Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall could be transformed into a high-density, mixed-use residential development, featuring a new cluster of high-rise towers in the southern area of the City of Delta.
Currently, the 8.1-acre, 2001-built strip mall is home to numerous shops and restaurants, including the anchor tenants of the municipal government’s Tsawwassen Library and Thrifty Foods grocery store. Much of the site is used for surface vehicle parking.
Local developer Century Group is looking to redevelop the mall — addressed as 1219 56 Street, 5499 12 Avenue, and 1236 55 Street — into a pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood that establishes a new core for the community.
The site is located at the northwest corner of the intersection of 56 Street and 12 Avenue.
Site of the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall redevelopment. (Arcadis/Century Group)
Site of the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall redevelopment. (Arcadis/Century Group)
Preliminary concept of the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall redevelopment. (Arcadis/Century Group)
There would be four mixed-use towers reaching 24, 23, 22, and 21 storeys, plus base podiums of five and six storeys.
A total of 1,433 new homes would be achieved, with a mix of strata market ownership condominium housing and secured purpose-built rental housing, including both market rental and below-market rental units. The precise housing tenure mix has not been determined, but at least 20% of the total number of residential units will be rental homes. Furthermore, 5% of the total number of residential units will be below-market rental homes.
Approximately 71,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant uses — including a new 31,000 sq ft replacement grocery store space for Thrify Foods — would activate the new internal streets and public spaces. Ample patio spaces would be permitted to further activate the new public realm.
Preliminary concept of the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall redevelopment. (Arcadis/Century Group)
Preliminary concept of the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall redevelopment. (Arcadis/Century Group)
Preliminary concept of the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall redevelopment. (Arcadis/Century Group)
Preliminary concept of the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall redevelopment. (Arcadis/Century Group)
Furthermore, the redevelopment would feature a 25,000 sq ft central plaza — an event-friendly space adjacent to a new landmark mass-timber building that provides Tsawwassen Library with a new replacement space of 15,000 sq ft to 17,000 sq ft. This would effectively double the existing library’s space of 8,000 sq ft.
As a community amenity contribution (CAC) by the developer, the new library is part of a new community hub space, which also includes a mobility hub with secure bike storage, TransLink fare machines, and car share.
Underground levels with about 1,833 vehicle parking stalls would further support the new high-density uses.
Preliminary concept of the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall redevelopment. (Arcadis/Century Group)
Preliminary concept of the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall redevelopment. (Arcadis/Century Group)
Preliminary concept of the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall redevelopment. (Arcadis/Century Group)
Altogether, the redevelopment would produce a total building floor area of about 1.03 million sq ft, establishing a floor area ratio density of a floor area that is 3.4 times larger than the size of the lot. The project would be achieved in five phases of construction.
To advance the new master plan, Century Group is working with architectural firm Arcadis and landscape architecture firm HAPA Collaborative.
Such a redevelopment could potentially boost Tsawwassen’s retail district — centred around the intersection of 56 Street and 12 Avenue — to improve its competitive edge over the nearby Tsawwassen Mills indoor shopping mall.
Just to the south of Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall, the municipal government is planning to build a $130 million new replacement and expanded aquatic centre at Winskill Park. Construction on the new aquatic centre could begin in late 2025.