Surrey City Centre Redevelopment Plans - Page 116

EhJay · #**2301** Posted **Dec 16, 2021, 2:19 AM**

The UBC President also said that they are looking actively looking for additional acquisitions in the immediate vecinity.

jollyburger · #**2302** Posted **Dec 17, 2021, 3:19 AM**

Sorry if this is the wrong thread.

That Chris Dikeakos Architects project at City Parkway & 107A St

https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=20&seq=0284

Quote:

File No.: 7920-0284-00
New or Resubmit: New
Last Submission Date: N/A
Description: OCP and City Centre Plan Amendments, Rezoning and
Detailed Development Permit to allow for a 48-storey
mixed-use tower. The building consists of a 7-storey
commercial/office podium and 40-storeys of market
residential and amenity areas.
Address: 10744-52 City Parkway
Developer: Berkeley Enterprises LTD. Vila Nova Carvalho
Architect: Chris Dikeakos Architects Inc. Richard Bernstein
Landscape Architect: Durante Kruek LTD. Stephen Vincent
Planner: Ingrid Matthews
Urban Design Planner: Sam Maleknia

https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/media/documents/AGN_ADP_Current.pdf

Cypherus · #**2303** Posted **Dec 18, 2021, 10:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Sorry if this is the wrong thread.

That Chris Dikeakos Architects project at City Parkway & 107A St

https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=20&seq=0284

https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/media/documents/AGN_ADP_Current.pdf

Good find. The City Parkway tower is proposed as a 48 storey tower with office component. Also exciting to see the 48 storey proposal for the old Dollarama located at 10232 Whalley Blvd.

Blease · #**2304** Posted **Dec 23, 2021, 2:44 AM**

Here's a write-up on the 50 storey tower proposed for the corner lot between Surrey Central Station and the old Safeway.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/10294-10302-city-parkway-surrey-tower

Metro-One · #**2305** Posted **Dec 23, 2021, 3:50 AM**

Looks great!

EhJay · #**2306** Posted **Dec 23, 2021, 4:59 PM**

I wonder if council will stick to the 50% requirement for office / retail when this one is only at 33%.

That aside, liking the contrast of the podium vs the tower!

officedweller · #**2307** Posted **Dec 25, 2021, 3:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blease

Here's a write-up on the 50 storey tower proposed for the corner lot between Surrey Central Station and the old Safeway.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/10294-10302-city-parkway-surrey-tower

Too bad the podium corners aren't in curved glass.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/10294-10302-city-parkway-surrey-tower

Nites · #**2308** Posted **Dec 26, 2021, 2:56 AM**

They should have pushed for 60-65 floors to be honest. It's going to be 163m which will be pretty much identical height to 3 Civic.

Metro-One · #**2309** Posted **Dec 26, 2021, 3:29 AM**

165ish seems to be both Surrey and Coquitlam’s go to height.

Vancouver is 155ish and 175ish for taller towers.

Burnaby is the only city that seeks to have a healthy variety of heights. (Save for a few exceptions such as the 220ish metre office tower in Surrey, which I really really really hope moves forward soonish without reductions.)

rpvan · #**2310** Posted **Mar 11, 2022, 11:24 AM**

48-storey tower proposed near Gateway SkyTrain in Surrey
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/10744-10752-city-parkway-10737-10745-135a-street-surrey

officedweller · #**2311** Posted **Mar 11, 2022, 8:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpvan

48-storey tower proposed near Gateway SkyTrain in Surrey
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/10744-10752-city-parkway-10737-10745-135a-street-surrey

Thanks.

That's the site west of Whalley Station marked "Future 48 Storey" and "Future 12 Storey Tower" on this diagram.
The Food Bank site is not included.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nites

https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/planning-reports/PLR_7919-0367-00.pdf

https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=19&seq=0367

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/10744-10752-city-parkway-10737-10745-135a-street-surrey

MovieBuff · #**2312** Posted **Mar 19, 2022, 2:34 AM**

Fast-growing Surrey can finally look forward to wielding some clout

https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/...wcm/fe2a0179-839e-4060-a331-e4e051d4ce69

rpvan · #**2313** Posted **Mar 23, 2022, 4:45 AM**

Landa Global acquires Surrey site for first project in city, ‘Lucent’
https://www.urbanyvr.com/lucent-landa-global-surrey/?amp=1

Quote:

Developer Landa Global has acquired a .72-acre site in Surrey at 135A Street and 106 Avenue, and plans to pursue the original plans for a market condo tower.

The land was acquired from Veterans Village LP, which is controlled by Ausvogar Capital.

