Columbia Street highrise puts yesterday — a historic town — and today — the working river — on its horizon
Claudia Kwan
Sun
Views are spectacular from the 18-storey InterUrban project, both of the Fraser River, and northwest to the river’s crossings and the mountains beyond. The building at Columbia and Begbie caps off a block-wide restoration. Developer Peter Newall says the building is notable both for its vistas and its location.
The Kitchen of the ‘family-decorated’ show home at Interurban is open plan and high-end, featuring granite countertops, European-style two-tone cabinetry, stainless steel undermount double sinks and large-format floor tiles.
European-style two-tone cabinetry, stainless steel undermount double sinks and large-format floor tiles are also in the bathrooms which are fitted with granite counters, ceramic tile bath surrounds and large soaker tubs.
Developer Peter Newall partnered with home furnishings store Nood to create three show suites catering to three different types of potential buyers. Here, the two-bedroom-and-den suite. Photograph by: PHOTOS BY Arlen Redekop/PNG Special To The Sun
InterUrban
Project location: New Westminster
Project size: 18-storey building, 158 apartments
Residence size: 1 bed 605 -853 sq. ft.; 1 bed + den 715 sq. ft.; 2 bed 857 -997 sq. ft.; 2 bed + den 1,078 sq. ft. Prices: 1 bed from $273,000; 1 bed + den from $333,000; 2 bed from $367,000; 2 bed + den $474,000
Developer: Ballenas Project Management
Architect: HR Hatch Architect Ltd.
Interiors: Nood, Ballenas
Sales centre: 14 Begbie Street
Hours: noon -5 p.m. Sat — Thur
Telephone: 604-523-0081
Web: interurbanliving.ca
Occupancy: immediate
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The 18-storey InterUrban building provides some visual punch to the New Westminster skyline along the Fraser River, spearing upward in a tower beginning with heritage-style brick, transitioning to smooth masonry in the middle and capped by modern steel and glass.
It is a concrete (no pun intended) reminder of the new energy and life being brought to the historic neighbourhood along Columbia Street.
Developer Peter Newall began on the construction side of the industry, working on buildings in Edmonton and in Vancouver’s Gastown.
With his partner in Ballenas Project Management, he segued into development, most notably within the context of this story on the conversion of a post office in New Westminster.
The building now houses the city’s police department, with 45 residences on top.
The City of New Westminster liked the job Ballenas had done, and in 2006, approached it to help with the overall revitalization of the block.
First, Ballenas did a restoration on the heritage building next door to InterUrban’s current location, and in exchange, received a density transfer of 60,000 square feet.
What shape that square footage would take was the subject of considerable debate, and some opposition from residents concerned about the river view being obscured. “We were originally looking for a 23-storey tower, but that was nixed after a tumultuous council meeting or two,” Newall says dryly. However, since there was a fixed amount of density involved, the loss of height simply meant the tower became shorter and wider.
Over a two-year design process, the neighbouring community had some input into InterUrban; that overall sense of ownership and engagement is something Newall believes makes New Westminster great. “There are great neighbourhoods like Sapperton, Brow of the Hill, and Queen’s Park that have very active, involved neighbourhood associations,” he says. “The city has history, and geographically, it’s the centre of the Lower Mainland.”
There is a subtle pride that permeates the InterUrban project: pride in the building itself, and in the neighbourhood in which it is located. The marketing campaign goes beyond pride, centred around the tag line ‘I love New Westminster.’
Dan Thomson, marketing director for MAC Marketing Solutions, says that for some reason over the past few decades, New West has been painted with a stigma of stagnancy, a severe lack of cool. “But it’s not actually true,” he points out.
“There are little, interesting mom and pop shops up and down Columbia, and a great, upscale drink lounge within walking distance from InterUrban,” says Thomson. New West Quay, which is under new ownership, is a short distance away.
The building has views of historic New West on one side, and on the other, the trains running along the Fraser River. “It’s a working river,” Newall points out. “You can see tugboats and fishboats.”
In addition to those who already know and love New West, the building is being marketed to people who would commute to either downtown Vancouver or the Fraser Valley, drawing on easy access to both Highway One and the New Westminster SkyTrain Station. It takes about five minutes to drive to the former, and five minutes to walk the 200 metres to the latter, if you throw in time to grab a coffee.
The suites contain the quality of finishing now expected by savvy Lower Mainland buyers, including granite countertops, European-style two-tone cabinetry, and large-format floor tiles in the kitchen and bathroom. Newall has partnered with Greater Vancouver home furnishings store Nood to create three show suites, catering to three different types of potential buyers.
The first is the one-bedroom, likely aimed at a first-time homebuyer. The sizable suite easily accommodates a low queen-size platform bed and two side tables, and in fact, the room could house a king bed. In the living room, leather is the look, both in the Barcelona-inspired sofa and a wood-backed lounger with ottoman. Wire ‘basket’ style chairs for the dining room with black cushions play off the chrome and dark tones of the kitchen.
A two-bedroom-and-den suite is decorated to appeal to a young family with a child. The breakfast bar is set with bowls for cereal, while the wooden dining table has room for six in a pinch. There’s more wood in the Noguchi-inspired glasstop coffee table, and in the desk and intricate bookcase in the den. That area could also double as a guest bedroom, if need be. The child’s bedroom is a romp, featuring a basket of soft toys and animal wall decals that can be drawn on in chalk.
The final show suite has been envisioned as one for a couple downsizing from a larger home; it includes oversized soft grey chunky furniture in the living room, and a high-gloss white desk in a room that could be a den or bedroom. All of the suites feel incredibly spacious, especially for one used to the tiny proportions used in downtown Vancouver.
Normally, show suites don’t warrant so much description because they are for display purposes only, assembled by interior designers with one-off pieces to show off the fantasy of what life could be like if only a buyer lived there. In this case however, InterUrban, MAC, and Nood have teamed up to allow condo purchasers to buy the show suite look down to the last accessory, should they wish to do so.
“Some people can’t conceptualize how to fill a space, so staging can help them direct the flow, placement, and colour in a home,” says Jim Tai of Nood. “Our products are replicas or originals -a real range of products -that are accessibly priced, and they work really with each other or the existing pieces someone might already have.” InterUrban buyers will be offered a discount on their purchases from Nood, with the exact percentage still being determined.
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