[Richmond] Vancouver International Plaza | 4-million sq. ft. commercial | proposed

[mr.x]

You'd never see this in the City of Vancouver....






Vancouver International Plaza

•Total of 4 million square feet proposed

•Retail/entertainment: 1.58 million square feet

•Office: 1.1 million square feet

•Hotel: 870,000 square feet

•Conference: 450,000 square feet

•Marina: 300 slips



By Matthew Hoekstra - Richmond Review
Published: April 17, 2012 3:00 PM
Updated: April 17, 2012 4:23 PM

Richmond’s largest single development—19 times larger than the Richmond Olympic Oval’s footprint—is being proposed for an area of City Centre north known as Duck Island.

Jingon International Development Group has submitted an early rezoning application for 30 hectares (73 acres) of land next to River Rock Casino Resort that could feature several floating restaurants, six high-end hotels, shops, bars, clubs, theatres and marina office space.

“This is the largest single application the city has ever received, and the vision is for an international destination for shopping and entertainment, the likes of which you’d have to go to Asia...or at least Los Angeles, to see on this scale,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie, who revealed details of the proposal at a Richmond Chamber of Commerce luncheon Tuesday.

The mixed-use project, billed as a “major entertainment and commercial destination for the region,” is being called the Vancouver International Plaza.

Even a small ferry terminal is envisioned for the site, one that would operate between key destinations on the Fraser River.

Jingon, a Chinese developer known for high-end hotel and retail projects overseas, intends for the area to become a regional destination where walking to and through the site would be encouraged.

Buildings will be a mix of low-, mid- and high-rise, totalling four million square feet and could take many years to complete.

The site is currently vacant. Previously home to a cement plant, the Richmond Night Market has an agreement with the landowner to use the site for the next three years.

The proposal is “very preliminary,” according to city staff, and will require major infrastructure upgrades and approvals to build in an environmentally sensitive area. The developer is collecting feedback from city staff before submitting a full rezoning application, but the plan does comply with the City Centre Area Plan. That plan lays the groundwork for a tripling of Richmond’s downtown population to 120,000 within 25 years.

The project is among a flurry of other developments—in various stages—that comprise City Centre’s building boom, including 16 new hotels. Brodie said it’s all being spurred by the Canada Line and Richmond Olympic Oval..........

http://www.richmondreview.com/news/147836365.html

[officedweller]

Previous mention in the Suburban thread:

Article in this week's BIV about the YVR McArthurGlen outlet mall - no new info - but the article cited nearby competition from:

- Marine Gateway;
- Aberdeen Centre expansion; and...
- Jingon International Development Group's proposal to rezone Duck Island (west of River Rock casino), with a 4 million sq ft project containing 1.2 million sq ft of retail! - so this one must still be alive - that's this one:

http://www.collierscanada.com/3333

[Zassk]

Perhaps I should have posted this here instead... More nuggets of information from the Vancouver Sun and Province articles:

http://www.vancouversun.com/business...856/story.html

Richmond's population is expected to increase 40 per cent within the next 30 years as an almost unprecedented wave of developments are slated for the city, including an enormous 28-hectare destination shopping centre adjacent to the River Rock Casino, Mayor Malcolm Brodie announced Tuesday.

...

Up to $4 billion worth of new development is being proposed for Richmond, including 16 hotels totalling 2,500 rooms, 12,000 new residential units, 1.5 million square feet of office space and 2.5 million square feet of retail space.

...

Richmond's population was 150,000 in 1996 and 200,000 today. By 2041, it will increase to 280,000, he said.

Most of the new population would be located in the city centre area, said Brodie, as developers have been promised higher densities if they locate close to Canada Line stations.

At present, the downtown population of Richmond is 5,500 people per square kilometre, which will increase to 11,000 per square kilometre by 2041, said Brodie.

However, he noted this is only half the 22,000 people per square kilometre found in the West End of Vancouver.

http://www.theprovince.com/business/...758/story.html

Brodie also revealed an innovative way to get a station built on the Canada Line without any money coming from TransLink, the cash-strapped regional transit authority.

“We do need the station, but TransLink has no money to build it,” he told a luncheon gathering of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

His plan involves buyers of the 6,600 units of housing to be built in the area around Capstan and No. 3 Road to deposit $7,800 each into a fund for the station.

From that money, $25 million would be used to build the station.

[s211]

Originally Posted by mr.x

You'd never see this in the City of Vancouver....

And I'll happily wager you don't ever see it in Richmond either. At least in any form even remotely like what's touted.

