26 buildings with 8,300 homes eyed next to Sperling-Burnaby Lake SkyTrain

Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of Burnaby Lake Height (former Telus site) at 7000 Lougheed Highway. (Create Properties)

Following the Summer 2022 approval of the Bainbridge Urban Village Community Plan by the previous makeup of Burnaby City Council, there are now redevelopment concepts for the sites covered by the area plan.

The 19-acre Saputo milk plant at 6800 Lougheed Highway, immediately adjacent to SkyTrain Sperling-Burnaby Lake Station, was acquired by Create Properties and Peterson Group more than five years ago for $209 million. This redevelopment of the milk plant site is now named Burnaby Lake Village — the northwest corner of the overall community plan.

To the east of Burnaby Lake Village and the transit hub, the 14-acre former Telus site at 7000 Lougheed Highway is also being eyed for the redevelopment, but it will be a standalone project of Create Properties, which acquired the property for $151 million in 2021. Burnaby Lake Heights is the name of this project.

Bainsbridge Urban Village Sperling-Burnaby Lake Station 15

New sub-areas with unique different forms within Bainsbridge Urban Village. (City of Burnaby)

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As these projects closely follow the Bainbridge Urban Village Community Plan, there are few surprises at this stage of planning.

Both Burnaby Lake Village and Burnaby Lake Heights projects combined could produce up to about 26 buildings with a combined total of up to about 8,300 homes. The redevelopments would be completed over multiple phases over a timeline of about 15 years.

Although the ownership structures are different, both projects spanning 33 acres are designed by dys Architecture, Hariri Pontarini Architects, IBI Group, and PFS Studio.

The conceptual master plans for Burnaby Lake Village and Burnaby Lake Heights will guide future rezoning applications for the multi-phased redevelopments.

Burnaby Lake Village: Saputo milk plant

It is now noted by City staff that at full buildout, the milk plan redevelopment by both Create Properties and Peterson Group could be home to up to 4,800 homes for a range of incomes and needs, on top of 1,000 new jobs.

There could be a total of 14 buildings ranging in 12 to 25 storeys in height, with the tallest buildings located closest to the SkyTrain station.

The entire redevelopment would be built in five phases, starting with the northern parcels closest to Lougheed Highway before completing the southern parcels fronting Greenwood Street.

6800 lougheed highway burnaby lake village saputo

Site of the future Burnaby Lake Village (former Saputo dairy plant) at 6800 Lougheed Highway. (City of Burnaby)

Tower heights at Burnaby Lake Village (former Saputo dairy plant) at 6800 Lougheed Highway. (Create Properties/Peterson Group)

Building use at Burnaby Lake Village (former Saputo dairy plant) at 6800 Lougheed Highway. (Create Properties/Peterson Group)

Burnaby Lake Village would have a mixed-use, live-work neighbourhood with residential strata, market and non-market rental housing, live-work units, retail, offices, childcare, medical services, grocery stores, hospitality uses, and brew pubs, as well as the potential for seniors housing, light manufacturing, and creative industrial uses.

A “community gathering hall” could also be situated within a commercial podium along the east-west, pedestrian-oriented, retail/restaurant-lined zone, called the Esplanade, which is oriented to enable optimal access to the SkyTrain station from across the community plan area.

The Esplanade — located within the northern area of Burnaby Lake Village — would be bookended by two public plazas, including a plaza next to the SkyTrain station.

As the name suggests, the Gateway Precinct of the redevelopment would be focused around the transit hub, providing a mix of commercial and employment uses, community services, and new housing around the Gateway Plaza, which is described as a new signature public plaza lined with restaurants, retail, and amenities. The Gateway Plaza would also be an event-friendly space for markets, festivals, and community gatherings.

The Serpentine, the name of a walking and cycling greenway corridor, provides a car-free active transportation route linking the transit hub, Gateway Precinct/Plaza, and the southern parcels of the overall redevelopment.

There would also be a multi-use trail, public spaces, and new landscaping along the Lougheed Highway edge of the redevelopment, underneath the SkyTrain guideway.

Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of Burnaby Lake Village (former Saputo dairy plant) at 6800 Lougheed Highway. (Create Properties/Peterson Group)

Public spaces at Burnaby Lake Village (former Saputo dairy plant) at 6800 Lougheed Highway. (Create Properties/Peterson Group)

Precinct areas of Burnaby Lake Village (former Saputo dairy plant) at 6800 Lougheed Highway. (Create Properties/Peterson Group)

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Phasing of Burnaby Lake Village (former Saputo dairy plant) at 6800 Lougheed Highway. (Create Properties/Peterson Group)

It is noted the existing TransLink bus exchange site immediately south of the SkyTrain station could be redeveloped independently, subject to the approval of City Council for the consolidation with the City-owned property. The future replacement bus exchange to accommodate redevelopment could be an on-street bus exchange or a facility under a new building (similar to the bus exchange at SkyTrain Production Way-University Station).

The entire redevelopment could see over 4.1 million sq ft of total floor area, establishing a floor area ratio density of a floor area that is more than five times larger than the size of the milk plant lot. This does not include the potential floor area for light manufacturing uses.

City staff note the dairy plant will be decommissioned in the near future to allow for redevelopment.

Bainsbridge Urban Village Sperling-Burnaby Lake Station

Conceptual artistic rendering of the highest densities and heights at Bainsbridge Urban Village in the Village Centre around SkyTrain’s Sperling-Burnaby Lake Station. (City of Burnaby)

Burnaby Lake Heights: Telus site

Immediately to the east of Burnaby Lake Village, the comparatively smaller Burnaby Lake Heights project is the redevelopment of the former Telus site.

The pedestrian-oriented Esplanade that begins to the west in Burnaby Lake Village continues eastward onto the Burnaby Lake Heights footprint, and turns into a pedestrian-only zone through the eastern edge of the property. Similarly, the landscaped Serpentine greenway also extends onto this site.

The Esplanade and Serpentine routes and Lougheed Highway multi-use path are oriented in a way for optimal public use and access to the transit hub.

7000 lougheed highway burnaby lake heights telus 5

Site of the future Burnaby Lake Heights (former Telus site) at 7000 Lougheed Highway. (City of Burnaby)

7000 lougheed highway burnaby lake heights telus

Precincts and phasing of Burnaby Lake Height (former Telus site) at 7000 Lougheed Highway. (Create Properties)

Building uses at Burnaby Lake Heights (former Telus site) at 7000 Lougheed Highway. (City of Burnaby)

There would be up to 3,500 homes for a range of household types and incomes, along with several hundred jobs in retail, hospitality, and knowledge-based industries.

There could be up to 12 buildings with a height range of between eight to 16 storeys, with the tallest buildings located in the northwest quadrant or near the core of the Telus site.

Non-market rental housing could be located within the base levels of the buildings closest to Lougheed Highway, and major office and market rental housing uses are eyed in the core of the site. There would also be significant condominium uses.

The overall mix of uses generally align with the sister site of Burnaby Lake Village.

Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of Burnaby Lake Height (former Telus site) at 7000 Lougheed Highway. (Create Properties)

As well, a “community club building” would provide a “welcoming space for residents” and include facilities such as childcare, co-working, non-profit office space, meeting space, and fitness facilities.

The entire project could be accomplished in about five phases. About 3.2 million sq ft of total floor area could be constructed, representing a floor area ratio density of a floor area that is over five times the size of the Telus site.

Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of Burnaby Lake Height (former Telus site) at 7000 Lougheed Highway. (Create Properties)

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