[Burnaby] Concord Metrotown | 230.1m | 65,45,33 fl | U/C

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

video link doesn't work and video is unavailable

Sorry about that.
I genuinely don't understand what happened when I posted it, but it's the same one that MistyMountain has posted.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

What I like about Metrotown is that it feels like organic growth. It has older buildings on the perimetre to balance it out. I disagree with you that the Downtown area has to be huge, it doesn't. I'd prefer it to be denser and more compact, rather than spread out too much. The first thing to tackle is the centre, which is still an undeveloped mall, that probably won't be complete in its transition to roads and buildings until the 2040s.

The centre, or Metropolis mall, is what makes Metrotown so vibrant and successful in the first place. I think destroying it is tantamount to killing the Golden Goose, as I have said before. The Sears development is nice because it won't affect the functioning of the mall per se.

Around the region, all the successful town centres have a huge mall smack in the middle of it.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Vin

The centre, or Metropolis mall, is what makes Metrotown so vibrant and successful in the first place. I think destroying it is tantamount to killing the Golden Goose, as I have said before. The Sears development is nice because it won't affect the functioning of the mall per se.

Around the region, all the successful town centres have a huge mall smack in the middle of it.

Yeah I'm with you on that. Thankfully it's going to take a long time so the plan could change drastically from what's being presented now.

Station Square was always a small outdoor mall next door to Metropolis so redoing that and adding towers isn't a big deal. Even adding towers in the parking along Kingsway isn't that big of a deal (assuming they deal with parking issues).

I'd like to see some action along Central Blvd and under the Skytrain tracks but that seems to be on the back burner.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Yeah I'm with you on that. Thankfully it's going to take a long time so the plan could change drastically from what's being presented now.

Station Square was always a small outdoor mall next door to Metropolis so redoing that and adding towers isn't a big deal. Even adding towers in the parking along Kingsway isn't that big of a deal (assuming they deal with parking issues).

I'd like to see some action along Central Blvd and under the Skytrain tracks but that seems to be on the back burner.

Yes exactly. Station Square is a big improvement from what it used to be, but this concept can never replace Metropolis when it comes to the kind of retail and entertainment experience it offers, so I'm horrified that the City is trying to turn Metropolis into something similar to Station Square. City planners need to appreciate the variety that a city centre can have instead of just focusing on creating cookie cutter ones.

Also agree with you that Central Boulevard needs massive City investments to improve on its downtown vibe. Currently, despite the number of skycrapers sprouting up all around (which I am not complaining about), the overall landscaping is still rather lackadaisical and visually suburbia. The City needs to create and place more urban walkways, planters and street furniture, etc. to make the place more inviting and conducive for people to hang out.

[Canucks223]

Can somebody catch me up to speed with what's going on with Metrotown? Are they planning a complete overhaul with the current mall?

[Joshmaxlo]

Originally Posted by Canucks223

Can somebody catch me up to speed with what's going on with Metrotown? Are they planning a complete overhaul with the current mall?

the short answer is yes. Obviously, integration being linked between development and the current mall. I wouldn't expect IC to make any drastic changes in the coming year(s).

see more at:

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metropolis-at-metrotown-redevelopment-principles

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Canucks223

Can somebody catch me up to speed with what's going on with Metrotown? Are they planning a complete overhaul with the current mall?

Eventually - but it's planned over many decades (I rem hearing full build-out would be something like 80 years).

Originally Posted by officedweller

From Daily Hive.

Metropolis at Metrotown owner reveals first details of massive mall redevelopment
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metropolis-at-metrotown-redevelopment-principles

Looking at Phase 4 - we'll end up with the residual mall a block away from the SkyTrain Station.


Four phases of the full redevelopment of Metropolis at Metrotown. (Ivanhoe Cambridge)
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metropolis-at-metrotown-redevelopment-principles


Proposed live events centre on the site of the existing Metrotown bus loop. (Ivanhoe Cambridge)
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metropolis-at-metrotown-redevelopment-principles

Like Pacific Centre, the various complexes will have underground truck access and loading.
Sounds like there will be interconnected undergound parkades across the whole site
- like Amazing Brentwood and City of Lougheed.


New street grid from the redevelopment of Metropolis at Metrotown. (Ivanhoe Cambridge)
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metropolis-at-metrotown-redevelopment-principles


New parks and open spaces from the redevelopment of Metropolis at Metrotown. (Ivanhoe Cambridge)
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metropolis-at-metrotown-redevelopment-principles

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Eventually - but it's planned over many decades (I rem hearing full build-out would be something like 80 years).

I always found it fascinating that in their diagrams for this proposal, Ivanhoe Cambridge do in fact show as part of their plan, the first three towers of the Concord Metrotown project at the corner of Kingsway and Nelson, even though at the time that this plan was being conceived they were presumably still at odds (and in court in litigious dispute suing each other ) over Concord's plans for the redevelopment of that north parking lot and the old Sears store.

I assume that they took it as a foregone conclusion that the Concord Metrotown project would win out eventually and they would lose the court case.
Or that they settled out of court and eventually came to some sort of agreement because the rest of the proposal also seems to respect the rest of Concord's own project proposal for phase II and III of their project.

I never really heard anything more about how that case got resolved (or not), but from the momentum I've been seeing on the Concord Metrotown side (along with their currently progressing rezoning application with the city) it seems like they at least have the confidence that there's no problems ahead where they're concerned.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

I always found it fascinating that in their diagrams for this proposal, Ivanhoe Cambridge do in fact show as part of their plan, the first three towers of the Concord Metrotown project at the corner of Kingsway and Nelson, even though at the time that this plan was being conceived they were presumably still at odds (and in court in litigious dispute suing each other ) over Concord's plans for the redevelopment of that north parking lot and the old Sears store.

