[hollywoodnorth]

Figured I should start a thread for this sucker. At 740,000+ square feet to start thats a pretty major project. Also its going to help feed the new skytrain extension.

Seeing it will be LEED Gold it should prove to be a nice looking building. Grass on the roof anyone? ;)



August 5, 2008

Surrey, BC

Public Works Canada issues Request for Qualifications for RCMP E-Division headquarters

Sam Van Aert

RCD Research Reporter

The City of Surrey will one day be home to an $80-million, 68,800-square-metre RCMP E-Division headquarters compound.

The facility will be designed to consolidate and accommodate over 1,800 RCMP employees.

An Request for Qualifications has been issued by Public Works Canada for the Design/Build/Finance/Maintain contract for the proposed LEED Gold facility.

The new compound will include the following features and facilities:

• Office and support space:

• A “post-disaster” building (2,365 square metres);

• A forensic laboratory (6, 314 square metres);

• A high-bay garage and workshop;

• Public space available for rent (4,730 square metres); and

• 1,810 parking spaces.

The RFQ closes August 11, 2008 and construction is tentatively scheduled to start in October 2009.

– RCD Digital Media

The information above was current at time of publication. To provide an update on this particular project, please send an email to eteamcanada@reedbusiness.com.

[hollywoodnorth]

RCMP gets green light for E-division move
Last Updated: Thursday, February 7, 2008 | 9:59 AM ET
CBC News

The RCMP has been given the green light to move its E Division headquarters in Vancouver to the suburbs in Surrey.

The move from Heather Street is one that has been talked about for years.

But now the Federal Treasury Board has given Public Works Canada and the RCMP the green light to qualify developers interested in taking on the project.

The new location is a 14-hectare site on 96th Avenue near Green Timbers Urban Park in Surrey.

The advance notice to vendors calls for the design and construction of more than 68,000 square metres of office and support space.

Getting approval to move is the first step for a project that is expected to take at least five years to complete.

Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts said the relocation makes sense.

"A lot of the members actually do come from Surrey and Langley and Abbotsford and the outlying communities,'' she said.

"Surrey is the largest RCMP detachment in the country so it really fits well," she said.

Watts hopes many of the 2,300 people who work at the new site will relocate to Surrey.

By shifting to the suburbs, the RCMP will leave behind 8.5 hectares of prime real estate on the west side of Vancouver.

According to a community plan drafted two years ago, if the federal government doesn't find another use for the site, it will be offered up for sale at market value.

The plan says the community would like to see non-market and affordable housing mixed in with any new development.

Residents would also like to see the old Tudor-style Fairmont Academy building preserved for cultural or recreational uses.

[whalley13]

any updates on this project or progress? the city still talks about this one coming in near future but wondering if anything has actually happened

[WaxItYourself]

The last thing I heard was that the RCMP headquarters was to be relocated to Central City. However the newest and updated map of Central Cities future does not include an RCMP headquarters.

[tybuilding]

The last thing I heard was that the RCMP headquarters was to be relocated to Central City. However the newest and updated map of Central Cities future does not include an RCMP headquarters.


IF the train is extended down Fraser Hwy there will be a need for a station at 140th and Fraser Hwy, you wouldn't put it at 96th and Fraser Hwy which is towards the middle of the park.

The E division should take over the building on 104th by 142 st.

[Whalleyboy]

http://surrey.fileprosite.com/FileStorage/ABD73DD84D1546B385567E98BA9D8985-7910-0031-00.pdf

this is from the recent council meeting
(havent read it yet)

[Whalleyboy]

so i read it and here is some answer for whats going on
It is anticipated that site preparation work will commence in late April, 2010, with full building construction beginning in July, 2010. The estimated date of completion of the project is December 2012.

It is estimated that approximately 2,700 people will be working at the facility when it opens in early 2013.

The project consists of 4 buildings; the main Operations Administration Building (Building A), a Post-Disaster and Mechanical Plant Building (Building B), a High Bay/Exhibits Building (Building C) and a Forensic Lab Building (Building D), as well as parking for visitors, staff and operational vehicles.

