[metroXpress]

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UniverCity on Burnaby Mountain
Overview

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UniverCity on Burnaby Mountain is a model sustainable community neighbouring one of Canada’s premier educational institutions, Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Burnaby, British Columbia.
Developed through a collaborative and integrated planning process, UniverCity is designed to be a compact, mixed-use and transit-oriented community founded on founded on our Four Cornerstones of Sustainability: Equity, Economy, Education and Environment.

The groundwork for UniverCity was laid in 1963, when Arthur Erickson and Geoff Massey submitted their initial plan for SFU. Complementing their vision for the mountain-top campus, their plan saw the new university anchoring a dense residential community. It took another 30 years before the implementation of this initial plan would begin with SFU agreeing to transfer of 332 hectares of University-owned land to the City of Burnaby to form part of the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. In return, the city approved an Official Community Plan in 1996, allowing SFU to begin developing a residential community, later named “UniverCity”.

The 1996 OCP envisions a dense, mixed-use community on approximately 65 hectares of land surrounding the SFU campus. It allows for up to 4,536 residential units in two distinct neighbourhoods to the south and east of SFU’s campus, each with its own elementary school and neighbourhood park. The OCP includes provisions for a commercial core, community facilities, and an extensive network of pedestrian paths and bike trails.

Throughout each stage of its design and development, key stakeholders worked to ensure that the new community would be one that integrates residential, commercial, and academic uses in a manner that benefits the University as well as fostering innovative solutions to sustainable community building. UniverCity is currently home to over 2,000 residents and is planned to accommodate more than 10,000 when fully built out.

While most parcels will accommodate market housing, some parcels will be developed as rental, non-market and affordable staff and faculty housing projects. Additionally, there are four mixed-used parcels along University High Street that combine residential development with office and retails uses in order to meet the day-to-day needs of residents and an expanding campus community.

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Current Developments

Altaire
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Developed by Polygon Homes, Altaire will be an exclusive collection of 144 two bedroom residences features sleek contemporary interiors and expansive floor to ceiling windows set to complement the sweeping 360 degree panoramic views of the North Shore Mountains, Mount Baker, and the gulf islands.

Just steps to the campus of Simon Fraser University, Altaire is nestled in a serene mountain-top neighbourhood within walking distance of the numerous shops, services and restaurants of the UniverCity’s High Street village centre. Altaire is centrally located with direct transit links to Skytrain and easy access to the thriving town centres of Coquitlam, Burnaby and Port Moody.

http://www.sfu-condos.com/listing/image/2569950100.jpg

For more information see the Polygon Homes website.
http://www.polyhomes.com/new_community.php?community_id=220


The HUB at UniverCity

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Developed by Liberty Homes, the Hub is a contemporary mid-rise development featuring 146 studio, one and two bedroom units in a range of flats and townhomes with striking modern architecture and sleek interiors. Built to leading environmental standards, Liberty’s newest development offers uniquely responsible housing convientantly located in the Heart of the UniverCity Community.

The Hub will also be home to a 23,000 square foot Nesters Market which is set to open Spring 2009 offtering a wide selection of grocery products, a full-service pharmacy and urban-style café to neighbourhood residents.

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For more information see the Liberty Homes website.
http://www.libertyhomes.ca/thehub


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Past Developments

The SFU Community Trust is developing UniverCity by offering zoned, serviced, subdivided sites to private sector developers on a prepaid, long-term (99-year) leasehold basis.

With homes for more than 2,200 residents now completed, the SFU Community Trust has a significant history of successful partnerships with many of the Lower Mainland’s largest and more respective residential developers. Past projects have included:

* One University Crescent – Developed by Millennium Development

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* Harmony – Developed by Polygon Homes

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* Novo One and Two – Developed by Intergulf Development Group

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* Aurora – Developed by Polygon Homes

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* Verdant – Developed by Vancity Enterprises

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* Serenity – Developed by Polygon Homes

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[worldwide]

I recently moved back to Novo2 after being in Kits for almost a year... as much as i miss the urban vibe of the city, I love being up on this mountain. the neighborhood only keeps getting better. Altaire is fully occupied now, and the hub is looking like its getting ready to open soon.

[David]

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The Hub - with the future home of Nesters Market on the ground floor, due to open in time for fall semester (last I heard)
picture by me, taken July 28, hosted on flickr

[metroXpress]

^ thanks for the update :)

[mrjauk]

If any of you have been thinking about living up here, there are rentals are Verdant for a special rate. See details below:

State of the art Eco-Designed apartments for rent on campus to faculty and staff of SFU and the general public. A model of sustainable environmental living and a groundbreaking non smoking building offering modern comfort and convenience.

The Verdant is a recently developed low-rise strata complex within the SFU campus. SFU is offering a limited number of Two Bedroom + Den and Three Bedroom Suites, all with two bathrooms, available as rental units at $1,380.00 per month for 2 bedroom and $1,425.00 per month for 3 bedroom, including heat, hot water, 1 parking stall and 1 storage locker.


