New stores coming to Central City - Page 8

CoryHolmes · #**141** Posted **Apr 14, 2015, 3:09 AM**

I'm surprised there hasn't been talk of putting a Brentwood and adding a few condo towers to the mall site. It seems like a no-brainer, given the pace of development in Central City.

Sheba · #**142** Posted **Apr 14, 2015, 3:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoryHolmes

I'm surprised there hasn't been talk of putting a Brentwood and adding a few condo towers to the mall site. It seems like a no-brainer, given the pace of development in Central City.

They've got from King George Station to Gateway Station, along King George Blvd and / or University Dr to fill with towers. I think the mall parking lot can wait awhile.

logicbomb · #**143** Posted **Apr 14, 2015, 4:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheba

They've got from King George Station to Gateway Station, along King George Blvd and / or University Dr to fill with towers. I think the mall parking lot can wait awhile.

I think they Blackwood will at least explore perhaps developing another office tower where Target currently stands (integrate it into the current mall). The layout of the mall is pretty awkward as it was mainly designed to be an outlet mall of sorts. Don't really see many retailers willing to move in there.

Perhaps loblaws could purchase or lease the bottom floor of target and open up a no frills there?

Sheba · #**144** Posted **Apr 14, 2015, 6:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logicbomb

I think they Blackwood will at least explore perhaps developing another office tower where Target currently stands (integrate it into the current mall). The layout of the mall is pretty awkward as it was mainly designed to be an outlet mall of sorts. Don't really see many retailers willing to move in there.

Perhaps loblaws could purchase or lease the bottom floor of target and open up a no frills there?

Maybe expand SFU there - a second matching tower would look fabulous!

Surrey Central would be a great location for a No Frills - the only other ones over that way are Fleetwood and Langley (Vancouver has five locations).

memememe76 · #**145** Posted **Apr 14, 2015, 2:27 PM**

I believe a No Frills is opening in the Cedar Hills area (128 and 96).

Sheba · #**146** Posted **Apr 14, 2015, 5:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by memememe76

I believe a No Frills is opening in the Cedar Hills area (128 and 96).

Apparently planning for that goes back years - I found an article that said it should be built by the end of 2014. Can anyone wander by and see how far they've gotten on it?

One less store to go into Surrey Central. What isn't at Guildford that could go into one of the empty spaces?

GMasterAres · #**147** Posted **Apr 15, 2015, 10:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logicbomb

I think they Blackwood will at least explore perhaps developing another office tower where Target currently stands (integrate it into the current mall). The layout of the mall is pretty awkward as it was mainly designed to be an outlet mall of sorts. Don't really see many retailers willing to move in there.

Perhaps loblaws could purchase or lease the bottom floor of target and open up a no frills there?

I think the proximity to Guildford also hurts Surrey Central. Guildford is the area's main mall so new stores, unless they are large box which Guildford has no space for, are going to want to go there I would imagine.

Who knows though. They've done major redevelopment once already with the Surrey Central tower, the new mall section in the back, so nothing stopping them from redoing that portion of the mall and adding a tower or two.

I mirror though what Sheba said above, that there is a lot of space to build towers on between KGS and GWS so I'd be surprised.

officedweller · #**148** Posted **Apr 15, 2015, 11:13 PM**

Agreed.

Eventually Surrey Central will be a "downtown" mall which in large part provides services to office workers (and in this case, students). It will evolve over time as the customer base evolves.

It won't be torn down, like a more remote suburban mall would be.
If anything it'll be intensified by adding office towers, so in a way, it's a good thing as vacant space may encourage repurposing and redevelopment.

Sheba · #**149** Posted **Apr 16, 2015, 12:58 AM**

I would love to see a bunch of developers redo all those small strip malls along King George into mixed retail / office /residential asap - how many more years will it take... At least the King George Station development is moving.

I was looking at what's in Metrotown that isn't at either Surrey Central or Guildford and was pretty surprised there isn't a Chapters. The closest one is over by Scottsdale.

Pinion · #**150** Posted **Apr 16, 2015, 1:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheba

I would love to see a bunch of developers redo all those small strip malls along King George into mixed retail / office /residential asap - how many more years will it take... At least the King George Station development is moving.

I think the best you can hope for is a bunch of four storey wood frames like Marine Drive in the near term. There isn't a huge market for towers, clearly.

Quote:

I was looking at what's in Metrotown that isn't at either Surrey Central or Guildford and was pretty surprised there isn't a Chapters. The closest one is over by Scottsdale.

I would be really surprised to see a new big box book store open anywhere. They're done.