Site Layout and Landscaping
 The principal building on the site will be the Operations Administration Building which will be 205 metres (673 ft.) in length, 7 storeys in height, and contain a floor area of 65,017 square metres (700,000 sq. ft.)
 Although the Operations Administration Building will face Green Timbers Way, it is sited on an angle from southwest to northeast, away from Green Timbers Way.
 As part of the current project and the Fraser Health Authority Outpatient Facility (OPF) currently under construction to the west of the subject site, Green Timbers Way will be constructed to full City standards and will be dedicated as a public road from 140 Street to 96 Avenue.
 A surface parking lot, for visitors to the facility, will be located on the southeast corner of the site, adjacent to Green Timbers Way, separating the Operations Administration Building from Green Timbers Way.
 This parking lot will contain 171 parking spaces for visitors and 45 parking spaces for facilities management personnel. The parking lot will be screened from Green Timbers Way by a grassed berm and the planting of trees that will reflect or complement the tree species found in the adjoining Green Timbers Forest.
 A small plaza containing a monument commemorating the RCMP will be located along the north side of the parking lot. During ceremonies at this monument, a portion of the parking lot will be closed to vehicles and will be transformed into a parade square.
 As the Operations Administration Building must be separated from areas accessible by the public, a large landscaped security area will be developed between the face of the building and Green Timbers Way and the visitor parking spaces.
 This landscaped area will be split in two by the main entry into the building.
 The landscaped area to the west of the entry will consist of a shallow, normally dry, storm water detention pond that will be landscaped and, on the south, trees will be planted that complement the trees species planted in the Green Timbers Arboretum across from the facility on the south side of Green Timbers Way.
 The landscaped area to the east of the entry will consist of grassed berms.
The security barrier along the edges of the landscaped security area will consist of a combination of "metal bull rushes" and "fallen concrete logs" and boulders to reflect the forest location of the facility.
 The entry to the building from Green Timbers Way will be a highly developed ceremonial entry that, through its design and landscaping, is intended to reflect the adjoining Green Timbers Urban Forest and other natural elements in the area.
 The line of existing mature trees that runs north from Green Timbers Way will be retained and incorporated into the entry sequence to the building and is the primary design element around which entry landscaping has been designed.
 The entry will consist of a wide sidewalk with linear granite panels, inset with planting, edged with aggregate concrete, and lined with elements reflecting the historical nature of the site and the RCMP.
 The main vehicle access for staff will be located along the east side of the site, adjacent to the existing Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) Centre. Due to the volume of traffic anticipated to use this access to the site, a traffic signal will be installed by the applicant as part of the reconstruction of Green Timbers Way.
 All staff and delivery vehicles accessing the facility beyond that portion of the site open to the public, must pass through a security check-point and security gates upon entering and exiting the site.
 A smaller secondary and alternate emergency vehicle access will be located on the west side of the site connecting to Green Timbers Way.
 Three accessory buildings, as well as parking for 1,639 vehicles, are located behind the Operations Administration Building and security check points.
 One of these accessory buildings, the Post-Disaster and Mechanical Plant Building (Building B), with a floor area of 4,207 square metres (45,000 sq. ft.), will act as an operations centre in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. This building will also contain a mechanical plant that will provide services to the entire facility.
 Another of the accessory buildings, the High Bay/Exhibits Building (Building C), with a floor area of 6,904 square metres (74,000 sq. ft.), will contain facilities for the maintenance of fleet vehicles and space in which to store and examine criminal case exhibits.
 The third accessory building, the Forensic Lab Building (Building D), with a floor area of 7,760 square metres (83,500 sq. ft.) is intended to house forensic crime laboratories.

Building Design
 The Operations Administration Building (Building A) is a large rectangular building 45 metres (148 ft.) wide and 205 metres (673 ft.) long. The building will be 7 storeys (30 metres/100 ft.) in height.

To break up the mass of the building and to provide some articulation to the long façade, the central portion of the building has been rotated.
 The entire building will sit on a base comprised of concrete columns, formed in random angles, that are intended to mirror the tree trunks in the surrounding Green Timbers Urban Forest. The concrete tree trunks are intended to be clad in medium-brown coloured brick veneer. The spaces between these "concrete tree trunks" will be filled with clear and green-coloured glass to give the impression that the building is "floating" in a forest.
 To help differentiate the rotated portion of the building and to highlight the entry to the building, the "concrete tree trunks" and glass will be extended up from the ground to the roof of the building, where the rotated portion of the building meets the more rectangular face of the building, at the point where the main public entry is located.
 The entry will be further highlighted by a large canopy that extends out from the building. The underside of the entry canopy will be clad in wood panels to reflect the forest location of the site.
 The balance of the rotated portion of the building will be clad in grey-coloured glass curtain wall.
 To add additional interest to the building, green and bronze-coloured vision glass panels will be installed randomly throughout the façade.
 The west and east portions of the building will be clad in grey-coloured glass curtain wall, framed by light-coloured metal clad fins that extend past the face of the building.
 The three accessory buildings are each two storeys in height and are clad in a combination of smooth metal panels and corrugated metal panels. Entries for all the buildings are highlighted by increased glazing and architectural elements that reflect the design vocabulary of the main Operations Administration Building.
 A 67-metre (220 ft.) high metal lattice communication tower will be located at the north side of the High Bay/Exhibits Building (Building C).
 This communication tower is 18 metres (59 ft.) lower than the maximum 85-metre (280 ft.) height permitted for communication towers on the site in CD By-law No. 16554.
 As the communication tower is located behind the Operations Administration Building and accessory buildings, it will be screened from views along Green Timbers Way. Further, as the balance of the lands around the subject site are heavily forested with mature, 70-year old trees, the tower should not be noticeable from the arterial roads that form the boundary of Green Timbers Urban Forest, even though the tower extends above the 35-metre (115 ft.) to 40-metre (130 ft.) high surrounding forest canopy.

