New Westminster Updates

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by mcj

Considering how long major projects like Sapperton Green (Master Plan process started in 2011, still not finalized 12 years later) and Pier West (original site plan approved in 1996, about to be completed 28 years after that initial approval) take with New West's planning department it will be at least a decade before we see any shovels in the ground here. Glad to see someone is advancing this though!

That's nothing. Have you ever heard of the mythical Muni Evers Park?

Also, I think Amazon is perfectly fine with keeping its warehouse at Braid. It's a pretty modern facility with great highway access. Even if the land is expensive, it's not like there's a ton of industrial sites they could move to.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by fredinno

That's nothing. Have you ever heard of the mythical Muni Evers Park?

Also, I think Amazon is perfectly fine with keeping its warehouse at Braid. It's a pretty modern facility with great highway access. Even if the land is expensive, it's not like there's a ton of industrial sites they could move to.

Muni Evers Park/Poplar Landing is not a private development and is owned by the city, not really directly comparable. If you'd like to compare it still, planning for that site commenced in 2007, only 4 years prior to Sapperton Green, so yeah we've been waiting 16 years for the city to finish a park and build some housing there.

Sapperton Green isn't owned by Amazon, and the Amazon warehouse isn't even located within the first phase of the project. However it's a direct comparison that having an active tenant paying rent allows developers to deal with the decades long process to get planning permission for the site, also helps that QuadReal is owned by a pension fund for enduring the long waiting period, something that this developer doesn't have to it's advantage.

[CanSpice]

Originally Posted by mcj

Considering how long major projects like Sapperton Green (Master Plan process started in 2011, still not finalized 12 years later) and Pier West (original site plan approved in 1996, about to be completed 28 years after that initial approval) take with New West's planning department it will be at least a decade before we see any shovels in the ground here. Glad to see someone is advancing this though!

When did planning for the Brewery District start? Pier West was slowed down because Larco isn't a development company, they're a "let's pretend we're a development company that just sits on land" company.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by CanSpice

When did planning for the Brewery District start? Pier West was slowed down because Larco isn't a development company, they're a "let's pretend we're a development company that just sits on land" company.

The Labatt brewery closed in 2005 and the rezoning was approved in 2007. I can't find when exactly Wesgroup bought the site or when they first submitted the rezoning. The rezoning was amended in 2016 to increase the residential density in exchange for including rental units.

The first building was complete in 2011. Sales for the first residential tower started in 2015 and construction finished in 2017.

AFAIK excavation for the final tower hasn't started yet so it could very well be over 20 years between the original rezoning approval and total project completion.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by CanSpice

When did planning for the Brewery District start? Pier West was slowed down because Larco isn't a development company, they're a "let's pretend we're a development company that just sits on land" company.

This could very well turn out the same way, though at least it seems like "EDGAR" has a couple towers under construction currently.

Originally Posted by madog222

The Labatt brewery closed in 2005 and the rezoning was approved in 2007. I can't find when exactly Wesgroup bought the site or when they first submitted the rezoning. The rezoning was amended in 2016 to increase the residential density in exchange for including rental units.

The first building was complete in 2011. Sales for the first residential tower started in 2015 and construction finished in 2017.

AFAIK excavation for the final tower hasn't started yet so it could very well be over 20 years between the original rezoning approval and total project completion.

Gotta love how we can measure every major project in NW in decades, seems like most take 20+ years to get from initial proposal to completion. Can't wait until the redeveloped Columbia Square opens when I retire in the 2040s

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by mcj

Gotta love how we can measure every major project in NW in decades, seems like most take 20+ years to get from initial proposal to completion. Can't wait until the redeveloped Columbia Square opens when I retire in the 2040s

When I first read it I wondered how the places I sometimes go to in and around there will be affected - but it looks like I'll have a decade before I have to consider it.

[CanSpice]

Originally Posted by mcj

Gotta love how we can measure every major project in NW in decades, seems like most take 20+ years to get from initial proposal to completion. Can't wait until the redeveloped Columbia Square opens when I retire in the 2040s

This isn't really a New West problem. How long has Lougheed taken? Or Oakridge? Or Brentwood?

[mcj]

Originally Posted by CanSpice

This isn't really a New West problem. How long has Lougheed taken? Or Oakridge? Or Brentwood?

Agreed it isn't really a New West problem, planning processes are ridiculously long across the region and we all know that's an issue contributing to our decades long housing crisis.

