1780 E Broadway (Commercial-Broadway Safeway) | 39, 36, 35fl | Proposed - Page 3

casper · #41 Posted **Oct 9, 2019, 3:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

all the new Safeways have a starbucks with their own area and seating. They also have a much better hot food setup also with seating. The Burquitlam one has a sushi place. They have a nice outdoor seating area too. New Westminster station is a good example of how the seating outside the store can look.

I don't think they need more retail in there. Sometimes it's nice just to have a breathing space, I know I liked them in Tokyo just a place to step away from the madness within the madness.

Do we really need more of what is acrss the street? pizza slices and bubble tea shops?

At the end of the day I would be surprised if it is a Safeway. Sobey's has been trying to simplify their business model and banners. Thrifty Foods is one of their most profitable divisions and despite the name, very service oriented. FreshCo is their low-cost banner and Sobey's is their mainstream banner. If they shutdown the Safeway store for a year for construction I would be surprised to see it reopen as Safeway. My guess would be a Thrifty's without the Starbucks or a FreshCo with a strong ethnic section.

jlousa · #42 Posted **Oct 9, 2019, 4:46 AM**

I would be surprised to see a Freshco. I would think Westbank would like to have a more upscale supermarket to help sell the units... but what do I know.

Klazu · #43 Posted **Oct 9, 2019, 5:30 AM**

There has been many Safeway's redeveloped and reopen as Safeway.

Migrant_Coconut · #44 Posted **Oct 9, 2019, 5:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlousa

I would be surprised to see a Freshco. I would think Westbank would like to have a more upscale supermarket to help sell the units... but what do I know.

If they want "upscale," shouldn't it be an IGA?

SpongeG · #45 Posted **Oct 9, 2019, 5:38 AM**

Yes Austin Heights Safeway just reopened as Safeway. Safeway has a long history and loyal customer base in BC and the west, to change that now would be a dumb move.

casper · #46 Posted **Oct 9, 2019, 7:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Yes Austin Heights Safeway just reopened as Safeway. Safeway has a long history and loyal customer base in BC and the west, to change that now would be a dumb move.

I don't know if Sobeys still owns the property or it was sold to the developer. You would expect there would be some right of first refusal on the space.

Safeway has some fairly expensive union contracts in place. In Alberta and Saskatchewan they have given up differentiating the Safeway and Sobey's stores (same specials and flyers).

An IGA would be unlikely. Sobey's has the rights to IGA in Canada (except BC). In BC IGA belongs to Georgia Main Food Group. If somehow Georgia Main was to get the property, they also own the Fresh St Market banner that is more upscale experience.

SFUVancouver · #47 Posted **Oct 9, 2019, 2:49 PM**

While I agree that Safeway has a long history and likely a lot of brand loyalty, I would hazard to argue that young people don't have any brand loyalty to grocery stores and their preferences are driver to a much larger degree by whatever grocery store is nearby. Should there be multiple choices, price point will win out. In that respect, Safeway suffers greatly as it is common knowledge that it is overpriced. The closest thing to brand loyalty these days is points programs and Loblaws is mopping the floor with the competition. More Rewards is hilariously bad: I once calculated I had to spend $1,000 to get a free lemon. Meanwhile, PC Points can be earned at various Loblaws grocery stores, Shoppers, and Mobil and Esso for gas. We earn about $250-$300 a year in PC Points and make a point of spending them to get our Christmas dinner and holiday snacks and appetizers for free, plus a new set of towels.

Changing City · #48 Posted **Oct 9, 2019, 3:58 PM**

This project is not being developed solely by Westbank - like the Granville Street and Davie Street Safeway redevelopments, it's by Crombie REIT with Westbank. Crombie REIT is the property arm of Sobeys, so it's not likely to be anything other than a Sobeys branded store here. Both Davie and Granville are Safeway stores, so that seems most likely here too.

I don't necessarily find them 'overpriced' as SFU suggests; some items are cheaper than anywhere else, others more expensive, and their special offers are as good as any other store brand. The new store will be quite a bit bigger (and in terms of ambience it couldn't be worse than the existing store) so I would expect a Safeway to be popular in this location.

SpongeG · #49 Posted **Oct 9, 2019, 4:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

While I agree that Safeway has a long history and likely a lot of brand loyalty, I would hazard to argue that young people don't have any brand loyalty to grocery stores and their preferences are driver to a much larger degree by whatever grocery store is nearby. Should there be multiple choices, price point will win out. In that respect, Safeway suffers greatly as it is common knowledge that it is overpriced. The closest thing to brand loyalty these days is points programs and Loblaws is mopping the floor with the competition. More Rewards is hilariously bad: I once calculated I had to spend $1,000 to get a free lemon. Meanwhile, PC Points can be earned at various Loblaws grocery stores, Shoppers, and Mobil and Esso for gas. We earn about $250-$300 a year in PC Points and make a point of spending them to get our Christmas dinner and holiday snacks and appetizers for free, plus a new set of towels.

yea i like PC i get $100 or so every other month, usually buy cologne at shoppers drug mart

Safeway isn't too bad, its convenient that its the only grocery store open until midnight, I only go for air miles deals these days, you can get a lot of bonus miles on useful things.

officedweller · #50 Posted **Oct 9, 2019, 9:55 PM**

Safeway has improved a lot on price in past year or so (ie in response to lost market share).
Their loss leaders in their flyers are on par price-wise with No Frills (and might be better quality).
Interestingly, I got a mailer from Safeway advertising the King Edward & Oak Safeway as newly renovated and "grand re-opening"
- so they are targeting Yaletowners for that store following City Square's closure (vs Robson & Denman).