It should also be noted that the site plan has been arranged to permit a 30% expansion of all buildings to accommodate future growth of the RCMP operations at the facility.

by the way they describe the main building i think its gonna look amazing

[Spork]

1700 vehicles! Massive! This is going to be great for the area. All of this civic development is what is really needed to spur some commercial and rapid residential development in the area.

[theQ]

That's really great. 2,700 jobs (well paid I'm sure) here in Central City, that'll be great for the area. I heard a speech from Diane Watts last year and she I think the figure she used for city hall jobs was 650 "well paid jobs" coming to Central City. I'm not sure how many jobs the expanded hospital and Outpatient hospital will bring - but they all add up, that's for sure.

When Berezen proposed building a new shopping centre and towers I was wondering where the customers would come from, but with all these jobs being added within a 10 block radius, that'll help for sure.

I'm still hoping that Telus will build it's proposed data centre here in Central City as well. Last year they released a statement saying they were building a 700 million facility somewhere in the BC and were in talks with a number of municipalities. I'm hoping that they're at least considering Surrey.

[LeftCoaster]

Contract award was just announced:

Bird Construction signs deal to build new RCMP E Division headquarters
By The Canadian Press

TORONTO - Bird Construction Income Fund (TSX:BDT.UN) said Friday it has signed a design and construction contract for the new RCMP E Division headquarters in Surrey, B.C.

Bird will design and build the facility in a joint venture with Bouygues Building Canada Inc.

Bird said the value of its share of the design and construction contract was approximately $100 million.

Construction is expected to start shortly and be finished by late-2012.
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/headline_news/article.jsp?content=b234577928

[hollywoodnorth]

I'm still hoping that Telus will build it's proposed data centre here in Central City as well. Last year they released a statement saying they were building a 700 million facility somewhere in the BC and were in talks with a number of municipalities. I'm hoping that they're at least considering Surrey.

http://www.itworldcanada.com/news/telus-to-add-another-data-centre-this-year/109286

TELUS has been very quiet on the whole situation for a while now.....odd.....?

[androo_k]

How Many floors is this going to be and have we seen render yet?

[Whalleyboy]

read my post the biggest building is 7 floors

[WaxItYourself]

Construction of the new B.C. headquarters for the RCMP officially began Friday morning in Surrey with a groundbreaking ceremony at the Green Timbers site in the 14200 block of 96 Avenue.

Architectural drawings of the 76,162 square-metre facility were released the same day.

Once its completed in 2013, the new HQ will house over 2,700 RCMP E Division Headquarters personnel.

Currently, those people are scattered between the provincial headquarters, which is housed in an aging and overcrowded facility in Vancouver, and 25 other leased and crown-owned sites throughout in the Lower Mainland.

“Our hard working police personnel deserve to have the tools they need to do their job,” Vic Toews, the federal Minister of Public Safety said Friday.

“This new facility will enhance the RCMP’s ability to provide integrated and intelligence-based policing, allowing them to be even more effective in enforcing the law, preventing crime and protecting Canadians.”

The $966 million project will create an estimated 900 new jobs.

It is a public-private partnership (P3) between the federal government and Green Timbers Accommodation Partners.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/BumFluff/civicbc/42468surreynew_HQ.jpg

http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/news/93162854.html

[Spork]

Holy surface parking lots batman! That looks miserable. Very disappointing. Good for future expansion, but uggggly and a waste of space.

[SpongeG]

why there too in the park? why not in the "downtown"

[mr.x]

Holy....$1-billion? Looks a bit like the CSIS configuration.

[SpongeG]

must be lots of secret underground lairs

[mr.x]

CSIS HQ in Ottawa
http://media.canada.com/88a71aa9-0766-4ee3-befb-15e6b6fe7968/CSIS-BRONSKILL.jpg
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=ea390b98-f69d-4c02-9ec1-079e7c8e02da&k=63117





FBI Headquarters in Quantico, Virginia :p
http://fhf1.com/images/fbi.jpg
http://fhf1.com/Aerial_Photography.html

[BCPhil]

E division will probably be gone in less than 10 years anyway, replaced with metro police or more city police forces. Why Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond and others all still use RCMP is beyond me. The region needs to grow up and take care of itself.

If the RCMP is lucky they might still have E-division forces in the rest of the province if we don't go with a provincial police force.

[invisibleairwaves]

E division will probably be gone in less than 10 years anyway, replaced with metro police or more city police forces. Why Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond and others all still use RCMP is beyond me. The region needs to grow up and take care of itself.

If the RCMP is lucky they might still have E-division forces in the rest of the province if we don't go with a provincial police force.

This. Let's face it; the RCMP just aren't very well-suited to being an urban police force. If Surrey wants to get serious about cleaning up, forming a local force has to be a priority.

