Brentwood Open House in the NewsLeader

Being out of town without accss to my arsenal of blog tools, a dissection of the Brentwood Mall Open House will be left to the following story until my return sometime next week.

Burnaby NewsLeader article:

Brentwood Town Centre master plan complete: Shape

By Wanda Chow - Burnaby NewsLeader
Published: July 01, 2012 12:00 PM

The master plan for the redevelopment of Brentwood Town Centre is complete after incorporating the input of area residents, says Darren Kwiatkowski of mall owner Shape Properties.

Kwiatkowski, executive vice-president of Shape Properties, said several changes were made to its master plan in response to issues raised by people who attended the project's first open house in the winter.

Many of the adjustments were made along the northern frontage of the 28-acre site at Lougheed Highway and Willingdon Avenue.
While Shape had originally planned to keep the current setup, with the lane including access to the mall site, the plan now is to turn it into a lane that only serves the single family homes located along it.

The greenbelt along that length of the property has been widened and the two- to four-storey residential buildings along it are now perpendicular instead of running parallel. That's so residents in the single-family homes won't be looking at the wider face of the buildings but rather the narrower ends, to allow for view corridors, said Kwiatkowski, who said residents at the second open house on June 27 were "happy about that."

The tower at the northwest corner of the site, will be a mid-rise, and has now been tiered to move the tallest portion further back from that northern property line.

Concerns about shortcutting traffic through the neighbourhood were also addressed with the addition of two roads through the mall property that would link Beta Avenue with Willingdon.

"If people are going to shortcut, they're most likely to shortcut through our property versus the single-family neighbourhood," Kwiatkowski said. "We can design for it."

In fact, he said, "we want people on our property." Shape envisions the coexistence of pedestrians and vehicles in its development to be similar to what's happening on Granville Island or Robson Street where people generally drive slowly, all the better to people watch.

Wide sidewalks will be a constant, with the entire lengths of Lougheed and Willingdon rebuilt to include double rows of street trees, and wide sidewalks to accommodate not only pedestrians but cyclists, rollerbladers and the like.

The bus loop will be removed and replaced with streetside bus stops, with one bus route going on the mall site. "It's more intuitive," he said. If you want to catch a bus from Brentwood up to Hastings, you're going on the east side of Willingdon, and vice versa.

The Brentwood SkyTrain station will be more integrated with the mall site. That corner of the site will also be home to a one-acre community plaza. Parking would be moved mostly underground.

Six to 10 towers will eventually be built on the site ranging in height from 15 to 60 or 70 storeys, he said. The tallest will be at the Lougheed and Willingdon corner and the rest will step down in height in all directions from there.

Shape will be applying for Burnaby city hall's s-category bonus density program, he said, and the plan is to design tall and skinny towers that lets in more sunshine and maintains view corridors, instead of shorter, wide buildings with the same density.

"Everyone kind of got it," he said of the response of people at the open houses.

"It was no surprise, everyone was expecting the town centre was going to get built out."

The key to neighbourhood acceptance appears to have been Shape's approach to creating the plan.

"The strategy was, let's go talk to the neighbours early before we've got everything figured out," Kwiatkowski said.

Now that the master plan is finished, it will go to a public hearing in front of Burnaby council, where people will have another chance to comment. Kwiatkowski said the earliest the public hearing would take place is late August.

If it gets council approval, then Shape will begin detailed design work on each phase of the project, which will each require rezoning approval and a public hearing.

If all goes as planned, construction could start on the first phase in the fall of 2013. The mall would stay open throughout the transformation of the property.

wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
twitter.com/WandaChow

Brentwood Redevelopment Open House today

Unfortunately, I will be unable to check out the 2nd open house scheduled for tomorrow as I will be out of town.  Hopefully Shape Properties (BW Mall owner) will put some of it's presentation on its website as it did with the 1st open house.

(Burnaby NewsLeader)

Open house for Brentwood redevelopment June 27

By Wanda Chow - Burnaby NewsLeader
Published: June 25, 2012 10:00 AM 
Updated: June 25, 2012 11:00 AM

The proposed redevelopment of Brentwood Town Centre will be the subject of an open house to be held Wednesday, June 27, 4 to 7 p.m. in the shopping mall's food court.

