Proposed ‘Gateway’ tower site on King George Blvd at Bolivar Rd

A controversial proposal for a ‘gateway’ development on King George Blvd at Bolivar Rd at the north end of City Centre received conditional Council support on Monday in concept for its proposed density, but at the same time, was referred back to City staff for further refinement work with the applicant. The developer, an off-shore investor group known as ‘New Great Land Developing’, is proposing to amend both the Official Community Plan (OCP) and City Centre Plan to allow for:

• One 24-storey residential tower above a 7-storey podium
• One 24-storey residential tower above a 6-storey podium
• One 22-storey residential tower above a 6-storey podium
• Two stand-alone 6-storey residential buildings

The site’s current OCP designation of ‘Multiple Residential’ is proposed to be amended to ‘Central Business District’, while site’s City Centre Plan designation of ‘Residential Low to Mid Rise (2.5 FAR)’ is proposed to be amended to ‘Residential Mid to High Rise (3.5 – 5.5 FAR)’

Proposed development looking south towards existing City Centre Proposed development looking south towards future built-out City Centre

In the Planning Report to Council, City staff gave 3 recommendation options to Council on how to proceed. They included:

Option A:

Refer the application back to staff to work with the applicant to develop the subject site in accordance with the “Low to Mid Rise Residential up to 2.5 FAR” designation in the City Centre Plan.

Option B:

Refer the application back to staff to work with the applicant to develop the subject site with a form of development that achieves a 6-storey form along King George Boulevard, a mid-rise (maximum 10-storey) form in the middle of the site, and a 4-5 storey form adjacent to the existing single family residential lots to the northeast of the subject site.

Option C:

Refer the application back to staff to continue to process the application at the density proposed (4.5 FAR), with the consideration of the provision of a significant amenity contribution above and beyond the required City Centre Amenity Charges and City Centre specific Development Cost Charges, which can be allocated towards amenity needs in the City Centre Plan area.

Proposed site plan with unique angular floor plates and substantial green roofs

Council gives conditional support for increased density

Despite Staff’s recommendation that Council choose option A, which would comply with the site’s OCP and City Centre Plan designations of ‘Low to Mid Rise Residential up to 2.5 FAR’ – Council voted in-favour of Option C, supporting the applicant’s proposal for amendments to the OCP and City Centre Plan for an increase in density to 4.5 FAR, on the condition of provision of a significant amenity contribution.

A presentation by the applicant’s representative and project architect – Musson Cattell Mackey (MCM) Partnership – argued for the higher density based on the site’s location at the northern ‘Gateway’ to City Centre, proximity to rapid transit, and the fact that 5.5 FAR is already permitted directly to south of the site across King George Blvd. Council agreed that such density would also be appropriate for this site given this context, and would help form a gateway straddling both sides of King George Blvd.

Subject Site at the north end of the City Centre Plan area (Orange = Low to Mid Rise, Purple = High Rise)

Despite the unique design of the towers as proposed, another condition of Council was that the project undergo further design revision to achieve an even more iconic look, suitable for a ‘gateway’ location, if the increase in density is to be allowed. When the project returns to Council at a later date, its possible that we could see a new design all together, or a just a refinement of what is currently proposed.

For more on the proposal:

http://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/PLR_7917-0397-00.pdf

A new mixed-use development proposed for a vacant piece of land next to Holland Park is set to appear before Council on Monday, February 24 for 1st & 2nd Readings. Known as Holland Parkside, and being developed by Century Group (the same developer as 3 Civic Plaza), the project is proposing to bring a mix of market and rental housing, office, retail, restaurant, public food market, and courtyard green space to the growing neighbourhood surrounding King George Station. Overall, the project is to include:

• 42 + 36 Storey Market Residential Towers above a townhouse base (818 Units)
• 19-Storey Rental Residential Tower (204 Units)
• 10-Storey Mid-Rise Office Tower (212,000 sq.ft. including retail)
• Ground-level Retail in a double-height podium at the base of the office and rental towers along King George Blvd, including a 2-storey restaurant and large market hall for food vendors
• A publicly accessible Central Courtyard on level 3 with an urban agriculture and food-related theme

Perspective along King George Blvd – Rental Residential Tower (Left), Office Mid-Rise (Right), and 2-Storey Retail / Market Hall Podium Perspective along west side of site adjacent to existing Single Family – Market Residential Towers and Townhouse Base Perspective along 99 Ave – Office Mid-Rise (Left) and Market Residential Tower (Right) Perspective along 98A Ave – Market Residential Tower (Left), Rental Residential Tower (Right), Level 3 Courtyard (Centre) A publicly accessible courtyard on level 3 in the centre of the site, accessible via a grand staircase through the site from King George Blvd

Designed by ZGF Architects, the development is to be built in phases over a number of years, subject to market conditions. The current application is for a Rezoning, City Centre Plan Amendment, and General Development Permit (for Form & Character) only. Detailed Development Permits for each phase will be brought forth at later dates under separate applications.

At the south end of the site, a small portion of land will be dedicated to allow for 98A Avenue to bend northward and intersect with ‘George Junction’ a new crescent road to connect through the King George Hub development across the street. At the north end of the site, a new 99 Ave will be constructed, which will then bend south around the development to connect to 98B Ave to the west. The existing single family housing to the west is expected to be redeveloped in the future to 4-6 Storey multi-family, as per the City Centre Plan.