By the way, is that Fraser Highway running along the bottom of that rendering? Surely they aren't planning on keeping it at 2 lanes....:koko:

[Whalleyboy]

thats timberlane a new road being built
oh and as for RCMP i dont think Surrey will be getting rid of it any time soon for one this is being built in Surrey and also Surrey is proud to have the largest RCMP detachment in Canada

[invisibleairwaves]

How is that something to be proud of? Seems more like a point of shame..."Hey, look, we're the biggest city in Canada that hasn't bothered to get its own police force! We're dependent on the Feds and proud of it!"

We can get our own force and still keep the headquarters...after all, they're currently based out of Vancouver and have been for a long time.

[LeftCoaster]

As far as I undersntad the fees they pay the RCMP to police their jurisdiction are very similar to what they would pay to maintain their own police force.

[delboy]

As far as I undersntad the fees they pay the RCMP to police their jurisdiction are very similar to what they would pay to maintain their own police force.

wrong - the city only has to pay 80 percent of costs and nothing for hiring and training. There are also special funds for complex investigations that comes right from the Feds.

Further, there's no union and they can get away with less coppers. A regional force simply won't happen due to fiscal constraints.

the new policing contract goes through I think in 2012 for 20 years, i highly doubt there is enough political will or money to implement a regional force by then.

[LeftCoaster]

^ Well complex or major investegations are covered by the RCMP in any jusisdiction in Canada, so that doesnt really matter, but where did you hear about 80%... I've never heard that before.

If that is the case why would any area have their own force when they can download 20% of the costs onto the federal government? It doesn't make much sense to me.

Then again not much about public policy and governmental spending habits makes much sense at all so perhaps it is the case.

[LeftCoaster]

After some further investigation it seems the applicable number here (in Surrey's case) is 90%. So the government essentially provides a 10% subsidy to municipalities over 15,000 who chose to take advantage of using the RCMP as its municipal force.

Source:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-225-x/2009000/technote-notetech1-eng.htm

Also from the E division website it appears that only 11 jurisdictions in BC do not use the RCMP as their municipal police force. Interesting, but I guess given the size of many of the communitites in BC I shouldn't be surprised.

[delboy]

^ Well complex or major investegations are covered by the RCMP in any jusisdiction in Canada, so that doesnt really matter, but where did you hear about 80%... I've never heard that before.

If that is the case why would any area have their own force when they can download 20% of the costs onto the federal government? It doesn't make much sense to me.

Then again not much about public policy and governmental spending habits makes much sense at all so perhaps it is the case.

Don't underestimate the cost of hiring and training which is also covered by the feds - also uniforms, guns etc are not paid for by the city. Moreover, cop to pop ratios are lower in RCMP areas.

Not all major investigations are taken over by the RCMP as a matter of routine and when you consider a fairly involved murder investigation using wire tap etc, can run to a half a million in a space of half year, smaller forces simply don't do these types of investigations as there's no money, unless it was high profile. the rcmp routinely run complex investigations that simply wouldn't happen without federal funding, and I'm talking at the Municipal level not at the federal or provincial level.

there was a study done in surrey some years back when the last mayor was pushing for a city force - in the end they realized they couldn't afford it.

[Whalleyboy]

http://www.bcdailybuzz.com/media/5947/New_BC_RCMP_HQ/
video about and has images of the building

[SFUVancouver]

This building is already a dinosaur before the first shovel even breaks ground. It is surrounded by a lake of asphalt and considering the new outpatient hospital is adjacent there should at least be a shared parking structure to reduce the volume of surface parking. Moreover, it is set back from the road by a giant landscaped front lawn and does not engage at all with 96 Avenue and announces that everyone is expected to drive to work. This is what you would expect to have been built in the 70s in the middle of nowhere in a suburb, not 700 metres from a SkyTrain station and the heart of "downtown Surrey".

Mayor Watts needs to send this back to the drawing board if she is serious about remaking Surrey. It is just terrible.

[jhausner]

I am fairly sure there had to be design considerations made for security purposes. Remember this is all the RCMP divisions in essence in 1 basket. So the building can't be designed like you would a standard tower. Large open parking lots add a level of security buffer zone in addition to not having the building directly next to roads.

Take a look through the majority of major policing headquarters around teh world and you'll find similar design considerations.

I think it looks pretty good and imposing for the size.

But like I said, you have to take into consideration the massive security implications they have to take into account when building a facility of this type. Barriers even if they are natural ones are still a very effective tool in securing a building.

[Spork]

Well then the guy who designed this building has watched far too much "Assault on Precinct 13".

[jhausner]

Quite possibly. :D

[brown_supahero]

Has anybody heard of Bouygues Building Canada Inc.? I might sign on with these guys for the construction.

