[Surrey] University District | 67 & 82 m | 26 & 32fl | U/C

[GMasterAres]

Here's an exciting note from the above provided article:

Bosa owns more land in Central City and eventually plans to build a total of 15 buildings in the area, senior vice-president Darryl Simpson told Business in Vancouver.

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by Cypherus

Okay just to clarify, the thread thumbnail picture of the two towers is actually going to be phase 2 across the street from the new city hall? I didn't even know about this church lot project. According to the City Centre Land Use Concept, the area was also slated for high rise with a max height of 38 stories. The area can go taller to create a proper skyline doming effect since it really will be the core of the centre.

The larger project (7 towers) with phase 1 being the 2 towers pictured was what we first all found out about and what was announced. They kind of slid the church project through under the radar aka a few of us noticed it in the Surrey planning reports but it wasn't really attached to anything with much information. So more than likely it either was always part of the project, or they simply went "hey we can combine them and make a larger 8 tower project".

So it started out 7 towers with the 2 across from the new City Hall being the first phase. Has transformed looks like. And from the article, if they eventually plan to build 15, that means there will be another 1 or 2 projects totally 7 more towers in addition to this large project.

My guess is it would be at the Dell shopping center as they evidently own that property now (old Dell and the shopping center itself). You then get Quatro pulling down the Flamingo and building the larger scale project on the corner of 108th and King George, and Gateway could start having a fairly dramatic shift in demographic and optics which is nothing but great for Surrey Central.

[CoryHolmes]

So I went to the grand opening today. Yes, it's the Church project. It's scheduled for completion in late 2016. The BosaSPACE folding doors look nifty, but I'm not sold on the concept.

What I am sold on, however, is how they stowed the dining room table underneath the kitchen island. Want seating for 2? Pull it out and eat or use your laptop. Need seating for 8? Pull it out all the way and have at it.

I didn't like the fridge/freezer combo. It's a bottom-mount freezer but with a swing door. I don't stoop that well, and this design looks to be nothing but a pain in ass. Amazingly enough, they did the same thing with the microwave! It's built into the bottom of the kitchen island and in order to use it, you'd have to stoop down almost onto your knees to reach into the swing-door microwave.

The plans look alright, but I'm not really sold on it. It's a great project to have in the area, but not for me.

[GMasterAres]

Not really picturing your explanation of the fridge I'll have to check it out myself. I hate when projects start to overly complicate things. Park Avenue for example. They had some great ideas but then they decided to make the kitchens all custom cabinet front for things like the fridge. That means you end up with a fidgety fridge that is smaller that a regular one.

These aren't super expensive luxury condos. I think they could get away with simple plans with straight forward appliances and positions for things. Still glad I purchased into Park Place. Only negative I had was a bit of a lack of cabinets for storage but they left it all open with just the fridge so I was able to on my own, install my own cabinets and a second counter.

Regular microwave/vent combination over the stove. We do use the microwave quite a bit and having it above the stove makes total sense. Our new townhouse in Verve is going to be the same way. Regular appliances, microwave/vent combination over the stove.

Bosa could have probably received a gold stamp by most people if they just did regular appliances, set up, and then added the moving walls and tuck-in island which it sounds like is a neat feature.

Simplicity.

[Cypherus]

Here is a video of one of the show suites. It is sped up to give the illusion that you can set up or dismantle the tables, murphy bed, etc, in a quick amount of time. In reality, it would take an hour to do all of that, but pretty cool nonetheless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7wxSZ19YR8

[GMasterAres]

My question is does the price include all those items? Or are they options. AKA $199,000 is your base price then you want the extendable counter, +$1000; you want the murphy bed, +$1000; you want the pull down cot in the living room, +$500; etc. etc.

Or if they are included, can you exclude certain things? Aka you want a king size bed and the murphy bed is clearly only a queen, can it be upgraded or you can remove that option?

I mean concepts are great and I've seen a lot of example in Vancouver with really funky space saving ideas for beds in cabinets, or even a bed that electonically rolls up the back of an entertainment system with a TV, but those "extras" often cost $5,000+.

So a $200,000 base place suddenly costs your $220,000 with all the extras. What I think would be awesome is if they are options to the base price and the option prices are reasonable. So if you're a student and you like a set of the options provided, because of scale, you aren't paying a million $ for a murphy bed as a one off. You can just say I want this place with these 3 options where another person may say they want this place with only 1 option as they don't need the additional stuff.

[matrix_dot_ca]

Originally Posted by jhausner

My question is does the price include all those items? Or are they options. AKA $199,000 is your base price then you want the extendable counter, +$1000; you want the murphy bed, +$1000; you want the pull down cot in the living room, +$500; etc. etc.

Or if they are included, can you exclude certain things? Aka you want a king size bed and the murphy bed is clearly only a queen, can it be upgraded or you can remove that option?