Contextual view facing North-West Contextual View facing South-East Contextual View facing North-East

At this time, detailed design of project is still underway, and will continue to be refined through subsequent development permit applications for each phase. The report to Council notes that the first phase is expected to be constructed and ready for occupancy by summer 2024, although does not mention which portion will be developed first. Given that all 4 buildings share a common parkade, podium, and level 3 Central Courtyard, it’s unclear how the project would be built in phases.

For more on the project:

https://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/PLR_7918-0217-00.pdf

The long awaited opening of Civic Hotel may finally be just around the corner. After numerous delays – having originally been set to open back in November – the hotel is finally showing signs that it is nearing completion. This week, fencing came down from in front of the building’s main lobby and Dominion Bar + Kitchen fronting Civic Plaza. In addition, landscaping has been planted next to Dominion’s patio, and a newly opened portion of Central Avenue. Signage for Dominion has also been installed on the awning.

While no official date has been set for opening, according to the Dominion Bar + Kitchen website, the restaurant is tentatively scheduled to host its first event – a comedy show – on April 21, 2018. The Marriott reservations website is now taking bookings for Civic Hotel for dates beginning on March 28, 2018 (although the available booking date has been pushed back in the past).

Despite looking nearing completion, it seems we will still have to wait another month or two before the hotel and restaurant open. Numerous things remain to be finished on the building including a number of additional signs to be installed, the removal of a construction elevator on the condo portion of the building, the completion of Civic Plaza lane on the north side of the building, the construction of Prado Cafe on the north side, and the finishing of numerous retail units along City Parkway. It is clear now that the building will open in phases – with the Hotel and Dominion Bar + Kitchen opening first, retail units along City Parkway likely following later this spring, the Condo tower by summer, and the 5-storey KPU campus this fall.

According to sources working on the project – one reason for the delayed opening of the building has been a water leak, affecting the elevator shaft of the main tower. This has delayed the removal of the exterior construction elevator for several months, as well as the exterior finishing of the north side of the tower, where the future Prado Cafe, and an exterior green wall will be. Rumours on the forum SkyscraperPage this week indicated that the construction elevator may finally be coming down by next week, which would hopefully help wrap up the exterior of the building prior to the hotel’s opening in less than 2 months. Regardless, it seems the building will remain an active construction site (at least on the inside) on the main tower and KPU portion, while the hotel and restaurant open on the other.

Dominion Bar + Kitchen nearing completion fronting Civic Plaza Landscaping along Central Avenue next to the Dominion Bar + Kitchen Patio Staircase and entry to Dominion Bar + Kitchen Patio New sidewalk along Central Avenue next to Dominion Bar + Kitchen Patio Dominion Bar + Kitchen + Civic Hotel Entrance along Civic Plaza Lane Daytime shot of Dominion Bar + Kitchen – additional signage for Civic Hotel still to be installed on podium Dominion Bar + Kitchen featuring numerous doors/windows which will open to the Plaza Civic Hotel Lobby Civic Hotel Lobby Civic Plaza Lane in front of Hotel Lobby

A quick photo update of the 3 Civic Plaza development in Surrey City Centre which is now starting to dominate the area and skyline. The building has now reached 31 levels in height and will continue to climb until it reaches its final height of 48 stories, by the end of this year.

When complete, the building will be heavily mixed-use, containing a Marriott brand Autograph Collection Hotel, condominiums, office space, a satellite campus of Kwantlen Polytechnical University (KPU), a health club, restaurant, and retail.

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.

Since my last post on the differences between the proposed LRT and SkyTrain generated much discussion – I felt it would be good to highlight in more detail – the key land-use, route, and scope differences between the 2 routes, and why SkyTrain down Fraser Highway – makes no rational sense from a land-use or planning perspective.

LRT (Phase 1)

The proposed LRT route along 104 Avenue and King George Blvd serves Surrey’s City Centre, 2 largest Town Centres, and 2 most urban corridors, designated to handle the bulk of Surrey’s urban growth and revitalization over the next few decades. The 104 Avenue and King George Corridors contain numerous major trip-generating destinations which include:

• Surrey City Centre – would be served by 4 LRT stations
• Guildford Town Centre – Largest Town Centre in Surrey with existing high-rise residential, hotels, offices.
• Guildford Shopping Centre – 3rd largest shopping centre in Metro Vancouver
• Guildford – 104 Avenue Corridor Plan – Currently underway land-use plan which will direct increased density, growth, and revitalization along this key corridor linking City Centre and Guildford – would be served by 4 LRT stations.
• Surrey Memorial Hospital – As well as the emerging Health & Technology District surrounding it would be served by 96th Avenue Station
• Bear Creek Park / Surrey Art Gallery – and surrounding area would be served by 88th Avenue Station
• Newton Industrial Area – Large employment area consisting of light industrial, business parks, commercial – would be served by 2 LRT stations.
• Newton Town Centre – 2nd largest Town Centre in Surrey – already significant retail, offices and planned increased density/growth.

In addition LRT would create 2 vibrant multi-modal transfer hub stations at Surrey Central and King George – integrated into new urban plazas.

Multi-Modal Transfer Hub Station at Surrey Central integrated into Plaza Envisioned Newton Town Centre Plaza with LRT integration

SkyTrain (Phase 1?)

