PCI Developments has officially opened King George Hub in Surrey, celebrating the addition of more than 1,000 homes, retail and office space at what was once an isolated SkyTrain station.
The $1-billion project is Surrey’s first major transit-oriented development and sits at the end of the Expo Line, but not for long as work is already underway on extending the SkyTrain east to Langley. The extension is expected to be completed in 2028.
King George Hub consists of 738 market condominiums, 371 rental apartments; 130,000 square feet of retail space including a Save-on-Foods; and 350,000 square feet of office space, including head offices for Coast Capital Savings and Westland Insurance.
A fourth phase of King George Hub — currently under construction — will add 886 more market condominiums and 30,000 square feet of office and retail space. The fifth phase, expected to begin construction in 2023, will add 400 more rental apartments.
PCI Developments purchased the land adjacent to the King George SkyTrain Station 10 years ago, when it was a single, oversized block consisting of a parking lot and two small buildings. The developer says the project highlights the opportunities to develop similar, mixed-use communities at SkyTrain stations along the future Surrey-Langley extension, as well as at existing, underdeveloped stations around the region.
“By all measures, this land was under-utilized, even though the Expo Line started service in the area in 1994,” says Tim Grant, president of PCI Developments. “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.”
King George Hub is the recipient of multiple awards from NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association) and the Urban Development Institute.
“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,” says 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.”
PCI Developments has several projects underway around Metro Vancouver, including a mixed-use, 39-storey tower at Broadway and Granville above a future SkyTrain station.
