A key piece of Aldergrove's revitalization plan starts this weekend, as construction begins on the redevelopment of Aldergrove Town Centre.
Aldergrove is one of the oldest farming communities in the Lower Mainland and was named after the alder trees that were abundant in the area. Founded in the 1800s near a road that intersected with a trail directly to the United States, Aldergrove remains a location of commercial growth due to its proximity to the Fraser Highway, the Trans-Canada Highway, Abbotsford Airport, and the US border.
The original Aldergrove Mall was built at the centre of Aldergrove, Langley in 1976 and was a bustling area of activity, housing various grocery stores, retail shops, and other small businesses.
After the community plan for Aldergrove was re-written in 2011, discussions began on possibly demolishing the mall -- which has been abandoned for years now, save for a dollar store and dentist's office -- and redeveloping the area in order to create new residential and business opportunities.
Aldergrove Town Centre
Developed by BC-based Janda Group, the new Aldergrove Town Centre, at 3100 272nd Street, will include three six-story buildings with ground-floor retail space and residential condos above, a 10-storey building with six floors of apartments and four floors of parking, as well as a standalone two-storey daycare center.
Phase One consisted of three mixed-use buildings -- named Shortreed, Jacckman, and Vanetta, after Aldergrove's pioneering families. Phase Two -- a building called Creekside, because it's next to Bertrand Creek -- is currently selling, and a future third phase will add two more residential buildings to the area.
All in all, the Aldergrove Town Centre will consist of 260 homes, and the one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom homes will be designed with family-friendly layouts and contemporary finishes, with access to a communal rooftop space.
Businesses in the area will include artisanal cafés, boutique restaurants, and grocery stores, and the Janda Group will also be developing the landscape around Bertrand Creek, such as expanding and lighting pathways, building footbridges, and adding vegetation.
Renderings: Janda Group
After suffering delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the old mall was finally demolished earlier this summer, and the Janda Group is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, October 8, followed by an Autumn Harvest Festival with food, games, and music for the general public.
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"Our goal with the development of Aldergrove Town Centre has been to keep the core values of the community at heart while helping to facilitate Aldergrove’s future growth," Sonny Janda, President of Janda Group, says. "This project truly is the result of a pivotal collaboration with the Langley Township and residents of Aldergrove."
Construction on Phase One is slated to finish in Fall 2024 with the remaining phases to follow.
