Rize Alliance has begun pre-sales on the second phase of their 2-tower project at 133 St & 104 Ave in the growing West Village neighbourhood. The first phase of the project – the 28-storey ‘Wave’ condo tower – was completed back in 2014, with the second phase originally set to be called ‘Wynd’. Four years later, that name has now changed with the launch of a new marketing campaign and registration site set up for phase 2 under the name ‘Linea’.

With phase 2 of the project having already been approved as part of the original application for the site, Linea is likely to proceed with construction soon after sales. Despite the name change, the tower will retain its originally approved design – a twin of the Wave tower – featuring distinctive curved balconies and vibrant orange accents on the building’s exterior. Not only will Linea bring a twin tower to the development, but it will also complete the site which has been sitting vacant for years, bringing a new row of urban street-fronting townhouses along both 133 St and 104 Avenue, and a substantial outdoor amenity area / park. The website for the project www.liveatlinea.com is now open for registration offering 1, 2 & 3 bedroom condos and townhouses.

The completed Wave tower – Phase 1 of project

Site Plan for Wave (Tower ‘A’) and Linea (Tower ‘B’)

Linea site within City Centre Plan

With sales now just around the corner, Linea will likely begin construction in 2019, making it the 5th residential tower expected to start next year in the red hot Surrey City Centre condo market, following 3 condo towers expected to start this year, and 2 office towers. It was noted in the Spring 2018 issue of West Coast Condo that benchmark prices for condos in Surrey City Centre led all of Metro Vancouver in growth over the past year – up 45.6% between December 2016 and December 2017. Despite the price growth, Surrey City Centre still remains one of the most affordable areas to buy a condo in Metro Vancouver, and the best place to invest in real estate in BC for future growth.

For more:
http://liveatlinea.com
https://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/PLR_7911-0075-00.pdf

Photo update of Bosa Properties’ Gateway Place taken on April 17, 2017. Project is nearing completion with sidewalk fencing now removed, and work on the interior retail and office space underway. Expected completion and move-in of retail tenants likely by Summer 2017.

Looking east on 108 Avenue next to Station Tower

Looking north into the public plaza between Station Tower and Gateway Place

Metal grating installed for green-wall planting on the west side of Gateway Place 

Future green-wall and public plaza between Station Tower and Gateway Place

View from 108 Avenue looking north-east

View from 108 Avenue looking north-west

View looking west on 108 Avenue towards Gateway Station

New sidewalk and separated bike path looking north on City Parkway

New sidewalk and separated bike path looking south on City Parkway. 

Future location of Nester’s Market and cafe along City Parkway

View from Gateway Station

After nearly 2 years of construction, the Surrey Central Station north station house expansion officially opened to the public this weekend. Designed by OMB Architects, the new 2-storey station house is now the largest entrance at the station, fronting directly onto the corner of Central Avenue and City Parkway across from Civic Plaza.

The new station house features a contemporary, open, and airy design consisting of glass, concrete, and wood materials, as well as a prominent new First Nations art installation suspended from the ceiling – ‘The Sea Captain’ by Marianne Nicolson. A new retail unit has also been added to the station next to the entrance fronting Central Avenue, but has yet to be occupied by a tenant.

New entrance fronting Central Ave Corner of Central Ave & City Parkway Looking west down Central Avenue New entrance on City Parkway New entrance with bike racks and benches on City Parkway New ticket and fare gate concourse Fare gate concourse and art installation

Escalator to second floor concourse

2nd floor concourse Wayfinding signage on second floor concourse

Connection to south station entrance New platform level stairs, escalator and elevator

This latest upgrade to Surrey Central Station is just the beginning of an even larger expansion and re-configuration to come in the future. The lands immediately west of the station, where the current North Surrey Recreation Centre and Bus Loop sit – known as the ‘Centre Block’ are expected to be redeveloped in the coming decade. With that will come the removal of the suburban-style bus loop and re-positioning of bus bays onto streets surrounding the station. A major overhaul of the station is expected at that time to modernize and better integrate it into its evolving urban context.

