Beedie receives industry recognition for two projects at UDI Awards
65-year-old company shines in both residential and industrial categories
Beedie, receiving two Awards for Excellence from the Urban Development Institute (UDI) on Nov. 22, not only reflects the excellence of their projects — Crown at Burquitlam Station and the AG Professional Hair Care Products Ltd. headquarters — it also reflects Beedie’s objective to be an industry leader in both residential multifamily and industrial development.
Houtan Rafii, executive vice-president for Beedie Living, explains: “We’re steadily increasing our presence in the residential and industrial sectors, and receiving UDI awards in the Suburban HighRise category for Crown and in the Industrial category for AG Hair is thrilling, especially considering so many other worthy projects were nominated.
“The Urban Development Institute represents the entire development industry, from architecture to marketing, and its awards are handed out only every two years; so to say we’re honoured and proud would be an understatement.”
Under the direction of Ryan Beedie, who became president of his late father Keith Beedie’s company in 2001, Beedie has become a predominant force in the residential sector, with projects such as the revitalization of Station Square in Metrotown and the upcoming Fraser Mills master-plan community in Coquitlam being just two large examples.
For Crown, Rafii points out that “we did a few things differently that have paid huge dividends.”
Designed by Chris Dikeakos Architects Inc., this 26-storey highrise tower is just steps away from the Evergreen Line and a quick walk from restaurants and recreation. Beedie had been interested in developing in Burquitlam since 2009, and when they learned that a YWCA adjacent to Beedie’s property had recently opened, they saw the opportunity for a partnership.
Rafii explains: “The YWCA contains a transitional home for women, and we thought it would be great to build seven additional townhomes on our property dedicated for the YWCA. The City of Coquitlam thought this was a terrific idea too, and with the aid of BC Housing, we undertook the project.”
The result was an enhancement of Crown’s appeal as a family-oriented hub. “There’s a wonderful liveliness and animation to the site,” says Rafii. “It fulfills our goal to be inclusive, rather than exclusive.”
Crown accompanies the recent completion of two other Beedie residences, Orchid on No.3 and Lansdowne in Richmond (131 homes) and Towers 2 and 3 of Station Square in Metrotown (757 homes in partnership with Anthem Properties). “Both projects were built to extremely high standards, and in the case of Station Square, the owners received their homes early – with many homes deficiency free, which is a rarity in residential development,” says Rafii.
The new AG Professional Hair Care Products Ltd. head office and manufacturing facility was first discussed informally years ago between the owners and Ryan Beedie. It’s a prime example of the company’s Build to Suit program that emphasizes close design collaboration between the builders and owners, in this case, John and Lotte Davis.
Beth Berry, vice-president, industrial development for Beedie, says:
“John and Lotte were involved in every aspect of development to ensure that their new headquarters would have the flow and efficiency to suit their needs now and in the future, as their company expands.”
Also of prime importance, the 68,595-square-foot facility would act as the gateway to Fraser Mills, which will eventually host over 4,700 homes, restaurants, shops, parks and nature trails. “Taylor Kurtz Architecture + Design created a true showcase building for AG Hair,” says Berry. “The City of Coquitlam deserves mention in the success of this project too, because their planning and building department worked proactively with Beedie to help accommodate AG Hair’s occupancy requirement timing.”
As for Fraser Mills itself, Beedie intends to make several new industrial and residential development applications within the next year. “While working on AG Hair, Coquitlam demonstrated their understanding of the growth needs and timing constraints felt by local businesses. The future industrial and commercial developments we are planning will provide new and more efficient headquarters for local growing businesses,” says Berry. “This a good news story for local business and our communities, and we’re excited to continue working with municipalities to bring new projects to market as quickly as possible.”
For Rafii, Beedie’s future consists of continuing to draw upon its 65 years of experience in order to improve its already formidable capabilities. “The UDI Awards demonstrated our focus on the residential and industrial sectors, and we have a lot of projects in the pipeline over the next five years, as well as expanding our presence in Alberta and Ontario,” he says. “We look forward to new challenges – and building new relationships.”