Burnaby Updates

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

...
I'd simply like to see the next tall development (over 150 metres) to have masonry. It would really stand out from the crowd. One would be enough.

Yeah, solid/opaque surface on a tower provides more character to a building.

Unfortunately, the current trend (due to cost savings, I think) is to provide opaque surfaces using spandrel (opaque) glass, rather than brick, concrete or precast concrete panels.

Compounding the issue (apparently), is the desire of new projects to reduce solar gain in order to meet LEED requirements - so windows have become smaller. Gone are the expansive floor to ceiling wall to wall windows.

One means of reducing solar gain and still allowing expansive windows is wrap-around balconies (although the extension of the floor slab to create the balcony creates a heat sink / loss of heat). Wrap-around balconies can add a lot of character to condo buildings.

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

I wonder if this building will we the last highrise on the southeast corner on Metrotown, or will they add 5-10 story midrises from Dunblane to Royal Oak?

.....

If I had to guess, I'd say yes.

Looking at the most recently completed projects and stuff under construction, west of Marlborough and as you approach Royal Oak and around that area, they're all low to midrises with nothing higher than 5 or 6 stories.

Which tends to indicate that getting rezoning applications approved for anything higher than that is probably not easy.
Which in turn suggests that the city of Burnaby would prefer to limit high density developments to as close to the major skytrain stations (like Metrotown) as possible and lower height the further away.

It might also explain why you have so many towers planned for those two blocks (between Nelson and Marlborough) since that's probably the last parcel you can get that much density in that area as close to the Mall.

It would be interesting to know what the long term plan for the area with the Lowrises just south of Beresford (and the wall of towers adjacent to Metropolis) and North of Imperial, and if there will be any more towers approved as you head south.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

It would be interesting to know what the long term plan for the area with the Lowrises just south of Beresford (and the wall of towers adjacent to Metropolis) and North of Imperial, and if there will be any more towers approved as you head south.

I think there should be more mid-rises and short towers (max 20 floors) to make the transition from tall towers to low-rises more gradual. It would also make the skyline look more layered and enhance the streetscape experience. Towers alone won't cut it.

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

Speaking of Royal Oak, does anyone have any information on the mid rises sprouting along Royal Oak and Imperial? I checked Burnaby's "major" development list and found rather vague information about it

Does anyone think the old cornerstore/tram station on Royal Oak and Beresford will survive? I'd really like to see it restored and turned into something nice, like a small community centre of café.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

Speaking of Royal Oak, does anyone have any information on the mid rises sprouting along Royal Oak and Imperial? I checked Burnaby's "major" development list and found rather vague information about it

Does anyone think the old cornerstore/tram station on Royal Oak and Beresford will survive? I'd really like to see it restored and turned into something nice, like a small community centre of café.

Your best bet is to google the name of the development and / or the developer. If it's far enough along in planning there should be some info online (bonus if they have a website that has actual info on it).

If you mean M & B Grocery at 6949 Royal Oak, I wouldn't hold out hope. I remember that place from 20 years ago and it doesn't look much different now - I'm surprised it's still standing. Much like an old house I used to rent from in the area, I suspect they're doing just enough upkeep to keep it from falling apart, and will eventually sell and it will be bulldozed.

[officedweller]

Is the short crane in the background for "Midori"?

Originally Posted by Yellow Fever

20160420_181755 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

Originally Posted by Sheba

If you mean M & B Grocery at 6949 Royal Oak, I wouldn't hold out hope. I remember that place from 20 years ago and it doesn't look much different now - I'm surprised it's still standing. Much like an old house I used to rent from in the area, I suspect they're doing just enough upkeep to keep it from falling apart, and will eventually sell and it will be bulldozed.

That building used to be an interurban station. I hope it doesn't get demolished. How hard could it be to repair it?

[urbancanadian]

Burnaby's definitely not allowing any highrises within the Royal Oak area plan. That means you certainly won't see any built south of Imperial or east of Royal Oak. The only area I could see highrises being approved is the area bordered by Marlborough, Imperial, Royal Oak, and Kingsway, which is technically within the Metrotown Plan.

It's zoned for medium-density residential, implying 4-storey residential buildings. But since there's already a tower there (Burlington Square), I could see them allowing high-rises. But nowhere near the 5 FSR you see along the main stretches of Kingsway or Beresford.

[Sheba]

Yeah, Burnaby has four town centres (Metrotown, Brentwood, Lougheed and Edmonds) where the tall towers are allowed. Beyond that the plan is to scale down the size and then SFH. Scroll down to the bottom of this page.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

That building used to be an interurban station. I hope it doesn't get demolished. How hard could it be to repair it?

It depends if they've done anything beyond the bare minimum upkeep. I wouldn't hold out hope about it becoming anything more than it is now, not after 20+ years.

[Kisai]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

That building used to be an interurban station. I hope it doesn't get demolished. How hard could it be to repair it?

https://burnaby.civicweb.net/document/14200

The applicant has repeatedly attempted to pursue the larger assembly pattern proposed under the adopted Plan, but has been unsuccessful to date. Specifically, the applicant contacted the owners of the two properties to the north at 6949 and 6969 Royal Oak Avenue, as well as the three properties to the south at 7049, 7067 and 7089 Royal Oak Avenue with a view to acquiring them. However, none of the owners have indicated a willingness to participate in the consolidated development of the site at this time.