[Metro-One]

Would be nice to see more of true entertainment component to it. Even if it were just some mini gold, go carts, batting cages, etc.. Of course I would love to see a small area with roller coasters and / or other rides. You know, how they build entertainment complexes elsewhere in the word (Europe, Japan, USA, etc...).

Not a full on theme park, but just a few such attractions built into the retail / convention / entertainment space.

A nice concert venue would go great there as well, along with another casino. Essentially, make it a true entertainment hub.

[Pinion]

I thought the whole idea of the Canada line was to get to the airport within 23 minutes or whatever? People can't just buy a station... or at least I hope not.

[GeeCee]

Originally Posted by Pinion

I thought the whole idea of the Canada line was to get to the airport within 23 minutes or whatever? People can't just buy a station... or at least I hope not.

Adding a station along an existing route should not adversely affect travel times. I can't imagine more than 90 seconds per additional station. And I'm all for private businesses buying stations if it improves the transit network.

Not that this is ever going to happen, anyways.

[racc]

Originally Posted by Pinion

I thought the whole idea of the Canada line was to get to the airport within 23 minutes or whatever? People can't just buy a station... or at least I hope not.

The new station in Richmond is not on the way to the airport from Vancouver.

[dubsH]

Originally Posted by Pinion

I thought the whole idea of the Canada line was to get to the airport within 23 minutes or whatever? People can't just buy a station... or at least I hope not.

Pretty sure Brodie's referring to the Capstan Station, which has been designated as a "future" station for as long as I can remember.

[Pinion]

Ah I thought the station was for Duck Island. Chopped up/off topic quotes.

[WarrenC12]

I'll believe it when I see it. Another casino so close? Is that necessary?

Between that and the Tsawassen development, where are all of the shoppers going to come from?

[SpongeG]

it mentions the night market using the space for 3 years - which night market? the original one or the one that bought the name to it and operates behind home depot basically

it seems like a good use of that space, it would be very loud with airplanes so no one wants to live there

[Zassk]

The original one, which has been in hiatus for several years.

The second one (still by Home Depot) did not buy the name, in fact it was taken to court over the name.

The greatest possible confusion is caused by the fact that both owners have the same last name, but are unrelated.

[SpongeG]

ah at least this one is close to the canada line - i gave up going to the one behind home depot having to walk 20 minutes if you were lucky enough to find parking that close got tiresome and i never really needed an iphone cover since that seems to be all they ever sell nowadays there - but i did miss the food

[EastVanMark]

Wow! If even 1/4 of this proposal gets built it will be incredible. Amazing to see the possibilities when you have some progressive attitudes. Also, this would also be the second time the city has shrewdly involved developers to gain big ticket assets for the city. (The heist of the Oval from sleepy, Communist Burnaby was a work of art), while ensuring chances for profits for those developers. To top things off, the city would absolutely be transformed and would gain a major draw to their city.

While Richmond, is aiming for the stars, Vancouver is busy planning the next location for a daycare in its downtown core or the next "mixed use" development (by mix meaning 98% residential & 2% commercial).

Well done Richmond!!!!

[twoNeurons]

The very fact that it looks like they're wanting to call it "Vancouver International Plaza" speaks volumes. I think it's a genius move, as well. Vancouver International Plaza next to Vancouver International Airport, just across from Vancouver.

While it won't advertise the city of Richmond itself, I think it is aiming for a bigger scale and will attract more people from Metro Vancouver and more tourists who are visiting Vancouver.

Frankly, I think a lot of Richmond's confidence has stemmed from the Canada Line. It has given it something to build around.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by s211

And I'll happily wager you don't ever see it in Richmond either. At least in any form even remotely like what's touted.

Indeed, when the Chinese real estate bubble blows it will take Jingon and this with it.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by EastVanMark

Wow! If even 1/4 of this proposal gets built it will be incredible. Amazing to see the possibilities when you have some progressive attitudes. Also, this would also be the second time the city has shrewdly involved developers to gain big ticket assets for the city. (The heist of the Oval from sleepy, Communist Burnaby was a work of art), while ensuring chances for profits for those developers. To top things off, the city would absolutely be transformed and would gain a major draw to their city.

While Richmond, is aiming for the stars, Vancouver is busy planning the next location for a daycare in its downtown core or the next "mixed use" development (by mix meaning 98% residential & 2% commercial).

Well done Richmond!!!!

Developers and investors would certainly never venture into City of Vancouver boundaries with the lunacy and nonsense going on there.

[Pinion]

Communist Burnaby? Really?

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by mr.x

Developers and investors would certainly never venture into City of Vancouver boundaries with the lunacy and nonsense going on there.

Agreed. If only Richmond's ambition and common sense could be transferred to Vancouver. What could be accomplished would be amazing.