[Burnaby] Station Square | 35,38,48,41,52 fl | Completed

[Spr0ckets]

A fantastic before and (almost) after comparison of the entire complex from before the redevelopment of the site and the construction of the project to when it was almost complete (now that it is complete)

The images (City of Burnaby and Google Earth) are from a great write-up they did at the Daily Hive over the 'Cave-On Foods' collapse from '88.

Source:-
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/save-on-foods-station-square-collapse-metrotown-parking?auto=true


Circa mid-to-late '1990's (you can tell it's pre-2000's from the lack of any towers at all on Beresford Row in the background)


2021 (-ish)



pre-2010


2022 (-ish)




Memory lane overload:

I remember the A &W Burger at the Square, the Future Shop (which is now effectively the Best Buy), the relocated Boston Pizza, Famous Players 7 and Cineplex Odeon 5, ...and was it a Red Robin?

[SpongeG]

yes there was a red robin.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

Circa mid-to-late '1990's (you can tell it's pre-2000's from the lack of any towers at all on Beresford Row in the background)

The first tower on Beresford was only 2013. That's not the 90's, the Skytrain MkII train gives that away.
Google streetview history shows the Save On Foods with the current green branding in 2007.
This puts the time frame at 2001-2006.

[Klazu]

Oh wow, look at the number of lanes on McKay. It's such a weird stretch of road with the unnecessary weave in the middle.

I moved here just before they demolished this complex, yet it is already hard to remember how different it all was. I definitely do miss having a Red Robin in Metrotown.

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by madog222

The first tower on Beresford was only 2013. That's not the 90's, the Skytrain MkII train gives that away.
Google streetview history shows the Save On Foods with the current green branding in 2007.
This puts the time frame at 2001-2006.

Good catch on the skytrain.
I didn't notice it.
You're definitely correct.

[officedweller]

Remember the overhead walkway from the parkade to the Save-on-Foods?
You entered high up and had to take an escalator down to grade for the store.

[officedweller]

From Trish Jewison twitter posted Sept 25th:


https://twitter.com/TrishJewison/status/1574214461304770560/photo/1

[vanman]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Remember the overhead walkway from the parkade to the Save-on-Foods?
You entered high up and had to take an escalator down to grade for the store.

You just brought back some childhood memories for me. I remember shopping there with my family and if it was raining even just a tiny bit those escalators were extra slick and very fun to slide on.

[Klazu]

People have been moving in Tower 5 since last week. There are lots of lights on after dark.

[SpongeG]

is this space a different colour cause its part of the overall design or has it been customized for a tenant? it's completely different from the rest of the building.

2022-10-03_10-32-41 by snub_you, on Flickr

[osirisboy]

Looks like the blue bank of Montreal uses

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by osirisboy

Looks like the blue bank of Montreal uses

Looks like it.
Their storefronts are loud and gaudy with that blue.

[Spr0ckets]

It's a shame if it's a bank, for such a prominent corner on the 'restaurant row' side of that retail podium.

But maybe it's better here than on the Kingsway facing side.
(although I could see it argued the other way)

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Looks like it.
Their storefronts are loud and gaudy with that blue.

I just looked at their sitemap again and it (finally) lists it as BMO - they're also taking the office space above it. The other retail spaces in that podium are still listed as available.

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by Sheba

I just looked at their sitemap again and it (finally) lists it as BMO - they're also taking the office space above it. The other retail spaces in that podium are still listed as available.

They currently have a branch that's located at little farther to the East on Kingsway just across the road from the mall.
(next door to where the Best Buys store used to be before they too relocated to Station Square)

I'm guessing that's the branch office that's going to be replaced by this Station Square location, and that old branch location will be closed down.

The Kingsway location was,.....IS a decent sized branch location but I imagine this new location will probably be bigger.
If I remember correctly, they also have another branch office inside the mall (a much smaller one)

In any case, great get as an anchor tenant by Anthem.
(...even though it's not a restaurant)
It brings to two the number of banks they have at the complex following the TD bank branch they have in the podium of Tower 1 (which itself was also replacing a branch that used to be on the old Station Square plaza.)

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

In any case, great get as an anchor tenant by Anthem.
(...even though it's not a restaurant)

To be fair the only part I remember as being 'restaurant row' was the small section where Earls and Cactus Club are (and 3 out of 4 of the spots are restaurants). It's more of a bonus that there are other restaurants sprinkled throughout the site.

I'm more surprised that BMO are taking as much office space as they are. Once they move in there won't be that much office space available (assuming no one is lining up for it now and the paperwork isn't far enough along for it to be listed on that pdf yet).

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by Sheba

To be fair the only part I remember as being 'restaurant row' was the small section where Earls and Cactus Club are (and 3 out of 4 of the spots are restaurants). It's more of a bonus that there are other restaurants sprinkled throughout the site.

I'm more surprised that BMO are taking as much office space as they are. Once they move in there won't be that much office space available (assuming no one is lining up for it now and the paperwork isn't far enough along for it to be listed on that pdf yet).

It might seem like this new branch might become their new regional headquarters, hence the reason they're taking up all that office space, as they consolidate a lot of their services there.

They also have/had a branch in Brentwood if I recall correctly and that might have been the one that was the regional HQ prior to this.

There's still plenty of office space available - especially in the podium for Tower 4, and some in the Towers 2 & 3 podium as well.
I don't think that's a concern unless it's a really big tenant looking for a lot of office space.
And you don't get that much bigger than banks as far as commercial tenants go. So no surprise that BMO ended up taking up that spot.

It's a great area to have an office location - especially for your employees.
Even with the mall itself next door aside, there's plenty of food and restaurant options, good shopping and general retail places and of course, the direct proximity to transit and the Skytrain and Busloop.

[jollyburger]

BMO also took up space at Bentall III 105,000sq feet (65,000 additional feet and a renewal of their current lease that runs until 2035) They renewed 48,300 sq feet at the HSBC Building in 2019 as well. Not sure if they are still in there or if that's consolidating somewhere.

Seems like they had office space inside Metrotower 1 on the 6th floor as well.

https://www.westerninvestor.com/british-...-up-as-market-poised-for-rebound-5390010

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Sheba

I just looked at their sitemap again and it (finally) lists it as BMO - they're also taking the office space above it. The other retail spaces in that podium are still listed as available.

Could be offices for their client services / wealth management group, like RBC has at Grosvenor Ambleside (yes, I realize that West Vancouver is wealthier).
If there's an open stair that leads upstairs (as well as elevator), then the offices are intended to have client access.
Note the mispelling in the sign below is an artefact from overlapping Google pics.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Could be offices for their client services / wealth management group, like RBC has at Grosvenor Ambleside (yes, I realize that West Vancouver is wealthier).
If there's an open stair that leads upstairs (as well as elevator), then the offices are intended to have client access.
Note the mispelling in the sign below is an artefact from overlapping Google pics.

It was like 40,000 sq feet which seems like a lot but was knows.