Surrey Updates - Page 115

Nites · #**2281** Posted **Apr 19, 2018, 7:53 AM**

Hopefully the commercial building will have a nice design and good bulk.

Nites · #**2282** Posted **Apr 19, 2018, 7:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westbased

Toys R’ Us site has reportedly sold for around $60 million.

So the dollar store is also moving/gone?

Cypherus · #**2283** Posted **Apr 19, 2018, 4:24 PM**

Thanks for the update Shift re: 35 storey tower. Nice to see buildings filling out the core instead of clustering around the sky train stations. Also agree this site is prime for 2 towers otherwise I fear it may have too much green space around it, akin to a Tower in the Park style.

Shift · #**2284** Posted **Apr 19, 2018, 11:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westbased

Toys R’ Us site has reportedly sold for around $60 million.

Good news. Another piece of the puzzle coming together.

Shift · #**2285** Posted **Apr 19, 2018, 11:49 PM**

To add to the list of new applications:

A revised application has been submitted for the site outlined in red below at 133 St and Central Ave. Across from Evolve and West Village Park.

"To rezone from RF to CD in order to develop an 18-storey tower with a 2-storey and 4-storey podium consisting of 157 units."

The site is designated for 4-6 storey - so staff may not be supportive. Doesn't mean it can't happen.

https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=18&seq=0125

Westbased · #**2286** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 1:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shift

To add to the list of new applications:

A revised application has been submitted for the site outlined in red below at 133 St and Central Ave. Across from Evolve and West Village Park.

"To rezone from RF to CD in order to develop an 18-storey tower with a 2-storey and 4-storey podium consisting of 157 units."

The site is designated for 4-6 storey - so staff may not be supportive. Doesn't mean it can't happen.

https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=18&seq=0125

Was this just updated? If so then it we may already be seeing applicants aiming for higher density because the "gateway" site on King George was given a go ahead from council...

Regardless, it is across the street from 30+ story buildings and in my opinion it also for a better transition if this tower does hit the 18 story. Behind that 6 stories max sure.

Westbased · #**2287** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 1:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by skymaster

So the dollar store is also moving/gone?

I don't believe either Toys R' Us or the dollar store will be moving in the very near term as they still have some term on their lease and the developer will still have to go through the development permitting process.

Guessing we might see an application on the site later this year and hopefully construction can start hopefully by 2020.

GMasterAres · #**2288** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 3:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shift

I don't think the City Centre Plan is limiting in any way - unless you mean they should be allowing more 60+ storey towers all over the place?

The 30-40 storey range of most proposals under application seems like pretty decent density for a secondary metropolitan downtown.

Also, iconic can be created through buildings that aren't 60-storeys tall. The new SFU building, City Hall, and Library are quite iconic and all less than 10 FAR.

Go through the list of high FAR towers in most downtowns within the United States (even Portland) and you'll find a lot of 20-30 storey towers that are 15+ FAR. It has as much to do with mass as with height.

For example, Prime in Surrey Central = FAR 8.4 which is fine.

But compare to SFU building directly nex tdoor which is a LOT shorter and has a FAR of 3.8. You may say, hey that is way less than 8.4, but with the SFU building's massing, if you were to bring up its height to just 15 stories, it would very likely have a FAR > 8.4 and that would be a 15 storey building vs a 37 storey building.

SFU = 90% lot coverage vs Prime which is 50% lot coverage.

I just feel a true downtown has a healthy mix of mass and height. If Surrey builds nothing but 30-40 storey towers at FAR 3-10 we're never going to get a tight skyline unless there are 2-300 towers built in Surrey Central. And with a FAR cap typically being pushed, that means the higher a tower goes the thinner it gets. Look at GEC which has height granted but it is pencil thin. Even 3 Civic which has a wide profile looking East<>West, has a thin profile North<>South.

If you were to box it out with the same height you'd be FAR 20+ easy.

