's everything else you listed AND it is in Vancouver.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by dubsH

Have you been to Aberdeen Square? That place is dead (and by the looks of it, less than 10% leased). With the 'luxury' outlet mall one station away (as well as Aberdeen Centre itself and Marine Gateway), I wonder if there's enough demand to make it "luxury".

Also, isn't Marine Gateway a much taller version of whatever's happening in this phase of the International Trade Centre? There's no hotel, sure, but there's everything else you listed AND it is in Vancouver.

Aberdeen Square is dead only because the developer is dumb enough to sell individual store lots rather than managing the entire mall themselves. Why cant they continue the success of Aberdeen centre? Also, it is far from a luxury mall, and feels more like a modern version of a cheap clothing/retail market. The claustrophobic design of the mall is itself a failure. There is still hope for the mall if modifications are made and a professional mall management company takes over.

At Marine Gateway, for sure it is a good start for Vancouver. However it is way too far from existing urban commercial areas to allow any continuity, and that there is a limit of how much the area can grow. There are existing industrial sites that will be retained in perpetuity. The Marpole Plan also restricts the area's growth west or even east. The Cambie Plan restricts the growth north to only up to boring 6-storey condos. For Richmond's international Centre, the project can be complemented by other neighbouring hotels and entertainment centres like RiverRock casino, etc. Many large scale projects will be built in that neighbourhood to create a new vibrant entertainment centre in the future. Marine Gateway is just that, nothing more. Kapish?

Compared to any Vancouver developments outside downtown, the future looks way brighter for the entire stretch from Bridgeport all the way to Richmond Centre. The area is poised to be very urban in the future, with a good mix of malls, hotels, and condos. Vancouver will never get new areas like this. At least Burnaby has the potential.

Please don't take the failure of Aberdeen Square's concept to represent the success of Richmond's overall development.

[officedweller]

New Westminster paves way for Front Street parkade demolition
By THERESA MCMANUS, ROYAL CITY RECORD
May 28, 2014

METRO VANCOUVER -- A portion of the Front Street parkade in New Westminster could be coming down in less than a year.

New Westminster city council has directed staff to proceed with actions needed to deconstruct a portion of the Front Street parkade and restore Front Street Frontage Road.
...

The city's plan for the Front Street frontage road - the area between Front Street and the buildings - is to create a mews that features good pedestrian connections, 40 angled parking stalls and landscaping. No cost estimates are available for this work, as staff will be doing detailed design and costing will be done this summer.

"It would have basically a narrow drive aisle, angled parking, a wide sidewalk - we are thinking about three metres, and then a landscaped boulevard with trees," Allison said. "It would be a pleasant pedestrian area."

Currently, Front Street is a designated truck route, but the city hopes that changes in the future.

"Front Street itself will remain. We will still have a two-lane street there," Allison said. "In our master transportation plan, our intention over time is to remove Front Street from the truck route network. At the current time, it is a truck route and we need to work with TransLink to remove it. Over time we are hoping to make Front Street a collector street, more of a local street. In the interim period we will still have a separation between Front Street and the mews, the frontage road. You will have traffic over on one side, and you'll have the more pedestrian/parking area on the other side, and they will be separated by a physical curb barrier."
...

http://www.vancouversun.com/Westminster+paves+Front+Street+parkade+demolition/9885326/story.html

[BodomReaper]

Decided to explore the two most recent lowrises to be completed in central Poco. Quite happy with how both turned out, especially given that the main selling point of the area is affordability. (Higher resolutions available by clicking through to Flickr, if so inclined to bask in more lowrise glory.)

First up is Spring. The architect is Farzin Yadegari, with an unknown holding firm listed as the developer on the rezoning application. This is the 2nd project in central Poco for this developer/architect combo, with at least one more to come.

DSC09284 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09283 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09287 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09291 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09297 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09294 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09293 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

One block east, this one is called La Via. Circadian is the developer with architecture by Atelier Pacific. This is the 2nd building they've done together in the area, and to my relief, a substantial improvement over the 1st.

DSC09307 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09302 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09309 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09311 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

IMAG0573 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

IMAG0576 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09317 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

[Jebby]

Thanks for the pictures.

Pretty uninspiring architecture, but nothing offensive. Looks to fit in well with the neighbourhood and it's good to see affordable housing being built with relatively good density.

[BodomReaper]

Since the last update, Grand Central 3 has topped out and had cladding fully installed. Pretty sure this tower is a case of what SFUvancouver mentioned in the 999 Seymour thread: projects that were conceived during the 2004-2008 boom and paid a premium for land + professional services, but are only coming to life now, necessitating heavy value-engineering to meet the projected financial performance.

