Alan Campbell
Richmond News
Friday, January 23, 2009
A 17,000-square-foot retail drug store is being lined up as the anchor for the multimillion dollar redevelopment of a neighbourhood mall.
Shoppers Drug Mart has been signed up to be the cornerstone for the proposed partial demolition and rebuild of the Broadmoor Shopping Centre on No. 3 and Williams roads.
The retail drug store giant has agreed to a deal with developers First Capital Realty, conditional on rezoning and development permits being granted by the City of Richmond.
Also included in the project is the building of 42 townhouses and condos, reconstruction of the mall's south-east facade, landscaping improvements on nearby Dunoon Drive and 96 additional parking spots.
First Capital and its partners held an open house Wednesday evening at the mall, at which approximately 150 members of the public and current business tenants attended to view the plans and air their views.
Although many of them reacted positively to the possibility of a bigger store and modern mall, a few were concerned about the extra traffic the new development may bring.
"Getting out on Williams is a disaster right now, it's a nightmare," local resident Bev Green said.
"This is not going to make the traffic better, that's for sure. I almost got knocked down just the other day at the crosswalk out there."
Another woman, who didn't want to give her name, was more upbeat about the proposed changes.
"I've been here since 1986, and I think the changes will be good for the area," she said.
"Hopefully this will bring more people into the area."
The plans, which are subject to city planning approval, centre around the demolition of the centre's northwest building, to be replaced with a new 1 of 3 2009-01-23 10:20 AM environmentally-friendly residential and commercial low-rise containing townhouses, condos and the new Shoppers Drug Mart.
First Capital, who were responsible for the Terra Nova Shopping Centre, are also promise enhanced safety and security via more lighting and residential units overlooking the shopping and Dunoon Drive areas, as well as better parking and more landscaping.
Dunoon Drive is where, earlier this month, three Steveston-London students were hit by a car as they crossed Williams Road through a crosswalk.
This corner is also the site where good Samaritan Kevin Venn was beaten senseless five years ago when he went to the aid of a woman he thought was being harassed.
The developers are proposing that large truck deliveries will access the new mall via Dunoon Drive at the rear of the centre, with no more than three additional large vehicle inbound movements per day.
Existing retail tenants in the northwest building will likely be re-housed temporarily in the mall's vacant units, before being offered new deals in the rebuilt premises.
But that's exactly what one of the current tenants, Leo Sibo, of Broadmoor Barbers, is afraid of.
"I can tell you now that the rent is going to be high, for sure. And it's already high," said Sibo, who's been cutting hair at the mall for five years.
"Yes, it might drive me out of business, but I'll just have to wait and see what they're looking for."
First Capital's managing director, Michael Lowe, said it's difficult to estimate how much more new traffic the redeveloped centre will generate.
"It's very hard to assess that at this stage. I think Shoppers Drug Mart would be better placed to tell you," Lowe said.
"But I would imagine new customers and retailers would be attracted to the centre."
Lowe said the project has been in the works for more than a year and a half, with estimates for demolition and construction kick-off as early as this summer, pending city approval.
"We've been working with the city throughout this lengthy process and they seem happy with the design," Lowe added.
Lowe refused to put a price on the project, citing volatile construction costs.
"I really wouldn't like to say. It all depends if and when we get approval," he said.
One of the project's planning consultants, Blaire Chisholm, of Brook + Associates, said they've been very conscious of the need to consult the community prior to formally submitting their plans with city hall.
"This development will be the heart of the Broadmoor community and we want to make sure we get it right and have something that everyone is happy with," Chisholm said.
"We've met with the South Arm Community Association and two different PAC (Parent Advisory Council) groups. We've had significant public consultation already."
Following Wednesday's open house, First Capital is expected to apply to the city for rezoning of the area to a comprehensive development zone from a community commercial district, in order to facilitate residential construction.
© Richmond News 2009