As work ramps up on BC’s first rapid transit project south of the Fraser River in 30 years, PCI Developments officially opened King George Hub, Metro Vancouver’s latest – and Surrey’s first – comprehensive transit-oriented development. An isolated terminus station for 28 years, King George is now surrounded by a vibrant complete community of homes, offices, and retail amenities. It is also now the gateway to the Fraser Valley as the connecting station to Surrey-Langley SkyTrain Extension. Already a multi-award-winning development, King George Hub highlights the opportunities to build healthier communities at the eight upcoming stations, as well as on underutilized land around stations across the region.
SURREY – As work ramps up on BC’s first rapid transit project south of the Fraser River in 30 years, PCI Developments officially opened King George Hub, Metro Vancouver’s latest – and Surrey’s first – comprehensive transit-oriented development. An isolated terminus station for 28 years, King George is now surrounded by a vibrant complete community of homes, offices, and retail amenities. It is also now the gateway to the Fraser Valley as the connecting station to Surrey-Langley SkyTrain Extension. Already a multi-award-winning development, King George Hub highlights the opportunities to build healthier communities at the eight upcoming stations, as well as on underutilized land around stations across the region.
PCI Developments purchased the land adjacent to the King George Station 10 years ago when it was a single oversized block consisting of a parking lot and two small obsolete buildings. With a private investment of upwards of $1 billion, the land has been transformed into a mixed-use, compact urban centre in downtown Surrey that will be home to more than 4,000 residents and over 2,700 jobs.
“By all measures, this land was underutilized, even though the Expo Line started service in the area in 1994,” said Tim Grant, President of PCI Developments, Metro Vancouver’s preeminent transit-oriented developer, including Marine Gateway. “Now and into the future, King George Hub will be an active, desirable community that exemplifies how progressive land-use planning and stakeholder collaboration can utilize scarce rapid transit infrastructure to catalyze vibrant, complete, and connected communities that encourage sustainable lifestyles and transportation choices with significant opportunities for housing and job space.”
King George Hub is the recipient of multiple awards from NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association) and Urban Development Institute.
PCI and TransLink will launch a unique joint pilot program to encourage and understand transit usage. PCI will purchase and distribute 250 fare cards to people who live and work at King George Hub. The cards will be preloaded with $150, and TransLink will study whether this program incentivized increased transit use among participants. This data will help TransLink and municipalities draw conclusions about the benefits of subsidizing transit use for transit-oriented communities across the region.
“TransLink is always looking for creative opportunities to promote transit use and build more sustainable, transit-oriented communities,” said Kevin Quinn, TransLink CEO. “This innovative pilot will give us vital data that can be applied to potential future partnerships throughout Metro Vancouver.”
PCI Developments is the leading builder of transit-oriented developments in the region. The company has won awards for Marine Gateway, Crossroads and 565 Great Northern Way, and has several communities at existing & future stations in planning and development, including in Surrey, Port Moody and on Vancouver’s Broadway Subway and Canada Lines.
“For more than 20 years – and taking cues from cities around the world – we have focused on unique opportunities for lively, sustainable, and inclusive communities at rapid transit stations,” said Grant. “Our company remains focused on realizing the potential of the region’s scarce transit infrastructure and collaborating with community stakeholders, municipalities, the provincial government, and TransLink in creating such communities.”
King George Hub has 738 condo units and 371 rental homes that are completed, plus 350,000 square feet of office space and 130,000 square feet of retail space, including Save-On Foods, Rexall and a wide range of food & beverage and service businesses. Offices include headquarters for Coast Capital Savings and Westland Insurance.
Currently under construction and completing in 2025, King George Hub’s fourth phase will bring an additional 886 condos and 30,000 square feet of office and retail space. In early 2023, construction will start on the fifth phase that will deliver an additional 400 rental homes.
Upon full completion, King George Hub will comprise of 370,000 square feet of office, 140,000 square feet of retail, 1,624 condo homes, and 771 rental homes – all within steps of rapid transit.
