A new application (19-0095) has been submitted for a mixed-use project near Gateway Station at 10925 University Drive. According to application details, the applicant is seeking to Rezone and Subdivide the site into 2 new parcels to allow for approximately 500 residential units and 1580m2 (17,000 sq.ft.) of office space within 1 mid-rise and 1 high-rise building.

The subject site is currently made up of 2 existing lots adjacent to the 22-storey ‘Observatory’ condo tower built in 1995. The site was originally intended for a twin of that tower back in the 90’s – similar to the ‘Cornerstone 1 & 2’ towers just to the south – but the project never completed. The site has since sat vacant for over 2 decades now. This new proposal will also include in the site area an existing single family lot fronting 133A Street.

Subject site – vacant land next to existing condo towers built in 1990’s Looking south towards subject site Looking north-west towards subject site Subject site within City Centre Plan

As per the City Centre Plan, the site is currently designated ‘High-Rise 5.5 FAR (with 20% allowable increase to 6.6 FAR)’. It is located directly across University Drive from the currently in-process application (18-0388) which is proposing a pair of 28 & 30 Storey residential towers.

For more on the application:

https://apps.surrey.ca/Online-Development-Inquiry/?year=19&seq=0095

Construction fencing is now up at the SFU Sustainable Energy & Environmental Engineering Building site at 102 Ave & University Dr. While the project has not yet received 4th reading / final approval from Surrey City Council, this is a good indication that they expect to soon, and are aiming to get a head start on site preparation so that clearing and excavation can begin this fall.

It also now appears that the remaining house to the adjacent north of the site on 102A Ave may be set to be demolished soon as well, with numerous construction trailers now on the property. The vacant lots further to the north of it have also seen some site cleaning this week, perhaps indicating that trees on those properties could soon be removed. These properties have been indicated as a future site for an SFU residence tower, as well as new Urban Green Lane which will run behind the new SFU Building.

More on the SFU Surrey Expansion:

SFU Surrey Expansion

Update: SFU Surrey Expansion

Making big news this week was the much-anticipated announcement of redevelopment plans for the Stardust Roller Rink site in the heart of Surrey Central at 10240 City Parkway. Major Surrey developer WestStone Group which owns the site announced that they are partnering with CIBT Education Group to develop a 50-Storey “Education Mega Centre” on the site. This major redevelopment is intended to provide space for educational institutions as well as short-term and long-term affordable accommodations for international students. From the press-release:

• 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.

While no application has yet been submitted, it is expected that one could be submitted by later this fall. No mention of when the project is anticipated to be completed by, but it’s likely that it could begin construction by 2018 and finish by 2020/21.

In addition to the major transformative impact this project will have on a key site in Surrey City Centre, the project will also initiate a new dedication of 102A Avenue which will eventually connect through to King George Blvd, and align west replacing the Surrey Central Bus Loop, connecting with the existing 102A Avenue at University Drive. The tower’s height is expected to be similar to the under construction 48-storey 3 Civic Plaza a block away, and will add to the growing concentration of towers as well as educational institutions in the area.

For the 4th year in a row, the Surrey Central ‘Park-it’ pop-up park has returned to Surrey Central Station. This year’s winning submission ‘Polka-Dot / Surrey Spot’ was designed by UBC Landscape Architecture Students Tian Tian and Huan Pan, and is described as:

” an outdoor stage that references a small scale theatre. The design is based on a “spot” idea and uses circles to soften the edges of the skytrain columns, parking lot corners and concrete. The circles appear in every element of the design including benches, piano, ground plane and bar seats. A bench with metal poles can be played like a xylophone. Bright orange, yellow and blue create a colourful and inviting space for pedestrians.”

The space has been getting plenty of attention since opening this week, with people gathering into the night for piano, singing, and a place to sit / eat / socialize. The park will be in place until mid-September.

http://www.surrey.ca/culture-recreation/10971.aspx

Today, Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner held the 3rd annual State of the City address at the Sheraton Guildford Hotel. This year the focus of the event was on economic growth and the transformation of the city, as it evolves into Metro Vancouver’s 2nd designated metropolitan centre. As part of the address, the city launched the Invest Surrey initiative, a 10-year economic strategy outlining how the city is positioning itself to attract investment and develop into a robust, diverse, and innovative economic engine within the region.