Save-on-Foods and maybe IGA are the most expensive of the mainstream grocers (not sure about Whole Foods though).

Agreed, PC Points are best, then Air Miles (based on the bonus offers like Safeway''s occasional "Blue Fridays", not the 1 mile per $20!).
More Rewards now has digital offers that aren't too bad - but it's hit and miss whether you want the item and it's usually limited to single quantities.

Tetsuo · #51 Posted **Oct 9, 2019, 10:42 PM**

Safeway also has online AirMiles weekly bonus offers.

Crombie is co-developer, it's going to remain a Safeway, since the purchase by Sobeys Thrifty's seems to be on a backburner.

Also this Safeway store is a great performer for them, Safeway still has strong brand loyalty even after taking a hit in the past decade. But the store's success might be just due to it's great location, in addition to the fact that in terms of big grocers, East Van/Grandview woodlands is almost akin to a "Grocery desert"

I don't think they'd do the Extra concept at this site.

Migrant_Coconut · #52 Posted **Oct 10, 2019, 5:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

yea i like PC i get $100 or so every other month, usually buy cologne at shoppers drug mart

And with all the copyright infringement noname products, there's a lot of value for those points.

scottN · #53 Posted **Nov 9, 2019, 9:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpongeG

Safeway isn't too bad, its convenient that its the only grocery store open until midnight, I only go for air miles deals these days, you can get a lot of bonus miles on useful things.

The Supervalu up the street at 1st and Commercial is open 24/7. There's lots of competition from cheaper grocery stores on Commercial Drive so I expect the new store to aim for the high end of the market.

As a resident of the area I sent in my comments that there ought to be more at grade retail along broadway and 10th, so the existing blank safeway wall on broadway isn't replaced with another blank safeway wall. Other recent TOD grocery stores in Vancouver have done this. 2 that come to mind are whole foods in the crossroads building and T&T at Marine Gateway.

officedweller · #54 Posted **Sep 17, 2020, 9:42 PM**

Westbank Revises Plan for East Broadway Safeway Site
http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2020/0...-safeway-site/

Quote:

The main change to the proposal is a shift away from primarily condos, to primarily market rental units. The revision shows a decrease in the number of condos from 520 to 236, and an increase in the number of rental units, from 160 to 452 units. Details of the updated plan include:

452 secured rental units;
236 strata residential units;
Revised tower heights from 24, 27, & 30-storeys to 25, 29, & 30 storeys;
63,000 SF of retail including 50,000 SF Safeway store;
48,000 SF of office space;
Public plaza running parallel to the SkyTrain station;
486 vehicle parking spaces and 1360 bicycle parking spaces.

http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2020/0...-safeway-site/

The big net structure is gone!
That first pic sort of screams "too much crammed in on this site".
I think the disjointed elements contribute to the sense of overcrowding.
The perspective on that first pic seems off though (plaza too wide).

http://www.vancouvermarket.ca/2020/0...-safeway-site/

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1780...-redevelopment

Feathered Friend · #55 Posted **Sep 17, 2020, 10:03 PM**

Quote:

Book A Tour
As part of our ongoing efforts to engage the community on this important site in the Grandview Woodland neighbourhood, we will be hosting walking tours to share a real-time experience of how our proposal intends to revitalize and activate the site.

http://staging.broadwaycommercial.ca/book-a-tour/

GenWhy? · #56 Posted **Sep 17, 2020, 10:55 PM**

I'm surprised, to a degree, all my urban design issues were answered. I'll have to see floor plans to see if they still butchered the southern property line with another blank wall of Mobi bikes.

Migrant_Coconut · #57 Posted **Sep 17, 2020, 11:20 PM**

A++ for the cladding. Wish they'd found a way to keep and simplify the trellis though.

Metro-One · #58 Posted **Sep 17, 2020, 11:42 PM**

Love the color scheme.

Really hope this moves forward.

giallo · #59 Posted **Sep 18, 2020, 2:19 AM**

Looks really, really good. The colours and how it meets the street is great. It's a long overdue project that got better with the redesign.

Love all of the market rental units as well.

vanman · #60 Posted **Sep 18, 2020, 4:45 PM**

No more rat's nest!

This looks incredible now. All the public amenities, seating areas and gardens will make this a vibrant spot. Such a massive improvement to the neighbourhood. Hope it goes through.