While it is unclear how far down Fraser Hwy SkyTrain could be extended given current funding, an extension to Langley is unlikely within the 1.65 Billion approved budget. As such, the Fraser Highway SkyTrain line would have to be phased, with Phase 1 likely going as far as Fleetwood, and future extension to Langley at a later undermined date (by 2030?). Such a SkyTrain extension down Fraser Highway makes absolutely no rational sense from a land-use or planning perspective. Fleetwood is Surrey’s smallest Town Centre, with no plans for any significant increases in density or growth. Fraser Highway is also a very low density, predominantly single family / strip mall corridor with few trip-generating destinations along the route. The only nodes of significance are:

• Fleetwood Town Centre – Smallest of Surrey’s Town Centres. The current Fleetwood Town Centre Plan designates this area for modest urban growth, consisting of townhouses, village like commercial, and some 4-6 storey apartments.
• RCMP E-Division / Jim Pattison Outpatient – The only major destinations along this route would be at the 140th & Fraser Hwy station (assuming a station is proposed at this location)
• 152 & Fraser Hwy Commercial Area – Currently a low-density strip mall area with no current land-use plans underway for revitalization. A land-use plan to change the density in this area would be necessary given the introduction of rapid transit to the area. This would present a major change to the Surrey OCP and where future density/growth directed to in Surrey.

In addition, a Fraser Highway SkyTrain extension would lack any vibrant multi-modal transfer hub stations centered on plazas. A missed opportunity for city building / urban revitalization.

Likely 3-stop ‘Phase 1’ SkyTrain extension to Fleetwood with current funding Likely terminus of Phase 1 Fraser Hwy SkyTrain extension in Fleetwood

Timeline?

• LRT is scheduled to begin construction in 2019 with the 10.5km Phase 1 completed by 2024.
• SkyTrain would need to start from scratch in 2019, beginning with at least 2 years of design, planning, consultation. New land-use plans would have to be initiated along the route – as land-use must be planned in cohesion with rapid transit. A 5.5 km Phase 1 extension of SkyTrain to Fleetwood could likely be completed by 2026.

By 2030 – assuming a second round of funding is made available – there are 2 possible scenarios for rapid transit in Surrey:

Scenario 1 – Surrey’s 2030 Rapid Transit Network – LRT

Scenario 1 would see 27km of rapid transit built in Surrey, serving both the Guildford – Newton corridors, as well as the Fraser Highway corridor to Langley.

Scenario 2 – Surrey’s 2030 Rapid Transit Network – SkyTrain

Scenario 2 would see 15.5km of rapid transit built serving only the Fraser Highway corridor to Langley. Guildford and Newton – Surrey’s 2 largest and most urban centre’s would have no rapid transit. While Doug McCallum does mention a future SkyTrain extension down King George Highway to Newton – this is unlikely until the Langley extension is complete – so post 2030.

Best way to spend $1.65 Billion?

Each of these scenarios costs the same $1.65 Billion price tag.

• Which option do you think provides more value to Surrey?
• Which option will result in the most rapid transit for Surrey by 2030?
• Which option will best integrate with the neighbourhoods it passes through, create a sense of place, and be a catalyst for vibrant communities? Rather than just a means of by-passing Surrey to get somewhere else.
• Which communities should be prioritized for rapid transit?

With Doug McCallum’s win in last weekend’s election, Surrey appears to be in for change. Campaigning heavily on LRT and Safety, the topic of discussion now is whether he will deliver on his promise to ‘scrap’ LRT and ‘replace’ it with SkyTrain. It appears the majority of Surrey residents are in favour of this – fuelled by non-stop negative publicity of LRT in the media – but what does an LRT to SkyTrain ‘switch’ actually mean for Surrey? A few key implications to consider:

SkyTrain vs LRT – 2 different routes

A misconception that many who ‘voted’ for SkyTrain over LRT may have may have is that the proposed LRT will simply be ‘switched’ to SkyTrain. This is not the case – each would run along a different route. Let’s look at the difference:

LRT – City Centre-Newton-Guildford: The proposed ‘Phase 1’ LRT route – with secured funding and significant planning and design work already completed – is planned run from Guildford along 104 Avenue to City Centre, then south on King George Blvd to Newton. This is known as the ‘L’ Line or Surrey-Netwon-Guildford Line – serving Surrey’s most populated, and urban town centres.

Phase 1 LRT route along 104 Ave & King George Blvd + future Phase 2 route to Langley

SkyTrain – Fraser Highway: Doug McCallum’s SkyTrain – which would need to be planned and designed from scratch – would provide no rapid transit to Guildford or Newton (Surrey’s most populated / urban town centres) – but instead be an extension of the existing Expo Line down Fraser Highway to Fleetwood, Cloverdale (Surrey’s least populated / urban town centres) and Langley.

SkyTrain extension to Langley along Fraser Hwy through low density suburbs / ALR to Langley

The Land-Use Difference

LRT: The proposed ‘Phase 1’ LRT route would serve Surrey’s most established urban corridors with the highest densities – 104 Avenue and King George Blvd. Guildford Town Centre contains the regions 2nd largest shopping centre, numerous high-rises and offices. Further, the currently underway Guildford-104 Avenue Corridor Plan which is set to become adopted in 2019, has designated land all along 104 Avenue between City Centre and Guildford for increased urban densities appropriate for a rapid transit corridor. A similar plan is set to follow for the King George corridor between City Centre and Newton. Simply put – 104 Avenue and King George Blvd are the most appropriate corridors for initial rapid transit expansion in Surrey due to their already underway land-use planning for higher density, and their existing densities, land-use, and most urban character of Surrey’s corridors.

