Inside Vancouver, what's happening April 16

Time to celebrate

Ledingham McAllister recently held a “topping off” party for its luxurious new West Coquitlam tower, Sydney, located near the prestigious Vancouver Golf Club. The happy team was joined by city of Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart, Councillor Craig Hodge, Councillor Brent Asmundson, and Councillor Steve Kim for a ceremonial final concrete pour on the 25th floor. Sydney is a collection of 160, one-bedroom and den to three-bedroom luxury residences and is said to be poised to reshape the skyline of West Coquitlam. Sydney is slated for completion in the fall of 2022.

Rising construction costs

The president of Rennie Group, Greg Zayadi, recently spoke at a meeting of the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association about the impact costs are having on the industry. He cited three main reasons for this: the cost of materials, supply chain issues and a building boom. Land prices and construction costs that were both in the $250- to $300-sq.-ft. range a few years ago, today are often closer to $500 per sq. ft. “We’ve seen a 30 percent increase over the past 14 to 16 months, putting a lot of pressure on the real estate market,” he said.

Bauhaus influence

European art aficionados recognize how the German Bauhaus movement has had a major influence on architecture and interior design throughout the world. Award-winning developer, Everglade, took inspiration from that popular movement to create Oakhaus, a sophisticated collection of 20 townhomes within walking distance to Oakridge Park. This isn’t the first time Everglade took its creative cue from old-world classic architecture. Its last sold-out project, West Richmond’s MANOIR, re-interprets elegant French design in its manor townhomes. Oakhaus is launching in mid-May. Register now at oakhausliving.ca

For discerning buyers

Executive on the Park, Executive Group’s newest project in West Vancouver, is right across from Park Royal, and minutes from Ambleside Park and the Capilano River. As part of its community contribution, the developer is preserving the iconic Woyat Bowie building, which sits adjacent to Executive on the Park. The eight-storey building is expected to become a new landmark of 88 condos and townhomes surrounded by lush landscaping and an intimate parkette at the gateway of West Vancouver.

Mark your calendar

The Urban Development Institute (UDI) is hosting a luncheon on April 20 with guest speaker, Kevin Quinn, CEO of Translink. He will be discussing how TransLink is preparing for the year ahead, what’s next for the future of transit and how this will affect the development industry. There is no denying the benefits of transit-oriented development — easier travel between work and home, reduced GHG emissions and healthier communities. For more information or to purchase a ticket, visit udi.memberzone.com/events.

Did you know?

The number of people who moved to British Columbia reached a new record in 2021. According to the breakdown of new data from Statistics Canada, net migration in B.C. reached 100,797 — the highest annual total since 1961.