CENTRAL DOWNTOWN DISTRICT
The Central Downtown District is the core neighborhood for Surrey City Centre and will be the transformation of this area as its impact and will shape a “New Surrey”. This blog will highlight the vision for the Central Downtown district and identify the key sites and components planned for this district, some of which have already been achieved.
Central Downtown
The district of Central Downtown was initially the site of a suburban shopping mall, rec centre and retail businesses; however, the district is now beginning to transform and take shape as the heart of a new downtown for Surrey. Both private and public sector development and redevelopment has brought in new university, office, civic and retail buildings into the area since 1994.
The extension of the SkyTrain to King George station in 1984, and the renovation to the mall site in 2000, added a signature 26 storey office tower and what is now Simon Fraser University Surrey Campus. The alterations and renovations created a more active and urban frontage along 102 Avenue with the construction of a public plaza. More students and commuters means an increase in foot traffic for businesses. Recently, a new state-of-the-art City Hall, Central Library and Civic Plaza have graced the area and further changed its composition. The Civic Plaza is vast and can be used to host community gatherings and large events. Sounds like a lot of construction? Well, guess what? Adjacent to the Civic Plaza, on City Parkway, a 52 storey tower is being built with the intention of being a mixed-use space. For example, it will house a hotel, residences, offices, educational and retail spaces, as well as a restaurant on ground level facing directly onto the Civic Plaza.
In order to facilitate growth of this magnitude, it is essential that there is sufficient public transit and infrastructure in place. A large surface parking lot and recreation facility, along with the Surrey Central Exchange bus loop, are located between the civic buildings to the north and the university and mall to the south. Safe to say, the new downtown area is easy to access.
Vision
The Central Downtown District has been envisioned to be a vibrant, civic, educational, entertainment and cultural focus for the City of Surrey. With the highest densities in the heart of downtown, it is also envisioned to be a compact and highly walkable area less than 1 square kilometer in size. The best way to promote civic, business, educational and retail exchange is to ensure that everything is accessible.
Local office and institutional sector employees, students, visitors and residents will support restaurants, galleries, shops and services, all connected through a network of pedestrian-oriented streets. High quality public spaces, plaza space, public art, seating, farmer’s markets and food carts will all add to the increased amenities for residents.In order to facilitate increased foot and road traffic, a major transit hub will be located at the core of the district in addition to the existing Surrey Central Exchange, SkyTrain station and the proposed SkyTrain extensions. The existing bus loop will be reconfigured into a new on-street transit exchange, as the ice arenas and bus layover are relocated away from the central core.
New university buildings will expand the Central Downtown area, making the campus identity stronger by increasing student energy and traffic at street level. Research buildings with large floor plates will have active retail street frontages and transparent storefronts, a feature that will help increase pedestrian engagement.
Key Sites and Areas
The following are key building sites and areas that are included in the plan
City Hall
Civic Plaza
Simon Fraser University: Energy Systems and Engineering Building
Hotel, residential and KPU (Kwantlen Polytechnic University mixed use development)
Central City Mall
Public art installations on King George Boulevard
Public art installations in Civic Plaza
Centre Block & relocation of ice arenas
Surrey Central SkyTrain station
Future SFU expansion site
SFU/Central City Office Tower
Future retail infill
The existing population in the area will increase from 2,740 to approximately 9,900 in 2043 with a build-out potential of 22,500. Now this increase in population and new sites will also help increase employment in the area. It is predicted that working population inhabiting the area will increase from 9,360 to approximately 14,650 in the year 2043 with enough space to build out for 30,500 business employers/employees.
Urban Design & Redevelopment Centre Block
The “Centre Block” is located between Central Ave and Civic Plaza to the north and 102 Ave and Central City Plaza on the south. This area includes the North Surrey Recreation Centre, boasting 2 ice arenas, a swimming pool and fitness facility, a suburban style bus loop and large parking lot area. However, the ice arenas have reached the end of their lifespan and will be relocated to a site near Scott Road SkyTrain Station in Surrey.
The Centre Block will be redeveloped into a mixed use precinct with higher density. A north-south pedestrian corridor and on-street bus exchange will be facilitated in redevelopment. The pedestrian corridor will run through the Centre Block with varying sizes and shapes, including large and small plazas. These plazas will include seating, bike racks, public art installments and specialty paving. 4-6 storey building podiums will animate the edges of the plaza, while all existing bus loops will be adjusted to accommodate the increase in transit passengers.
University Precinct
Even though a location is not identified in the plan for a University Precinct, it’s expected that the presence of the university will have a strong influence on the identity for the district. With Simon Fraser University (SFU) expanding, the area will see significant student activity in the area. Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) will also be localed in the 3 Civic Plaza building. SFU’s expansion may be realized as stand-alone academic buildings, or through the creation of mixed-used buildings with private sector partnerships. University and wayfinding signage, banners and buildings will help create an academic identity for the area.
City Parkway
City Parkway will extend the “Centre Block” pedestrian area into a car-free zone along 102A Avenue to Central Avenue. This will include the Surrey Central SkyTrain Station and the pedestrian street will include high quality architectural details and green landscaped tracks. Development that will front onto the station will be required to provide ground floor active retail uses. Merchants, public art and seating will be made available to the pedestrians who utilize the area. There will be an additional row of street trees, and a furnishing zone that includes seating and bike racks.
The Boulevard
King George Boulevard will emerge as a true “boulevard” in every sense of the word between 102 and 104 Avenues, with low intensity commercial and parking lot uses being redeveloped into a downtown shopping area that is predominately street-facing. In the long run, an underground parking lot and mixed-use development will integrate with the existing mall. There will be a street enclosure along this corridor with a strong 4-storey streetwall with a modern contemporary design aesthetic recommended for the base of large towers. Storefronts will be a maximum of 15 meters in width to promote business diversity and an interesting and active pedestrian environment. A significant public art installation will be located in the center of King George Blvd. median, as well as new bike lanes.
Central City Mall Redevelopment
Central City Mall will be redeveloped to create a site that is not only better connected to Holland Park, but provides a better mix of uses and updated design. The redevelopment will include office and residential components, with mixed-use buildings having retail on ground level, offices on the 2nd and 3rd stories with residential spaces above.
While many have spoken about the potential of the city of Surrey, redevelopment and updates are now highlighting its rapid transition into a burgeoning business and culture hub in the Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley areas. The Future is Surrey. If you have any questions regarding any of the upcoming redevelopment or development opportunities, contact us at info@thenewsurrey.ca