That was 3 years ago. So the report at the time says the owner of 6949 refuses to sell.

[Kisai]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Is the short crane in the background for "Midori"?

Yes. It's under construction now.

[Klazu]

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but there will be a new "iconic" tower called Fulton House going up in south Brentwood. Not sure of the floor count, but there will be 303 units. I could also not find any renderings yet, but here's the sales page.

http://www.polyhomes.com/community/fulton-house

[Kisai]

http://goodmanreport.com/content/Revised%20BRO%206556%206596%20Marlborough%20Avenue.pdf

http://goodmanreport.com/content/Reported_Apt_Sales_April%2022%202016.pdf

Guess I better start packing. Looks like it was sold in Dec 2015, but one of the residents was told that eviction notices were sent, but I haven't seen one, so I don't know.

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

What would be the point of redeveloping that land? The Metrotown plan only lets medium density there, which it already is.

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Is the short crane in the background for "Midori"?

Actually that crane is still on the 'Park Metrotown' site.

It's the crane for the townhouses at the other end of the site.

I don't believe Midori has gotten along far enough to be ready to erect a crane yet.

Last I saw (I passed by a little over a week ago) they had only just gotten the bulldozers and excavators on site, which means if excavation is underway, they've barely just started.

I doubt they'd erect any cranes before they had completed excavating the parkade and foundation pit.

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by Kisai

Yes. It's under construction now.

No actually that's the second crane for the Park Metrotown site.

The Midori site hasn't gotten along far enough for them to erect a crane yet.

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by Kisai

http://goodmanreport.com/content/Revised%20BRO%206556%206596%20Marlborough%20Avenue.pdf

http://goodmanreport.com/content/Reported_Apt_Sales_April%2022%202016.pdf

Guess I better start packing. Looks like it was sold in Dec 2015, but one of the residents was told that eviction notices were sent, but I haven't seen one, so I don't know.

I expect we're going to see quite a bit of property sales, offers, and site consolidation for the lots between Marlborough and Burlington (and possibly as far as Royal Oak) in the next couple of months and years.


Most of the lowrises on those blocks are pretty old, run down and in some cases dilapidated and I wouldn't imagine the city would be to sad to see them get redeveloped - even while I doubt that they'll allow anyone to build anything higher than mid-rises.
But hey, there is that tower on Burlington - so you never know.

[officedweller]

Thanks for the info!

Burnaby updates from VancouverMarket.ca:

http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2016/04/25/market-spotlight-burnaby-rezoning-applications/


***************

3700 Hastings Street

The plan for this 10,000 SF site in the Hastings Heights area is for a 4-storey mixed-use development, including:
◾21 market rental apartment units
◾3-studios, 12 one-bedrooms, 6 two-bedrooms
◾6,278 SF of ground floor retail space
◾28 parking spaces

********************

2422 Alpha Avenue

The proposal for this 41,770 SF Brentwood town centre site, by Monark, was originally submitted back in September 2015 and calls for a 23-storey condo tower, that includes:
◾160 units, including 4 townhouses
◾59 one-bedrooms, 80 two-bedrooms and 21 3-bedrooms
◾underground and structured parking
◾total density of 3.6 FAR
◾176 parking spaces

**************

6050 Sussex Avenue

The plan for this 2.9 acre site that includes an existing apartment building and church on the North side of Metrotown is for two towers including condos and rental apartments, under the RM5s designation in the Metrotown Centre Plan.The site is owned by Townline, and a preview of the proposal can be seen here.

Details of the proposal include:
◾a 41-storey condo tower and a 31-storey rental apartment tower
◾a redevelopment of the existing Burnaby West United Church
◾321 condo units
◾238 new rental apartment units
◾a total density of 5.0 FAR
◾retention of existing 18-storey and 15-storey apartment buildings with 254 units
◾362 underground parking spaces


https://www.facebook.com/TownlineHomes?sk=wall


https://www.facebook.com/TownlineHomes?sk=wall

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks for the info!

Burnaby updates from VancouverMarket.ca:

http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2016/04/25/market-spotlight-burnaby-rezoning-applications/


***************

6050 Sussex Avenue

The plan for this 2.9 acre site that includes an existing apartment building and church on the North side of Metrotown is for two towers including condos and rental apartments, under the RM5s designation in the Metrotown Centre Plan.The site is owned by Townline, and a preview of the proposal can be seen here.

Details of the proposal include:
◾a 41-storey condo tower and a 31-storey rental apartment tower
◾a redevelopment of the existing Burnaby West United Church
◾321 condo units
◾238 new rental apartment units
◾a total density of 5.0 FAR
◾retention of existing 18-storey and 15-storey apartment buildings with 254 units
◾362 underground parking spaces


https://www.facebook.com/TownlineHomes?sk=wall

The Sussex one isn't that new - it's nice to see a model of it, minus that awkward little street / driveway.

Originally Posted by Sheba

According to the city: Construction of a high-rise residential building and a new church facility for the West Burnaby United Church at 6050 Sussex Avenue, as well as an infill, market rental project comprised of a high-rise tower at 4769 Hazel Street and townhomes at 4758 Grange Street.

The rental tower was already announced (it'll join the towers just to the east of this) and the townhouses will be built over there too. I wonder if they'll be taking out that driveway / street next to the church to fit in the new church and tower, as that's an awfully small lot if they don't.