[Burnaby] Gilmore Place | Phase I: 64fl 51fl 43fl | 214.8 | U/C

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

Originally Posted by VarBreStr18

i dont quite understand your comment. NE of Willingdon/Lougheed is already the massive Brentwood Mall redevelopment. SW corner is another mega SOLO district. In fact there will be a whole mile of developments lined between the 2 skytrain stations, how coordinated can it be?

Oh my bad I meant NW and SE. Where the two gas stations are.
I feel like it's scattered because there's the second tallest building in BC (Amazing Brentwood) and across the streets are two gas station and a dealership. Although they won't last for long, I feel like Burnaby should have tried to first put all new developments on Willingdon on Lougheed, and then have new developments in other places. Nevertheless what's going on a Gilmore is better than the gravel pit it is now.
I feel like Metrotown is also a bit scattered too, but now, after 30 years of developing it seems Metrotown is becoming a little more organized. I'm still waiting for the mall to be redeveloped. It's annoying to have it right in the middle of the centre.

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

Oh my bad I meant NW and SE. Where the two gas stations are.
I feel like it's scattered because there's the second tallest building in BC (Amazing Brentwood) and across the streets are two gas station and a dealership. Although they won't last for long, I feel like Burnaby should have tried to first put all new developments on Willingdon on Lougheed, and then have new developments in other places. Nevertheless what's going on a Gilmore is better than the gravel pit it is now.

The City doesn't determine what get built first. It's not like you can force a private owner to build a tower just because you want to.

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

I know the city isn`t almighty, although they still have power. I just want the new developments to be closer together.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by VarBreStr18

i dont quite understand your comment. NE of Willingdon/Lougheed is already the massive Brentwood Mall redevelopment. SW corner is another mega SOLO district. In fact there will be a whole mile of developments lined between the 2 skytrain stations, how coordinated can it be?

I agree. As far as I can tell, the entire development of Brentwood area spanning 3 skytrain stations is quite continuous. Concord project could be a little bit off-grid for now, but the master plan calls for the entire area to be high density, high-rise, and with lots of mixed use developments. I'm a happy camper.

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

I know the city isn`t almighty, although they still have power. I just want the new developments to be closer together.

Patience. Once those Brentwood towers reach their full heights, I think you won't be so depressed anymore.

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

I know the city isn`t almighty, although they still have power. I just want the new developments to be closer together.

The entire corridor will eventually be filled out. It's ridiculous to think that the city should somehow mandate that certain lots be built out in a certain order. Not only does the city not have that power, that sort of central planning does not make economic sense.

Be patient, eventually even holdout owners will want to develop. There's no need to use government force.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

I feel like Metrotown is also a bit scattered too, but now, after 30 years of developing it seems Metrotown is becoming a little more organized. I'm still waiting for the mall to be redeveloped. It's annoying to have it right in the middle of the centre.

The mall is what made Metrotown a high-density city centre in the first place. It is the anchor. Same thing for Brentwood and Lougheed. Edmonds doesn't have a mall and the development there sizzles off over time.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by Vin

As far as I can tell, the entire development of Brentwood area spanning 3 skytrain stations is quite continuous. Concord project could be a little bit off-grid for now, but the master plan calls for the entire area to be high density, high-rise, and with lots of mixed use developments. I'm a happy camper.

I agree that it will be an amazing area, but is there a master plan for it? Like I have said before, Burnaby's officials need to realize that Brentwood could evolve into a proper downtown, but they need to have a master plan in place where all these separate projects work together to make a coherent city center.

Currently it feels like every project is developed individually with no regard for a bigger plan. If this continues, the end result will be a huge bedroom community instead of a proper city center.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I agree that it will be an amazing area, but is there a master plan for it? Like I have said before, Burnaby's officials need to realize that Brentwood could evolve into a proper downtown, but they need to have a master plan in place where all these separate projects work together to make a coherent city center.

Currently it feels like every project is developed individually with no regard for a bigger plan. If this continues, the end result will be a huge bedroom community instead of a proper city center.

Hence "Amazing Brentwood"

You can see a coloured map here.

https://www.burnaby.ca/Assets/city+s...+Brentwood.pdf

[Klazu]

Thanks, Vin! What's with the small sliver of "high-density mixed-use" along Goring Street? Street retail?

I hope this master plan strives to have a streetscape similar to Yaletown with continuous streetwall of low-rises with towers on top. It would be a waste to have open city blocks with tower-in-a-park developments.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Thanks, Vin! What's with the small sliver of "high-density mixed-use" along Goring Street? Street retail?

I hope this master plan strives to have a streetscape similar to Yaletown with continuous streetwall of low-rises with towers on top. It would be a waste to have open city blocks with tower-in-a-park developments.