As part of the address, the Mayor spoke on the rapid change that has been happening in Surrey City Centre over the past few years, and the anticipated acceleration of that growth over the next decade. Five investment themes were identified for the future of the city which include:

• Entertainment/Lifestyle,
• Digital and Information, Communications Technology,
• Smart Cities,
• Transportation & Logistics, and
• Research & Development/Innovation

Over the next 10 years, Surrey City Centre is to increasingly become a centre for major employment, services, higher-density housing, commercial, cultural, entertainment and institutional activities, connected to the rest of the region by SkyTrain, LRT, and Frequent Transit Network routes. City Centre will be home to a diverse population, including new immigrants & established residents, young professionals, families & children, youth, and seniors.

The Mayor highlighted a ‘NEXUS’ program for streamlining transformative development within the City Centre. A number of ‘transformative’ projects were identified as already being part of the program, receiving fast-tracking through the approvals process. These include:

• SFU’s new Bing Thom Architects designed Sustainable Energy & Environmental Engineering Building currently under construction.
• Lark Group’s Legion Veteran’s Village project at 106 Ave & City Parkway which will include Legion space, veterans and market housing, and a centre for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder research and treatment for veterans and first responders.
• Concord Pacific’s already approved 42-storey Park Boulevard project. When complete it will be Canada’s first interactive illuminated residential tower, lighting up in sync with the arrival of SkyTrains at King George Station.
• Anthem Properties’ 2 million sq.ft. City Centre development which is set to transform the current Save-on-Foods/Canadian Tire site at King George Blvd and 102 Ave. The project will bring a new mixed-use neighbourhood to the site, complete with 7 residential towers, commercial, and office space, retail shops, a restaurant row and vibrant urban green spaces.

Also highlighted were the emerging City Centre hubs for Education, Finance, Government, and Innovation. These include Innovation Boulevard, the University District, the Financial District, and the Government Hub:

Over the next 10 years, these hubs are expected to grow and form synergies between each other, transforming Surrey City Centre into a robust economic engine, and distinct metropolitan centre, attracting people and business from across the region.

Full State of the City Address video: http://www.surrey.ca/city-government/23396.aspx

For more on Invest Surrey visit: https://investsurrey.ca

https://investsurrey.ca/s/01-Building-the-Next-Metropolitan-Centre-Realizing-Surreys-Economic-Opportunities.pdf

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 

The never-ending dig at Weststone Group’s Evolve Condominiums site continues on. Now 6 months in, having started in January, it looks as though there are at least a couple more months to go until the pit is finally cleared, and a crane can be installed likely by late summer / early fall.

When complete in 2018, Evolve will become the 2nd tower after Ultra in Weststone’s West Village neighbourhood. It will feature a 37 storey condo tower, with townhomes at its base, as well as a 3 storey office and commercial podium. The development will also open a new section of 103 Ave, and a new pathway, helping to improve road and pedestrian connectivity in the neighbourhood.

http://evolvecondos.com/

A quick look at WestStone Group’s appropriately named Ninety-Six development on 96th Avenue at King George Blvd. Scheduled to begin construction this year, the 6 storey building will contain all purpose-built market rental housing units. The project will help to densify and infill Surrey City Centre’s southern boundary along 96th, and provide housing within close proximity to Surrey Memorial Housing, and the emerging Innovation Boulevard District.

New renderings have been released by Stambol Studios of Lark Group’s upcoming City Centre 3 project in the emerging Health & Technology District. The 10-storey project, which received preliminary approval in October 2017, is the 3rd building in a series being developed by Lark Group to the north of Surrey Memorial Hospital near 96th Avenue and 137A Street.

As shown by the photo-realistic renderings, City Centre 3 will create a strong street wall along 96th Avenue, different from that of its predecessor, City Centre 1, which can be seen further to the west, stepped back from its podium. The ground floor will feature retail units fronting 96th Avenue, while the remainder of the building is expected to be leased / sold for a variety of office uses, particularly in the medical and technology industries.

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 

Lark Group’s City Centre 2 held its grand opening today following the completion of the 185,000 square-foot, 12-storey LEED Gold certified office building. City Centre 2 is the second of 8 phases in Lark Group’s vision for an emerging Health & Technology District also referred to as ‘Innovation Boulevard’ just to the north of Surrey Memorial Hospital.

