Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the most common questions on the new Lansdowne. If you’d like to learn more, click HERE and submit your own questions. We’d like to hear from you!
Vanprop has owned Lansdowne since 1984. Why develop now?
Lansdowne, like any mall, must continue to evolve. Vanprop is very proud of the performance of Lansdowne as an asset, and as it has done for almost 40 years, it is investing in the future of the mall. This includes an expanded vision to bring greater benefit to the community through the addition of much-needed housing and a more diverse commercial offering.
What will happen to Lansdowne shopping centre? Will it remain operational?
Lansdowne Centre opened on September 14, 1977 and has been a destination in Richmond for more than 40 years. The existing mall will remain fully operational during initial redevelopment and will be gradually replaced in later phases of the project to make way for
additional housing, retail, and public spaces. In the current, phased Master Plan, we propose
to begin new development at the northeast end of the property, allowing the centre to
continue to thrive and evolve, as it has in the past four decades. The new retail will be designed
as an experiential outdoor lifestyle centre, as opposed to the covered mall that exists today.
What are your plans for the site?
Richmond’s City Centre Area Plan (CCAP) envisions a vibrant, mixed-use community, consisting of retail, commercial services, a mix of housing, a major park, and a variety of amenities intended to enhance and enliven Lansdowne and the wider community. Working within that context, and the CCAP objectives to “Build Community, Build Green, Build Economic Vitality and Build Legacy,” Vanprop has developed a Master Plan that we hope will, indeed, serve the community of Richmond, enhance the environment, strengthen the economy and create a lasting legacy.
How will the site be developed?
We have engaged local professionals in urban planning, transportation engineering, landscape design, urban design, community engagement and other disciplines, and all are working closely with the City of Richmond to design a plan that aligns with the municipal ambition to create a special place in the heart of Richmond’s downtown.
We have benefitted from the extensive community engagement that contributed so much to the City Centre Area Plan and we will continue to build upon this foundation. Over the past few years, Vanprop and its design team have worked with City staff to ensure the Master Plan will contribute to Richmond’s overarching goals to
1. Build Green
2. Build Economic Vitality
3. Build Legacy
Are you providing more housing for Richmond?
The redevelopment of Lansdowne will see the delivery of approximately 4,500 new homes for Richmond residents, including affordable housing, rental housing and market housing.
What community amenity contributions will be incorporated into the site?
In the current plan, a five-acre park, visible from Lansdowne Road, animates the centre of the site, while a grand civic plaza is imagined adjacent to the Lansdowne Canada Line Station. In conjunction with numerous greenways, cycling paths and other park spaces, this will create almost 10 acres of new public amenity. Iconic architecture and robust programming will ensure this is a vibrant and welcoming community.
Will there be greenspace for people of all ages?
The Lansdowne Master Plan brings with it a large Centre Park suitable for public events and festivals, a Civic Plaza adjacent the Lansdowne Canada Line station that will be programmed with activities year-round, and public greenways will provide access to and through the community for all.
When will you break ground?
Our construction schedule relates directly to the City of Richmond’s land-use approval process. As a large development (50 acres/20 hectares), our Master Plan received approval to amend the Official Community Plan from Council in March 2021. We will begin seeking rezoning and development approvals that could enable ground-breaking on the first residential project by late 2025/early 2026 – with subsequent phases rolling out over a period of years.
What are your initial plans for the property?
First, we intend to keep the shopping centre fully operational in the early phases during initial redevelopment, and will be gradually replaced in later phases of the project to make way for additional housing, retail and public spaces. The site is large enough for a phased development that easily accommodates a fully functional shopping centre for many years. Any decisions about future shopping centre operations will be carefully thought through with utmost consideration for our tenants, clients and customers.
With that priority in place, we then plan to begin building the components that will give expression to the Richmond City Centre Area Plan visions of a vibrant, mixed-use community, including a mix of housing, a major park, retail, commercial space, and rich public amenities.
We are also conscious that the Lansdowne Canada Line Station makes this a vital neighbourhood hub, and we plan to develop the property in a way that maximizes its convenience, its efficiency and its potential as a walkable neighbourhood with little or no dependence on cars.
It is also important for Lansdowne to serve as a “connection” to other key attractions in the area, including, but not limited to, the Richmond Oval, Kwantlen University, the Garden City Lands, the Fraser River, and existing businesses and residential neighbourhoods.
Where are we in the process?
We have finalized the Master Land Use Plan and Implementation Strategy and we received approval of the OCP Amendment from City Council in March 2021. In 2023 Phase 1 of the site was submitted for rezoning. Click here to learn more.
What does Phase 1 of the Lansdowne redevelopment include?
Phase 1 is on the northeast corner of the existing Lansdowne Centre parking lot area. There are three residential parcels that will be developed in Phase 1: two condominium buildings and one low-rise building. Phase 1 will energize the current mall and unlock the potential of a retail-
centric site with increased pedestrian pathways connecting Lansdowne Station (skytrain) to
the newly developed Phase 1 homes — all of which will attract and support the community. The
existing mall is at the core that will evolve and support the retail needs of the community from
Phase 1 to the completion of the Master Plan.
What is the housing make-up for the Phase 1 redevelopment?
In total, there are three residential parcels that will be developed in Phase 1; two condominium buildings and one low-rise purpose-built building structure.
Phase 1 will consist of:
Two 14-storey condominium buildings with approximately 774 units ranging from studios to 3-bedrooms and;
One 6-storey purpose-built rental buidling that will include 160 market rental homes and 141 Low-End-Market Rental (LEMR) homes
