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

[SpongeG]

Brentwood does have a few smaller shopping areas which Metrotown lacks a bit, but Metrotown does have Kingsway and Station Square. Brentwood does seem to have a better sense of area than Metrotown does right now. There are a few more shopping centre options to walk to apart from TAB.

[fishball]

Anyone noticed there will be a public hearing event on Aug 31 for the proposed BC Cannabis Store in T3? The Metrotown one was approved last year in Old Orchard Mall which imo better since it is not in a residential tower.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by rofina

So basically - opinions are like as*holes, everyone's got one.

Metrotown is dumpy. Bottom line. It doesn't look high end, it doesn't feel high end.

Metrotown is a middle market, high volume mall. That's how retail looks at it. Metrotown always does big boy numbers, but its not a place to put a flagship store.

Brentwood is more aligned with a Park Royal concept, which feels and is executed in a decidedly higher end way.

Metrotown will reign king in BC for a long time, if we are judging by # of visitors I don't expect Brentwood to ever topple it.

Have you heard about the new Zara store that just opened?

Ron.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by fishball

Anyone noticed there will be a public hearing event on Aug 31 for the proposed BC Cannabis Store in T3? The Metrotown one was approved last year in Old Orchard Mall which imo better since it is not in a residential tower.

Cannibis stores in malls is the new trend

Cadillac Fairview Partners with Cannabis Retailer Tokyo Smoke for Multiple Mall Store Locations
https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...smoke-for-multiple-mall-store-locations/

Ron.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by fishball

Anyone noticed there will be a public hearing event on Aug 31 for the proposed BC Cannabis Store in T3? The Metrotown one was approved last year in Old Orchard Mall which imo better since it is not in a residential tower.

The Metrotown one was approved this spring.

Originally Posted by Sheba

Edit: I just searched the City's website and in Feb they suggested the Brentwood location (Rez #20-37 (#2 - 4615 Lougheed Highway)) and an alternate Edmonds location (Rez #20-38 (7300 Market Crossing)).
Also apparently the Metrotown location at Old Orchard (Kingsway and Willingdon) is moving forward.

Originally Posted by NewfBC

Cannibis stores in malls is the new trend

Cadillac Fairview Partners with Cannabis Retailer Tokyo Smoke for Multiple Mall Store Locations
https://retail-insider.com/retail-inside...smoke-for-multiple-mall-store-locations/

Ron.

Burnaby is currently sticking with street front locations. The way malls seem to be losing stores it might be worthwhile to have alcohol and cannabis stores in enclosed malls.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Sheba

The Metrotown one was approved this spring.

Burnaby is currently sticking with street front locations. The way malls seem to be losing stores it might be worthwhile to have alcohol and cannabis stores in enclosed malls.

City/town centre malls are not really losing any stores. Even if one closes, another one is quick to take its vacant space. Metrotown and the new Brentwood malls are way more vibrant when compared to most of Burnaby's streetfront retail. Don't expect to see too may Cannabis businesses rolling into the malls anytime soon, despite the one approved at Metrotown. I think they will cap it at one per mall.

It makes sense that malls in low density suburbia may be losing businesses. Hence there is a push to densify these areas to make them more compact. With the recent heatwaves and smoggy air, it makes more sense to have the ability to shop indoors.

[rofina]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

Like I said....

Triggered.

Everything you've said regarding why you think Brentwood is "better" is based on 'feelings'....

"dumpy" (your opinion. What did you say "opinions" are like again?)
"Doesn't look high-end"
"Doesn't 'FEEL' high end" (whatever the hell that means)

By comparison, everything Jollyburger stated in his post are literal and inarguable FACTS.

More parking.
More transit (options)
More residents.
More CRU and retail (options).

(and as a consequence, more foot traffic, more atmosphere, and arguably BETTER shopping experience - whether "better" in this case translates to you as "more high-end" or simply just "more convenient")

I'll leave you to figure out on your own which "opinion" is actually worth more and more valid.

One based on feelings.
Or one based on facts and real world empirical evidence.


Says "Better" is subjective, and then proceeds to state his post as if his opinion (that he likens to A*holes) is, or should be taken as fact.
You couldn't make this up if you tried.

Were arguing about nothing. All this is subjective. If you want to debate stats, I conceded twice that Metrotown will be BC king for a long time.