Bosa Properties’ University District is progressing with work continuing on the interior as well as balconies, exterior finishing touches, and sidewalk. While not scheduled for completion until later this year, the building has already transformed the area, creating a very urban, downtown streetscape along 104 Avenue, which will only improve with opening of the building’s retail. According to Form Leasing’s website, there are 5 units available which have not yet been leased.

http://form.ca/universitydistrict.pdf

The City of Surrey has released a new video on their YouTube Channel promoting the upcoming Guildford-Newton LRT line. The line, which is expected to begin construction as early as next year, and be complete by 2023, is being used as a catalyst to transform Surrey, rather than simply move people from A-B.

Drawing from precedent in many European cities, street-level LRT has the ability to transform streetscapes and the public realm into more pedestrian-oriented, attractive places that attract businesses, gathering, and higher density housing. Compared to SkyTrain which cuts through communities disconnected from street-level, on obtrusive concrete guideways, LRT helps build communities along its route, becoming a part of those communities.

Vision for 104 Avenue – To be repurposed from an auto-oriented corridor to a multi-modal, pedestrian and transit oriented corridor. LRT along a pedestrianized City Parkway at Central Avenue (103 Ave) In Surrey City Centre, Newton Town Centre, and Guildford Town Centre, the LRT line will be integrated into pedestrian-only plazas, much like you would find in Europe. Along the line, 104th Avenue and King George Hwy will be transformed into multi-modal streets, instead of the 20th-century era car-oriented streets they are today. 104th Avenue and King George Boulevard will become attractive, focal streets, complete with LRT, vehicle lanes, grade-separated bike lanes, and improved sidewalks. Land-use along them will gradually develop into a continuous stretch of mixed-use mid-rise buildings set close to the street, with ground floor retail, and offices, residences above.

LRT will also add a new tier of transit to Metro Vancouver’s transit system that is currently missing, and would be appropriate for many other parts of the region as a compliment to the existing SkyTrain system which serves as more of a regional commuter rail service. LRT is best suited for servicing more localized areas, where bus service is inadequate, while connecting to the regional rail network.

Vision for a European-Style Plaza with LRT at Newton Town Centre LRT along a pedestrianized City Parkway at Surrey Central Station Proposed LRT Routing at 102 Avenue & King George Blvd Proposed LRT routing along King George Blvd between 100 Ave & 102 Ave Proposed LRT routing at 96th Ave & King George Blvd For more on the Guildford-Newton LRT line:
http://www.surrey.ca/city-services/15698.aspx

Bosa Properties has submitted an application for their next phase of University District, to be located on the former Brick / Sears outlet site just north of the Safeway near 104 Avenue and City Parkway. This next phase is to follow Phase 2, known as ‘Blue Sky‘ which is currently in pre-sales and expected to begin construction in 2019.

Details of the new application indicate that the project is proposing 1,134 residential units and 104,300 SF of commercial space. This is likely to translate into up to 4 residential towers above podiums and significant commercial / retail space.

The site, which includes 2 properties – 13583 104 Ave & 13550 105 Ave spans an entire block, with frontages on 104 Ave, 105 Ave and City Parkway. The site also spans 2 designations under the City Centre Plan – with the south portion of the site designated for Mixed-Use/High-Rise (5.5 FAR), and the north portion designated for Mixed-Use/High-Rise (3.5 FAR). The City Centre Plan allows for density bonuses of 20%, meaning the project FAR will likely be proposed higher than what is designated.

View of Subject Site looking north-west from 104 Ave

The subject site is a key location in City Centre, in the civic core, just to the north of City Hall and Civic Plaza. Well-fitted to a project at this high profile location, the applicant on the file is Perkins + Will, a renowned international architecture and urban design firm with an office in Vancouver.

In development of the site, the project will also dedicate and construct a new urban ‘green lane’ running east-west across the site, as well as re-align the intersection of 104 Avenue and City Parkway. This will result in a continuous City Parkway between Surrey Central and Gateway – and help bridge the gap between these 2 areas of City Centre.

For more on the application:

https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=18&seq=0350

A proposed Independent Seniors Living Facility & Child Care Centre received 1st & 2nd readings before Surrey Council Monday night for a new 5-storey building to be built at 132 St at 109 Ave. The building, which will provide homes exclusively for seniors 55+, will help establish a new urban streetscape along 132 St, that is in line with the new City Centre plan for that area. The western edge of City Centre along 132 St is envisioned to eventually be a continuous urban streetscape of 4-6 storey buildings, with this building being one of the first. Earlier this year, the 6-storey La Voda Condos project received preliminary approval just north of this project at 132 St and King George Blvd.

