A return and goodbye as Eastside mini-mall slated for development

We all have our views on development, the amount of disruption we’re willing to abide for the sake of change, and the amount of change we feel is necessary. Housing, a baseline need that should be secure and comfortable but has increasingly become a scarce commodity, understandably garners much of our attention. 

At the same time, what most city dwellers want is access, to buy and sell the goods and services we all need or want – both basic and frivolous – and have the means to do so. A big part of that is local business, the shops owned and operated by our family, friends, and neighbours, ideally ones that enable a fair, equitable, and needed flow of resources throughout our communities. 

Today’s story is the first of a quick two-part series about building redevelopment and the impacts it has, both good and bad, on existing commercial tenants.

A popular mini-mall in a changing neighbourhood

We open in the village at East 15th Avenue and Fraser. The so-called Golden Triangle is an oasis of eateries and fine dining, a foodie’s haven, served on a bed of sweet park space, seasoned with a sprinkling of boutiques and staple services, on the banks of the ever-churning Kingsway. McAuley Park – named after a neighbourhood couple known for their prolific community advocacy – shields some of those businesses from the brunt of Kingsway traffic. The area is symbolic of a broader gentrification in Fraserhood over the past 20 or so years.

While local geography pedants may argue the triangle only includes the business directly beside the park, this humble writer submits that the triangle’s glow (and boundaries) extends east – across Fraser Street’s narrow, and at times harrowing, crosswalk – to the much-loved mini-mall at 701 Kingsway. 

It’s the site of a proposed 24-storey mixed-use development, which falls on the far south eastern edge of the Broadway Plan. City council gave the go-ahead for the project with a unanimous rezoning approval in late November. 

Green party councillor Pete Fry noted that the new project will add about 200 new rental units to the area, “which, at its face value, is great” and provide just over 6,100 sq. ft. of commercial space on the lower two levels of the development. For comparison, there’s currently about 9,000 sq. ft. of business space at the site. 

The proposal includes a separate two-storey pavilion for retail space facing Kingsway, more retail space at the base of the tower, facing Fraser and the park across the street. According to the developer, Qualex-Landmark, the new commercial spaces will be designed to accommodate small-scale retailers. Plans show some of the shops opening onto a public courtyard, with trees, public seating, and a route for walking through the site. The developer’s rezoning application highlights how the privately-owned public space could be used for event programming, and as an overflow area for on-site and nearby businesses. 

Generally, public input was in favour of the project by about a 2-1 margin, though decreased pedestrian safety, increased vehicle congestion, and building height were notable concerns.  

“It’s interesting, because that particular project [at 701 Kingsway] was lauded by some because it has no residential tenant displacement… But the reality is, for the small businesses, it is super disruptive. And commercial tenancies have zero protections,” Coun. Fry told Vancity Lookout. The city provides “resource guides” to help business tenants with relocation. 

Despite its notorious parking lot, the current strip mall, built in 1987, is a hub of commercial activity, featuring a collection of casual restaurants, including the ever-popular Sal y Limon, Alenka, Ba Le, and Brooklyn Pizza, as well as a laundromat, a corner store, and a local pet store called Discover Dogs.  

One of the owners of Sal y Limon, Sebastien Jutras, expressed strong support for the redevelopment, saying the new building will “open up avenues” for his restaurant to continue serving the community. 

“I believe this project will serve as a catalyst for positive change, bringing much needed revitalization and opportunities to the area. It promises to enhance the local landscape, offer new development opportunities, and support local businesses in a way that respects the community heritage and future potential,” Jutras told city council. 

Jutras added that Qualex, the developer, has been “exceptionally forthcoming in ensuring that the concerns and aspirations of the impacted businesses like ours are addressed. Their commitment to integrating existing businesses into the new development is a testament to their dedication to community values and sustainable development,” he said. 

However, that’s not necessarily a sentiment shared by all the current tenants.

Discover Dogs will be closing down the store this week after 11 years at their flagship Kingsway location. Harry Smith and Nicholas Yanome, sales associates at Discover Dogs, told Vancity Lookout they’ve been told demolition at the site will happen within a two year window, starting as early as July 2025.  

Planning ahead, Discover Dogs opened a second location earlier this year at 8th Avenue and Yukon Street. 

Yanome, a longtime employee, said the original plan was to keep both locations going until the Kingsway site was redeveloped.  But a 50% rent increase and the looming demolition led them to vacate the space ahead of time and move to their other location.

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