Surrey seems to be the West Coast’s next frontier. A hotspot for growth and development, the city is welcoming a new downtown core – with Core by Westland at its very center.
Scheduled for completion in 2027, Core is a high-rise multi-use development that will house 429 units. Suite sizes in the 50-storey building range from 331 to 892 square feet.
Access to transportation and convenient urban lifestyle is the cornerstone of what this project offers. The Surrey Central Sky-Train is just steps away, offering enhanced connectivity to the fast-growing Metro Vancouver area.
Livabl spoke with Westland Living’s Austin Zhang to learn more about the project.
Why did you choose Surrey?
We selected the Surrey market because we recognized the growing excitement of Surrey’s downtown core. Our main focus in acquiring the property was it’s incredible proximity to Skytrain, as well as the future potential for growth in the city with all of the additional transit expansions that are planned. The growth this city has seen and continues to experience has been incredible, and the downtown of Surrey is set to become the metropolitan centre of the province in a few short years. It made sense to be there with a project at the centre of it all.
On a personal level, as a Simon Fraser University graduate, I know that area very well. This is an area with a very strong academic institution presence and providing rental and market housing as well as retail and commercial space for a young, urban and modern demographic was something that appealed to us.
Surrey has many great attributes that makes it appealing. Abundant parks, academic institutions, strong retail and restaurant sectors, jobs and affordability make it truly a city of the future for our region. Westland is excited about being part of the next phase of downtown development.
What is it about Surrey that is so attractive for investors?
Surrey is a growing and dynamic city. In the downtown core the vision is for it to continue to transition to the centre of our province. There’s a rendering showing the potential skyline of Surrey, displaying a downtown core that looks almost like New York City. It’s filled with all these high-rise office towers and residential towers where population is going to settle, and with that comes top talent, entertainment, culture.
Surrey’s slogan is “the future is here” and that’s really what it feels like.
Artistic rendering of downtown Surrey’s future skyline (City of Surrey)
What types of buyers are you looking to attract?
I think the buyers who will connect with Core will be people who are looking for a central location in the city. Steps away from Skytrain, surrounded by restaurants and shopping. Two post-secondary institutions on the doorstep, and high-quality homes with the kind of amenities that make sense for this part of the region.
We named our development ‘Core’ because it’s at the heart of the city, it’s the center of the center. So, we’re seeing a lot of young professionals, late or early millennials and first-time homebuyers looking for a home in this type of area.
What role does sustainability play in the project?
We’re fully EV ready. We know electric vehicles are the future of transportation, so we’re ready to accommodate that. In terms of the building’s energy consumption, we’re well below the city’s requirement – which means that the building is more environmentally friendly, and residents can expect to pay less for their energy bills. We’re slowly cutting back on natural gas, and we have beautiful green roofs to help reduce urban heat. The whole building is designed with the intent of phasing in sustainable and reusable energy.
What about amenities?
We have two general amenity areas – one for residents and another for commercial space. For residents, those amenities are spread across two floors of the building. They’ll be able to access a gym, common areas, meeting rooms, shared offices and an outdoor space that integrates seamlessly with what’s inside.
There’s plenty of space to entertain guests, too. If you have a smaller unit but want to invite 10-15 people over, you’ll be able to book a dining room on the top floor of the building so everyone can enjoy time together without feeling cramped. That space is on the top floor, so you get incredible views while you’re up there. The lower residential amenity floor is all about wellness, fitness, and fun, offering a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces to play, workout and relax.
Our goal is to provide well-designed amenity spaces to optimize your home, and ensure seamless, better living.
To register for more information, visit surreycore.com
