QUEENSBOROUGH TOWNHOUSE & FLOAT COMMUNITY

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C.

CLIENT:  VAN MAREN CONSTRUCTION

This unique property on the waterfront in Queensborough offered many complicated development challenges and many exciting opportunities for a remarkably different residential community.

The development lands were located on the Fraser River foreshore as well as behind the dyke.  As the prime development consultant we were responsible for preparing a development scheme that would tie the two precincts together and allow for the integrated development of townhouses, float homes, a marina and a Neighbourhood Pub and restaurant.  Assimilating these new and varied uses into the existing community would be a sensitive exercise.

Development issues to be resolved included the closing of the existing road on the dyke and converting it to a pedestrian promenade, closing and relocating existing municipal road right-of-ways, renovating an existing fish processing plant for the pub/restaurant and processing the approvals of the Fraser Estuary Management Plan and Fraser River Harbours Commission for the use of the foreshore and riparian areas. 

The use of the foreshore area was a controversial proposal as were other aspects of the development and we organized many meetings with the community leaders as well as open houses in the Community Centre presenting our proposal and vision for the development of this site and working with the community to respond to there concerns and suggestions.

Our services also included coordinating the application for the Neighbourhood Pub, cost sharing agreements for the landowners group, negotiations with the City of New Westminster for the closing of roads, acquisition of municipal lands and the Harbours Board leases for the foreshore and riparian areas.