Burnaby Updates

[logan5]

As far as an events centre and entertainment, Burnaby should try and lure the Whitecaps back to Burnaby by building a soccer specific stadium where Swangard is. Give the land to the Whitecaps for free, and let them build it. They could also build a minor league baseball park where the current baseball park is. That park could at least attract the Canadians, or more preferably a AAA team. Both venues could host other big name events.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by WBC

9) As for the mall – they let them redesign the mall to merge two sections and close the last physical road through it (albeit delivery road) just a decade or so ago. That was the last chance to keep the mall separated and force the proper street grid through the mall site. But they let it go. Now a decade later they are talking about a 100 year plan for Metrotown to reverse that. And who in the right mind comes with 100 year plans?!? Just imagine somebody laying down a 100 year plan for Burnaby in 1900 - what relevance would that plan have just 10 years later.


11) There isn't a single event venue in MT. I guess Firefighter's club is the closest thing we have to that. Why? Yes, I know one is planned in the grand 60-80 year Metrotown plan...Again the venues that city of Burnaby supports such as galleries and theater are at Deer Lake park - close to nothing.

One reason I gave Burnaby against breaking up Metrotown was that. Why on earth did they let the mall close a road and now are saying they want multi roads throughout the mall footprint? It makes no sense.

I've mentioned on here before about how it (again) makes no sense to not have some kind of entertainment in the area. Burnaby is planning for an events centre but it's still in the very early planning stages (aka they don't even have a site for it yet).

It's infuriating

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Go read WBC's post and then tell us how livable MT is.

I've read it and I still stand by what I originally said.
Unlike you I have no problem seeing a distinction between a livability and a quality of life argument.

As with all things in life, if you don't like Metrotown, you don't have to live there, much less work there nor even drive through there if you don't want to.

Whining of course, if free.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

I've read it and I still stand by what I originally said.
Unlike you I have no problem seeing a distinction between a livability and a quality of life argument.

As with all things in life, if you don't like Metrotown, you don't have to live there, much less work there nor even drive through there if you don't want to.

Whining of course, if free.

I think you've just identified the area of dispute. Generally the definition of 'livability' doesn't refer to whether it's possible to live somewhere, but rather "the degree to which a place is suitable or good for living in". So it absolutely is a quality of life question. WBC's thoughtful explanation of the ways Metrotown is challenged in liveability terms illustrates that very well.

My experience of working there is that parts of the area will work better once developments are complete, but as a pedestrian there are many frustrations and blocked routes that logically I would expect to be accessible. Another problem is that Kingsway seems to be completely ignored, and isn't really part of the City Centre at all, but rather a wall of traffic cutting through one side and cutting off the area on the other side of the street.

[jollyburger]

An interesting read about how planning studies and reports turned into the current form of Metrotown. And how it goes back to the 1960s and 1970s:

http://davidpereira.ca/projects/burnabys-town-centres/metrotown/

[Klazu]

The whole term 'livable' is so stupid. Using the metrics used to measure it would have Metrotown or any middle-income suburbia as not livable, yet hundreds of thousands live happily there. It's just a different lifestyle and has nothing to do with livability.

[WBC]

Originally Posted by Klazu

The whole term 'livable' is so stupid. Using the metrics for it Metrotown or middle-income suburbia is not livable, yet hundreds of thousands live happily there. It's just different lifestyle and has nothing to do with livability.

Despite all the issues I mentioned I still like living in Metrotown particularly now that I have a kid. I always liked living close to stuff I need. Being close to shopping, transit, large-schools, a lot of green space and playgrounds as well as bike-lanes is great. Metrotown just needs polishing that's all.

[Klazu]

You had some interesting points and I want to give my 2 cents when I am not on mobile.

[SpongeG]

• Video Link

[officedweller]

From the Anthem Summer Newsletter:

https://issuu.com/anthemproperties/docs/...i98nIhsvq0RUzbiEzR%2F3BWRTHrcvyvFw%3D%3D

Note the 63 storey tower in Metrotown (with a stupid name).
Not sure where the site might be.


https://issuu.com/anthemproperties/docs/...i98nIhsvq0RUzbiEzR%2F3BWRTHrcvyvFw%3D%3D

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by officedweller

From the Anthem Summer Newsletter:

https://issuu.com/anthemproperties/docs/...i98nIhsvq0RUzbiEzR%2F3BWRTHrcvyvFw%3D%3D

Note the 63 storey tower in Metrotown (with a stupid name).
Not sure where the site might be.