DSC09321 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09330 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09329 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09342 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09347 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09325 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

The grade level will be an appealing mix of parking garage and spandrel:

DSC09345 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09343 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

M3's very large parkade taking shape:

DSC09338 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

On Pinetree:

DSC09355 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

Evergreen:

DSC09354 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09351 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

DSC09352 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

1123 Westwood:

DSC09357 by Thermidoria, on Flickr

[Prometheus]

Thanks for the update.

It's a shame Coquitlam went down the route of above-ground parking garages.

[BodomReaper]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Thanks for the update.

It's a shame Coquitlam went down the route of above-ground parking garages.

Sadly not much they can do - to my knowledge all of these projects do have the maximum 1 or 2 levels of underground parking permitted by the silty soil, but still require a total of 3 or 4. Some complexes disguise the parkade better than others though.

[Prometheus]

Silty soil? That's too bad.

[SpongeG]

when the big quake hits a lot of coquitlam will sink, my friends grandmother says back in the day where ikea, winners, etc is was all swamp and they filled it in with sawdust and crap over the years same with the coquitlam centre area

[dleung]

Some pretty nasty stuff going up in Coquitlam. Why is it so miles behind North Van, Richmond, etc?

[Zassk]

I realize the Ikea area was silt/swamp, but I am surprised to hear of this being an issue around Coquitlam Centre. Aren't we encouraging growth in this part of the region because of the stability of its soil?

[NewWester]

I thought it was more to do with controlling sprawl and protecting vulnerable agricultural lands.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by Zassk

I realize the Ikea area was silt/swamp, but I am surprised to hear of this being an issue around Coquitlam Centre. Aren't we encouraging growth in this part of the region because of the stability of its soil?

Why do you think they have to pile drive for each and every column of the Evergreen Line in the Coquitlam Centre area?

The Evergreen condo is looking good, but its too bad it only has two levels of office space. It would have been nice if it was more. I'm also curious when the 9 storey "M-Pro" will start...

One thing I am curious about it, is the Evergreen condo development doesn't take up the entire area. There is still vacant land between the Evergreen condo and the street beside City Hall. So I'm curious what could they possibly build there. I think its too small to put another high rise, maybe lowrise retail or even offices?

[VanK]

Originally Posted by queetz@home

Why do you think they have to pile drive for each and every column of the Evergreen Line in the Coquitlam Centre area?

The Evergreen condo is looking good, but its too bad it only has two levels of office space. It would have been nice if it was more. I'm also curious when the 9 storey "M-Pro" will start...

One thing I am curious about it, is the Evergreen condo development doesn't take up the entire area. There is still vacant land between the Evergreen condo and the street beside City Hall. So I'm curious what could they possibly build there. I think its too small to put another high rise, maybe lowrise retail or even offices?

TO the north? IF so then yes its City-owned land and could be developed for a future tower:

From the rezoning application:

"In addition, future "knock-out" panels will be included on the ground level and first underground parking level to provide access to the City-owned site to the north....

The proposed development has taken into consideration adjacent developments Including the adjacent City-owned development site at the corner of Pinetree Way and Burlington Drive (1190 Pinetree Way). The proposed high-rise tower has been sited approximately 30m (lOO feet) from the adjacent property line, which will enable a future tower development on the City property generally in keeping with the tower separation design guidelines..."

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by VanK

TO the north? IF so then yes its City-owned land and could be developed for a future tower:

From the rezoning application:

"In addition, future "knock-out" panels will be included on the ground level and first underground parking level to provide access to the City-owned site to the north....

The proposed development has taken into consideration adjacent developments Including the adjacent City-owned development site at the corner of Pinetree Way and Burlington Drive (1190 Pinetree Way). The proposed high-rise tower has been sited approximately 30m (lOO feet) from the adjacent property line, which will enable a future tower development on the City property generally in keeping with the tower separation design guidelines..."

Well....I guess we know which side of the Evergreen condo to avoid if there is an opportunity to buy units there...

[Xerx]

Solterra's proposing a highrise near Dawson and Alpha.

Solterra Acquisition Corp. has applied for a rezoning of 2450 Alpha Ave., a parcel of almost one acre between Dawson and Alaska streets. It proposes building a high-rise apartment building with apartments or townhouses at a podium level to camouflage the above-ground parking.

Source: Wanda Chow, Burnaby Newsleader

[red-paladin]

Does anyone know about this project?
http://theparkmetrotown.com/
I saw an ad in the 24 hours paper, it showed a 41(?) storey building.

[Arcsec]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

Does anyone know about this project?
http://theparkmetrotown.com/
I saw an ad in the 24 hours paper, it showed a 41(?) storey building.

It could be the development on the south side of the MET, on Nelson Ave. It is across from Bonsor park and the city of Burnaby website says the developer is Intergulf.