12 towers with 6,000 homes proposed near SkyTrain Gilmore Station

12 towers with 6,000 homes proposed next to SkyTrain Gilmore Station in Brentwood

Preliminary artistic rendering of the redevelopments within the Buchanan West master plan area in Brentwood Town District in Burnaby. (City of Burnaby)

Significant additional residential and commercial uses are planned for the ever-evolving Brentwood Town Centre district of Burnaby, with the municipal government now in the early stages of contemplating high-density uses with 6.7 million sq ft of total building floor area on a 10.7-acre site.

It would replace low-storey commercial uses and vast tracts of surface vehicle parking lots on the north side of Lougheed Highway between Gilmore Avenue and Madison Avenue — a site currently occupied by businesses such as White Spot, Fitness Town, Club16 Trevor Linden Fitness, Cactus Club Cafe, Sleep Country Canada, Staples, and Executive Suites Hotel and Conference Centre. This development site has six different property ownership groups.

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The site is immediately north of SkyTrain Gilmore Station and Onni Group’s major Gilmore Place redevelopment, which is currently under construction.

Site of the Buchanan West master plan site in Brentwood Town District in Burnaby. (Google Maps)

Map of the area of the Buchanan West master plan, with the various property owners highlighted. (City of Burnaby)

Preliminary concept of the redevelopments and public spaces within the Buchanan West master plan area in Burnaby’s Brentwood Town Centre. (City of Burnaby)

In a new City of Burnaby staff report, Buchanan West, the name of the site, is described to be the “western gateway” of the Brentwood Town Centre. City staff are working with the applicants to create an area master plan for this site that will guide future rezoning applications and development permits, and public consultation will continue through February 9.

The preliminary vision for the redevelopment calls for as many as 6,000 homes under a diverse range of housing tenures, including rental housing.

There would also be 1.5 million sq ft of commercial space, including significant office space, new retail/restaurant uses, and a replacement hotel larger than the Executive Suites Hotel.

These uses would be contained within 12 mixed-use, high-rise towers and their associated base podiums. The proposed height of these towers has not been noted at this early stage of planning, but the preliminary artistic renderings suggest they will be comparable to the heights of Brentwood’s newest towers.

Preliminary artistic rendering of the redevelopments within the Buchanan West master plan area in Brentwood Town District in Burnaby. (City of Burnaby)

“Given this site’s strategic location, in close proximity to major transportation infrastructure, as well as adjacency to both high-density mixed use development and large public open spaces, future redevelopment of the area presents a special opportunity to create a diverse, transit-connected, mixed-use neighbourhood with a focus on creating community, as well as employment opportunities and commercial services,” state City staff in their report, noting there will be “opportunities for signature architecture.”

“Re-conceptualizing the subject site requires a concept and vision that demonstrates leadership in economic, environmental and social sustainability, and delivers exceptional urban design and public realm, with meaningful amenity contributions to the broader Brentwood Town Centre area.”

A pedestrian-friendly public realm would be established, with Buchanan Street extended westward through the site, and the future Carleton Avenue extended northward through the site from the Gilmore Place project. A public park is envisioned for the northwest corner of the future intersection of Buchanan Street and Carleton Avenue.

It is noted by the municipal government that the potential development concept for the easternmost end of the site — where Staples is currently located — is impacted by the Thornton Tunnel running beneath. This north-south tunnel is an underground railway operated by Canadian National for its freight train operations between Second Narrows and its mainline railway, with the tunnel portal located southeast of Gilmore Place.

The public hearing for the Buchanan West master plan is targeted for Spring 2023, with City Council expected to review and finalize the plan before summer.

Site of the Buchanan West master plan site in Brentwood Town District in Burnaby. (Google Maps)

This effort to create the Buchanan West master plan should not be confused with the completely separate Brentwood West master plan at the northwest corner of the intersection of Willingdon Avenue and Lougheed Highway — immediately west of SkyTrain Brentwood Town Centre Station.

Brentwood West calls for over 1,400 homes and 650,000 sq ft of office, retail, and restaurant space in four towers ranging between 42 storeys and 64 storeys, with the tallest building likely exceeding the region’s current tallest of Living Shangri-La. The site area spans 2.6 acres.

Immediately southeast of Brentwood Town Centre Station, the municipal government is reviewing a proposal from Grosvenor Americas to redevelop an eight-acre site into six towers up to 65 storey, containing 3,400 homes and 200,00 sq ft of office and retail space. A major City-owned and operate community centre is also planned for this site.

Both the Brentwood West and Grosvenor Americas Brentwood sites consist of a substantial rental housing component for their residential uses, not just condominiums.

gilmore place construction december 4 2022

Construction progress on Gilmore Place next to SkyTrain Gilmore Station, as of December 4, 2022, looking north towards the Buchanan West master plan area. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

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