In total, the project will create a total of 117 new seniors living units in City Centre along with a 1,700 sq.ft. child care centre. In addition to the building itself, the project will also dedicate and build a new section of 109 Avenue to the south, and a new urban green lane to the east. These roads are required as part of the City Centre Plan.

Elevation drawings of proposed development
Plan view of proposed development
Proposed new 109 Ave & Urban Green lane
Subject Application (17-0103) in the north-west area of the City Centre Plan It is expected that the project could begin construction by 2018. For more:
http://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/PLR_7917-0103-00.pdf

Further to last month’s Anthem Properties announcement, an application has now been submitted by the developer for a 6-tower mixed-use development on the Save-on Foods / Canadian Tire site at 102 Ave between King George Blvd and Whalley Blvd in Surrey City Centre. This differs slightly from details released on Anthem Properties website indicating a 7-Tower project. Details of the application submitted (Project Number 16-0448) are as follows:

Rezoning from CD to CD (based on RMC-135), development permit for six mixed-used high-rise tower buildings, subdivision from one to six properties.

Rezoning from CD to CD (based on RMC-135) to permit development of a 30-storey mixed use building.

Development permit for a 30-storey mixed-used building.

https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=16&seq=0448

Based on this, it appears Anthem wishes to subdivide the property into 6 parcels for a multi-phased development, starting with a 30-storey mixed-use tower.

While no plans have yet been released, the City Centre road network plan gives an indication of how the site will be parceled, with 2 new roads to run east-west through the large site, and a new urban green lane to run north-south.

More details as they are released.

http://www.surrey.ca/files/CityCentre_Road_Network_Appendix_V.pdf

View looking south-east at corner of City Parkway and new 106A Ave

New renderings were released this week of Lark Group’s upcoming ‘Veteran’s Village’ project – set to replace the existing Whalley Legion at 106 Ave & City Parkway. This latest design is the 4th redesign to be released publicly since the project was first announced back in 2015.

Design Progression

Initially, in 2015, the project was to feature twin towers resembling the Vimy Ridge Memorial in France. The design, by Michael Green Architecture, was noted to be conceptual at the time, and later proved to be a bit ambitious of an undertaking for the project.

2015 design for Veterans Village

In late 2016, a new design was revealed for the project, scaling it back to a single building of lesser height, and less iconic of architecture, yet still featuring reference to the Vimy Ridge Memorial, and situated on a site surrounded by expansive plaza space.

2016 design for a single tower project

A year later, in November 2017, an application was finally submitted for the project, but based on yet again, another redesign. This time, the project appeared to be scaled back even more. Much of the plaza space depicted in early designs had been eliminated, and the building’s architecture further simplified.

2017 Rendering looking east from City Parkway

Now, as of April 2018, a radical redesign has been released, showing a return to a 2-tower project, with a much more iconic, urban, and architecturally forward design. The tower has retained its reference to the Vimy Ridge Memorial through a creatively designed facade, and now fills out the block that it occupies in a much more urban form. Wide sidewalks are depicted on both City Parkway and 106 Avenue with double rows of boulevard trees – in what looks to be intended as a quasi plaza space at the base of the tower, integrated with the sidewalk. The tower heights have also changed – with the main tower depicted at 21 storeys and the tower behind at 27 storeys.

2018 design for Veteran’s Village looking north-east at corner of City Parkway and 106 Ave Project location with City Centre Plan

With this return to a 2 tower design, it is unclear whether the 2nd tower is an envisioned 2nd phase – or if both will be built at the same time and also serve the same use purposes. From Lark Group’s website, the project is described as the first of its kind in Canada, and will be:

A multi-purpose facility designed as a centre of excellence in clinical and rehabilitation services for Veterans and first responders, with a mix of social and affordable housing.  It will include space for research and delivery of health care programs, services and trauma counselling to address issues like PTSD. It will also provide clinical spaces to advance evidence-based services and programming in health, science and engineering, including innovations in robotics, assistive devices and exoskeletons for injured Veterans and first responders.

With the latest rendering release, it appears the project is getting closer to its final design, and it’s likely that it could appear before Council for preliminary approval in the coming months. Based on this, the project is likely to begin construction sometime in 2019.