I'd just love to see a bit more umph in the central parts or in a few parts. As it stands today with the Surrey Central NCP, it would be a stretch to get any towers like the Bentals downtown built, or even Metro Tower III. Heck the Amazing Brentwood would blow the NCP limits out of the water.

I think I would have preferred just the CD zones to not have this artificial limit. Then again maybe Surrey is ok with overlooking it they just put the limit to force developers to go through a council amendment process and give them some cash in lieu of mass.

I guess we'll see over time.

Shift · #**2289** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 3:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westbased

Was this just updated? If so then it we may already be seeing applicants aiming for higher density because the "gateway" site on King George was given a go ahead from council...

Regardless, it is across the street from 30+ story buildings and in my opinion it also for a better transition if this tower does hit the 18 story. Behind that 6 stories max sure.

The previous (2012) application was for an 18-storey tower as well. Doesn't appear much has changed with this 2018 application number - although likely a re-design, maybe new developer, otherwise not sure why the update.

I agree 18-storeys here is very appropriate. Will step down nicely from Evolve and Wave even. 6-storeys is appropriate to the site west of it right on 132 - although that dated application (2009) is for 4-storeys. Bet that will change.

Shift · #**2290** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 3:26 AM**

Looks like Veteran's Village got a re-design. Thank god.

Back to 2 towers and looking fantastic. Much better reference to the Vimy Memorial on this one with the red exterior feature. Sidewalk/pedestrian realm looks great. Wondering if the tower behind might be a future Phase 2 or if its intended to be built all at once? They look somewhat interconnected.

CoryHolmes · #**2291** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 4:00 AM**

Love the red! I wish more towers had bold colour choices like that!

osirisboy · #**2292** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 4:05 AM**

So i think it could be nice but it could also turn out to be a spandrel mess. And I don't get why there are two huge rows of bushes/trees and grass. Just build a sidewalk and be done with it. This is supposed to be downtown Surrey right?

iron · #**2293** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 4:40 AM**

So is this the 4th design for Veteran's Village, or what? Do you think this one will stick? This one's (market?) housing component is the clearest yet.

Weird to see 2 rows of bushes but no bike path among them.

officedweller · #**2294** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 6:12 AM**

Better than this (previous version) I guess (?), but could be a jumbled mess?

https://twitter.com/larkgroup1

Shift · #**2295** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 6:14 AM**

I wouldn't take the rendering as exact detail of what the sidewalk will look like. There could very well be a bike lane incorporated into it - as Surrey is moving in that direction with streets in City Centre. I like the wide sidewalk / double row of trees anyway. Much more big city / urban feel than a standard sidewalk, and much better pedestrian realm. Looks like it's intended as a quasi plaza space fronting 106 Ave - anchoring the building.

The massing is very urban, fills out the site well.

Nites · #**2296** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 6:31 AM**

Way better design. Like the red.

Blease · #**2297** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 7:25 AM**

So we know this building will provide accommodations and services for Canadian veterans. Question is, will this building also be an administrative centre for the Department of Veterans Affairs, that is to say, will a bunch of well paid federal government jobs also be moving to the area?

iron · #**2298** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 7:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blease

So we know this building will provide accommodations and services for Canadian veterans. Question is, will this building also be an administrative centre for the Department of Veterans Affairs, that is to say, will a bunch of well paid federal government jobs also be moving to the area?

Veteran Affairs is a tenant of new Gateway Place building. I think they're new to the area. Just a small office though.

GMasterAres · #**2299** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 3:53 PM**

Way way way better design. Nice, and hope this actually gets built. Will change that area drastically.

pok3mytummy · #**2300** Posted **Apr 20, 2018, 6:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blease

So we know this building will provide accommodations and services for Canadian veterans. Question is, will this building also be an administrative centre for the Department of Veterans Affairs, that is to say, will a bunch of well paid federal government jobs also be moving to the area?

It is a long-term plan for all federal government departments in the GVR area to consolidate all their department buildings into two HUBS - Downtown Vancouver and Surrey area. However, this would probably take a REALLY long time to implement