Vancouver, BC, June 12, 2023 – EDGAR Development is proposing a significant, new, comprehensive-planned, pedestrian-only community on transit in New Westminster. The proposed development, at 88 Tenth Street, has just been submitted to the City for rezoning and is poised to transform the 7.1 acre site into a new neighbourhood featuring 8 towers and a complete range of housing options including affordable, market rental and strata condos, a daycare, office, retail and significant green space.

Located next to the New Westminster SkyTrain station and on a gateway site to downtown New Westminster, EDGAR’s mixed-use development takes an innovative approach with a vision to create a pedestrian-only, car-free, transit-oriented community within a newly created urban forest.

Columbia Square will deliver approximately 2,400 homes, including roughly 300 purpose-built market rental and 300 affordable rental. According to rennie intel, based on historical data, between one-half to one-third of homes in larger buildings are in the rental pool in Metro Vancouver. Applied to Columbia Square, this means the development will deliver approximately 1,000 rental homes overall, or about 44 percent of the total homes in the project.

“We are the second pedestrian-only, master-planned community to be launching in the Greater Vancouver Area this year, and we are really excited to be creating this new neighbourhood with a significant amount of new, much-needed housing, no cars at grade, amenities and green space,” said Peter Edgar, President of EDGAR. “This is the future of master-planned communities and we have brought an amazing team together to build housing for the future, alongside a complete, pedestrian-focused community on transit in the most historic city in Metro Vancouver.”

“What’s being proposed is truly innovative in terms of how we live,” Mark Thompson, MCMP Architects. “Columbia Square today is car-oriented and suburban, and what we are proposing is a new people-oriented community with vehicles directed underground. By enhancing the character, quality and experience of the area, we will provide a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown with this  new gateway to the downtown core.”

“This will be an inviting space for both residents and the public with terraced parks leading to a central green with mature trees that will eventually become another urban forest for the City,” says Derek Lee, Principal at PWL Partnership Landscape Architects.

Strategic phasing of the development has been carefully considered to minimize impact to essential services, including the existing retail. Those businesses will remain as phase one begins construction and then transfer over to new space once it’s complete, with the intent being to work with all tenants to re-envision them into the space. The proposal integrates 10 percent of housing in a standalone site for an affordable housing provider, plus additional sites for 10 percent market rental housing. The EDGAR team is currently involved in Indigenous engagement.

Key Project Highlights:

• Range of housing options including affordable, market rental and strata condos
• Office, retail and commercial space that could integrate institutional uses
• Accessible walkways throughout the site will allow people with different abilities to access and enjoy the outdoor space
• Bike routes will be provided throughout the site and tie into the City’s existing network
• Several play spaces will be provided as well as a daycare for residents, employees and the community
• Park and open space will be 50% of the site area, enhancing the public open space in the downtown area overall
• The proposal includes a central green space, envisioned as a key cultural space to serve the downtown neighbourhood as a space for community gathering, recreation and public art; this designation will allow for public events like farmers markets, cultural and music festivals
• The proposal incorporates the addition of a significant number of trees and explores the possibility of supporting mature trees on site, working to enhance New West’s urban forest and addressing the tree deficient currently experienced downtown
• All vehicles will be diverted to the parkade level allowing the ground floor to become a pedestrian hub

For more information, visit https://edgardevelopment.com

Media contact:

Cori Howard Communications

cori@corihowardcommunications

778-987-1345

About EDGAR:

EDGAR is a next generation comprehensive plan developer in the Lower Mainland, building complete communities with a diverse range of housing. Established in 2009, the company has been creating meaningful spaces through an expansive portfolio of real estate offerings for over a decade. Currently, EDGAR is completing more than 5,000 homes across two communities in Port Moody and New Westminster, with a vision to building a more sustainable and supportive future for all. The company’s commitment to thoughtful placemaking allows for the delivery of innovative environments that inspire a diverse and growing community of homeowners. For more information, visit https://edgardevelopment.com