All of those took about a single decade to go from initial concept to construction of the first phase. Lougheed was acquired in 2010, construction started in 2018. Brentwood also acquired in 2010, construction started in 2015. Oakridge the proposal came in around 2012, approved in 2014 and construction started in 2019.

By those same standards Sapperton Green should have started construction of it's first phase somewhere inline with those projects, but it's still a parking lot with no update from our planning department in 2 years.

I'd be delighted for NW to move faster than our track record shows, would love to see this project starting construction by the early 2030s!

[madog222]

Royal Columbian Hospital from today.






Photos by me.

[officedweller]

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World when they include a big W!!!


https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-u...-cal_b_4888024


https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=8120

[cairnstone]

Originally Posted by mcj

Agreed it isn't really a New West problem, planning processes are ridiculously long across the region and we all know that's an issue contributing to our decades long housing crisis.

All of those took about a single decade to go from initial concept to construction of the first phase. Lougheed was acquired in 2010, construction started in 2018. Brentwood also acquired in 2010, construction started in 2015. Oakridge the proposal came in around 2012, approved in 2014 and construction started in 2019.

By those same standards Sapperton Green should have started construction of it's first phase somewhere inline with those projects, but it's still a parking lot with no update from our planning department in 2 years.

I'd be delighted for NW to move faster than our track record shows, would love to see this project starting construction by the early 2030s!

I love how everyone is putting the blame on the cities about the delays. Developers are known to drag their feet on moving developments forward. Many projects die because the developer never pays the city and the project sits until payment. Not unusual as developers never use their money. so will do a proposal start the getting the cards etc lined up and then sell investment spots. this is when they move forward

[mcj]

Originally Posted by cairnstone

I love how everyone is putting the blame on the cities about the delays.

Cities deserve some, they're not innocent in this crisis.

Originally Posted by cairnstone

Developers are known to drag their feet on moving developments forward. Many projects die because the developer never pays the city and the project sits until payment. Not unusual as developers never use their money. so will do a proposal start the getting the cards etc lined up and then sell investment spots. this is when they move forward

And yes developers deserve some too, they're profiting from this crisis, especially when they hold and flip land.

I originally was pointing out that the timeline would likely be decades based on similar large scale projects in NW, which seemingly take longer than similar scale projects in peer cities. The city absolutely does not deserve all the blame, no single party does. However when the track record shows we're underperforming our peer cities, that's something worth acknowledging and addressing if we're serious about doing something about our crisis.

[madog222]

I get the sense the main roadblock with the city is the size of their planning department. Council doesn't seem to cause delays by hemming and hawing.

[madog222]

Douglas College expansion pre-construction & excavation RFQ: https://www.merx.com/public/supplier...tract?origin=0

I didn't realise this is more than just student housing, there will be 30 classrooms in the lower floors.
https://www.douglascollege.ca/about-...tion/808-royal

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by madog222

Douglas College expansion pre-construction & excavation RFQ: https://www.merx.com/public/supplier...tract?origin=0

I didn't realise this is more than just student housing, there will be 30 classrooms in the lower floors.
https://www.douglascollege.ca/about-...tion/808-royal

It will be the new home of the psychology department.

[Lexus]

2023, May 13

Construction begins on 29-storey rental tower in New Westminter's Uptown

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/616-...ban-properties

Untitled by Lexus LX600, on Flickr

[mcj]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Pic by me May 14th:

100 Braid Street.

Reposting here.

[madog222]

Good to see that finally getting above grade, the crane has been up for just over a year now.

[officedweller]

From Fast + Epp twitter May 3rd:

təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre


https://twitter.com/fast_epp/status/1653806585846841344


https://twitter.com/fast_epp/status/1653806585846841344


https://twitter.com/fast_epp/status/1653806585846841344

[Sheba]

Got an ad for this in the (snail) mail - Timber House (Port Royal / Queensborough)

Part of a master-plan community, this multi-family housing development sits along the Fraser River waterfront. The architectural design of these modern homes is inspired by its industrial surroundings. The design challenge was to create a cost-effective kit-of-parts mass timber structural system for this building – one that could be exposed within the units.

The midrise U-shaped complex features 77 units in three configurations: condos, lofts, and townhomes –all wrapped around a central landscaped courtyard. Cross-laminated timber will not only be used as the primary structure but also as the interior finish in strategic areas. In general, each unit has one exposed ceiling and one exposed feature wall.

...