Whole new Uptown

Uptown Property Group is aiming to offer a "complete retail environment" in uptown New Westminster.

Construction of the four-storey Queen's Park West commercial building is continuing at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Fifth Street. Originally scheduled to be completed this month, the project encountered some issues with the elevator and structural steel that delayed construction.

"We should have the building completed by the end of August," said Bart Slotman, vice-president of the Uptown Property Group. "We should have the first businesses in there by October."

Queen's Park West will house a restaurant and two other retailers at ground level. Slotman said the company has been aiming to offer a complete retail environment in its developments.

"We are very aware in order for a retail area to be successful, it needs to attract a range of retailers," he said. "We have been pretty strategic who we have attracted to the area."

Slotman declined to comment on what restaurant is proposing to open in Queen's Park West. He said the building wouldn't include businesses such as payroll loan shops or dollar stores.

In addition to new sidewalks that are nearing completion on Sixth Avenue, the section of Sixth Avenue in front of Queen's Park West will be put on a "road diet" that will see it slightly narrowed and the sidewalks widened from 10 to 14 feet.

"It will be more pedestrian friendly," said Slotman, noting the sidewalks will be a similar width to those in front of Westminster Centre on Sixth Street.

The project includes new sidewalks all the way to the Sixth Street corner in front of Blenz Coffee. New street trees, lighting and banners will accompany new sidewalks.

Anyone who's been to Westminster Centre has noticed the construction taking place along its Sixth Street frontage. The planters have been removed and decorative, in-floor lighting will be installed.

"That whole area will be modernized, renovated," Slotman said. "It was last done in '94. It was due for a refreshing."

Slotman noted that the mall has received some complaints about people sitting on the planters and smoking.

In addition to removing the planters, the renovation includes the creation of a new patio for Starbucks.

"The Starbucks patio will be rebuilt. It will be level with the store," he said. "It will be raised up. You can only get to it from the store."

Last November, the Uptown Property Group applied to city hall for a development permit so it could create a plaza in the area in front of Starbucks and TD Canada Trust. The proposal would have seen the elimination of three on-street parking spots and a widened plaza area.

When the drawings and the proposal received mixed reviews from city council, the Uptown Property Group withdrew its application and moved forward with a renovation of the area within its own property line.

"I think both of them will modernize and help promote a pedestrian friendly environment," Slotman said of the two projects.

[email protected]