Phase 1 LRT route along existing urban corridors with planned density Guildford – 104 Avenue Corridor Plan – urban density planned along LRT route

SkyTrain: Doug McCallum’s SkyTrain would run down Fraser Highway which currently has no land-use plans for significant urban density underway, and is currently of the lowest density and suburban of corridors in Surrey. The SkyTrain route would run through:

• Green Timbers Forest for the first 2km of its route
• the low density suburban neighbourhood of Fleetwood for the next 5km
• ALR farm land for the next 2km
• and finally low density suburban Clayton/Cloverdale and Langley for the remaining 6km of the route

This route would have the lowest densities of any SkyTrain corridor in the region – including significant stretches through forest and ALR farm land – unseen anywhere else on the SkyTrain system. SkyTrain along Fraser Highway would require significant land-use changes along Fraser Highway to justify it – including significant increases in density, high-rise towers, and transit-oriented development – similar to elsewhere along the SkyTrain network. This would require changes to the Official Community Plan (OCP) – ironically Doug McCallum campaigned against OCP amendments.

Simply put – this type of development is incompatible with the scale and character of the Fraser Highway corridor that is predominantly newer single family homes and townhomes. Many living along that corridor would surely object to such drastic land-use changes appropriate for a SkyTrain line.

SkyTrain extension through low density suburbs / ALR with no planned urban density

From a land-use planning perspective – it makes the most sense to serve the highest density corridors and urban centres (104 Avenue – King George Blvd) with rapid transit prior to lower density corridors such as Fraser Highway. Instead, a SkyTrain extension over LRT would do the exact opposite of what makes sense. While it is important to provide a rapid transit link to Langley, and connect the communities of Fleetwood, Clayton/Cloverdale with regional rapid transit – from a land-use and planning perspective these areas are lower priority than Guildford and Newton – and Fraser Highway does not have density appropriate for SkyTrain. In an ideal world, Langley would be serviced by long-distance commuter rail such as all-day WestCoast Express – but realistically – LRT may be the best option for serving Langley down Fraser Highway as a Phase 2 project – given the density, scale, and character of that corridor.

Uncertain Timeline

LRT: Funding for the proposed ‘Phase 1’ LRT route is “in the mail” from the Federal and Provincial Governments. Significant planning, consultation work, and design has been underway for years, and the project is now at the procurement stage with construction set to begin in 2019 and completion by 2024.

LRT scheduled to begin construction in 2019 – years of planning, consultation, design already complete.

SkyTrain: Doug McCallum claims that secured funding for LRT can simply be ‘switched’ to fund a SkyTrain extension to Langley instead of the Guildford Newton line. While this may be possible, as the funding doesn’t specify a type of rail – the fact is – no planning, consultation, or design work has been completed on a SkyTrain extension down Fraser Highway. The amount of time and additional resources that would need to go into a SkyTrain extension prior to its construction would not only delay the project for an unforeseen number of extra years – pushing completion of this line to the late 2020’s.

By that time, Phase 2 of the LRT is likely to be under construction – resulting in Surrey having 2 new rapid transit lines by the late 2020’s instead of just a single SkyTrain extension down low-density Fraser Hwy within the same time frame.

While these reasons aren’t exhaustive in the debate – they are very key ones that have been surprisingly absent talking points. Surrey residents may not have been the best informed on the SkyTrain vs LRT debate thanks to the media – to make an educated decision that weighs more factors than just ‘speed of service’ and ‘glamour of SkyTrain vs LRT’ – but in the end it may not matter. The LRT project is likely too far along at this stage and with too much else to consider to simply be ‘switched’. It is being led by non-partisan land-use and transit planning experts in the Planning & Transportation Departments (not the former Mayor or Councillors as some may believe) – experts who should be leading such projects – rather than transit planning on a whim by politicians and voters.

The GEC Education Mega Centre project reached a milestone on Oct 2, receiving 1st and 2nd readings before Surrey Council. The proposed 55-storey tower, set to become Metro Vancouver’s 2nd tallest, will now proceed to Public Hearing for 3rd Reading (Preliminary Approval) on October 23rd.

Proposal

From the planning report to council on Oct 2, the proposed development is to consist of a 55-storey tower with a mix of academic, commercial and residential uses at a density of 12.25 FAR. This will include:

• A 6-storey podium with 486 square metres (5,233 sq.ft.) of ground-level commercial retail space, and 5 storeys of college/academic space, including classrooms and offices.
• 33 floors dedicated to fully-furnished “serviced apartments” for students (subject to a housing agreement to ensure student occupancy)
• 12 floors of flexible accommodation that provide “short-stay” (not more than 182 days in a 12-month period) hotel accommodations

As part of this application, a portion of 102A Avenue will be dedicated and constructed, along with widening along City Parkway. A new signalized intersection at City Parkway and 102A Avenue will also be delivered.

Discounting the land to be dedicated for road, the proposed Education Centre has a net density of 18.25 FAR.

Developer

The project is being developed under a partnership between Surrey-based developer WestStone Group, and Vancouver-based CIBT Education Group. CIBT Education Group is an education provider that targets primarily international students, and operates Sprott Shaw College, Sprott Shaw Language College, Vancouver International College and CIBT School of Business, amongst others.

CIBT Education Group offers business and management programs and other vocational programs through these schools. Specifically, the Education Centre is intended to offer programs that will integrate with the services and functions proposed in the City’s Innovation Boulevard plans, including in the fields of medical assistance and facility operations.

