[Burnaby] The Amazing Brentwood | 15 Towers | 186m | 56 flrs | U/C & Proposed

[SpongeG]

oh ya a couple pics

Planting has been done
2020-10-30_05-26-46 by snub_you, on Flickr

They dug away part of this and are now building a retaining wall, its in the SE Corner of the site
2020-10-30_05-26-58 by snub_you, on Flickr

2020-10-30_05-27-17 by snub_you, on Flickr

[jamieson]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

ah, someone in here a few pages ago said it would open in November.

Rec Room had TVs on today and there was a Stranger Things Pinball machine visible.

Is the far north part near the old entrance part of the food court? or is it something else, I can't tell from the floor plans, it looks like it could be a stand alone full service rstaurant and not part of the food court since the food court looks more complete.

I think that might have been me. It was said to be available in November as per their posters. But it looks like that won't be happening anymore.

The staff said the new food court is pushed back away from the existing food court. That makes sense since I saw elevators and a staircase through the curtains of the current food court.

[jollyburger]

A few weeks ago they were "hopeful" to open before 2021.

https://www.burnabynow.com/news/mind-blo...t-still-open-in-2020-cineplex-1.24219704

But they also postponed their virtual job fair that was supposed to run this week:

https://www.facebook.com/TheRecRoomBurnaby

[SpongeG]

Nov. 5

They have taken the wall down between the old and new upper level. Also Purdy's has reopened! just in time for christmas chocolates.

2020-11-05_04-52-31 by snub_you, on Flickr

a peek inside
2020-11-05_04-52-52 by snub_you, on Flickr

2020-11-05_04-53-05 by snub_you, on Flickr

2020-11-05_04-53-16 by snub_you, on Flickr

I suspect they will open the second floor and let it act as a hallway while work continues on either side of the food court because they have taken the fencing down outside the grand lobby, I never tried to open the door but it's no longer blocked off.

2020-11-05_04-54-06 by snub_you, on Flickr

2020-11-05_04-54-20 by snub_you, on Flickr

This corner is looking complete
2020-11-05_04-53-28 by snub_you, on Flickr

and this section beside it is all filled in with windows
2020-11-05_04-53-46 by snub_you, on Flickr

these seem to be new lights as I have never noticed them before
2020-11-05_04-54-33 by snub_you, on Flickr

2020-11-05_04-54-44 by snub_you, on Flickr

landscaping progress outside tower 3
2020-11-05_04-54-57 by snub_you, on Flickr

2020-11-05_04-55-06 by snub_you, on Flickr

[officedweller]

Thanks!
I wonder how long they'll keep the old mall open before they close it for renovations?

[Nites]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks!
I wonder how long they'll keep the old mall open before they close it for renovations?

I went to the old mall 2 weeks ago to kill some time well my car was being worked on nearby. I think only 4 stores were open and 1 of them was London Drugs lol. I couldn't get why there were people walking inside.

[SpongeG]

yeah it was like that today, the two old seating areas upstairs were quite busy with people just sitting there. Quite a few people peeking behind the curtains to see whats going on.

[officedweller]

It's a defacto Seniors' Community Centre.

[jamieson]

'Soon Coffee' tentatively slated to open Feb 2021 in the food court.
Original date was November.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/soon-coffee-the-amazing-brentwood?auto=true

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by jamieson

'Soon Coffee' tentatively slated to open Feb 2021 in the food court.
Original date was November.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/soon-coffee-the-amazing-brentwood?auto=true

LOL at the name and the delayed opening.

Ron.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

LOL at the same and the delayed opening.

Ron.

They might open in another format before that food court location opens.

[officedweller]

Note that the deep mullions stop well above ground level
- probbaly to prevent someone using them to climb up the glass.

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Nov. 5

2020-11-05_04-54-06 by snub_you, on Flickr

2020-11-05_04-54-20 by snub_you, on Flickr

[Cypherus]

Source: Google Earth

[SpongeG]

Nov 6
they seem to have moved the food trucks spot over and have set the tables up there.