Further to news earlier this month on the moving forward of the Veterans Village Project, on the site of the Whalley Legion, more details were released late last week showing a major re-design of the project.

The previous concept prepared by Michael Green Architecture for a twin-tower development has since been replaced by a single, ‘stepped’ tower concept over what appears to be a 2-storey podium. In addition, a large portion of the site is shown to be dedicated as an open plaza/park space, forming what would be Surrey’s equivalent to Victory Square in Downtown Vancouver. The proposed plaza would provide a new space for Remembrance Day ceremonies in Surrey and serve as a permanent memorial space.

Despite the reduced scope of the project from a twin tower concept to a single tower, the project continues to take design inspiration from the twin tower Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France. As depicted in the concept, the tower features 2 red decorative beams running up the height of the tower, reminiscent of the memorial. Still no confirmation on height, however a Surrey Now article mentions a height of between 16-28 storeys.

While no application has yet been submitted on the project, the developer Lark Group, hopes to begin site preparation and construction by as early as Spring 2017. The project is said to still be seeking funding sources, some of which could come through Federal Infrastructure funding, currently being lobbied for.

http://www.thenownewspaper.com/news/400750081.html

http://journalofcommerce.com/Projects/News/2016/11/BC-Veterans-Village-project-a-step-closer-to-reality-1019666W/

With yesterday’s Mayors Council vote in favour of finalizing the business case for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain project, it is now certain that SkyTrain will be extended along Fraser Highway, but only as far as Fleetwood within the foreseeable future. As expected, the 1.65 billion in funding currently secured for rapid transit in Surrey will only allow for a 7km / 4 station extension of the Expo Line from King George Station to 166 Street, not to be in service until the end of 2025. With no funding secured, and no timeline in place for a phase 2 extension to Langley, it’s unlikely that SkyTrain will reach Langley before the 2030’s.

Given the decision to go ahead with SkyTrain on Fraser Highway, Surrey’s most urban corridors of 104 Ave and King George Blvd serving the 2 largest Town Centres of Guildford and Newton will likely now see no rapid transit for the next decade, due to the limited 3.55 billion funding envelope (with 1.9 billion yet to be secured) for rapid transit South of the Fraser. This funding envelope would have provided Surrey 27km of LRT across the city, including both the Guildford-City Centre-Newton ‘L’ line, and Fraser Hwy line to Langley. With SkyTrain, Surrey will just receive a single 16.5km line down Fraser Highway instead, along a corridor much more suburban in form, and with much less opportunity for land assembly to higher densities to support a SkyTrain line.

While rapid transit to Langley is definitely a good thing, the reality of the line not likely reaching Langley until the 2030’s, while rapid transit elsewhere in Surrey is stalled, is very unfortunate when Surrey could have had a full 19-Stop (27km) LRT system across the City inclusive of Langley within the same timeframe as an 8-Stop (16.5km) SkyTrain line. LRT additionally would have transformed, urbanized, and distinguished Surrey in ways that SkyTrain will not. LRT and trams are common fixtures and symbols of inner urban cores in major cities around the world, of which Metro Vancouver currently lacks. Cities such as Berlin, with robust multi-tiered rail transit networks, are embarking on major expansions of their LRT networks, on top of their existing metro rail networks. LRT would have urbanized and distinguished Surrey as a city on its own, as an inner core of the region. With SkyTrain, Surrey remains similar to Burnaby, a by-pass suburb along the line to Vancouver. This is not to mention, the negative effects of SkyTrain on the streetscape – obtrusive overhead guideways that cast shadows, are noisy, unsightly, and ultimately very suburban in nature, compared to urbanized street-integrated LRT which can transform a city and its streetscapes.

Eventual 8-Stop (16.5km) SkyTrain to Langley by 2030’s Cancelled 19-Stop (27km) LRT network that would have been completed within same time frame as SkyTrain

It’s hard to imagine rationalizing a 4-station SkyTrain extension to suburban Fleetwood over an 11-station LRT line servicing Surrey’s most urban corridors and largest Town Centres, but here we are. Ultimately once the line does reach Langley in the 2030’s it will help to move people through the region, benefit Surrey’s City Centre (although with less new stations), and those living near the line, but at the expense of what could have been a much more extensive rapid transit system, more urbanizing, distinguishing, and transformative for Surrey.