Road Dedication

As part of the proposal, the project will dedicate approximately 7 metres for the widening of City Parkway, which will be required to accommodate the future LRT line and stop, as well as a new sidewalk and a separated bike lane. A new portion of 102A Avenue will also be constructed along the north property line, and a new lane will be constructed through the podium of the building running north-south towards the rear of the site.

Design Features

The project will feature an outdoor plaza at the northwest corner of the site, where the building is supported by a 4-storey fork column to create an open, bright, publicly accessible open space.

In order to provide articulation in the tower, differentiation has been introduced at the amenity levels by setting the glass back and opening up the floor plate to provide outdoor amenity space. LED lighting will be provided to highlight the undersides of each amenity level in the tower.

A Commercial Retail Unit (CRU) fronts City Parkway and wraps onto the outdoor plaza to bring additional activity into the space. The main lobby fronts 102A Avenue and also wraps onto the outdoor plaza. A second, smaller CRU fronts 102A Avenue.

The podium and tower base will provide a strong urban edge and street wall along City Parkway and 102A Avenue.

For more information on the project:

http://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/PLR_7917-0159-00%20(2).pdf

The City of Surrey’s Advisory Design Panel (ADP) has approved the design for the upcoming 55-storey Education Mega Centre, being developed by CIBT Education Group in partnership with Surrey-based WestStone Group. The height of the tower, which was previously quoted to be 50-storeys, has now been confirmed at 55-storeys, however, taking into account several double-height floors, will be the equivalent of 63-storeys reaching a total height of 625 feet. This would make the tower the tallest building in Surrey once complete, and the 2nd tallest tower in Metro Vancouver, after the Shangri-La, which is 645 Feet. The current 2nd tallest is the Trump Tower at 616 Feet.

The Education Mega Centre, was first announced back in September 2016. It will be located on City Parkway at 102 Avenue across from Surrey Central Station and next to the currently under construction 3 Civic Plaza. The Chris Dikeakos Architects designed tower will add to the growing ‘University District’ in Surrey City Centre, already home to an expanding Simon Fraser University, and soon-to-be 5-Storey KPU Campus at 3 Civic Plaza. The tower will include:

• Approximately 15 to 20 educational institutions
• Hotel and residential facilities for over 1,400 students and guests
• Supporting amenities including an electronic library, cafeteria, computer centre, study areas, quiet lounges, fitness centre, yoga room, laundry room, meeting and video conference rooms, office space and a coffee/tea lounge at the 55^th floor 600 feet above ground.

Now that the project has passed the design panel approval stage, it will move forward to Council for 1st & 2nd readings when Council returns from summer break on September 11. Further renderings and details of the project will be released at that time. The project is expected to break ground by early next year, and be complete by 2021.

Site of proposed 55-storey Education Mega Centre Rendering of the proposed 55-Storey Education Mega Centre

News Release:

http://www.cibt.net/blog/2017/07/31/cibt-reports-receipt-design-panel-approval-construct-gec-education-mega-center-surrey/

A development application has finally been submitted for a proposed 50-storey ‘Education Mega Centre’ first announced last fall by WestStone Group. The mixed-use building which is to consist of student housing, a college campus, commercial uses, and hotel, is set to replace the well-known Stardust roller skating rink that has been on the site since the 1970’s. The project is a partnership between the education and student-housing investment company CIBT Education Group  and Surrey developer WestStone Group. CIBT already owns and operates a global network of business, technical, and language colleges throughout North America and Asia.

According to CIBT’s website, the proposed Mega Center is expected to be an iconic 50-storey high-rise tower. Details include:

• The Mega Centre will be located at the heart of Surrey city center immediately between Simon Fraser University and future location of Kwantlan Polytechnic University. With Surrey’s state of the art Civic Library and the iconic Surrey City Hall located within one block, along with Surrey Central SkyTrain station and the central bus loop located in front of the Mega Center and the upcoming Light Rail Transit (LRT) system on its doorstep, this is one of the most desirable and convenient locations for students and visitors.
• It is being proposed that the podium of the Mega Center (levels 1 to 2) will provide for many supporting amenities such as a food court, student lounge, computer centre, electronic library, conference rooms as well as office space for education consultants and other industry related services.
• Levels 3 to 6 will be leased to 20 educational institutions from around the world as their satellite campuses in Surrey.
• Levels 8 to 26 will be comprised of residential suites designed for long term stay international students.
• Levels 7 and 27 will be comprised of amenity space such as fitness centre and lounges for long term residents and student hotel guests.
• Upper floors from level 28 to 49 will be GEC’s flagship student hotel for short term stays.
• Level 50 will be the front desk and check in area for the student hotel.
• The Mega Center will consist of approximately 550,000 square feet and a development budget of $230 million.

PCI Development’s King George Hub project has officially sold out both residential towers within Phase B of the project. The 40-storey tower first went to market in October, quickly selling out, followed by the 29-storey tower in November. Phase B will also include a 15-storey office tower, 2-storey stand-alone restaurant, as well as over 100,000 sq.ft. of retail space integrated with a plaza.

According to the King George Hub Sales Team, over 12,000 people registered as interested purchasers for the 738 units. Given this unprecedented demand for a condo project in Surrey City Centre, units were allocated through a lottery system. Of those units sold:

• 697 were purchased by local residents
• 1 in 4 were first-time home buyers
• 65% of buyers currently live within 20km
• 30% of buyers currently live in Vancouver

With the success of King George Hub selling out so quickly, PCI developments has indicated that they are now moving forward with plans for Phase C of the project, which should include 1 additional residential tower to the east of the existing Coast Capital Savings headquarters. A future Phase D is set to follow that with space for up to 3 more towers, however detailed plans for both sites have yet to be finalized or released.