The public is invited to check out information on the proposed project and provide feedback.

Shape Properties, which owns the shopping centre at Lougheed Highway and Willingdon Avenue, plans to redevelop the property with housing, offices and public spaces, as well as a redesigned mall.

The company is proposing to rezone the property to set development guidelines for the 28-acre site. Redevelopment would happen in phases, with each phase requiring a separate rezoning.

The proposed plan would eventually see the site developed with six to 10 towers of varying heights, with the highest densities closest to Brentwood SkyTrain station. Low-rise housing would be built along the rear lane that separates the site from single and two-family homes in the neighbourhood. Parking would be moved underground.

wchow@burnabynewsleader.com

twitter.com/WandaChow

Solo District lined up down the block

I had planned to check out the open house at the Solo District presentation centre on the way to somewhere else.  The open house which began at 12:00, had a line up down it's path to Willingdon Ave and down the block by 12:30.  Not having anticipated such a lineup, I opted to continue on past it. I wonder if any readers had a chance to check it out today?

Euro Cup semi-finals broadcasts at Brentwood Mall

Perhaps a sign of things to come when the Entertainment Plaza is built:

Burnaby NewsLeader

Brentwood mall to show Euro Cup matches

By Staff Writer - Burnaby NewsLeader
Published: June 22, 2012 2:00 PM 
Updated: June 22, 2012 2:09 PM

Brentwood Town Centre is inviting soccer fans to its "Euro 2012 Lounge" starting Saturday, June 23, in time for the quarter-final game No. 3 between Spain and France.

The lounge, featuring three high-definition screens with TSN's live broadcast, is located on the lower level, near Zellers. It will show full coverage of Euro Cup matches.

Upcoming matches include: Sunday, June 24, quarter-final No. 4, England versus Italy; Wednesday, June 27 semi-final, Portugal vs. the winner of quarter-final No. 3; Thursday, June 28, semi-final, winners of quarter-finals No. 2 and No. 4; and on Sunday, July 1, the final.

The mall is giving away prizes and shoppers are invited to post their best photos from the lounge Info: www.Brentwoodtowncentre.com, www.facebook.com/brentwoodtowncentre or www.twitter.com/#!/brentwoodfits.

Density debate in Metrotown

More than 1 and-a-half years after the City of Burnaby amended zoning laws to allow increased heights and density in the city's town centres, some residents have begun to express their ire at the prospect of taller building going up next to theirs.  During the public hearing process in 2010 (which I attended), nobody made the effort to speak against the by-law amendment.  My question for those opposing greater density is this:  How should the City maintain service levels and increase amenities without the larger property tax base that is brought in with high-rise developments?  One option that everyone always likes to oppose is increased property taxes for existing dwellings.

The proposed developments in Metrotown are good for the city as larger numbers of people will support diverse local businesses and allow them remain in the the neighbourhood and thrive.  It's a given that community Centres will need to be expanded or (more built) to accommodate more users.  The density bonus funds provided by developers contribute to such projects.

The following article is from the Burnaby Now.

Sky is not the limit for city buildings

Metrotown resident says 57 storey buildings 

are too high and will create problems

BY JANAYA FULLER-EVANS, BURNABY NOW JUNE 22, 2012

A Burnaby resident wants the city to put a cap on building heights, particularly those in the Metrotown neighbourhood.

Carly Franklin has launched a petition asking Mayor Derek Corrigan and Burnaby council to limit highrise development in Metrotown.

"I think they're getting a little out of control with the height of some of the buildings that are going up in the area," Franklin said Wednesday.

Franklin's petition is at www.change. org/petitions/mayor-derek-corrigan-limit the-height-of-high-rise-developments-inmetrotown, and as of Wednesday afternoon had 10 signatures.

Each signature sends an email letter to Burnaby's mayor and eight councillors.

Franklin is concerned there is not enough community infrastructure - such as community centres, transit and the local libraries - to support the amount of development going on in South Burnaby.

"We've got a community centre that's already jam-packed all the time," she said, "and all these community services that will just be further stretched to accommodate - you know, even fire and police - all these huge buildings they're planning."