[Whalleyboy]

Well i just found out i got family who toured the building and got some pics from them to put up here.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/whalley_boy/190824_10150419275270621_739265620_17597678_7421396_o.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/whalley_boy/192753_10150419275775621_739265620_17597690_6157015_o.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/whalley_boy/190837_10150419276345621_739265620_17597705_1569783_o.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/whalley_boy/193600_10150419281510621_739265620_17597752_3264626_o.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/whalley_boy/193793_10150419281460621_739265620_17597751_6081067_o.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/whalley_boy/192634_10150419284145621_739265620_17597771_448884_o.jpg
Photos taken by my family member and post through my photobucket

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/whalley_boy/192107_10150419281415621_739265620_17597750_5881767_o.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v486/whalley_boy/194578_10150419277990621_739265620_17597722_7846347_o.jpg

[invisibleairwaves]

I am fairly sure there had to be design considerations made for security purposes. Remember this is all the RCMP divisions in essence in 1 basket. So the building can't be designed like you would a standard tower. Large open parking lots add a level of security buffer zone in addition to not having the building directly next to roads.

Take a look through the majority of major policing headquarters around teh world and you'll find similar design considerations.

I think it looks pretty good and imposing for the size.

But like I said, you have to take into consideration the massive security implications they have to take into account when building a facility of this type. Barriers even if they are natural ones are still a very effective tool in securing a building.

If the Law Courts can exist safely in the heart of downtown Vancouver, there's no reason the RCMP headquarters couldn't be built in a far more urban, street-friendly fashion. It's a tremendous missed opportunity to put a big, busy office building in the heart of the city centre.

And besides, what sort of message does it send to the populace when the RCMP hides themselves away in a secluded complex in a forest?

This has to be by far the biggest mistake Watts has made in the city centre.

Plus it just gives the RCMP a billion-dollar reason to stick around when they should have been replaced by a municipal police force a long time ago.

[paradigm4]

If the Law Courts can exist safely in the heart of downtown Vancouver, there's no reason the RCMP headquarters couldn't be built in a far more urban, street-friendly fashion. It's a tremendous missed opportunity to put a big, busy office building in the heart of the city centre.

And besides, what sort of message does it send to the populace when the RCMP hides themselves away in a secluded complex in a forest?

This has to be by far the biggest mistake Watts has made in the city centre.

Plus it just gives the RCMP a billion-dollar reason to stick around when they should have been replaced by a municipal police force a long time ago.

The main reason they located here was because the province owned the land. Same with the Outpatient Centre, same with the new School District HQ (district land in this case). Only reason the City has such a sweet deal in terms of location is because it owns the land around the Rec Centre.

It's all real estate.

[Whalleyboy]

It should be noted the RCMP need it alot more land then what they had. The area they are moving to was already there and in use for other stuff before. The land was given up and instead of paying out the butt for land in side the city centre boundry. They where smart and used the cheaper land and still remain almost right by the city centre. may as well be in it since its right on the border

[delboy]

If the Law Courts can exist safely in the heart of downtown Vancouver, there's no reason the RCMP headquarters couldn't be built in a far more urban, street-friendly fashion. It's a tremendous missed opportunity to put a big, busy office building in the heart of the city centre.

And besides, what sort of message does it send to the populace when the RCMP hides themselves away in a secluded complex in a forest?

This has to be by far the biggest mistake Watts has made in the city centre.

Plus it just gives the RCMP a billion-dollar reason to stick around when they should have been replaced by a municipal police force a long time ago.

you simply have zero understanding of the issues and complexties ivolved. HQ is not meant to be 'approachable' it's not where you go to make a complaint, it's where major files (at the provincial and federal level), and admin are run out of. If you want to speak with a commuity officer or make a complaint ...go to a store front or the main detachment, not HQ.

Plus tranist was one consideration that went into this location...fairly close to skytrain and the hwy. Many members have to commute to work just like eveyone else.

[wrenegade]

Wow, thanks for the pics Whalleyboy, I had no idea this project was so far along!

[jhausner]

E division will probably be gone in less than 10 years anyway, replaced with metro police or more city police forces. Why Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond and others all still use RCMP is beyond me. The region needs to grow up and take care of itself.

If the RCMP is lucky they might still have E-division forces in the rest of the province if we don't go with a provincial police force.

That actually doesn't really matter. The RCMP in several other areas also share buildings with other municipal forces so what would most likely happen if Surrey did away with the RCMP contract and starts its own police force (or the region created one) is that the building would transfer ownership over and the RCMP would take a reduced amount of space in the existing building. Many RCMP officers currently in the Surrey detachment would most likely move over anyway to the new muni-police force.

I'm still of the opinion though that the RCMP will be the police force in Surrey for a while longer and that 10 years is a long way away and a lot can change. Think back 10 years ago and all the changes that have happened since.

[whalley13]

j hausner is right the rcmp is not going anywhere, the city would be unwise to increase taxes right now to start up a muni force when there are alot of other demands like infrastructure, new auditorium etc coming down the pipe

[Whalleyboy]

RCMP have been doing great for surrey for the past 10 year just look at the reclining crime rate in Surrey. Well yes Surrey still isnt perfect no major city ever is with crime though. But i for one support the RCMP in surrey and hope they stick around for a while longer

[Dylan Leblanc]

photos from June by Waite Air Photos

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/surrey/2011/syh2011_0342.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/large/BC/Surrey/Guildford/2011/0342/2

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/surrey/2011/syh2011_0341.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/large/BC/Surrey/Guildford/2011/0341/2

http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/bc/surrey/2011/syh2011_0355.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/large/BC/Surrey/Guildford/2011/0355/2

[SFUVancouver]

Thanks for posting the photos.