Sheba · #**151** Posted **Apr 16, 2015, 5:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinion

I think the best you can hope for is a bunch of four storey wood frames like Marine Drive in the near term. There isn't a huge market for towers, clearly.

In my dream scenario there would be variations on Highgate, with retail over semi-underground parking facing King George, with lowrise residential behind and mixed lowrise like Marine Dr on the side streets. Get rid of most of the surface parking and put a bunch of the office space on top of retail (kind of like what Station Square has planned, minus the towers).

I'd cluster towers around King George and Gateway Stations, and by Surrey Central Station up University Dr to 105A Ave. Then for the mall itself I'd stick another SFU tower on it and gear it more towards a university that has some stores attached to it, rather than the other way around. After that I might think about what to do with the mall parking lot.

GMasterAres · #**152** Posted **Apr 17, 2015, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheba

I would love to see a bunch of developers redo all those small strip malls along King George into mixed retail / office /residential asap - how many more years will it take... At least the King George Station development is moving.

I was looking at what's in Metrotown that isn't at either Surrey Central or Guildford and was pretty surprised there isn't a Chapters. The closest one is over by Scottsdale.

20? It is all going to depend on if some of the big-box retailers relocate When they relocate the land will likely then be redeveloped. But the priorities are around the SkyTrain stations right now.

So I think it is still a while before those strip malls redevelop. Case and point look at the Dell Shopping mall. It has been purchased by Bosa I believe which is doing a lot of development in the area including the new University District (6+ towers and mixed'use). However with the Dell Mall they are renovating it and getting new tenants so clearly that mall redevelopment is long term not near term.

They wouldn't be renovating if it wasn't long term.

Sheba · #**153** Posted **Apr 28, 2015, 10:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by memememe76

I believe a No Frills is opening in the Cedar Hills area (128 and 96).

I talked to my Dad, who has driven past there a few times now. There's still construction happening and No Frills hasn't opened. Now that I've shown him on a map where exactly it's supposed to go, he said we should drive right into the parking lot and take a look at how far along things are (I'm heading over that way in a couple weeks).

I don't know if I'll have anything to update on it after that. It was supposed to be open at the end of last year...

whalley13 · #**154** Posted **May 9, 2015, 6:33 PM**

Walmart taking over the old target!

TourOdeon · #**155** Posted **May 9, 2015, 6:38 PM**

Thats good news! Wal-mart suits the area well, gonna be packed for sure.

Blease · #**156** Posted **May 9, 2015, 7:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TourOdeon

Thats good news! Wal-mart suits the area well, gonna be packed for sure.

This is an interesting development for sure. In the U.S., Walmart is now focussing strongly on the new Urban Walmart format, where smaller, sleeker stores open in downtown locations and/or university campuses, with a strong focus on walkability. One of the latest of such stores has just opened in an upscale central district of Washington DC. Surrey Cental neighbourhood would indeed be suited very well for this format.

NewfBC · #**157** Posted **May 10, 2015, 4:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blease

This is an interesting development for sure. In the U.S., Walmart is now focussing strongly on the new Urban Walmart format, where smaller, sleeker stores open in downtown locations and/or university campuses, with a strong focus on walkability. One of the latest of such stores has just opened in an upscale central district of Washington DC. Surrey Cental neighbourhood would indeed be suited very well for this format.

Walmart has 3500 Super Center locations in the US.. they're fairly saturated.. hence going with a new smaller format.

Ron.

Shift · #**158** Posted **May 13, 2015, 2:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logicbomb

Perhaps loblaws could purchase or lease the bottom floor of target and open up a no frills there?

Aside from the other end of the mall being anchored by T&T, this would be a great location for a Loblaws 'Destination' type grocery store. If you don't know what this is, check out Loblaws Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Downtown Vancouver is also lacking such a destination grocery store.

Ultimately though, the former Target needs to be redeveloped to properly front 102 Ave, and ideally integrate office or residential above.

sryboy · #**159** Posted **May 13, 2015, 6:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shift

Ultimately though, the former Target needs to be redeveloped to properly front 102 Ave, and ideally integrate office or residential above.

Lets just hope they get rid of that ugly brick façade!

Sheba · #**160** Posted **May 15, 2015, 3:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheba

I talked to my Dad, who has driven past there a few times now. There's still construction happening and No Frills hasn't opened. Now that I've shown him on a map where exactly it's supposed to go, he said we should drive right into the parking lot and take a look at how far along things are (I'm heading over that way in a couple weeks).

I don't know if I'll have anything to update on it after that. It was supposed to be open at the end of last year...

I was in the area and went past there today. Practically nothing has happened. Google maps shows a fenced off area with a few low piles of dirt - what I saw in person was a fenced off area that was flat, had a bit concrete and some workers sitting around.