This post will be long so, I apologize beforehand. Lol.
I'm gladder now to hear more about the retail portion and (though not really necessary to me) the luxury retail/department store. Nordstrom's opened in Vancouver but I haven't bothered going to downtown Vancouver to check it out 'cause I just feel it's too much hassle to do so. It'd be great to have a similar shop nearby so as not to worry about driving or going all the way to downtown Vancouver.
I suppose they're designing the retail portion to be more of an urban, upscale, lifestyle sort of retail area (with Walmart, or Superstore, not a likely tenant...), whereas the Lougheed Town Centre will be like the all around Walmart + mall sort of thing.
T&T is a toss up for me. It's a real convenience having a big Asian grocery store nearby, but I don't like the current form/atmosphere at the branches I've visited. I find them messy and stressful and so, not as clean or better quality(?). Maybe that's more of a Loblaw's concern as it's the current owner (?) of T&T. Anyone been to Whole Foods? What a difference right?
If T&T at Brentwood is going to be like the Osaka store in North/West Vancouver however, that'd be really nice. But I guess that's too much expectations for T&T knowing the expected density in the area.
I do know I'll miss the view of the mountains, and the experience of openness, light, and airiness at the Brentwood Town Centre Skytrain station once those towers are up.
That station to me is the best designed/prettiest Skytrain station. It's sooo different from stressful Metrotown station and its ugly/busy walkway to the mall, or the ones along the Expo line.. (New Westminster, Columbia stops) dark, no sky, no natural light, kinda gritty... Perhaps, the next best one will be any one of those along the new Evergreen line, lucky Tri-Cities!!. hehe.
The cinema will be a bonus! I wonder if it'll be by Cineplex. They're at Shape's High Street in Abbotsford, so it's not far off.
Concorde Pacific (owned by Hong Kong property developer Li Ka Shing who's probably wealthier than Trump and knows what they're doing) is
developing the southern portion of Lougheed/Alpha/Beta into something like Yaletown so I wish they all happen or be completed soon! Make the area even more walkable and shops and everything nearby but not feel like the kinda messy Metrotown area.
Metrotown is a good dense place/development, and still a good investment. But when I was choosing where in Burnaby to buy my place, having lived in North Burnaby, I just naturally preferred Brentwood when I saw the plans for the Amazing Brentwood (though I find its name odd..) and it being by the prettiest/less stressful Skytrain station... No brainer. Lol. North Burnaby just feels safer, and less messy. But that's just me. So I got a place that's a stone's throw from the Amazing Brentwood, for convenience, and 'cause of the future prospects in the area, and it's also relatively near to downtown Vancouver.
Having lived in and visited cities more cosmopolitan than Vancouver, both in industrialized and developing countries even, I see Shape Properties taking a leaf from the book of these overseas commercial/residential developments, Shape Properties' High Street in Abbotsford being a commercial manifestation of one. It looks almost similar to the
Bonifacio High Street in the Philippines.. I won't be surprised if it was kinda inspired by it. Even the name...
I'm really glad to see the Amazing Brentwood (AB) development bringing the area into the 21st century (it's about time), partly courtesy of immigration and the ideas it brings. When I saw AB's concepts/computer-generated images in the forum/its website, the design reminds me of
a commercial/residential place I've been to long ago in the Philippines' central business district.... same entertainment/plaza area in the center, surrounded by the upscale shops, and restos, and a cinema in the upper floors, residences above, by public transit, VERY walkable, and has many global stores (even a Balenciaga) we still don't have in Canada. It was also a winner in 2004 (after its redevelopment) of the International Design and Development Award by the ICSC.org (International Council of Shopping Centers) based in New York. I expect AB should be a member of this org sooner or later if it isn't yet. And that Philippine site was redesigned/redeveloped more than 10 years ago.
Anyhow, obviously AB is quite aspirational. Lol. Can't help but like the plans since it makes life easier and more convenient when things are all nearby, we save time, walking/moving/taking public transit is healthy... and we don't have to keep relying on driving, parking, etc, to get simple things done. And it's in a nicer urban environment or design than the Metrotown area. I just hope AB's retail plans do live up to the hype and I hope the Skytrain station doesn't get as bad as Metrotown's. Once again, I'll miss the views! Bye pretty, blue, snow-capped mountains view. =(
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