I assume that they took it as a foregone conclusion that the Concord Metrotown project would win out eventually and they would lose the court case.
Or that they settled out of court and eventually came to some sort of agreement because the rest of the proposal also seems to respect the rest of Concord's own project proposal for phase II and III of their project.

I never really heard anything more about how that case got resolved (or not), but from the momentum I've been seeing on the Concord Metrotown side (along with their currently progressing rezoning application with the city) it seems like they at least have the confidence that there's no problems ahead where they're concerned.

Well the two lawsuits got combined into one - but beyond that I haven't heard anything either. I'd assume they came to some kind of agreement 'cause honestly Ivanhoe had a much stronger case than Concord. Also the city didn't let anything get beyond initial master planning for Concord for quite awhile.

I'd doubt the above-ground part was at issue as much as access to the underground parking. Considering the long timelines on this, not having some plan on accessing the majority of parking seems like a pretty big sticking point.

[jollyburger]

Sounds like it's okay.

The first phase of the plan is a partnership with Concord Pacific, which owns the former Sears site, to develop the Kingsway frontage of the mall, adding a new street and two-level retail podium that’ll connect two parts of the mall from Old Navy and Chapters to the food court, as well as new office spaces and two new residential towers.

https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/...wcm/0b4f2058-dd70-4286-91e6-25556e0539a3

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Well the two lawsuits got combined into one - but beyond that I haven't heard anything either. I'd assume they came to some kind of agreement 'cause honestly Ivanhoe had a much stronger case than Concord. Also the city didn't let anything get beyond initial master planning for Concord for quite awhile.

I'd doubt the above-ground part was at issue as much as access to the underground parking. Considering the long timelines on this, not having some plan on accessing the majority of parking seems like a pretty big sticking point.

I was actually under the impression that it was the ABOVE ground issues that were the sticking point and major bone of contention between the two parties.

Considering the fact that Ivanhoe believed they were entitled to some level of involvement in any redevelopment of the site and parking lot per the previous agreement with Sears, and given that this (or any) development on this site effectively cuts the mall off from Kingsway, the inevitable 'Rights-of-way' and thoroughfare concerns as well as any frontage/facade sticking points for what is the mall's formal entrance point would and should have been expected.

The parking I would think is less of a concern (at least not a legal one), because given the size of these towers I don't imagine Concord would feel obligated or incentivized to replace any parking the mall (and mall user will lose) when providing their own required amounts for the residential and retail parts of their own towers - especialy when you consider the extra cost it would incur them with no direct benefit to themselves (I don't believe the parking rates and fees they could collect just don't justify those extra levels of parking and excavation you would have to go down to replace what's currently there - even assuming they charged Downtown Vancouver rates).

As for the lawsuit itself, I'm willing to bet just as I had predicted before that eventually "cooler" heads prevailed (read : Money talked) and they eventually came to a settlement or agreement outside court because the stakes for both parties here are huge with literally hundreds of millions of dollars on the table.

They both have long-term plans for that side of the mall and they're obviously going to be neighbours for the foreseeable future with a somewhat symbiotic (if reluctant) relationship.
(the mall's proximity and convenience is an added selling point for Concord's marketing team, while the new residents for the towers that Concord will build will be added and permanent foot traffic and business for the mall, in return).

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

...

The parking I would think is less of a concern (at least not a legal one), because given the size of these towers I don't imagine Concord would feel obligated or incentivized to replace any parking the mall (and mall user will lose) when providing their own required amounts for the residential and retail parts of their own towers - especialy when you consider the extra cost it would incur them with no direct benefit to themselves (I don't believe the parking rates and fees they could collect just don't justify those extra levels of parking and excavation you would have to go down to replace what's currently there - even assuming they charged Downtown Vancouver rates).
...

I think they're talking about access to the existing underground mall parking, circled below (right next to Phase 1):

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I think they're talking about access to the existing underground mall parking, circled below (right next to Phase 1):

Oh, I see.

Yep, that would be a major problem and sticking point.

[officedweller]

PS - anyone know what'll happen with the pedestrian bridge?
Will it actually lead somewhere interesting?

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by officedweller

PS - anyone know what'll happen with the pedestrian bridge?
Will it actually lead somewhere interesting?

All the Concord renderings (and their promo videos) seem to show it still up in place.

So I guess they plan on keeping it and having it lead to some part of the podium of the phase 2 towers (?)

[officedweller]

Good to hear, thanks

[officedweller]

Copied from Metrotown Redevelopment thread:

Originally Posted by owenhujb

Renders.











(Via https://www.concordmetrotown.com/)

[officedweller]

Thanks!

This one is potentially quite realistic.
The low building in the distance is the Hudson's Bay.
You can see the mall angled from it to the right behind the new towers (track the row of skylights),
then at the Grand Atrium (edge of render), you can see the other row of skylights on the original mall (Sears to Woodwards/Zellers/Target/WalMart).
So the 2 towers on the right side of the rendering are directly on top of the Sears store site and adjacent area,
and you can see the abutment with the curved Kingsway main entrance to Metropolis at the bottom of the rendering.
You can also see one of the driveways to parking/loading zones through the site (entrance aligned under the kidney-shaped swimming pool)

The effect may be like the newer outdoor areas of Park Royal.

Originally Posted by owenhujb

Renders.



(Via https://www.concordmetrotown.com/)

[Cypherus]

Wow, great update. That is a dense cluster of towers envisioned for the site, but also realistic given the location and layout.

[Metro-One]

So Vancouver is Awesome released an article on this project and state the tallest tower at 755f = 230.1m

Not sure if that is a typo or maybe the full height to the top of the crown??