Anchoring City Centre 2 will be Surrey-based Safe Software, who will occupy the top five floors of the tower. Their brand new office space includes a state-of-the-art 4,000 square-foot cafeteria, a 6,000 square-foot roof-top garden terrace and green space with a multi-level deck and walking path, a well as a fully equipped fitness centre and amenities for their employees. Illuminated signage for Safe Software was installed on the top of the tower earlier this year.

In a speech at today’s opening ceremony, Lark Group president Larry Fisher indicated that construction could be underway on City Centre 3 as early as this summer.

Conceptual Rendering of Surrey City Centre in 2040

A landmark decision was made tonight as Surrey City Council gave final adoption to the new City Centre Plan. The plan, which has been under development for the past 10 years, is a major revision and update to the first City Centre Plan adopted back in 1991. Its aim is to redefine the vision and help better establish and reinforce a desirable development pattern for Surrey’s downtown. The 500-page document is full of visionary guidelines, objectives, and plans for the area, which will guide development over the next 30 years.

Below are some of the highlights:

“The goal of the Surrey City Centre Plan is to help develop and support a regional downtown that is the main business, cultural and activity centre for the City of Surrey. It is anticipated that the existing City Centre population of 32,000 will more than double by 2033 to approximately 68,000 people and the number of jobs will increase from 24,000 to 32,000 over the next 10 years.” The population of Surrey as a whole is expected to grow from 550,000 today to over 800,000 within 30 years to become the largest city in BC.

“Surrey’s City Centre is undergoing a major transformation from a suburban centre into a walkable high density, transit oriented downtown for South of the Fraser. Surrey City Centre is envisioned to be the Fraser Valley’s metropolitan centre, connected to major regional destinations by rapid transit and an efficient road network designed to support walking, cycling, and transit. It will be a centre for major employment; services; higher density housing; and commercial, cultural, entertainment, and institutional activity. Surrey City Centre is also designated as Metro Vancouver’s second metropolitan centre in the 2040 Regional Growth Strategy.”

“Distinct and vibrant neighbourhoods, including a dynamic and innovative business sector, university, hospital, and civic and historic districts, will form the framework of the City Centre. Each of these areas will have its own unique character that together will create a diverse, authentic, and interesting downtown.”

Artistic rendering of Surrey Central Station and a pedestrianized City Parkway with LRT

City Centre Neighbourhoods

• The City Centre Plan area has been organized into a number of distinct residential neighbourhoods and mixed use districts each with its own emerging identity, function, and scale. These sub areas help to create a focused, vibrant, and more urban downtown by defining and understanding the plan area through a smaller scale and framework.

1960’s Rickshaw Restaurant Sign at 10522 King George Blvd – Photo by Rebecca Bollwitt/Miss604

• A Mid-Century Historic District:
  • Building on the historic roots of the area, the vision for the Historic District is to support a pedestrian-oriented eclectic shopping experience with a continuous commercial and retail edge with pedestrian amenities. The historic, mid-century modern feel will be preserved and reinforced through small storefronts, building façade treatment and materials, public art, and signage.
  • New developments will incorporate the 1950’s character by using elements that reflect a mid-century modern design aesthetic. These elements include flat roof lines, vertically oriented windows, cantilevered overhangs, and clean and contemporary lines.

  • Preservation of mid-century heritage signs. If re-use of the sign is not possible, new developments should integrate the heritage sign into the redevelopment through an adaptive re-use approach.

Conceptual rendering of Surrey Central area – Existing and Future SFU buildings in red.

• Central Downtown:
  • A major transit hub will be located at the core of the district, building on the existing Surrey Central Exchange and SkyTrain station with the addition of light rail transit(LRT). The suburban style bus loop will be reconfigured into a new on-street transit exchange, as the bus layover and ice arenas are relocated away from the central core.
  • The presence of significant new university buildings will expand in the Central Downtown, creating a stronger campus identity and student energy at street level. Research buildings with large floor plates will have active retail street frontages and transparent storefronts to engage the pedestrian with the innovative internal uses.

• Central City Mall Redevelopment:
  • Over the longer term, the Central City Mall property will redevelop to create a site that has improved interface and connection to Holland Park as well as a broader range of mixed of uses. The retail uses in the parking lot areas along King George Boulevard will intensify and include office and residential components.
  • The interface along Holland Park will also be improved with redevelopment of the parkade structures into high density residential buildings and a redesign that creates direct connection through the mall site to Holland Park.

Greenways and Parks Network