2020-11-07_10-36-57 by snub_you, on Flickr

Also something going on at the station, anyone know what they are doing?

2020-11-07_10-37-13 by snub_you, on Flickr

2020-11-07_10-37-25 by snub_you, on Flickr

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Also something going on at the station, anyone know what they are doing?

I tried searching and only came up with a generic 'station upgrades'

[GeeCee]

More faregates, perhaps? Haven't been in the area in years, but seems about the right spot. It's not like they're going to be adding a CRU there..

edit: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-brentwood-town-centre-station-renovation

[Spr0ckets]

Three faregates was always a ridiculous joke for a station at a location like this - and that was even BEFORE most of the major redevelopment projects began to go online.
That that's what they planned and saw through during the most recent renovation upgrades it went through (when TAB and Solo were already started and/or partially completed) just further underlines this.

Even a station like Royal Oak (or Patterson for that matter even) has 7 or 8 faregates. And they're not even located at a major commercial or retail/office hub.

Just another example of how Translink makes things harder and more expensive for themselves with no forward thinking and planning.

[Klazu]

Then again, even Stadium-Chinatown is trying to get by with just 2+1 faregates. Maybe it's intentional as it makes sure the platform doesn't overcrowd between trains.

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Then again, even Stadium-Chinatown is trying to get by with just 2+1 faregates. Maybe it's intentional as it makes sure the platform doesn't overcrowd between trains.

That one makes even less sense to me given how, during normal (non-pandemic) times, when you have Canucks and Whitecaps games at the rink and stadium respectively, you'd think they'd want to keep people constantly moving and flowing through and not bunching up at the bottlenecks that few faregates suddenly create, as they try to get into or out of the station.
Same deal with when they have music concerts and events.

I understand the desire and need to more discretely and tightly control and restrict movement in high foot traffic situations like this one, as well as your point regarding trying to avoid overcrowding platforms ( a problem that virtually all the stations in Downtown share, especially during rush hours).

But surely there must be a better middle ground.

Granted, Brentwood station is not Stadium-Chinatown or Commercial-Broadway for that matter. But if you're renovating the station and not thinking that area is going to have high density and serious traffic flow issues in the next couple of years, then you're suffering a serious lack of
imagination and foresight.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

That one makes even less sense to me given how, during normal (non-pandemic) times, when you have Canucks and Whitecaps games at the rink and stadium respectively, you'd think they'd want to keep people constantly moving and flowing through and not bunching up at the bottlenecks that few faregates suddenly create, as they try to get into or out of the station.
Same deal with when they have music concerts and events.

I understand the desire and need to more discretely and tightly control and restrict movement in high foot traffic situations like this one, as well as your point regarding trying to avoid overcrowding platforms ( a problem that virtually all the stations in Downtown share, especially during rush hours).

But surely there must be a better middle ground.

Granted, Brentwood station is not Stadium-Chinatown or Commercial-Broadway for that matter. But if you're renovating the station and not thinking that area is going to have high density and serious traffic flow issues in the next couple of years, then you're suffering a serious lack of
imagination and foresight.

Ok I think people need to stop and take a breath - and then go look at TransLink's data from last year.

Waterfront is the busiest station (they're counting both Expo and Canada Lines for this) with an Annual Total Station Boardings of 13,271,000. After that it's:
2) Metrotown
3) Commercial-Broadway
4) Burrard
5) Granville

Meanwhile Brentwood is at 31. FYI Royal Oak is at 29 and only has 6 faregates - yes the number of faregates is listed on there too. In the case of the Expo Line they mostly had to force faregates into stations that weren't made for them and try to limit how many of those stations would get a big entrance reno ('cause they're not made of money... ). That explains why some of the stations have more faregates than you'd expect for a station that isn't very busy.

Sure they should have been thinking a little more ahead when they built the Millennium Line but let's be honest - the line is pretty quiet compared to the Expo Line. You can hardly expect there to be as many gates on a quieter line. The Broadway extension will make that section busier but it's not going to have that much impact on the rest of the line (eg the numbers won't suddenly double at every station on the line).