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The changing face of Brentwood

Solo development part of creating a more public and pedestrian-friendly area

A new development in the Brentwood area may be flying Solo, but it won't go it alone.

The Solo development is the most recent addition planned for the North Burnaby neighbourhood, clustered around Brentwood SkyTrain Centre.

Brentwood Town Centre is working on a redevelopment plan as well, to make it more of a pedestrian-oriented urban centre, according to the material presented at an open house at the mall in January.

The master plan rezoning open house - presented by mall owner Shape Properties Corp. and James K. M. Cheng Architects - looked at transforming the town centre with more public spaces, and indoor and outdoor shopping.

Some of the principles presented at the open house included making sure the site entrances were "inviting and compelling," respecting the connection to the single-family neighbourhood in the surrounding area, making it pedestrian friendly and safe, and turning the centre into a compelling destination.

The mall has a second open house and public hearing planned later in the year.

As for the Solo project to the southwest of Brentwood Town Centre, it too is focusing on a pedestrian-friendly layout.

The Solo District Shopping Centre is slated to include four highrise towers with 1,351 units of residential space, according to the project developer, Appia Group.

Appia, headed by Jim Bosa, recently released its leasing brochure for the project.

Phase 1 of the project - building a 45storey residential tower, with retail space including a grocery store - is estimated to start in July, depending on presales, according to the leasing brochure.

The plans also include space for a pharmacy, shop or restaurant, and bank in Phase 2.

The last phase of the project - the 43storey residential, commercial and office tower - is expected to being in January 2014.

Plans include space for a high street, to be known as Sumas Street, in the centre of the development.

Bosa could not be reached for comment on the new development before press time.

The residential towers would range in height from 39 storeys to 48 storeys, and the development is also slated to include a 13-storey office tower, with retail and commercial space at the ground level, according to a report presented by the city's planning director, Basil Luksun, last September.

News of the Solo development did not thrill everyone who attended the public hearing on the project last September.

The site is currently home to an auto dealership with vehicle storage space, a restaurant, an auto repair shop and other light industrial and manufacturing businesses.

Randy Wong, owner and manager of Goodyear Ultimate Source Automotive at 2075 Willingdon Ave., was worried the project was pushing his business out of the neighbourhood. Wong has since made plans to relocate Goodyear to the east along Lougheed Highway near Holdom Avenue.