Tsawwassen First Nation Updates

[Millennium2002]

I think both sides are just missing the other side's opinions or are not considering them as of high importance.

Frankly, many of the newer strip malls and what not have not been designed with green features in mind... I mean... are there green roofs on the shops at Queensborough Landing? Marine Drive Crossing (the strip mall at Marine and Byrne in Burnaby)? etc. So I guess to impose requirements on this new building may be unfair as well.

Having said that, a green roof on this building would set a really cool example and make it stand out from the rest, much like the Convention Centre addition and its roof of varying grasses and what not.

[bardak]

I wouldn't really call it support but I think that people realize that there is very little that could be done to stop or change it.

And technically I believe that it was removed from the ALR when the treaty was signed but yes it is being farmed at the moment.

[SpongeG]

yah they have the right to do what they want - same with the band building by burrard bridge they can build whatever they want and no one can stop em

at least the mills people have built before and know what works or worked and can improve upon those for this 3rd venture of theirs in canada

[wrenegade]

Mills went under a couple years ago and were absorbed by Simon Property Group. I believe Ivanhoe Cambridge owns the Mills name in Canada, although if not they do own Vaughn and CrossIron Mills and are the ones developing Tsawwassen. I'm not sure if Simon is involved in the new one.

[flyingjohn]

Originally Posted by jlousa

I know similar plans have been floated by other First Nations in the past but there hasn't seemed to be too many that have materialized. I think it's a good idea, but it will be a hard sell. People are nervous with living on native soil where legal status is murky on what rights they have and what recourse is available to them. With commercial development it's much less of an issue as we aren't talking about peoples homes. Wish them good luck though.

Tsawwassen First Nation unveils new neighbourhood plan

The Tsawwassen First Nation is moving closer to a major residential development.

At an open house Thursday at the TFN Recreation Centre, a new neighbourhood plan for land near the Tsawwassen ferry terminal was unveiled.

The land involved is about 110 hectares (270 acres for sale in asheville nc) in an area designated by the TFN as enterprise and community within its overall land use plan.

According to a draft of the neighbourhood plan, 1,684 residential units would be built, including detached homes (50 per cent), townhouses (35 per cent) and apartments (15 per cent). Once completed, they would increase the population on the reserve by 4,381 people[...]

I hope this deal works out

[Blake]

Originally Posted by phesto

Trust me, Ivanhoe Cambridge has done their homework. And they aren't relying on the approx. 5,000 new residents planned for the adjacent TFN lands over the next 10+ years to materialize.

At 1.2M sq ft, it will be a large super-regional, and as Jlo said, people will go to it. I don't think the distance or access will be much of a factor, particularly given relatively short distance to Surrey, Richmond, and the ferries.

I find it funny when people argue that Metro Van has an overbuilt retail market despite the fact that it is among the lowest in NA, even moreso if you look at enclosed malls that many retailers prefer due to its predictability for traffic (unlike streetfront/strata/lifestyle retail which can vary wildly based on location).

Demand from retailers looking to lease will be the determining factor and given IC's due diligence on these large scale projects, they probably already have large-scale retailers lined up (think Walmart). The smaller retailers take more time and closer to actual completion, but they will follow.

Certainly the fact that they could get a large site easily and without the amount of red-tape from other municipalities was a plus, but they don't gamble on large malls without doing vast amounts of research on the market/trade area/demographics etc, and they already know the region based on their existing assets (Metrotown, Guildford Town centre, Oakridge, Richmond Centre).

Great post.

It's been rumoured that Metro Vancouver has been a target market for a Mills mall for some time.

I'm a fan of the Mills mall concept, not because it is going to win any urban design awards, but because I like having more choice for the consumer. In order for the Mills concept to be successful real estate must be abundant and cheap, driving down rents allowing outlet retailers to thrive.

Although the location surprised me at first, the more I think about it the more it makes sense.

- Less than 30 minutes from affluent areas like Richmond/South Surrey.
- Serves a city (Delta) without a major mall.
- Potential for a shuttle service to the Ferries to serve foot traffic from Victoria
- Cheap/abundant real estate with the least amount of red tape
- Less than 10 minutes from Hwy 99, and the SFPR - with improved access to Metro Van.

Drive down to Seattle Premium Outlets on a weekend, see the amount of BC license plates and it's obvious there is a need for this, and that people will drive long distances to get to it.

Let's assume it was going to get built in a form similar to Vaughan/Crossiron regardless. I can't think of a better location from an urban design or economic standpoint.

[SpongeG]

in the article i read last week from the delta paper - it says the development will house two separate retail places - one is the mills mall and the other is a different company so its basically going to be two separate developments next to each other - should be interesting to see how they both do

[Blake]

Vaughan Mills looks like that.

Basically the Mills mall with lots of surface parking on the north side. On the south side, outdoor retail with more of a streetscape. Think Grandview Corners.