The proposal is for a 26-storey condo tower with 400 units, called ‘Lucent’. Designed by WA Architects, the design of the tower is said to be inspired by the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France — fitting as the development site is next to the Legion Veteran Village redevelopment. The village will include Canada’s first facility to treat PTSD among veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as first responders.

The development is located in between the Gateway and Surrey Central SkyTrain stations, and close to SFU’s growing Surrey campus. Construction is expected to begin next year, with completion in 2026.

EhJay · #**2314** Posted **Mar 24, 2022, 1:45 AM**

The old Medical Building on King George is digging a hole currently. Not sure if there's a thread for that one or the one across the street which definitely under construction with a crane in place.

SpongeG · #**2315** Posted **Mar 24, 2022, 4:29 AM**

the thind project District Northwest by 105 and University Drive has equipment on-site and some of the site has been cleared.

rpvan · #**2316** Posted **Apr 15, 2022, 11:01 AM**

Surrey council warned about saturating downtown with office space
https://www.peacearchnews.com/news/surre...t-saturating-downtown-with-office-space/

Quote:

Surrey city council has defeated a proposed city policy aimed at bolstering development of office space in the downtown core after property developers warned against saturating the market.

Council voted down bylaws that were presented for final adoption April 11 with the intent of ensuring consistency and strengthening “alignment” of the Official Community Plan and City Centre Plan as well as advancing office space and employment opportunities “within a designated urban centre in alignment with the Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy.”

One of the bylaws was designed to “provide clarity on the impact of employment space requirements on the calculation of Capital Projects Community Amenity Contributions” for properties that are designated Downtown in the OCP.

Council defeated these following a public hearing earlier that night.

Evan Lewis, director of development for Wesgroup Properties, a real estate company that owns and manages over 3.2 million square feet of commercial property and has built more than 7,000 homes in 100 communities, expressed concern about “overly onerous and prescriptive requirements to deliver office space.”

“Specifically we’re concerned that pre-leasing requirements for hundreds of thousands of square feet of office can result in stalled or undevelopable projects,” Lewis told council.

Jason Teahen, a senior vice-president of Colliers International, also weighed in. “My biggest concern with this proposal is just the over-supply of office space within Surrey City Centre, sort-of pushing developers to construct an unsustainable amount of office space,” he said.

Teahen said he’s spent the last 15 years of his career focusing on promoting and leasing office space in Surrey’s city centre.

“No one wants more office space in Surrey city centre than me,” he told council, “because my entire business is built on it. However, the key to a healthy office market is balance, and that’s extremely critical. Right now, Surrey has a very balanced and healthy and successful office market.”

Blaire Chisholm, chief operating officer of Pooni Group – a technical urban planning and communications company – appeared as the agent on behalf of Crombie REIT, which owns property east of City Hall where the Safeway grocery store used to be.

She said concerns had been discussed with city staff related to an interim policy requiring 50 per cent of floor area to be office space. “We’ve been consistent in expressing our concerns with having a requirement period, as it makes project viability and financing more difficult.”

Chisholm cited a study warning that a “glut” of office space in the city centre would increase vacancy rates for existing and new buildings.

Coun. Laurie Guerra said while there is merit to the bylaw she couldn’t support it, arguing more work needs to be done “within a broader representation of the development community” to “find the right fit.”

Coun. Brenda Locke said she wants it sent back to staff.

“I think it’s important to keep the balance right now, especially between office space and what we can be considering right now. Oversupply can be a massive problem if we end up there,” she said.

Coun. Mandeep Nagra said the city should study the market “a little more.”

Coun. Doug Elford agreed.

“Yes, I think this needs a re-look as well,” Elford said. “You know, we’re hearing out there because of COVID a lot of businesses have changed their modelling and office space isn’t in as much demand as it used to be, they’re changing the way they go about doing business and we don’t really know how it looks in the future. Is everyone going to be working from home? This is something we really have to take a serious look at.”

Meanwhile, Coun. Linda Annis told her council colleagues she’s in favour of lots of office space downtown.

“I have some concerns that we’re building too many condominiums here and we’re not building a downtown,” she said. “The very last thing I want to see the city of Surrey being is a commuter city for Vancouver, New West and other points beyond. So we really do need to get the office space right but I don’t think we’re there yet.”

According to a corporate report that came before council on March 28, providing an update on the vision for city centre’s central business district, the proposed strategy’s focus is a “comprehensive approach to ensure that transit-oriented sites are protected for office and employment space in city centre” and identified the Central Business District, or CBD, as the principal focus of office and employment growth.