The Wilson one would be 6075 Wilson Avenue and the Willingdon one would be 6444 Willingdon Avenue and 4241 Maywood Street (both mentioned on here before). I'm betting the oh so wonderfully named Metro King is 4638/46/54/62/70 Hazel Street and 4673/69/53 Kingsway as that's a chunk of the low rises on Kingsway across from Station Square.

[Metro-One]

A stand along taller tower project would be very welcomed, and would be great to see Metrotown break the 200m mark.

Outside of downtown Metrotown is my first choice for where our region’s tallest tower should be.

After that would be Surrey.

[jollyburger]

ANTHEM METRO KING KINGSWAY HOLDINGS LTD.
Previous Names
4653 - 4669 KINGSWAY HOLDINGS INC. 2019-11-29

http://www.datalog.co.uk/browse/detail.p...nyName/4653+-+4669+KINGSWAY+HOLDINGS+INC

Item #03

Rez #19-64

Application for the rezoning of:

See Schedule “A”

From:
C3 General Commercial District and R5 Residential District


To:
CD Comprehensive Development District (based on RM5s/RM5r Multiple Family Residential District, C3 General Commercial District and Metrotown Downtown Plan as guidelines)


Address:
4653, 4669, 4673 Kingsway, 4638, 4646, 4654, 4662, 4670 Hazel Street, and portion of lane right-of-way





Purpose:

To permit the construction of a high-density mixed-use development with strata residential, non-market rental, market rental, office and retail uses, with underground parking.



1. THAT the sale of City-owned road right-of-way for inclusion within the subject development site, in accordance with the terms outlined in Section 5.6 of the report, be approved in principle and subject to the applicant pursuing the rezoning proposal to completion.

https://pub-burnaby.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=45824

The current name is "Anthem Metro King Hazel Holdings Ltd."

[Sheba]

Skimming through the pdf. The rental will affordable and market, with some of it in what would be the commercial area. Plus the density bonus to build a taller residential tower. There's also an added lane north - south between Kingsway and Hazel, while they'll be closing the existing east - west lane (which runs right through the middle of it).

[officedweller]

Good work, thanks!
Curious where the tower will be placed on the site.
Hopefully there'll be some office space fronting Kingsway.

[Klazu]

Now that's interesting and transformational! I was at first thinkin this would be at the the Sleep Country site but happuäy to see these low-rise replaced by a reall tall tower like this. Can't wait for renderings!

[WBC]

Finally the last two Kingsway Metrotown blocks from 1950s are being redeveloped...Hooray!

[Klazu]

Could someone draw on map which exact lots this is being? There is room for multiple towers along that stretch.

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Could someone draw on map which exact lots this is being? There is room for multiple towers along that stretch.

It's the old Cactus Club Cafe* lot with the adjacent parking lot to the immediate East and the retail unit one lot over as well as a few lots behind the lane to the North and as mentioned before, the site consolidation will cut of the lane completely from West to East.
(see below)

The site is theoretically large enough to fit more than one tower depending on the layout, and the consolidation makes me believe they'll go for the standard taller market tower with a shorter non-market/rental tower sharing a large commercial podium fronting Kingsway
Taller tower likely would be set back quite a bit from Kingsway on the south east corner (to create some separation from Station Square towers), if I had to guess some more, and the rental tower would be to the North west corner and possibly some townhome components on that same Hazel street side.

More than two towers on a lot that size would be pushing it, I feel.
But obviously that will depend on whatever F.A.R. they get for the site along with whatever tower heights/site density they design for it.





(*was also going to add that it wouldn't surprise me if the owners of the old Cactus Club got the deal for their new prime location at Station Square's restaurant row, partly by selling this lot and the adjacent parking lot to Anthem....their new current landlords at Station Square - thus allowing Anthem to consolidate the site to make it large enough to redevelop it for residential tower developments. I'm loving the Highrise Tower Arms race currently going on in the Metrotown Area with the usual big boy developers in the area as Anthem are now increasing their little corner on this side of the mall. Intercorp's probably still in the lead for number of developments already built or currently planning or getting designed.)

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

The site is theoretically large enough to fit more than one tower depending on the layout, and the consolidation makes me believe they'll go for the standard taller market tower with a shorter non-market/rental tower sharing a large commercial podium fronting Kingsway

The Anthem newsletter above says "a single 63 storey tower".