[Millennium2002]

Interesting news regarding the two separate developers. =S That I haven't heard of before.

It appears that with a week to go the opponents are just beginning to speak out.

CTV News: Tsawwassen band members weigh proposal for megamall

Personally, I'd like to see something more dense and that minimizes the community and farmland impacts (and maybe even an upgrade of Splashdown Park), but the chances of that happening is probably nil.

[andie21]

I haven't found any new information on this development in a while - has anyone heard anything? Curious to know who the 17 anchors will be.

[huenthar]

Well, the anchor of the Commons project will apparently be Wal-Mart....

http://www.southdeltaleader.com/news...ml?mobile=true

[officedweller]

Tsawwassen First Nation mall construction to start soon
After some delays the First Nation recently announced an upcoming event to kick off the work later this month

Sandor Gyarmati / Delta Optimist
January 3, 2014 12:00 AM



Construction on the Tsawwassen First Nation's mega malls is expected to get underway soon.

The TFN recently announced it would hold a "construction start event" ceremony on Jan. 22 with developers Ivanhoe Cambridge and Property Development Group.

...

Ivanhoe Cambridge's project would comprise 1.2 million square feet as a destination retail and entertainment centre. Called Tsawwassen Mills, it would follow the model of the huge CrossIron Mills shopping mall north of Calgary and Vaughan Mills north of Toronto.

Property Development Group is to develop an outdoor retail mall comprising 550,000 square feet called Tsawwassen Commons.

...

Adding to the picture are the financial woes of League Group. The company runs a number of entity groups that seek investors for various projects, including the Tsawwassen Commons in an undertaking dubbed The Tsawwassen Retail Power Centre Limited Partnership. That partnership was one of several by League that's now seeking creditor protection.

The firm advertised last year the Tsawwassen partnership had a number of "confirmed tenants," including Walmart, Canadian Tire and PetSmart, but now it's not clear if that was the case.

Gracorp Capital Advisors Ltd. is now offering an investment opportunity for Tsawwassen Commons, a project that firm is calling GVest Tsawwassen Power Centre L.P. A description of the investment opportunity notes "three major national stores will anchor the project."

The description also states the project has "secured Letters of Intent to lease from a major Canadian based home improvement retailer (44,000 sq.ft. store) and a major Canadian retailer (63,000 sq.ft. store). A land lease offer has been received from another large U.S. based retail chain (108,000 sq.ft. building). The Power Center has approximately 46% of the gross building space subject to offers to lease."

There's been much speculation Walmart, which recently received approval to open a store in Richmond, would be one of the anchor tenants, however repeated inquiries with Walmart Canada's public relations department on the subject were not retuned.

A media spokesperson for PetSmart also couldn't confirm whether a store would be located at the TFN, only offering, "There is nothing to report at this time for this area."

A spokesperson for Canadian Tire noted they currently don't have any deal to locate in Tsawwassen.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Gap Inc., which operates Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy, told the Optimist they have "no plans to open at this location." Gap and Banana Republic have outlets at CrossIron Mills.

The TFN membership voted in 2011 in favour of the partnerships, but at that time those deals were based on 49-year leases. Following a "due diligence exercise" looking at the feasibility of the projects, those deals were changed to offer more land on 99-year leases, which were subsequently endorsed by TFN members.

Site preparation began in early 2013 and the malls were originally scheduled to open in 2015, but a few months ago the TFN, without explanation, changed that to 2016.

See more at: http://www.delta-optimist.com/tsawwa....LlEy5vx4.dpuf

[WarrenC12]

Sounds like they are having a lot of trouble securing tenants.

[officedweller]

Sounds like it. Geographically, probably not the best location for a regional mall.

[SpongeG]

gap and BR is already in south surrey and new west and will open at the outlet mall at the airport as well, kinda pointless for them to open there

[officedweller]

Construction continues on a huge TFN shopping centre that will rival the size of Metrotown. Photograph By Sandor Gyarmati
http://www.delta-optimist.com/news/l...oost-1.1754567

[Millennium2002]

I hope that mall includes a stop for the 620 at one of the entrances...

[WarrenC12]

Any more news on tenants?

A bunch of space across the lower mainland thanks to Target's exit won't exactly help these guys attract tenants.

I think this development is stupid and poorly thought out.

[Pinion]

If the Canadian dollar continues to plummet these guys might survive but it still seems like it's several decades past the time to build this sort of place.

I just hope its potential failure doesn't once again derail the even more ambitious plans near my place on the Seymour reserve. Natives are the only pro-density government on the north shore these days but they never seem to get started.

[cairnstone]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Construction continues on a huge TFN shopping centre that will rival the size of Metrotown. Photograph By Sandor Gyarmati
http://www.delta-optimist.com/news/l...oost-1.1754567

I think that looks to be the start to Bass Pro shops. I thinks shops will do ok as they will have a much lower square foot price there compared to other malls and you will get good traffic based on the ferry being there