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Originally Posted by Civic Surrey
We have your exclusive first look at the preliminary detailed design for a new tower in the heart of Downtown Surrey. Developed in partnership with the City, Century Group, and Cotter Architects, this project, if completed, could set a new standard for Surrey. Please bear in mind that the design is subject to change and has not yet been approved.
At 47-storeys in height – nearly 155m high – this tower would dominate the developing skyline and rival the height of most buildings in downtown Vancouver. Higher than Vancouver’s third tallest building, the Sheraton Wall Centre, it would only be shorter than Harbour Centre and the Shangri-La.
The development proposal matches both the style and mixed-use precedents set by Vancouver’s Shangri-La. This project will include 225 sq. m. of retail space on the ground level, 4500 sq. m. of office space in the podium, 160 hotel rooms in a side tower, and 320 residential units in the main tower. An entire floor will be dedicated to ballrooms and meeting rooms, satisfying the Surrey Board of Trade’s calls for a conference centre downtown. A stunning “Sky Terrace” is planned at the top of the tower.
Its height, however, is not its most interesting factor. The mixed use design of the building, borrowing also from Central City, will help the project’s success. Central City works because of its mix of tenants, keeping the building and its surroundings bustling with activity throughout the day. With a hotel, conference rooms, retail, offices, and residential, this project could be even more important to the area than City Hall or the new Library.
The unprecedented level of partnership should also help secure this building’s success. Not since the provincial government embarked on the Central City tower has the area seen such a state-led urban development project. Similar to the Woodwards project in Vancouver, the City of Surrey, through its land holdings and development corporation, is partnering with a private firm to launch this ambitious mixed-use project. If the tower comes to fruition, expect to see the City embark on more development partnerships in the future.
Interestingly, the building’s podium appears designed to wrap around the SkyTrain pillars on its east side. The north side of the podium will also incorporate a green wall. Century Group recently said its expects the tower to be completed by 2016.
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