Security
• 1 Secure underground parking for each suite
• Video entry door access system at parkade and courtyard elevator entrances
• Exterior entry door handle with high security strike plate
• Smoke and heat detectors
• Power surge protection for electronics and computers

Laundry
• In-suite laundry
• Stacking front load washer and dryer

Appliances
• Whirlpool™ Energy Star ® Kitchen Appliances:
• 19 cubic foot Contour Door Refrigerator
• Tap-touch Dishwasher
• Ceran Cook-Top Electric Slide-in Range
• Integrated Microwave/Hoodfan Features
• Spacious floor plans
• Laminate flooring in living and dining room
• Ultra healthy nylon carpeting in bedroom areas
• Contemporary baseboards and fixtures
• Water-efficient European polished chrome fixtures in bathrooms & kitchen
• Private balconies
• Deep bathtubs and modern shower surrounds

Added Conveniences
• Radiant in-floor heating
• SFU University-standard data network (internet access not provided)
• Two parking stalls dedicated for car cooperative use only
• One low cost Vancity sponsored Community Transit Pass

If you are interested in renting a unit at Verdant, please contact Property Manager, Diana Joy, at:
Colliers Macaulay Nicolls Inc.
113 – 2012 Fullerton Avenue
North Vancouver, BC, V7P 3E3

Phone: 604 926 2012 Fax: 604 926 3246 Diana.joy@colliers.com

For additional information regarding Verdant @ Univercity please refer to our websites:

www.verdantliving.com www.sfu.ca

[vanman]

Looks like the next phase of Univercity is about to be unleashed:

Massive SFU plan gets OK

Rezoning bylaw allows UniverCity to start developing 1.2 million square feet of new homes

By Janaya Fuller-Evans, Burnaby Now July 28, 2010



Burnaby council approved the rezoning of 12 parcels of land in the UniverCity development on Burnaby Mountain.

The rezoning bylaw was the next necessary step in developing approximately 1.2 million square feet of residential density across in the area, according to UniverCity director Gordon Harris.

"It is also the first bylaw in North America to include defined requirements for sustainability and energy use," he said.

Harris is president and CEO of the SFU Community Trust, which is in charge of overseeing the UniverCity project.

UniverCity, near Simon Fraser University, is a mixed-use community with single- and multi-unit dwellings. It is designed to house up to 10,000 people.

UniverCity began about six years ago, according to Harris, and currently houses about 3,000 people.

The rezoning means development can begin on two new residences.

Porte Development's Origin project, which is designed to include 74 condos, will be located at University High Street and Tower Road.

Mosaic Homes' Nest project is the second development in the area, with 79 condos.

The residences are part of Phase 3 of the project, which spans the western portion of University Crescent, or the West Highlands.

Construction on the UniverCity daycare has begun, and the building may be the first in Canada to meet the Living Building Challenge, according to a recent Burnaby NOW article. The daycare is slated to open in September 2011.

The childcare centre, with 50 spaces, was included as a requirement in the approved rezoning.

Phase 4 involves the lower-density Slopes neighbourhood, south of University High Street and east of Tower Road.

The rezoning means development of 570,000 sq. ft. of residential space can begin in the Slopes neighbourhood, according to Harris.

UniverCity buildings must be 30 per cent more energy efficient than regularly constructed buildings under the rezoning bylaw, he said, and the developments must include plans for storm water management and include landscaping with native and drought resistant plants.

UniverCity must also protect identified stands of existing trees between buildings, he added.

Council's approval came through five months after public consultation was conducted about the expansion project.

In February, the development plan to shift density from Phase 4 of the project, which is a more family-oriented neighbourhood, to one of the towers in the Phase 3 area was put forward in a public hearing.

Some residents were concerned about the height of the proposed tower.

The tower will be a maximum of 20 stories and will be adjacent to the water tower, which is slightly taller, according to the community trust's plan.

Last March, resident Judith Brock, a member of UniverCity Neighbours for Environmental Sustainability, said she was not happy about the height of the tower.

The group is concerned about environmental issues in the area.

"I don't think that would be an appropriate building in this environment," Brock said, adding she had heard the tallest UniverCity buildings were going to be about 11 stories tall.
© Copyright (c) Burnaby Now
http://www.burnabynow.com/business/Massive+plan+gets/3332078/story.html

[hollywoodnorth]

great news! one of my fav projects around is UniverCity!

[trofirhen]

:previous:
Boy! Has it changed since I graduated from there!! (Not saying what year!) Anyway, this will substantially increase the gravity of SFU, and pull it out of being nicknamed "Burnaby Mountain Polytechnic," and also, it will give it a balancing weight against UBC.

In addition the extra population and traffic will justify rapid transit being developed (in some form or another) out in that direction.

[Smooth]

Hopefully this increased density will help the business case for installing a tram up Burnaby Mtn.

[cc85]

:previous:
[B]"Burnaby Mountain Polytechnic,"

WHAT?! I have never heard that name, even in the time I was there.

[Travis007]

Highland House at UniverCity

http://www.buzzbuzzhome.com/highland-house-at-univercity

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