The tipping point for Franklin was plans for the redesign of Station Square at Metrotown. The development plans for the project include five residential towers ranging in height from 35 to 57 storeys.

"That's so much bigger than anything else that's in the area already," she said. "It just feels like it doesn't fit in with the neighbourhood as it currently is."

A "behemoth 60-storey tower" is too much, she said, adding that she supports the revitalization of Station Square in principle but wants something that's more reasonable, height-wise.

Franklin became concerned about the size of developments in Metrotown when she heard about Metroplace, a 46-storey development under construction at Telford Avenue and Beresford Street, she said.

"It really has bothered me since I found out," she said, adding that the 45-storey Sovereign development at Willingdon Avenue and Kingsway also worried her.

The proposal for the first phase of development at Station Square went to council last fall.

Franklin would like to see council limit the height of the project before the developer, Anthem Properties, moves forward with future plans.

"I'm hoping they'll bring it down from the stratosphere," she said, adding she'd like to see the city strike a balance between attracting developers' dollars and keeping density in the area reasonable.

Corrigan did not respond to requests for an interview before press time but has spoken on the issue of density in Metrotown in previous interviews with the NOW.

The city is focusing on increasing density around SkyTrain hubs such as Brentwood and Metrotown, he said in an interview regarding the city's transportation plan.

Corrigan has also pointed out in previous interviews that adding highrises is part of the community plan for the Metrotown area.

In Fall 2010, Burnaby introduced the community benefit bonus density policy, which gives developers the chance to increase density in buildings if they give a contribution towards the community.

The zoning allows for increased density in Burnaby's four town centres to a maximum floor area ratio, in this case 5: 0, as opposed to 2: 6 under the previous bylaws.

Through the policy, developers are required to give a portion of space onsite or at other developments for non-profits, or to make a financial contribution for community amenities in lieu of space.

Metroplace was the first development to go forward under the new zoning.

The developer, Intracorp Lands Ltd., had previously proposed a 28-storey apartment building with a one-storey commercial base on the property.

Under the new zoning, the development includes a 46-storey residential tower and a four-storey commercial podium.

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© Copyright (c) Burnaby Now

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Solo public preview

According to the Burnaby NewsLeader the public will get an opportunity to see a preview of the Solo District project this Saturday June 23 on Willingdon Ave just south of Lougheed (SOLO).  I will definitely try to make it out for the viewing.  For those that will need to drive to the site, a parking lot has been provided next to the presentation centre.

Burnaby NewsLeader - News
Solo set to transform Burnaby's Brentwood corner
By Wanda Chow - Burnaby NewsLeader
Published: June 20, 2012 1:00 PM 
Updated: June 20, 2012 3:45 PM
As a Burnaby boy, Jim Bosa has passed by the southwest corner of Lougheed Highway and Willingdon Avenue thousands of times.

"I just saw the potential of what we could have down here," said Bosa, now president of Appia Developments.

Working from an office a couple blocks away, Bosa is set to make that potential a reality with the Solo District, a four-tower community on just over six acres, set to start construction in August once final approvals are granted by city hall.

"It's an opportunity that came up," said Bosa during a NewsLeader preview of the sales centre. "We've spent six years planning and designing for this."

The company contemplated getting the project off the ground three or four years ago, but decided to wait until market conditions were right. Then a couple years ago, Burnaby city hall introduced its "s category" of density bonuses and Appia redesigned the project to take advantage of it.

The result is a complex of four towers, with a total of just under 1,400 homes. It will include offices and commercial space, including the first Whole Foods supermarket in Burnaby.

The first phase, dubbed Stratus, will be a 45-storey, 374-unit highrise, the Whole Foods and additional retail space on the northwest corner of the site, at Lougheed and Rosser Avenue.

Phase two will be a 52-storey tower on the northeast corner, comprised of 250,000 square feet of office space, additional commercial space, and a residential tower on top of it all.

The third phase will be a 39-storey highrise on the southwest corner, with 12,000 square feet of commercial, and the fourth phase, to be built when market conditions permit, will be a 43-storey structure on the southeast corner, on top of a 20,000-square-foot podium of commercial space.

