The Pier West project on New West’s waterfront has made it to the top.
The development, located between Westminster Pier Park and River Market, will include the city’s two tallest buildings – 53- and 43-storey towers. It will also a three-storey commercial building with a 40-space child-care facility and retail space, and a number of parks and public realm improvements.
“Pier West represents a complex and historic engineering and construction achievement for a residential building in Canada,” said Bosa Development president Ryan Bosa. “From being one of Metro Vancouver’s last buildable waterfront locations to the challenging undertaking of underwater construction to becoming an impressive beacon on New Westminster’s skyline, Pier West is a legacy project for Bosa Development. We are proud to deliver homes, amenities, and public spaces that hold more meaning to us than anyone will know.”
According to Bosa Development, both Pier West towers have now reached their maximum height, with the taller tower topping off some time ago and the other tower to be topped off in about two weeks.
In an Oct. 11 update to the Record, Bosa Development said construction is now focused on interiors and window installation, which are at various stages:
- The west tower’s window installation is almost complete. Home interiors are about 90 per cent complete up to the 20th floor.
- The east tower windows are installed up to the 30th floor. Interior finishing is progressing closely behind window installation.
“The complexity of building Pier West means we’ve marked numerous milestones through the years,” said the update. “The upcoming milestone is when we complete the new alignment of Begbie Street by January, which will allow us to complete the second parking garage entrance in spring or early summer.”
Bosa Development is targeting fall of 2024 to welcome residents to the west tower and early 2025 for the east tower.
“Pier West comprises 665 homes. We expect between 1,500 to 1,600 residents to call Pier West home,” said the update. “We also want to share that we held a few homes which we will sell this spring.”
Like the towers, the three-storey building that’s part of the project has reached its maximum height. That space currently serves as Bosa Development’s construction headquarters.
“The top two levels of the three-storey commercial building are reserved for a daycare, for which a provider has yet to be chosen,” said the company’s update. “Also, we have yet to begin pre-leasing the ground floor. Meanwhile, the retail space at the bottom of the west tower is designed for restaurant use.”
Like other projects in Metro Vancouver, including the City of New Westminster’s təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre project, Pier West has encountered some construction delays.
“Constructing underwater makes Pier West one of Canada’s most complex constructions in the history of residential development. We faced numerous delays,” said Bosa Development. “After we finally poured the foundations, the project has been largely on schedule.”
Bosa Development said it’s grateful to the local community for its patience through challenging construction conditions. Its target is to complete the project’s public realm improvements by late 2024.
“Pier West’s public realm will include an esplanade which will provide a riverfront pedestrian connection between the Fraser River Discovery Centre and Westminster Pier Park,” said the update. “Bosa Development is also dedicating two acres to a park, two areas of which will be constructed by Bosa Development, and one area will be built by the City of New Westminster after we hand over the land.”
Here are a few significant dates in the Pier West project thus far:
- March 2022: A "monolithic concrete pour" saw 4,500 cubic metres of concrete poured over the course of 24 hours. The cement, delivered by more than 400 trucks, was used for the foundation of the east tower.
- October 2021: A monolithic concrete pour took place for west tower. That’s the 53-storey Pier West building.
- February 2021: Bosa Development began pile driving at its Pier West development site at 660 Quayside Dr. The piles provide the necessary engineered support for the 53-and 43-storey towers that will be built above.
- June 2017: New Westminster city council approved a development permit to allow variances that would allow Bosa Development to build two towers and a three-storey commercial building at 600 to 720 Quayside Dr. Without the variances, the company would have been able to build three towers ranging from 25 to 45 storeys.
- July 2020: The Sixth Street pedestrian overpass and ramp leading into Westminster Pier Park, part of Bosa’s development agreement with the city for the Pier West project, opens.