I mean concepts are great and I've seen a lot of example in Vancouver with really funky space saving ideas for beds in cabinets, or even a bed that electonically rolls up the back of an entertainment system with a TV, but those "extras" often cost $5,000+.

So a $200,000 base place suddenly costs your $220,000 with all the extras. What I think would be awesome is if they are options to the base price and the option prices are reasonable. So if you're a student and you like a set of the options provided, because of scale, you aren't paying a million $ for a murphy bed as a one off. You can just say I want this place with these 3 options where another person may say they want this place with only 1 option as they don't need the additional stuff.

The murphy bed and the daybed are included from what i was told. There is no parking on Jr 1 beds which are units below 8/F. Parking will be included on units above 8/f and Storage locker is optional from what i understand.

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by matrix_dot_ca

The murphy bed and the daybed are included from what i was told. There is no parking on Jr 1 beds which are units below 8/F. Parking will be included on units above 8/f and Storage locker is optional from what i understand.

Sorry by 8/f you mean 8th floor? So 1 bedroom units under the 8th floor get no parking spots?

Makes sense given those are your cheapest units so foregoing a parking spot would position them quite nicely for students. I guess ultimately if you don't want the murphy bed you can always sell it.

[Whalleyboy]

I just looked at the site I have to say its really nice to see how they show the different floor plan layouts for each size of room for entertaining, dinning, and daily living set ups. For those who haven't look at the site I suggest checking it out

[matrix_dot_ca]

Originally Posted by jhausner

Sorry by 8/f you mean 8th floor? So 1 bedroom units under the 8th floor get no parking spots?

Makes sense given those are your cheapest units so foregoing a parking spot would position them quite nicely for students. I guess ultimately if you don't want the murphy bed you can always sell it.

Yes i meant 8 floor. But units with no parking spots will have their units furnished.

[SpongeG]

CBC posted on facebook about this development and the comments were pretty brutal. seems this type of development wouldn't pass outside of the Vancouver area.

[Jebby]

IMG_5376 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr


IMG_5377 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr


IMG_5378 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr


IMG_5382 by Yellow Fever @ SkyscraperCity, on Flickr[

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

CBC posted on facebook about this development and the comments were pretty brutal. seems this type of development wouldn't pass outside of the Vancouver area.

I don't take much stock in any of the comments good or bad. They are Internet people (which is ironic I know since I'm posting comments on a forum on the Internet....). For example:

What is this 'university district' anyhow? The only real universities in Vancouver are in the endowment lands on the west side and burnaby mountain (with a satellite downtown). Am I missing recent developments?

I mean seriously? I guess SFU Surrey isn't a University or meaningful. I mean it's not like in 2010 alone (with increasing student numbers since then), it didn't account for 25% of all SFU students region wide and is poised in the next 5-10 years to reach similar student numbers to Burnaby Mountain itself. Clearly someone that doesn't look beyond their 2 x 2 block radius. Unfortunately news web sites get pretty crazy comments. Just read tsn.ca after any hockey game. Or read CNN.com comments if you want to cry. Or be entertained with how troll-y some people can be.

Truth is the project isn't for everyone. I like some aspects, don't others. Am not in the market right now though so even if I hated the project, my opinion doesn't really matter as even if I loved it I'd still not buy a condo in the project. Bosa has a track record of not making stupid decisions on a regular basis so I'm sure it will work out for them.

[ninjakafi_81]

Can you post the facebook link ? I can't seem to find it

[matrix_dot_ca]

I am looking for an income property around the area and I am considering this project. But running the through numbers, seems like it cost around $450 upwards/sqft? looks like pricey to me. I was thinking it should hover around $400/sqft. I wonder on how much could a ~550 sqft could be rented for?

[Homeowner]

Originally Posted by jhausner

Sorry by 8/f you mean 8th floor? So 1 bedroom units under the 8th floor get no parking spots?

Sounds like they are marketing the units like Downtown Vancouver. Lower end units will have no parking.

[Cypherus]

A depressing looking tower based on the model. The amount of spandrel is disgusting. I am not expecting a world class architecturally designed building, but for such a central location the design could have been impressional.

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by matrix_dot_ca

I am looking for an income property around the area and I am considering this project. But running the through numbers, seems like it cost around $450 upwards/sqft? looks like pricey to me. I was thinking it should hover around $400/sqft. I wonder on how much could a ~550 sqft could be rented for?

1 bedrooms of that size seem to rent for, depending on building and location, between $950 and $1150 per month.

[CoryHolmes]

Well, the church on 104 and University Drive is gone. I noticed it on my way in to work this morning, that "Hey! Didn't there used to be a building there???" On my way home, yep, it's gone.

[GMasterAres]

Drove by to go to work today, they're digging the hole. About half a floor down already.