Still doesn't negate the reality that 9/10 consumers will feel exactly the same as myself; certain properties feel high end. Its not a coincidence, its by design.

Park Royal feels high end. Brentwood feels high end.

JJBean feels high end. Blenz does not.
Aritzia feels high end. H&M does not.

You can try and whip out all the stats in the world, but you'll nearly always have a consensus on what property or retailer feels high end.

People spend inordinate amount of time designing things to come off as luxury. This isn't an accident, its unquantifiable measure that is often aimed at, and sometimes missed.

The "feelings" a space evokes is very much a feature that's targeted and designed around. This is not a conspiracy or an innovative idea for that matter.

Metrotown is a utilitarian workhorse of a mall. It will continue to be a middle market retail success long as the property is maintained.

[rofina]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

Have you heard about the new Zara store that just opened?

Ron.

Fair counterpoint.

If that's proven a success, with the continued build out around Metrotown, I can see a future where the mall is updated to reflect the increasing status of those likely to visit the property.

For now, Brentwood will carry the mantle as Burnaby's high end mall property.

[SonyPS5]

A lot of the old mall stores covered up behind white boards. Are they waiting for the remaining smaller stores to close/lease runs out before they renovate the old mall?

[CondoInvestor]

Metrotown is starting to show its age

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by rofina

Park Royal feels high end. Brentwood feels high end.

JJBean feels high end. Blenz does not.
Aritzia feels high end. H&M does not.

Metrotown is a utilitarian workhorse of a mall. It will continue to be a middle market retail success long as the property is maintained.

Except Metrotown has Aritzia, Lululemon, Nike, Apple, Fossil, and a number of other stores that could be considered luxury, and Brentwood has neither JJBean nor Aritzia.

I suggest the actual luxury "feeling" may come from something other than the tenants:
- Metrotown is busy and crowded, so it feels less exclusive
- Metrotown is older so some of the mall feels dated

Metrotown may not be a luxury mall, but does that mean it is on the bottom of the mall food chain? Since malls were created to allow someone to buy everything they need in one location, it would be hard to argue any mall does that better than Metrotown.

I think anyone looking for true luxury such as Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Nordstrom, or Burberry will go downtown anyways, and not to a suburban mall.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Vin

City/town centre malls are not really losing any stores. Even if one closes, another one is quick to take its vacant space. Metrotown and the new Brentwood malls are way more vibrant when compared to most of Burnaby's streetfront retail. Don't expect to see too may Cannabis businesses rolling into the malls anytime soon, despite the one approved at Metrotown. I think they will cap it at one per mall.

In Burnaby the current rule is one Cannabis store for each town centre and that's it. Metrotown's confirmed and Edmonds proposed locations are in strip malls - not enclosed malls. The Brentwood location (which will likely be shot down) is in the base of one of the new towers - not in the main mall area. Lougheed hasn't had a location proposed yet but I suspect it'll follow the same trend.

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

I think anyone looking for true luxury such as Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Nordstrom, or Burberry will go downtown anyways, and not to a suburban mall.

I think we need somewhere for luxury stores outside of downtown Vancouver. Brentwood may become that location for Burnaby. But to succeed it needs something to fulfill the needs of the people living nearby, so it can't be entirely luxury - and that's what seems to be happening.

[ranvancan]

I really think this discussion forum for The Amazing Brentwood should be retitled to "Store me here, Store me there, just don't Store me anywhere" Whenever a new post comes to this site, I look, only to read something about this store, that store.......... Sorry, boring AF.

[rofina]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

Except Metrotown has Aritzia, Lululemon, Nike, Apple, Fossil, and a number of other stores that could be considered luxury, and Brentwood has neither JJBean nor Aritzia.

Absolutely, Metrotown performs very well in sales. I'm sure these are top 3 locations in BC for most of the retailers you mentioned. Pacific Centre, Metrotown, Guildford usually round out the top 3 best performing locations for retail.

I suggest the actual luxury "feeling" may come from something other than the tenants:
- Metrotown is busy and crowded, so it feels less exclusive
- Metrotown is older so some of the mall feels dated

Absolutely. I mentioned the retailers only to convey the sense that luxury, is a feeling. Its accomplished largely through design - spaces are designed to feel high end. Its not necessarily something easily captures in a statistic.

