Mall redevelopment to create underground entrance for Oakridge-41st Avenue Station

April 2022 artistic rendering of the northeast parcel of Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre). (Henriquez Partners Architects/Quadreal Property Group/Westbank)

Westbank and Quadreal Property Group have provided a first detailed look at the design of the new underground transit concourse at the Oakridge Park shopping centre redevelopment, which will effectively provide SkyTrain’s Oakridge-41st Avenue Station with a second entrance.

A development permit application by Henriquez Partners Architects has been submitted for the northeasternmost parcel of the 28.5-acre mall redevelopment at the corner of the intersection of Cambie Street and West 41st Avenue.

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The western wall of the station’s existing ticketing concourse level would be knocked down to open up to a new underground corridor for pedestrians that leads to the new office building directly above, the mall, and the rest of the new complex. This concourse corridor also provides direct access to the mall’s central pick-up and drop-off area for taxis and ridehailing on the P1 level.

The underground transit concourse would be highly activated — lined with commercial retail units on both sides of the concourse. Several small retail units will carry a combined total floor area of 3,600 sq ft.

April 2022 diagram showing the underground transit concourse corridor between Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre) and SkyTrain Oakridge-41st Avenue Station. Areas coloured yellow represent the transit concourse pathway, while areas coloured blue represent the commercial retail space. (Henriquez Partners Architects/Quadreal Property Group/Westbank)

April 2022 diagram showing the underground transit concourse corridor between Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre) and SkyTrain Oakridge-41st Avenue Station. (Henriquez Partners Architects/Quadreal Property Group/Westbank)

skytrain oakridge 41st avenue station transit concourse entrance

Diagram of the underground transit concourse corridor between Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre) and SkyTrain Oakridge-41st Avenue Station. (Henriquez Partners Architects/Quadreal Property Group/Westbank)

In addition to the second entrance provided by the underground transit concourse, the property owners are also planning major upgrades to the station’s street-level entrance building.

The application shows the addition of two additional escalators — one up, one down — for a total of three escalators from street level leading to the ticketing concourse.

Both the new second entrance and upgraded existing street-level entrance are intended to improve accessibility and convenience for passengers, and significantly increase the station’s circulation capacity, given the substantial ridership increase that can be expected from the mall’s mixed-use redevelopment and the future high-density redevelopments beyond the property that make up Oakridge Municipal Town Centre.

The station entrance building would also be completely rebuilt and integrated with a new overhead canopy structure that frames the transit plaza’s border with West 41st Avenue, and establishes a new “front door” for the mall. This canopy also serves as a large covered bus shelter for the eastbound 41st Avenue bus stop next to the transit plaza.

April 2022 site plan of the northeast parcel of Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre). (Henriquez Partners Architects/Quadreal Property Group/Westbank)

April 2022 artistic rendering of the northeast parcel of Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre). (Henriquez Partners Architects/Quadreal Property Group/Westbank)

The new second station entrance and upgraded existing entrance are both subject to TransLink’s final approval.

“We are in discussions with Westbank about their development near Oakridge Station and about their proposal to integrate their upcoming development with Oakridge Station,” states TransLink in an email to Daily Hive Urbanized, adding that an agreement has yet to be finalized with the proponents.

The development permit application also outlines the plans for the transit plaza and new 11-storey retail and office building within the parcel.

The transit plaza will have an open space of about 11,000 sq ft, capable of hosting events with a standing capacity for about 2,200 people. This is just one of several event-friendly spaces across the redevelopment, with the other large outdoor event spaces found on the nine-acre rooftop public park.

Just like its previous purpose, the transit plaza also doubles as the outdoor pedestrian corridor that leads to the mall’s main ground-level entrance.

Additionally, this application entails the inclusion of a new northeast office building — an 11-storey building, with seven office levels above three retail levels. There will be an office amenity space on the building rooftop.

The new northeast office building — located on the north side of the transit plaza — replaces a previous office building on the same footprint, which is now nearly completely demolished. There were previously plans to retain and renovate the office building, but a decision was later made to revert back to the original strategy of building a new modern office building.

To the south of the transit plaza, the existing six-storey Medical Dental Building will be retained, as it is under a separate ownership. The first three levels are used for retail (Crate & Barrel) and medical dental office uses, while the upper three levels are The Terraces, which is strata residential. Only functional changes will be made to the Medical Dental Building.

April 2022 ground level layout of the northeast parcel of Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre). (Henriquez Partners Architects/Quadreal Property Group/Westbank)

April 2022 artistic rendering of the northeast parcel of Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre). (Henriquez Partners Architects/Quadreal Property Group/Westbank)

Oakridge Park, the new name of Oakridge Centre, is currently a major active construction site across the entire property. As of this spring, the first new buildings are beginning to rise above ground level.

The rooftop park, shopping centre and food hall, community centre, Vancouver Public Library branch, and first social housing are scheduled to open by the end of 2024. The various residential towers, stretching over multiple phases, will be completed between 2024 and 2027.

In March 2022, Vancouver City Council approved a revised rezoning application for the redevelopment, allowing a significant increase in rental housing and office space — accomplished through more density and taller buildings.

Last year, city staff stated a future tower redevelopment at the northwest corner of the intersection of Cambie Street and West 41st Avenue (across from the mall property) would be required to provide an additional entrance into the subway station. As a condition of rezoning, this would effectively provide Oakridge-41st Avenue Station with a third entrance.

oakridge centre oakridge park vancouver construction crane january 2022

January 22, 2022 construction update: Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre), Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

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