I would imagine so! I think having a business centre right across the street, it makes sense to have retail with pubs, restaurants and other services nearby. That area is actually quite a distance away from Brentwood mall proper. I'm sure there would be lots of highrises as developers do not have to arm-wrestle with the City of Burnaby with regards to heights (although a dome shape skyline restriction is technically in place), as much as dealing with CoV in regards to the dreaded viewcones.

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by Vin

I would imagine so! I think having a business centre right across the street, it makes sense to have retail with pubs, restaurants and other services nearby. That area is actually quite a distance away from Brentwood mall proper. I'm sure there would be lots of highrises as developers do not have to arm-wrestle with the City of Burnaby with regards to heights (although a dome shape skyline restriction is technically in place), as much as dealing with CoV in regards to the dreaded viewcones.

You always seem to equate height with density, when that simply is not true. Highrises don't always mean density. Low and mid-rises don't always mean lack of density.

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by Vin

The mall is what made Metrotown a high-density city centre in the first place. It is the anchor. Same thing for Brentwood and Lougheed. Edmonds doesn't have a mall and the development there sizzles off over time.

Edmonds had a mall. It sucked, which is why it got redeveloped long before any of the other ones.

Just in case you wanted a reminder of Middlegate...

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Jebby

You always seem to equate height with density, when that simply is not true. Highrises don't always mean density. Low and mid-rises don't always mean lack of density.

Highrise means density PLUS green space, retail and other facilities, not to mention better views.

Lowrise high density means claustophobia.

Originally Posted by Alex Mackinnon

Edmonds had a mall. It sucked, which is why it got redeveloped long before any of the other ones.

Just in case you wanted a reminder of Middlegate...

You call that a mall? That, to me, isn't the kind of mall I am referring to. It's way too car-centric. Furthermore, it's not right by the skytrain station.

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

Originally Posted by Vin

The mall is what made Metrotown a high-density city centre in the first place. It is the anchor. Same thing for Brentwood and Lougheed. Edmonds doesn't have a mall and the development there sizzles off over time.

I don't want Metropolis (I hate when people call it Metrotown) to disappear, I want it to be redeveloped like Brentwood or Lougheed. It's some really good land and it is a shame to see it just as a mall.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

I don't want Metropolis (I hate when people call it Metrotown) to disappear, I want it to be redeveloped like Brentwood or Lougheed. It's some really good land and it is a shame to see it just as a mall.

+1 to many of your recent comments.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

I don't want Metropolis (I hate when people call it Metrotown) to disappear, I want it to be redeveloped like Brentwood or Lougheed. It's some really good land and it is a shame to see it just as a mall.

It'll be redeveloped like Brentwood
- i.e. built out to Kingsway and Central Blvd eventually.
not like Lougheed or Lansdowne - each of which will be "deconstructed" and streets (or pedestrian streets) plowed through.

If you haven't read it, there's a good history of Burnaby's planning for each of its 4 town centres here:

http://davidpereira.ca/projects/burnabys-town-centres/

The main problem with Metropolis is the absence of connections across the superblock.
The superblock is a historical holdover from the former light industrial uses on the site (Ford, Kelly-Douglas & Sears warehouse).
(Ivanhoe Cambridge now owns both sites marked Cambridge and Cal Investments (conversion of former Sears warehouse to Metrotown Centre))


http://davidpereira.ca/projects/burn...res/metrotown/

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by officedweller

It'll be redeveloped like Brentwood
- i.e. built out to Kingsway and Central Blvd eventually.

I also believe that will be the case (15+ years from now), but again, is there any master plan? I think Station Square is missing a mark here, as the project should have been built with such in mind. In my mind the plan should be to have all three shopping areas (Metropolis, Station Sqare, Crystal Mall)including Crystal Mall) connected with each other and the Skytrain station. Now it seems like Station Square will be an odd lump in the middle, connecting only to Kingsway.

[officedweller]

I think there was an eventual plan for Silver Ave (the street running through Station Square) to extend to Central Blvd.

The smaller blocks on the north side of Kingsway will necessitate smaller projects with streetfront retail (not enclosed malls)
- so in future, Station Square won't be out of scale in comparison.

[EddieVH]

Originally Posted by Jebby

The City doesn't determine what get built first. It's not like you can force a private owner to build a tower just because you want to.

While the city can't force you to develop a tower, they can certainly make it difficult for you to do anything to your existing property by denying any building permits that you apply for. i.e. if you want to expand your warehouse or existing building, they can quash your permit application citing that its not within the future development plans of the city etc..

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by EddieVH

While the city can't force you to develop a tower, they can certainly make it difficult for you to do anything to your existing property by denying any building permits that you apply for. i.e. if you want to expand your warehouse or existing building, they can quash your permit application citing that its not within the future development plans of the city etc..

Sounds like a great way to get sued. Property owners have rights and the city can't just deny valid permit applications on a whim.