I'm relieved to see that there is a direct street connection between the new E-Division hq and 140th street. I was imagining that it would connect to 96th Street practically half way to 148th Street. The new street will help put this building within practicable walking distance of King George SkyTrain station.

I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the campus build out, since this is just the first of four buildings, presuming they are still going ahead as planned. But is there ever going to be a lot of surface parking! The plan was for 1,700 spaces; that is comparable to the combined capacity of the Bay's parkade and Pacific Centre's gargantuan multi-block-long underground parking labyrinth.

[Dylan Leblanc]

wow. here's the rendering from the first page

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/BumFluff/civicbc/42468surreynew_HQ.jpg

[mr.A]

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6068/6060546962_0b88300a44_z.jpg
my pic.

[allan_kuan]

Another nitpick... but I hope they change that brown on the first level to something else like the white paint in the render... otherwise, I'll think of the building as having rather tasteless dark design inspirations from the 60s and 70s.

[theQ]

Another nitpick... but I hope they change that brown on the first level to something else like the white paint in the render... otherwise, I'll think of the building as having rather tasteless dark design inspirations from the 60s and 70s.

Here is a description of why the base is brown, it's supposed to look like trees trunks to mirror the surrounding forrest.

The entire building will sit on a base comprised of concrete columns, formed in random angles, that are intended to mirror the tree trunks in the surrounding Green Timbers Urban Forest. The concrete tree trunks are intended to be clad in medium-brown coloured brick veneer. The spaces between these "concrete tree trunks" will be filled with clear and green-coloured glass to give the impression that the building is "floating" in a forest.

[allan_kuan]

Oh. Meh... it'd make more sense if it was a more yellowish shade of brown... certainly the green glass would help solidify that floating feeling once it gets installed.

[Whalleyboy]

better yet green walls all around it

[geoff's two cents]

Better yet, go back in time and retain a few trees. Or, hell, just go with the giant parking lot theme and add a Walmart.;)

[PaperTiger]

Thanks for posting the photos.

I'm relieved to see that there is a direct street connection between the new E-Division hq and 140th street. I was imagining that it would connect to 96th Street practically half way to 148th Street. The new street will help put this building within practicable walking distance of King George SkyTrain station.

I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the campus build out, since this is just the first of four buildings, presuming they are still going ahead as planned. But is there ever going to be a lot of surface parking! The plan was for 1,700 spaces; that is comparable to the combined capacity of the Bay's parkade and Pacific Centre's gargantuan multi-block-long underground parking labyrinth.

The parking count is a result of the function of the building, you need the parking for the police vehicles and the worker's (police and support) private vehicles. Though why they couldn't have someone park in and empty police vehcle spot and then have a returning officer park in the spot you left empty when you took your cop car out I have no idea.

[Diet Butcher]

Anyone have an update on this? Is it still scheduled to open in December 2012?

[jhausner]

I'd say yes.

[officedweller]

Check out @KimSeale's bird's eye view of the new #SurreyBC #RCMP detachment in the #News1130 Air Patrol pic.twitter.com/AMEWit1q

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/A3mW9pdCYAASWyd.jpg:large
http://twitter.com/News1130radio/status/250397240131215360/photo/1

[SFUVancouver]

Just terrible.

[Cypherus]

Just terrible.

Care to elaborate?

[osirisboy]

I think he is referring to how it lacks any sort of interaction with surrounding streets and the crap load of surface parking

edit, I guess there is only one street that it can have no interaction with

why did they build it like some suburban campus? and why would surrey allow this? Woudlnt this have been perfect for surreys "downtown" in a compact development? there is no reason why its sprawled out like this!

[officedweller]

Project description here:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=4759999&postcount=7

[giallo]

^ Indeed. That's got to be one of the worst uses of land I've seen in a long time.

[allan_kuan]

I was complaining about this for a bit, but it seems the wrong minds still prevailed...

Someone on this forum tried justifying this once by saying that there needed to be "security buffer zones" or something like that given that it houses various forensic laboratories and all + it's a headquarters for one of Canada's security establishments, but meh... I still think it could have been done better, especially the parking...

[osirisboy]

I was complaining about this for a bit, but it seems the wrong minds still prevailed...

Someone on this forum tried justifying this once by saying that there needed to be "security buffer zones" or something like that given that it houses various forensic laboratories and all + it's a headquarters for one of Canada's security establishments, but meh... I still think it could have been done better, especially the parking...

I dont buy that argument at all. Look at the US embassy in ottawa or the national defence headquarters again in ottawa, both right downtown with the former being built with a crazy amount of security (each piece of drywall was x-rayed before it went in) That whole idea of needing all those parking lots for a buffer zone is BS

[phesto]

It's pretty simple guys - land in most areas of Surrey is still relatively cheap, and surface parking is WAY cheaper than underground parking. This is what makes campus style development attractive to institutions. It's an advantage that Surrey has over say, Burnaby, Vancouver, etc.

