Suburban Updates

[vansky]

Originally Posted by Kwik-E-Mart

I think we will have to do some rewording on the main draw of condo developments in Metro Van: from "location, location, location" to "SkyTrain, SkyTrain, SkyTrain" - where on-site and nearby amenities are mentioned after rapid transit in many sales brochures.

to some ppl, location means status, even if it refered to skytrain areas, it would sound better...and to some people, having a property in a location with a lot of traffic, shops and people means that the real estate price could rise in the future....

[BodomReaper]

Originally Posted by GeeCee

Apparently Onni has having problems selling units in Dominion Triangle.. http://www.tricitynews.com/news/175501171.html

Hmmm, according to the latest figures I've seen, throughout the past 5 years supply of commercial space in the Tri Cities has been a tiny fraction of demand... When Onni talked council into approving this development, they put most of the emphasis on this "village" component, which would include low-rises along the main street and towers nearby. Shortly after approval, the low-rises disappeared from all renderings and literature. Ok, now we're at a bunch of big boxes plus a "village" strip-mall with two adjacent towers. Onni immediately rushes to build all the 1970's-style big boxes and stand-alone buildings surrounded by acres of surface parking (I've walked through it - truly ghastly), which very quickly gets fully leased. However after that's complete, suddenly there isn't enough demand to proceed with the village component. I want to believe that they haven't pulled a fast one over Poco - baiting everyone with promises of "another Suter Brook Village" but then only building big boxes - but it's certainly starting to look that way

[officedweller]

Maybe they'll go back to square one and build more of a residential community. The retail focus is really down the road at Coquitlam Town Centre.

[vanman]

Chancellor has made a huge dent in the Metrotown skyline! Also you can see cranes for Metrotower 3, Sovereign, and Metroplace in this pic.

Originally Posted by Spurdo

Urban autumn splendour by peggyhr, on Flickr

[GeeCee]

Originally Posted by BodomReaper

Hmmm, according to the latest figures I've seen, throughout the past 5 years supply of commercial space in the Tri Cities has been a tiny fraction of demand... When Onni talked council into approving this development, they put most of the emphasis on this "village" component, which would include low-rises along the main street and towers nearby. Shortly after approval, the low-rises disappeared from all renderings and literature. Ok, now we're at a bunch of big boxes plus a "village" strip-mall with two adjacent towers. Onni immediately rushes to build all the 1970's-style big boxes and stand-alone buildings surrounded by acres of surface parking (I've walked through it - truly ghastly), which very quickly gets fully leased. However after that's complete, suddenly there isn't enough demand to proceed with the village component. I want to believe that they haven't pulled a fast one over Poco - baiting everyone with promises of "another Suter Brook Village" but then only building big boxes - but it's certainly starting to look that way

From looking at the site plan published on the website, they do plan to build two residential high rises in the future. From the looks of the site plan, that components of the project is substantially more dense, though as to when it will be built, who knows.



For those not familiar with the area, the buildings in pink, purple, and aqua have not been built yet. All of the other buildings have been constructed. Quite a few of the already built units are currently unoccupied, but seem to have tenants if this map is any indication.

[SpongeG]

who would want to live there? its so ugly and its in poco which imo is the ugliest city in the whole region, its just so ghetto and poor looking

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

who would want to live there? its so ugly and its in poco which imo is the ugliest city in the whole region, its just so ghetto and poor looking

Excuse me? I like downtown Port Coquitlam.

[SpongeG]

downtown is cute enough but 99% of poco should just go, its weird just how ugly and run down it looks

[officedweller]

The rest of PoCo is highly "light" industrialized.

[SpongeG]

there is a render banner on the fence at the demolished safeway at burquitlam plaza - i can't find any renders online but wow it looks really good

[SpongeG]

found an older article about burquitlam - sounds like we are going to see a lot of new stuff - already the area around burquitlam plaza is changing drastically - should see some more towers in the area

http://www.tricitynews.com/news/125444278.html

[nas1787]

Here's what Highland House on Burnaby Mountain looks like today (with the sales centre in the foreground).


(my photo)

Here's what the finished product will look like:


(from Liberty Homes website)

[BodomReaper]

Thank you for the update. After looking through the plans, I would be shocked if this building doesn't turn into a 100% student party zone...

Originally Posted by SpongeG

downtown is cute enough but 99% of poco should just go, its weird just how ugly and run down it looks

You're probably referring to the old single family home area directly north of Lougheed Highway. It's pretty crummy, but still nothing like what you'd find in parts of New Wesminster or Surrey... And it's all zoned for low-rise condos and townhomes, with some very high-quality infill redevelopment currently taking place. As for the rest, drive (or StreetView) around some more... Everything south of Pitt River is perfectly decent, with Citadel Heights possibly the highest-quality sprawl development in the region. In the North, Riverwood (large 1990's development around Costco) is pretty good, and the older areas progressively improve and reach a very high standard just south of the border with Coquitlam.

