Construction underway on first redevelopment phase of Metropolis at Metrotown

Construction progress on the first phase of Concord Metrotown at Metropolis at Metrotown mall, as of August 20, 2022. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

There is now a big hole in the ground at Metropolis at Metrotown mall, marking the start of a new era of high density for the largest shopping centre in British Columbia.

Construction began earlier this year on the Concord Metrotown redevelopment, with excavation now well underway for the building foundations and underground parkade.

Concord Metrotown is being built on the northeast corner of the mall, within an area previously used as a surface parking lot — and the mall’s only pay parking lot since 2019.

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This is not only the first of four phases of Concord Metrotown, but the first of many phases of the overall long-term redevelopment of the entire shopping centre site.

concord metrotown construction august 20 2022

Construction progress on the first phase of Concord Metrotown at Metropolis at Metrotown mall, as of August 20, 2022. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Metropolis at Metrotown is uniquely under two different owners.

Ivanhoe Cambridge owns most of the mall, including the sprawling indoor complex, parkades, and most of the surface parking lots. Altogether it owns 47 acres.

Concord Pacific owns nine acres at the northeastern corner of the parking — entailing surface parking lots fronting Kingsway, underground parking, loading areas, and the former Sears building, which has been largely unused since the department store chain shuttered. Toys “R” Us is located below the former Sears space. It acquired this parcel of the mall from Sears Canada for $140 million in 2015.

The first phase of Concord Metrotown that will rise from the current hole will entail three towers, reaching 65 storeys, 45 storeys, and 33 storeys. The tallest of these towers is 755 ft (230 metres), making it considerably taller than downtown Vancouver’s Living Shangri-La and one of Metro Vancouver’s future tallest buildings. This phase of 1.2 million sq ft will contain about 1,400 condominium homes and 30,000 sq ft of retail/restaurant uses, plus a 50,000 sq ft bike amenity facility.

Concord Metrotown’s first phase will reach completion in 2025.

Artistic rendering of the first phase of Concord Metrotown, including Metro Vancouver’s new tallest building. (Concord Pacific)

Artistic rendering of the first phase of Concord Metrotown. (Concord Pacific)

Artistic rendering of the first phase of Concord Metrotown. (Concord Pacific)

The remaining three future phases of Concord Metrotown will be built west of the current big hole, including the demolition of the former Sears building. A recent application to the City of Burnaby shows five towers up to 644 ft (196 metres) with 60 storeys with about 2,100 homes — 1,100 condominium units and 1,000 market/non-market rental units — and 182,000 sq ft of retail/restaurant uses, and 459,000 sq ft of office space.

There will also be a small re-expansion of the indoor mall on the Sears footprint, including a new additional entrance into the indoor mall.

Approximate footprints of Concord Metrotown’s first phase (blue) and second phase (red) on the property formerly owned by Sears at Metropolis at Metrotown mall. The second phase has since been split into three additional phases for a total of four phases. (Daily Hive/Google Maps)

concord pacific concord metrotown future phases west

Artistic rendering of Concord Metrotown, showing the first phase on the east parcel currently under construction (left), and the future phases on the west parcel (right). (IBI Group/Concord Pacific)

Artistic rendering of Concord Metrotown’s future phases on the west parcel. (IBI Group/Concord Pacific)

As for the rest of the mall property, Ivanhoe Cambridge has long-term plans to knock down the indoor mall, and create a new street grid to establish city blocks for high-density tower development over multiple phases. There could be 15,000 new homes from its portion of the mall redevelopment, along with office space new street-oriented retail and restaurant uses. A smaller indoor mall will remain, surrounded by dozens of towers.

Concord Pacific and Ivanhoe Cambridge’s redevelopments combined create the core of the new city centre district as prescribed by the City of Burnaby’s Metrotown Downtown Plan, approved in 2017.

Ivanhoe Cambridge previously suggested the aim of its redevelopment is to directly compete with downtown Vancouver’s place in the region.

Concord Metrotown in relation to Ivanhoe Cambridge’s future Metropolis at Metrotown redevelopment. (Concord Pacific)

Four phases of the full redevelopment of the portion of Metropolis at Metrotown owned by Ivanhoe Cambridge. (Ivanhoe Cambridge)

Approved 2017 master plan for the Metrotown Downtown district, including the redevelopment of Metropolis at Metrotown mall. (City of Burnaby)

Aerial view of Metropolis at Metrotown shopping centre in Burnaby. (City of Burnaby)

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