[vansky]

they just built a 1960's look with 2012's costs,

let me see who can argue with me on this one....if you could defend this building by saying that this is a beautiful piece of work, i would question ur aesthetic judgement

the thing looks like a jail, which it is i guess..if u could build a jail, at least build it like sfu...

[BodomReaper]

Pardon my ignorance, but what does the upcoming completion of this project mean for the existing E-Division headquarters in Vancouver? Are they going to keep utilizing that site, or can we look forward to a redevelopment?

[officedweller]

Yup - redevelopment of 8.5 ha near the future 33rd Ave Canada Line Station.

[BodomReaper]

Yup - redevelopment of 8.5 ha near the future 33rd Ave Canada Line Station.

Cheers :cheers:

[Prometheus]

Check out @KimSeale's bird's eye view of the new #SurreyBC #RCMP detachment in the #News1130 Air Patrol pic.twitter.com/AMEWit1q

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/A3mW9pdCYAASWyd.jpg:large
http://twitter.com/News1130radio/status/250397240131215360/photo/1

Finding parking might be a problem.

[jhausner]

I'm the one that mentioned security buffer zones, but I didn't say parking lots could be used. They could have easily built everything under ground or the bulk majority under ground and used the landscape for buffer zones.

That said, I do know quite a few cops and the notion of parking all the cop cars under ground is one very few would be on board with. They have a belief in not having bottle necks and feel you can get cars out and on the road from a parking lot above ground faster (higher response time) than form underground parking.

I'm don't really buy that argument but its there. I'd more lean towards the land is cheap argument. I mean let's face it, it doesn't look any different than most malls constructed these days. Hell with the Guildford Mall redevelopment I was hoping they got rid of all the above ground parking and built buildings instead, some high rises too.

We can only dream. Would have been nice to have more of the parking underground with better land scaping and use of the natural area around though. All the land around it though is supposedly park land so I have my doubts the building with need to interface with much though.

[jsbertram]

Pardon my ignorance, but what does the upcoming completion of this project mean for the existing E-Division headquarters in Vancouver? Are they going to keep utilizing that site, or can we look forward to a redevelopment?

Following the pattern set by the city with the new Olympic Housing, the feds will likely give the land away dirt-cheap (pun intended) to encourage new condos on the site (and even include some non-profit housing).

Be prepared for this to take longer than the redevelopment of Little Mountain on Main St. with much more controversy.

[Whalleyboy]

Its worth noting a lot of the land was level and paved with thought of one day future adds might be needed. While Surface parking lot does look bad in the future it will come to be better instead of having to do more clearing of trees.

Also it will be a major shelter/base area for major disaster. So building underground parking could where cars could get blocked in from and earthquake doesn't really help.
Plus buffer zones do make sense for case like riots.(and zombies=P)

As for the old building I believe they will being putting up for sale to cover some cost of the new building. So redevelopment could be and option it all just depends who buys it out.

[paradigm4]

Also worth noting the main reason it was built in Green Timbers was because it's already Crown land. Same reason the Outpatient Hospital was built there. In a perfect world both facilities would've been closer to the downtown, rather than on the periphery, but governments don't usually spend excess money when they don't have to. Also, AFAIK, location and construction is decided by the province and feds for this, not so much the City.

[cornholio]

I think he is referring to how it lacks any sort of interaction with surrounding streets and the crap load of surface parking

edit, I guess there is only one street that it can have no interaction with

why did they build it like some suburban campus? and why would surrey allow this? Woudlnt this have been perfect for surreys "downtown" in a compact development? there is no reason why its sprawled out like this!

My guess would be due to safety issues. This eliminates the ability of someone to drive a car bomb in to a underground parkade and blow it up. It also makes it significantly easier to monitor the parking lots and the surrounding area. We are talking about the RCMP headquarters here, they are responsible for a lot more thne just producing street cops. Also this would have been designed in the early 2000's, atleast I would think so, in which case security would have been one of the top concerns.

But this is just a guess on my part...

[osirisboy]

No I still dont buy it. They could have built it way more denser than they did even with all the security concerns they have. And if someone wants to blow it up they are still going to find a way even if theres no underground parking! The US embassy in ottawa opened in 1999 so its fairly new and its built right downtown
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_the_United_States,_Ottawa

my basic point is this, they could've still built a very secure building that wasnt so sprawled out and thats all there is to it!

edit* even if they wanted to keep all that surface parking they could have still made this project interact better with the street!

[LeftCoaster]

What's the point though? Even if they had built it up against the street with underground parking there would never be any retail in the base and it would just be a dead un-animated wall anyway so it's not as though it was a big loss.

Just be happy this many jobs are coming to central Surrey.