Plan showing King George Hub Phasing – Future phases C & D to the north and east of Phase B

With sales now complete, and final approval in place, it is expected that Phase B of King George Hub will begin construction by Spring 2018. This should be joined by Concord Pacific’s 42-storey Park Boulevard project just north of King George Station around the same time, making for 4 new towers starting construction within the area immediately surrounding King George Station. For more on King George Hub:

http://kinggeorgehub.com

The crane has now been installed at the Prime on the Plaza project on University Drive and 103 Avenue. Prime is a 37-storey mixed-use retail and condominium development across from Surrey City Centre Library and Civic Plaza that is expected to be completed in 2018. The project will add nearly 400 tower residential units as well as street-fronting retail and townhomes.

http://www.liveprime.ca/en/

Quick look at the upcoming HQ Condominiums project on 140 St at 106 Ave in Surrey City Centre. HQ by Porte Homes comprises three 6-storey buildings, and is scheduled for completion in late 2018. The development will help to define Surrey City Centre’s eastern edge along 140 St on land that is currently occupied by large, mostly vacant suburban lots. The buildings will create more of an urban streetscape along 140 St and are consistent with the height and density envisioned for this area in the City Centre Plan.

http://porte.ca/hq/

Concord Pacific’s Park Avenue is beginning to transform the look and feel of 100 Avenue. The East tower is now topped out with the West tower catching up. A row of townhomes that line 100 Ave between the 2 towers are beginning to form a nice streetscape with the mature tree canopy already in place. A new parking meter has also recently been installed indicating that there will be on-street parking which should help to buffer traffic from the sidewalk to create a better pedestrian environment.

Park Avenue is expected to be completed later this year / early 2017. The development features numerous amenities including rooftop lounges, tennis courts, a pool, spa, fitness centre, and golf.

https://www.parkavenueliving.ca

The construction hoarding has finally come down at Bosa Property’s University District at 104 Ave & University Dr. Work continues on the exterior and interior of the building as it gets a coat of white paint, new sidewalks, and other finishing touches.

No sign yet on what retail may be going in at street level. There are currently 5 retail units listed for lease on form.ca ranging between 490 – 922 sq.ft. The 2nd floor of the podium is up for lease as office space with a total of 5,603 sq.ft. Availability is set for Q1 2017.

http://form.ca/universitydistrict.pdf

Part 1 of a comprehensive round-up of projects in Surrey City Centre. The map below shows the currently active major construction projects underway. In total, there are 6 residential/mixed use towers and 2 mid-rise office buildings underway. Details on each project can be found below.

Part 2 (upcoming) will include a round-up of all major development applications in process in Surrey City Centre.

3 Civic Plaza (48 storeys) – Hotel, Residential, Office, Retail, University Address: 13483 103 Ave

Estimated Completion: Fall 2017

King George Hub Phasing Plan

A development application has been submitted for Phase ‘C’ of PCI Group’s ‘King George Hub’ at Fraser Hwy & King George Blvd next to King George Station. Details of the application indicate that Phase ‘C’ will consist of a single 34-storey mixed-use tower just to the east of Phase ‘A’ – the landmark 10-storey Coast Capital Savings headquarters built in 2014. No renderings of the tower have been released at this time, but the project is proposed to contain 363 residential units above 10,000 sq.ft. of ground-level retail.

With the application just submitted, it is expected that Phase ‘C’ will not likely begin construction until around 2020/21, around the time when Phase ‘B’ reaches completion. It could however be fast-tracked to begin sooner, given the strong response for Phase ‘B’ – which sold out both its residential towers in a matter of days. Phase ‘B’ is set to begin construction in the coming months, and will contain 29 & 40-storey residential towers, a 15-storey office tower, a 2-storey (9,376 sq.ft.) standalone restaurant next to the Coast Capital Savings Headquarters, and 112,535 sq.ft. of retail.

King George Hub Phases A & B – Facing North-West King George Hub Phases A & B – Facing North-East King George Hub Phase A & B – View North from King George Blvd View South of Phase ‘B’ Retail Plaza View South of Phase ‘B’ Retail Plaza 41st floor residential rooftop amenity area – Phase ‘B’

Following Phase ‘C’ will be the final phase of King George Hub – Phase ‘D’. No details of Phase ‘D’ have been released yet, but this last piece of the site at the corner of Fraser Hwy and Whalley Blvd is expected to add 2-3 more residential towers above retail. Full buildout of all phases is expected to be complete around 2025, and will be accompanied by numerous other surrounding projects – also expected to complete within that timeframe.

For more on King George Hub:
http://kinggeorgehub.com/

‘Phase B’ of PCI Group’s ‘The Hub’ at King George Station is returning to Council on Monday June 12. This 2nd phase of the eventual 4-phase project was initially approved back in 2014 under a previous application, but did not proceed to construction. One of the reasons for this was the need for a road adjustment on the site to accommodate the future LRT station along King George Blvd outside the existing Coast Capital Savings building (Phase A of the project). As a result, the road constructed as part of Phase A will be re-constructed further south to allow more space for the LRT station to the north. With this road adjustment has also come a re-design of the project as a whole. While the concept is generally still the same, the architecture has changed substantially, and the project has grown from 2 towers (as part of Phase B) to 3.

