Former industrial websites reimagined in new Abbotsford communities

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Two former industrial websites in Abbotsford are being remodeled into master-planned communities that can add a whole lot of recent properties to the Fraser Valley municipality, ranked by the 2021 Census because the fifth-largest municipality — and one of many fastest-growing — in British Columbia.

The 2 websites are the one-time Clayburn brick plant that’s being reimagined to create The Rail District by Infinity Properties; and a former metal and wire manufacturing unit in West Abbotsford now being developed by AB Wall to determine Highstreet Village.

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Highstreet Village

Positioned on a 12-acre website subsequent to the Highstreet Procuring Centre with its outlets, film theatre and eating places, Highstreet Village will comprise 9 multi-phase mid-rise apartment buildings plus 137 townhouses.

AB Wall’s major aim for the Focus Structure-designed 600-plus residence neighborhood was to supply decisions to satisfy the wants of assorted purchaser demographics, from younger households to downsizers, says Michelle Des Rosiers, senior vice-president of venture operations at Fifth Avenue Actual Property Advertising.

“The thought has at all times been, how will we meet the wants of a number of completely different demographic profiles? And that’s why slightly than simply doing a full website of condominiums, [AB Wall] did wish to deliver within the townhome product as effectively.”

Des Rosiers additionally anticipates that demand for the properties in Highstreet Village will probably be positively impacted by the event of QuadReal Property Group and Hungerford Properties’ Xchange Enterprise Park on Mt. Lehman Street, which is able to add a couple of million sq. ft of commercial area to Abbotsford.

“It’s anticipated that [the business park] will herald lots of people, and the concept, partly, when designing Highstreet Village was additionally to supply further properties to satisfy the demand. It’s going to deliver much more jobs to the neighborhood and, in flip, possible extra folks desirous to dwell locally as effectively,” she says.

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Des Rosiers describes Highstreet Village as a 15-minute metropolis.

“The longer term residents can have handy entry to necessities inside a 15-minute radius — reminiscent of colleges, parks, trails, the Rinks at Summit Centre, Freeway 1, Abbotsford Worldwide Airport and the usA. border,” she says, including that the master-planned neighborhood’s location subsequent to the Highstreet Procuring Centre, with the Mount Lehman Centre on the opposite facet of the property, can also be designed to advertise a walkable life-style.

The developer is paying a variety of consideration to the neighborhood’s landscaping, says Des Rosiers. Inexperienced areas will add dimension and supply separation between the townhomes and the apartment buildings in order that it doesn’t look or really feel dense, she says.

“I believe the [spacing] of the buildings, frequent inexperienced areas and out of doors courtyards will create curb enchantment all through the positioning.”

The fourth part of townhouses is at present being marketed, with every part together with a spread of sizes plus completely different architectural designs.

“There’s a combine between our conventional and extra fashionable townhome. Our conventional [design] has peaked roof strains, whereas the trendy [design] has a flat roof line with its personal non-public rooftop patio,” she says.

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The inside design of the townhomes focuses on creating a contemporary and timeless look, with clear finishes and a mix of white and pure wooden tones.

One of many main points of interest for townhome residents is the Cardinal Membership, a two-level amenity constructing that can embody a health centre, assembly rooms, indoor youngsters’s play space, two geared up entertaining kitchens and lounges and a rooftop patio with an outside fire.

Owners within the first part of townhomes are anticipated to take up residence this spring and the Section 4 townhomes are anticipated to be full in 2028, says Des Rosiers.

Highstreet Village

Undertaking: Highstreet Village, West Abbotsford

Undertaking Deal with: 30530 Cardinal Ave, Abbotsford

Developer: AB Wall

Architect: Focus Structure

Inside designer: CDS

Undertaking dimension: 137 townhomes; 9 mid-rise condominiums,

Worth: Townhomes ranging from the low $700s, subsequent launch of condominiums nonetheless to be introduced.

Gross sales Centre: Presentation Centre open by appointment solely

Presentation Centre Deal with: unit #105 3240 Mt. Lehman Street, Abbotsford V4X 2M9

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Gross sales Cellphone: 604 260 1699

Web site: highstreetvillage.ca

The Rail District

The Rail District can even add greater than 600 properties — together with condos and townhomes — to native housing inventory.

The vacant 19-acre website of the outdated Clayburn brick plant was bought by Infinity Properties in 2016, says Alison Davies, the corporate’s vice-president of design and growth.

“The placement [of the site] is true subsequent to the rail line, therefore the Rail District identify,” says Davies, who provides there’s a small arm of the rail line that serviced the Clayburn plant the place bricks had been loaded straight onto the rail vehicles.
The place of the event and its proximity to the historic downtown with its eating places, breweries, bakeries and low outlets is a giant draw for potential consumers within the Rail District, says Davies, who believes the advertising marketing campaign for the master-planned neighborhood additionally boosted curiosity in Abbotsford’s historic downtown.

“Lots of people had been fully unaware that there was a historic downtown and the way a lot historical past Abbotsford has,” she says.

Recognizing the heritage of the positioning, Davies traced an Abbotsford resident who had been gathering Clayburn bricks for years and acquired a number of pallets of bricks from his assortment.

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“We now have [built] a Clayburn brick pillar within the presentation centre and used the bricks for a welcome ‘mat’ outdoors the presentation centre. I nonetheless have some bricks that I’m holding onto and can use them for one thing lovely elsewhere within the Rail District,” she says.

Impressed by the positioning’s industrial heritage, Focus Structure included brick and metallic accents within the buildings’ design, which additionally features a nod to Abbotsford’s historic downtown structure.

The properties within the Rail District are grouped in 5 neighbourhoods, and the “rail path,” a biking and strolling path, runs by the event and connects it to downtown Abbotsford.

The neighborhood can have a number of amenity areas, together with the Rail Plaza, with retail area on the bottom degree and multi-family properties above.

“Inside the Rail Plaza, we have now tables, benches, outlets, bike racks and room for a meals truck,” says Davies, including the amenity centre — The Station — is scheduled to open in 2025. It consists of an outside sports activities court docket, playground, swimming pool, lounge with kitchen, indoor and out of doors eating, canine wash, bike restore, fitness center and enterprise centre assembly room, she says, noting every apartment constructing can have further amenity rooms.

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Whereas among the early phases within the growth are largely bought out with residents already shifting in, Davies says the Railside neighbourhood comprising 79 townhomes has simply been launched together with The Mason, a six-storey apartment constructing with one bed room, one bed room and den, two bed room and two bed room and den models.

Davies observes that the master-planned neighborhood is beginning to develop its personal vibe.

“The primary retail tenant was Beard and Bardo, an area salon from Abbotsford, and the following tenant will probably be Foxglove, a espresso and flower store,” she says.

The Rail District is attracting many consumers from the Fraser Valley, with essentially the most curiosity from Surrey, Langley and Abbotsford itself.

The Rail District

Undertaking: The Rail District

Undertaking handle: 2771 & 2774 Montrose Avenue, Abbotsford

Developer: Infinity Properties

Architect: Focus Structure

Inside designer: Jill Bauer Design

Undertaking dimension: 600 plus properties in the entire neighborhood (townhomes and condos at present being marketed)

Worth: Ranging from $450,000

Gross sales centre: 103 — 2724 Montrose Avenue, Abbotsford

Gross sales centre hours: Presently by appointment, midday – 4 p.m. besides Thursday/Friday

Gross sales telephone: 604 850 0040 e-mail: information@raildistrict.ca

Web site: raildistrict.ca

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