An Office and Employment Strategy Engagement Summary notes that the Vancouver region has one of the lowest office vacancy rates in North America and in Surrey city centre office vacancy is very low (4.7 per cent) with new projects being significantly leased and wait lists for existing buildings.

“Nonetheless, office construction remains risky and speculative office construction is a challenge,” the report states. It notes that financing requirements have increased with COVID-19 (50 per cent pre-lease compared to 25 per cent pre-COVID).

invisibleairwaves · #**2317** Posted **Apr 15, 2022, 10:33 PM**

That's a pretty worrying vote. The City of Surrey is under no obligation to make sure that faceless REIT megacorps can extract the maximum possible profit from an undersupplied market. Having employment space in Surrey city centre is a public good for a number of reasons and if the city can leverage the condo boom to get it built, great.

It's a bad precedent, too. Not hard to imagine residential landlords making similar arguments if housing prices ever started to become halfway reasonable.

Changing City · #**2318** Posted **Apr 15, 2022, 10:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpvan

Surrey council warned about saturating downtown with office space

Jason Teahen, a senior vice-president of Colliers International, also weighed in. “My biggest concern with this proposal is just the over-supply of office space within Surrey City Centre, sort-of pushing developers to construct an unsustainable amount of office space,” he said.

Teahen said he’s spent the last 15 years of his career focusing on promoting and leasing office space in Surrey’s city centre.

“No one wants more office space in Surrey city centre than me,” he told council, “because my entire business is built on it. However, the key to a healthy office market is balance, and that’s extremely critical. Right now, Surrey has a very balanced and healthy and successful office market.”

That's a strange statement for a Colliers agent to make. The vacancy rate for Surrey offices is currently 3.8% Different agents have different opinions about a 'healthy' vacancy rate, but it's generally around 8%, and at least one Colliers report says 10%. So 3.8% isn't really healthy.

Add to that the office space currently under construction in Surrey. It's zero square feet. Compare that to 3.6 million sq. ft. Downtown, and 513,000 around Broadway. So that's also far from healthy in Surrey.

We know that if developers have a choice whether to build commercial space or not, they often pass, and build almost all residential. The latest example is the big Grosvenor project in Burnaby where they are leaving over 5 FAR of commercial space undeveloped, planning 284,000 sq. ft. of office (0.83 FAR) and almost all the remainder as residential to a total of 9.0 FAR, when the zoning permits up to 14.6 FAR.

Not every developer does that, (One Bosa project in Burnaby looks to be planning to build all 14.6 FAR), but many are building the residential towers but not the office space - at least not yet. (Concord, Shape and Onni for example). That's worrying in terms of good planning, getting the best use out of our transit system, and avoiding high density locations staying as suburban dormitories. It's not like the newly built strata towers can add an office podium in future if demand warranted it.

jollyburger · #**2319** Posted **Apr 16, 2022, 4:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Changing City

That's a strange statement for a Colliers agent to make. The vacancy rate for Surrey offices is currently 3.8% Different agents have different opinions about a 'healthy' vacancy rate, but it's generally around 8%, and at least one Colliers report says 10%. So 3.8% isn't really healthy.

Add to that the office space currently under construction in Surrey. It's zero square feet. Compare that to 3.6 million sq. ft. Downtown, and 513,000 around Broadway. So that's also far from healthy in Surrey.

We know that if developers have a choice whether to build commercial space or not, they often pass, and build almost all residential. The latest example is the big Grosvenor project in Burnaby where they are leaving over 5 FAR of commercial space undeveloped, planning 284,000 sq. ft. of office (0.83 FAR) and almost all the remainder as residential to a total of 9.0 FAR, when the zoning permits up to 14.6 FAR.

Not every developer does that, (One Bosa project in Burnaby looks to be planning to build all 14.6 FAR), but many are building the residential towers but not the office space - at least not yet. (Concord, Shape and Onni for example). That's worrying in terms of good planning, getting the best use out of our transit system, and avoiding high density locations staying as suburban dormitories. It's not like the newly built strata towers can add an office podium in future if demand warranted it.

But isn't there like 2 million square feet of "proposed" office space with a market that currently only has 2.9 million of inventory? Just wondering if the office market is so small if the vacancy rate isn't the best judge of the office market outlook in Surrey.

jollyburger · #**2320** Posted **Apr 16, 2022, 4:05 AM**

Here's the report:

https://urbdevins.sharepoint.com/Shared%...s%2FNewsletter%20Attachments&p=true&ga=1

UDI's response:

https://urbdevins.sharepoint.com/Shared%...s%2FNewsletter%20Attachments&p=true&ga=1

Links on this page:

https://udi.bc.ca/municipal-news-surrey/