Details of Phase B now include:

• A 15-storey office tower (137,084 sq.ft.) at the new intersection of 98A & KGB
• A 40-storey condo tower (434 units) at Fraser Hwy & KGB
• A 29-storey condo tower (302 units) at Fraser Hwy & 137 St

• A 112,535-sq.ft. single-storey retail podium consisting of two large format retailers (a grocery store and a drug store) and a number of smaller format CRU’s.

• A stand-alone 9,376-sq.ft. 2-storey restaurant south of the Coast Capital Building.
• An expanded plaza the heart of the project, which will allow for retailers, such as the grocery store and restaurants to spill out onto with displays and seating to animate the space. The plaza aligns with the Coast Capital Community Plaza to the north.

Further architectural details include:

• The 40-storey tower is proposed to be accentuated with a “ribbon” punctuated feature cladding on the west and east façades, with a canopy linkage that will architecturally and physically connect each tower and provide an overhead trellis wrapping over an amenity space at each tower’s rooftop.
• The 29-storey residential tower is proposed as a “complementary tower” and will express the same architectural vocabulary as the taller tower at a reduced vertical scale.
• Both residential towers are defined by contrasting major elements: refined high performance curtain wall glazing and linear projected balconies providing solar shading and glare reduction to the south, while the west and east ends are distinguished from the curtain wall with the “ribbon” feature punctuated façade with recessed balconies.
• The proposed material palette is broken up to create distinctive buildings on the site.

Proposed Public Art:

• 2 locations for public art have been identified. One art installation will be located within the plaza, fronting 98B Avenue and the other art installation will be within the traffic circle of 98B Avenue / 137 Street.

Project plans and elevations:

Noticeably missing in the re-designed project is the Movie Theatre that was initially proposed under the 2014 application. It is expected that Phase B will begin construction in 2018 and be completed in 2021.

For more on the application:
http://www.surrey.ca/bylawsandcouncillibrary/PLR_7917-0162-00.pdf

PCI Group has submitted a new application for the second phase of their four-phase mixed-use ‘The Hub’ development at King George Station, indicating that the project may finally be moving forward. Details of the application available so far indicate that Phase B will include approximately 120,000 sq.ft. of retail space, 9,000 sq.ft. of restaurant space, a 15-storey office tower, and 736 residential units within 2 towers.  This description is a bit misleading however, as the office tower will actually form the base of one of the residential towers combining to make up a total 39-storey signature tower at the corner of King George Blvd and Fraser Hwy. The second tower is to be a 12-storey mid-rise rental residential building fronting Fraser Highway.

Signature 39-Storey tower at Fraser Hwy and KGB with combined office base and residential above.

This latest application is an amendment of a previous 2014 application already in process for Phase B. Details of that application were similar, seeking a Development Permit for 2 residential towers (39 and 12 storeys), and a 13-storey office tower (base of the 39-storey residential tower), with commercial, retail, restaurants, and a cinema at ground level. The main purpose of the new amended application is to accommodate the future LRT station on site along King George Blvd, which is expected to begin construction in 2018. Phase A of the project, completed back in 2015, included the iconic 10-storey Coast Capital Savings headquarters building.

Vancouver’s Prado Cafe is coming to 3 Civic Plaza this fall. Revealed today in a video produced by Surrey604 on the under-construction tower, the trendy coffee house/bakery is set to open their first location outside of Vancouver in a brand new space fronting Surrey’s new Civic Plaza. Prado Cafe is a well-rated, local chain serving freshly baked-in-store goods, 49th Parallel coffee, and lunch / brunch style food options. The chain’s other locations include Gastown, Commercial Drive, and Fraser Street in East Vancouver.

Prado Cafe will be a much welcomed addition to the Surrey Central area, and is a sure sign of the revitalization underway in the neighbourhood. It will offer locals and visitors a new independent option for fresh quality food and coffee.

http://www.pradocafevancouver.com

The fast moving SFU Surrey expansion project, which began excavation just 2 months ago, has now installed its crane. The 5-storey, Bing Thom Architects designed Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering Building project is proceeding at a rampant pace to meet an April 2018 deadline for substantial completion. As of now, the north end of the site adjacent to the under construction Prime development is nearly completely dug, with just the south end remaining to be dug before construction can commence on the underground levels of the building.

Today’s installation adds to the growing number of cranes in Surrey City Centre, which now has a total of 7 cranes, with 1 more likely on the way within the next month. The presence of this many cranes represents the largest construction boom ever experienced in the City Centre, and a sign that momentum is picking up for development in the area. The next 5-10 years are likely to bring more transformation to the area than its seen in its entire history.

Welcome! UrbanSurrey is a new blog that will feature development in Surrey BC’s emerging City Centre. It will be a resource for development news, updates, and information. Check back as Surrey and this blog grow.

University District and 3 Civic Plaza as seen from Central City – May 25, 2016 

A heritage revitalization project being proposed by Vancouver developer Rize Alliance at 9656 King George Blvd just north of Surrey Memorial Hospital, received unanimous approval by Surrey’s Advisory Design Panel (ADP) on February 14. The project, which must still appear before Council for approvals, is proposing to restore the 1969-built North Surrey Medical Building, while adding a new ‘twin’ commercial podium, and residential tower to the site.