In exchange for the additional density, Bosa said Appia will be providing $32 million in community amenities if all four phases go ahead—a 4,000-square-foot community space to be owned by city hall, a $2-million value to be built in phase three, and $30 million in cash to be used for amenities off site.

The condos in Stratus will have their share of sustainable features, from Modo car co-op vehicles and two years of transit passes for a certain number of units to individual gas meters for each unit, so residents pay only for what they use.

All units will have air conditioning and a geo-exchange system will be used to reduce energy costs. "We're taking advantage of the energy the whole project produces (both retail and residential) rather than just blowing it out into the atmosphere," Bosa said.

As for Stratus, it features an outdoor rooftop common area that includes a fenced-in dog park, fitness centre, gardens and barbecue area.

The units range in size from the 475-square-foot junior one-bedrooms ($229,000) to three two-level skylofts at 1,785 square feet ($1.25 million), said Dennis Serraglio, Appia's director of sales. Two bedroom units will range in size from 850 to 940 square feet and start at $379,000.

They all come with balconies that are larger than usual but typical for Appia projects, said Serraglio. The junior one-bedroom (essentially a studio suite with a pony wall creating a sleeping area) comes with about 80 square feet of balcony, which is not included in the floor area.

"People in the summer like to spend a lot of time outside," he said. "It adds to the cost to build but it enhances the unit."

And when Solo is complete, it will all complement the planned redevelopment of Brentwood Mall across Lougheed.

"[Brentwood] will be more walkable and pedestrian friendly, more of a community versus a destination mall, in and out from the parking lot," said Bosa, stressing residents will be able to walk or take SkyTrain to their shopping and entertainment, leaving their cars, if any, at home.

While sales for Stratus will not start until mid summer, after the city grants final approvals, the sales centre at the end of Sumas Street near Willingdon opens for public previews this Saturday, 12 to 5 p.m.

A community event will be held at the centre on July 14, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring free food, games, and entertainment for the whole family.

twitter.com/WandaChow

High-rise heights getting more attention

As the following editorial in the Burnaby NewsLeader suggests, the approval of new projects involving 45-plus story buildings is starting to garner more attention in the city as town centres like Brentwood continue to fill in and build up with high-rise developments.

Burnaby NewsLeader - Opinion
EDITORIAL: Burnaby rapidly changing into a soaring city

By Editorial - Burnaby NewsLeader
Published: June 20, 2012 10:00 AM 
Updated: June 20, 2012 10:16 AM

Burnaby’s town centres are rapidly changing. Metrotown, Brentwood, Edmonds and Lougheed are rife with construction cranes as these four areas densify. The growth is particularly fast in Brentwood and Metrotown, both on SkyTrain, both a short jaunt to downtown Vancouver.

Some have voiced concern that new towers are now reaching stratospheric heights, with Metrotown’s Station Square redevelopment to have a tower of 57 storeys, and the redevelopment of Brentwood Mall eyeing a 60-storey skyscraper.

Why so tall? That’s what Metrotown-area resident Carly Franklin asked in this paper recently, and it’s a legitimate question. Won’t the influx of new residents mean jammed libraries, community centres and parks?

As far as density goes, the plan for the town centres is no surprise. Burnaby’s Official Community Plan has charted the growth in these areas for decades. They were always meant to be busy, but in some ways they are only now coming to fruition. The soaring heights, though, are new.

The city now lets developers go higher on specific sites—achieving more density—in return for building amenities for the city or paying cash in lieu.

And it’s not petty cash.

The Solo project in Brentwood will encompass four towers, and the city will get a 4,000-square-foot facility for local non profit groups. In addition, the city will get $30 million in cash from Jim Bosa’s Appia Developments. Twenty per cent will go to Burnaby’s fund for affordable and special needs housing, which has supported worthwhile projects like the Poppy Residences, built by Royal Canadian Legion Branch 83 in South Burnaby.

The rest, $24 million, will go a long way towards building bigger, better libraries, community centres, and parks. These new shiny towers will certainly change the look and feel of the town centres. Whether a person likes the look and feel of the changing neighbourhood, well, that’s another question altogether.