[cornholio]

No I still dont buy it. They could have built it way more denser than they did even with all the security concerns they have. And if someone wants to blow it up they are still going to find a way even if theres no underground parking! The US embassy in ottawa opened in 1999 so its fairly new and its built right downtown
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_the_United_States,_Ottawa

my basic point is this, they could've still built a very secure building that wasnt so sprawled out and thats all there is to it!

edit* even if they wanted to keep all that surface parking they could have still made this project interact better with the street!

Hey dont get me wrong I totally agre with you, the percieved threat of terrorism is complete bs. If someone wants to do some damage there is millions of ways to do it. If you dont believe me then spend a day walking around and using your imagination a bit. If terrorism was such a threat then vigilante justice against other people, politicians or businesses would be a daily occurance.

I was just trying to think of the possible justification, at the end of the day we all know its no more safe, just like airplane travel is no more safe with all the ridiculous messures that are now in place. If someone wants to blow something up then they will blow it up, reducing the probability of something like that occuring from 1 in 1000000 to 1 in 990000 is not worth the costs.

[Whalleyboy]

No I still dont buy it. They could have built it way more denser than they did even with all the security concerns they have. And if someone wants to blow it up they are still going to find a way even if theres no underground parking! The US embassy in ottawa opened in 1999 so its fairly new and its built right downtown
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_the_United_States,_Ottawa

my basic point is this, they could've still built a very secure building that wasnt so sprawled out and thats all there is to it!

edit* even if they wanted to keep all that surface parking they could have still made this project interact better with the street!

Your comparing to different types of building

An embassy is not expected to be as secure as a cop headquarters.
I mean come a natural disaster people aren't gonna be going to an embassy first they would first turn to cop and arm bases. This place will be a place where people can find shelter be it camp style to indoor.

[osirisboy]

Your comparing to different types of building

An embassy is not expected to be as secure as a cop headquarters.
I mean come a natural disaster people aren't gonna be going to an embassy first they would first turn to cop and arm bases. This place will be a place where people can find shelter be it camp style to indoor.

actually they are especially in war torn countries. but in canada youre right embassies arent usually built as secure as some other places but trust me the US one is.

[jhausner]

No I still dont buy it. They could have built it way more denser than they did even with all the security concerns they have. And if someone wants to blow it up they are still going to find a way even if theres no underground parking! The US embassy in ottawa opened in 1999 so its fairly new and its built right downtown
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_the_United_States,_Ottawa

my basic point is this, they could've still built a very secure building that wasnt so sprawled out and thats all there is to it!

edit* even if they wanted to keep all that surface parking they could have still made this project interact better with the street!

1999. That's 2 years before September 11, 2001. If it had started construction after Sept 11 I have a feeling the building would have looked much different in Ottawa. You could still go sit with the pilots in airplanes in 1999 and take water bottles and nail clippers through security...

[officedweller]

Remember that the RCMP site is also in the Green Timbers precinct of Surrey - not in Surrey Central City. That's also why it has a "campus" design (although much of the open space is paved - the trees in the parking lot will eventually grow...).

[Diet Butcher]

Any Word on when this is due to be complete and when they will be moving in?

[jhausner]

According tot he project, construction was to be completed December 23rd 2012. So if that is still on track, everything as of today should be complete and I'd imagine they will start moving assets in the new year.

[Whalleyboy]

According to my family member who will be working there this is the last week of having to commute all the way out to Vancouver.

[sryboy]

According to my family member who will be working there this is the last week of having to commute all the way out to Vancouver.

Im surprised that there hasn't been any pomp and pageantry? Or official handover or politico photo ops announced...

[WarrenC12]

Last I heard there is still fighting over who is going to pay for it long-term. $260M to construct and over $1B long term including maintenance.

Feds, province and Surrey are all arguing about it.

[hollywoodnorth]

RCMP opens new $1B headquarters in Surrey, B.C.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/01/08/bc-rcmp-headquarters-surrey.html

[Dylan Leblanc]

Looks like a Yankee flag in this rendering :???:

http://gingert.net/images/surrey-rcmp.jpg

[officedweller]

RCMP flag (Headquarters Ensign)

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/c/ca-hq-mp.gif
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ca_rcmp.html

E Division (BC):

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/c/ca-bc_mp.gif
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ca_rcmpe.html

[Violator]

RCMP Have been investing a lot in new police stations this one and the new one in Richmond I like this one a lot better than the on in Richmond.

[Zassk]

RCMP Have been investing a lot in new police stations this one and the new one in Richmond I like this one a lot better than the on in Richmond.

I believe this facility in Surrey is unique and completely different circumstance from the one in Richmond. An RCMP detachment that was urgently short on space took over the Olympics security center. Not the same as a massive regional facility.

[Violator]

I believe this facility in Surrey is unique and completely different circumstance from the one in Richmond. An RCMP detachment that was urgently short on space took over the Olympics security center. Not the same as a massive regional facility.

from experience im saying as having worked on the richomnd detachment see what E division looks like and what the new Richmond detachment looks like is like night and day.