Metrotown may not be a luxury mall, but does that mean it is on the bottom of the mall food chain? Since malls were created to allow someone to buy everything they need in one location, it would be hard to argue any mall does that better than Metrotown.

Not directed at just you, but the paradigm of viewing things from a binary lens, especially on the internet is really a broken world view.

To say that Metrotown feels dumpy compared to Brentwood, is not at all to question the retail performance of Metrotown. Both these things can be true at the same time.

I have a good understanding of the numbers Metrotown prints, and they're amazing. No part of my posts attempt to discredit that. It will continue to be a destination not just in for Lower Mainland folk, but BC as a whole.

But I still maintain, that it does not, at all, have a high end "feel."

I should also point out, that's not what its aiming at necessarily either. There is no reasons to shake up the balance Metrotown has found.

I think anyone looking for true luxury such as Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Nordstrom, or Burberry will go downtown anyways, and not to a suburban mall.

Probably true, but I do think Brentwood has a good chance at capturing some level of luxury retail.

I think Brentwood will likely continue on its path to becoming and upper end destination.

Its not by coincidence Whole Foods is there either.

[officedweller]

Metropolis is a bit of a dog's breakfast in terms of tenant mix and mall organization.
It has lower end retailers, and some mid-upper end retailers, but no "luxury wing".
It's more of a "caters to everyone" type of mall in line with tenant mixes closer to those from the 1970s-80s (but with fewer hard goods stores), which may be good at surviving downturns in the economy.

The only mall around that has managed to have both high end and low end is Mississauga's Square One, which has both a Wal-Mart and a Holt Renfrew in separate wings.

[jasonpark]

I walked around Brentwood today and noticed that half a dozen of the units had tin foil covering all the windows. After reading this thread, I realized NONE OF THE UNITS have AC.

How could a newish development like that not have AC? It must be an oven on the 30th floor during summers.

[Nites]

Originally Posted by jasonpark

I walked around Brentwood today and noticed that half a dozen of the units had tin foil covering all the windows. After reading this thread, I realized NONE OF THE UNITS have AC.

A lot of talk about AC in condos this year. For the buildings that do have central AC how is the cost of running everything charged towards the owners? I'm assuming it would be charged monthly with an increased hydro fee for buildings that have Water, Gas/Heat included in the strata fee? Anyone have any experience what they paid in the last 2 months this year for those of you who do own in a building that has AC?

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by jasonpark

I walked around Brentwood today and noticed that half a dozen of the units had tin foil covering all the windows. After reading this thread, I realized NONE OF THE UNITS have AC.

Yeah, it looks very ghetto. But then again these are not luxury towers but massive vertical housing. Quantity over quality.

To the point about Brentwood mall feeling upscale, I think that only applies to the brand new space. The old part of the mall feels like something in Abbotsford and will continue to do so for years to come.

[s211]

Originally Posted by jasonpark

I walked around Brentwood today and noticed that half a dozen of the units had tin foil covering all the windows. After reading this thread, I realized NONE OF THE UNITS have AC.

How could a newish development like that not have AC? It must be an oven on the 30th floor during summers.

No AC is "green". All give thanks to our virtue-signalling urban planner overlords.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Nites

A lot of talk about AC in condos this year. For the buildings that do have central AC how is the cost of running everything charged towards the owners? I'm assuming it would be charged monthly with an increased hydro fee for buildings that have Water, Gas/Heat included in the strata fee? Anyone have any experience what they paid in the last 2 months this year for those of you who do own in a building that has AC?

I can't speak for others but my condo has a heat pump. The building runs a centralized cooling tower, which circulates cool "water" throughout and individual units utilize this for cooling. Same thing for heat, but the centralized heat comes from the city.

From a cost perspective, the individual owners pay electricity to run the heat pumps and compressors. The central cooling tower uses electricity too, but the overall amount is marginal.

Heat costs the strata/building a lot more to supply. Again owners pay for their own heat pump usage, but that is minimal from a cost perspective.

Another issue to be aware of is the cost of the heat pump itself if it requires replacement. From what I understand they are still somewhat specialized units and can run $5-8k for a full parts and labour replacement.

For the comfort it provides, the cost is a no brainer. Hot water is expensive too, but not when you're contemplating that vs. a cold shower.