The North Surrey Medical Building is listed in the Surrey City Centre Plan as a ‘Potential Heritage Resource’. If approved, the project will officially add the building to the City’s Heritage Register, and help to preserve and enhance mid-century heritage within the City Centre – a goal of the City Centre Plan.

Subject Site at 9656 King George Blvd

Aside from the Heritage Revitalization Agreement for the North Surrey Medical Building, the proposal is seeking to Rezone the subject site from CHI to CD, Consolidate 2 lots into 1, and obtain a Development Permit in order to construct 276 residential units and 1486 sq. m. of commercial space. The new commercial space is to occupy a new ‘twin’ 4-storey podium consisting of ground floor retail and 3 floors of office – adjacent to and resembling the original 1960’s building.

Now that the project has passed ADP – it can be expected to appear before Council within the coming months. More renderings and project details can also be expected at that time.

For more on the proposal: https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=18&seq=0276

Earlier this month, excavation began for what is to become Surrey’s 2nd tallest tower – One Central in West Village. The 44-Storey, 134m (438 ft.) tower by China-based developer Aoyuan will rise at the corner of 133A St and Central Ave, adding to the growing cluster of towers in the densely populated West Village neighbourhood.

Once complete, the tower will contain 550 units, including 11 ground-oriented townhouses at its base, and 4,596 sq. ft. of ground-level retail space. The building will also include 11,501 sq. ft. of indoor amenity space throughout the building on levels 1, 3, 14, 34, and 44 – signified by horizontal architectural breaks in the tower, and 10,247 sq. ft. of outdoor amenity space, including an expansive rooftop deck. 

With excavation now underway, building completion can be expected by late 2022 / early 2023.

https://onecentral.ca

Renderings have emerged courtesy of Adessa Visuals for an upcoming 25-storey project at 9677 King George Blvd. The project, which is set to replace a long-standing Knight & Day restaurant on the site, is currently under application at the City of Surrey, in the initial review stage.

Not many details have been released so far, but it is expected that the 25-storey tower will feature market condos above a mixed-use podium. The project is located just north of 96th Avenue on the west side of King George Blvd, adjacent to the emerging Health & Technology District. The architect and applicant on the project is Chris Dikeakos Architects.

For more on the application:
https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=17&seq=0462

View of proposed 25-storey tower fronting King George Blvd just north of 96th Ave Subject site near the south end of City Centre Site of 25-storey tower proposal (highlighted in red) A new proposal has been submitted by Chris Dikeakos Architects for a 25-storey residential tower with a mixed-use podium at 9677 King George Blvd just north of 96th Avenue. The site is currently home to a Knight & Day Restaurant, next to the Canada Revenue Agency building.

Prior to the current proposal, a rezoning application had been underway since 2009 by a separate applicant for an 18-storey tower consisting of retail, medical offices, a care facility, and condos on the same site. Despite that application receiving 3rd Reading (preliminary approval) back in 2010, the project did not end up proceeding to 4th reading (final adoption).

Previous (now defunct) application for site for an 18-storey tower on the same site by Atelier Pacific Architects. Under the current application, Chris Dikeakos Architects is applying to rezone the property from C-8 to CD, consolidate 2 lots into 1 lot, and obtain a Development Permit to allow for the construction of a 25-storey residential tower with a mixed-use podium. While no renderings of the new project have yet to be released, the tower will add to the growing number of Chris Dikeaos designed towers underway and in the planning stages for City Centre. Already, Chris Dikeaos Architects is the architect on:

The proposed tower will also add to a number of tower projects set to get underway in the immediate vicinity, including a 30-storey Condo / Hampton Hotel just to the north at 98th Ave and King George; Phase B of King George Hub, Innovation Village, and Lark Group’s City Centre 2 and 3.

Further to news in January on the submission of a development application for WestStone Group’s next tower in West Village, more details have now surfaced showing changes to the original plan.

As per a recently released rendering of the project by Adessa Visuals, and application details from the City of Surrey, the project is now proposed as a 46-storey tower above a 14-storey podium. The significant massing of the project is a departure from early plans for the site, which showed a tower above a commercial/retail podium similar to the under construction Evolve next door. Early plans also showed a small plaza/park space on the southern portion of the site, which has now been replaced by the 14-storey podium, covering the entire site.

The scale of the project, designed by Vancouver-based Chris Dikeakos Architects is set to further transform the growing West Village neighbourhood to the west of Surrey Central Station. This latest tower is Phase 5 of an eventual 8 Phase project.

West Village Plan showing previous plan for site on Parcel 5 with the park now replaced by a 14-storey podium.

A new development application has been submitted to the City of Surrey by Chris Dikeakos Architects Inc. to develop a new 46-storey mixed-use tower at 10297 133A St in the rapidly-changing West Village neighbourhood of Surrey City Centre. Details of the application at this time indicate that 551 residential units are proposed within the tower, along with 4491 sq.ft. of commercial & retail space at ground level. The development would complete the block occupied by the neighbouring 35-storey ‘Ultra’ tower, and the currently under-construction 36-storey ‘Evolve‘ tower, designed by the same Architect.

This latest tower represents ‘Phase 6’ of a master plan for the area being developed by WestStone Group as shown on the map below. It appears that this next phase will be moving forward ahead of ‘Phase 5’ on the map which is shown just to the north. In addition to adding density and new residents to the area, the proposed commercial and retail space will compliment similar space under construction at Evolve to create a new neighbourhood commercial hub for West Village along future 103 Ave (Central Ave).

For more info:
https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=17&seq=0011