But hey, Poco's undeserved bad reputation helped my family afford a house here as opposed to Coquitlam, so I shouldn't complain too much about that statement

[red-paladin]

Have you seen the houses and boardwalk down south of the bypass? They are nice!

[officedweller]

Some Richmond updates:

Townline Homes - 16 storeys @ 8280-8300 Granville Ave.
http://www.richmondreview.com/news/178001731.html


CCM Investments - 12 storeys @ Cooney & Lansdowne
http://www.richmondreview.com/news/176841691.html

And another in Metrotown:

Concord Pacific - 38 storeys @ 6530 and 6550 Nelson Ave
with an adjacent 35 storey tower to the south
http://www.burnabynewsleader.com/news/177501731.html

[hollywoodnorth]

Morgan Crossing development sparks South Surrey building boom
Region luring wealthy buyers as development outpaces Central

http://www.biv.com/article/20121113/...39944/0/SEARCH


The comparison with Central Surrey is telling. Central is where the new RCMP headquarters, a new city hall and library and the tallest condo towers between Vancouver and Calgary are being built, yet this year it trails South Surrey in overall permits and new-home construction.

Since 2009, 2,837 new homes have been built or started in South Surrey, compared with 1,582 in Central Surrey. And, for the first eight months of this year, total building permits in the south reached $31.7 million, compared with $10.5 million in the Central/Whalley area.

....


Centre ice for South Surrey development is the intersection of 24th Avenue and 160th Street. It is the location for Grandview Corners, the RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust retail development that houses both big-box and specialty merchants in a 514,000-square-foot complex very close to Morgan Crossing. It's rumoured that U.S. retail giant Target is eyeing Grandview Corners, as is Costco.

The centre ice nexus is more than retail. It's also the site of Metro Vancouver's largest office strata project and where a two-building office complex is now attempting to pre-lease space. The Morgan Gateway Business Park is an ambitious project by city-affiliated Surrey Development Corp. and a private developer, KNV Accountants. Plans call for a 110,000-square-foot office park in two phases near Highway 99 in South Surrey.

[hollywoodnorth]

Fraser perimeter road driving Delta development
SFPR set to reduce traffic congestion and diversify Delta's industrial tenant base

http://www.biv.com/article/20121113/...39943/0/SEARCH

[GeeCee]

Just found out today that a Vera's opened up in Newport Village in Port Moody recently. Guess I'll finally have to give it a try. Still waiting on the Five Guys in PoCo to open up though.. latest I've seen was 'at the end of the year'.

[officedweller]

From the Tri-City News:

Changes in store for Moody's core


An artist's rendering of the potential changes for Moody Centre, under the draft official community plan that was presented to PoMo's committee of the whole Tuesday.

By Sarah Payne - The Tri-City News
Published: November 29, 2012 5:00 PM

Port Moody's vision for a post-Evergreen Line community includes new mixed-use neighbourhoods, walkable neighbourhoods and even high-density towers in Moody Centre.

The draft of the official community plan update, which has been in the works since shovels went in the ground for Evergreen, was presented to council's committee of the whole on Tuesday. It pulls together information a public survey, public input session and a design charette and offers the following changes:

• Western end of Moody Centre, next to Barnet Highway: Pictured as PoMo's western gateway, the proposed changes will bring in more commercial space to serve local residents. Increased density comes with buildings ranging from six to 12 storeys, with multi-family residential development encouraged.

• Queens Street to Moody Street: This area will serve as a transition between residential areas to the west and higher density mixed uses to the east. Substantial residential and commercial density is permitted in buildings up to six storeys.

• Mill and Timber sawmill site: Should it one day be up for redevelopment the so-called Waterfront Village allows for residential, commercial, marina, light industrial, institutional and public open space uses in buildings of up to 12 storeys. The area has been designated a Special Study Area, requiring a local area development plan be offered with any redevelopment proposal. There is an emphasis on public access to the waterfront, view preservation and siting that minimizes conflict with neighbouring industrial uses.

• Central Moody Centre: The area surrounding the Moody Centre Evergreen Station will offer a high concentration of commercial and residential uses guided by transit-oriented development principles. The pedestrian-friendly area will offer a mix of low, mid and high rise forms with a number of shops and services. Building heights proposed are up to 20 storeys.

• Inlet Centre/Ioco Station Area: Similar to the Moody Centre Station area, the Inlet Centre stop will also become a walkable neighbourhood, with proposed building heights up to 30 storeys. The Heritage Mountain Shoppers Mall, located about 800 metres from the station, will also offer mixed uses but with a maximum height of six storeys.
....

http://www.tricitynews.com/news/181445481.html


http://www.tricitynews.com/news/181445481.html

[SpongeG]

looks interesting - is one of the towers going up now? where the old gallery place was... or is that completely different