On Friday, February 21, Surrey Pavilion opened its doors to the public, welcoming over 5,000 guests to date into a concept space that's new for the real estate industry — but not for Langley-based developer Marcon.
Traditionally, yet-to-be-constructed condos and townhouses are sold out of a retail space — typically called a sales centre, a presentation centre, or a sales gallery, depending on company preference — that's akin to targeted advertising. These spaces are decked out with renderings, architectural models, and showhomes all focused on the project, because the developer knows that everybody who walks in the door already has an interest in learning more about the project. The space is designed for this sole purpose.
Marcon — founded by Marco Paolella and celebrating its 40th anniversary this year — is on a mission to change that.
When you arrive at the corner of 133A Street and 102A Avenue in Surrey, you're met by a structure made of timber and glass that looks, from the outside, like a chic cafe or a restaurant. On entry, you'll discover it is, in fact, (among other things) a cafe — Nemesis Coffee's first Surrey location, with floor-to-ceiling windows and window-side seating, to be exact. The space is warm and elevated, serving as an inviting landing place for locals to settle in and enjoy hot coffee, delightful pastries, and a sense of community connection.
The Surrey Pavilion at 13380 102A Avenue in Surrey / Courtesy of Marcon
In other words, you'd never be able to tell that condos are sold out of this space. Unless, of course, you walk through an adjoining doorway that leads into the sales gallery, which is currently tailored for 102+Park. The 44-storey tower — complete with 376 condos, 120 rental homes, and commercial space — is set for 13525 102 Avenue, offering the first ownership opportunity on the Central Plaza in over a decade. Better yet, it's a mere five-minute walk away from Surrey Pavilion.
"The idea started with a simple question," says Marcon Executive Vice President Nic Paolella, "which was: 'Are we reaching our customers in the way that they want to be connected with?' Our sales process, the way we represent our product, the way we engage with the community — are we doing it in a way that is actually what people want?"
The traditional concept of the sales gallery is about as old as the concept of pre-selling homes, and Paolella says that, after asking themselves that question, Marcon realized the space — literally and figuratively — was due for some change.
"The presale development process is a pretty exclusive thing," said Paolella, referring to the physical spaces. "Unless people have a reason or an interest in buying a home, typically it's not really an inviting environment. We felt like that was an obvious opportunity, and a miss in the model that has been around for so many years." (Sometimes, these spaces are literally not inviting, being "by appointment only.")
The Nemesis Coffee space inside Surrey Pavilion / Courtesy of Marcon
In the figurative sense, the traditional presale model is also often based on exclusivity — through scarcity and urgency, among other things — and Paolella believed this could also do with some change. Like retailers of other product types would attest, how consumers make their buying decisions has changed. People often learn most of what they need to know online. For real estate, buyers are often supported by realtors who are able to answer their questions.
Physical sales spaces, now, are often there for consumers to get a "feel" for the product, quality, and the producer.
Marcon has been working on this concept for about five years now, with the testing ground being Outpost in Port Moody. That space opened a few years ago, and is now home to Timbertrain Coffee Roasters, which is a beautiful space for the community to gather, and a Sales Gallery for Söenhaus, an upcoming Marcon project in West Coquitlam.
"Visitors are willing to explore because they're not coming into a sales trap," says Paolella. "It's not like they're coming in for a real estate pitch and getting a free coffee on the other end. They're coming in and buying their own coffee, hanging out in the space, and — if they're inclined — perhaps exploring the opportunity of homeownership as well. But they're not obligated to."
Paolella says the concept has been successful for them, bringing in engagement beyond those who have an interest in real estate, which is why they wanted to continue the concept in Surrey (and beyond). And because Marcon plans on further Surrey development in the future, the sales gallery space will continue in its vibrance, housing Nemesis’ first Surrey location, rather than being discarded and left vacant like some traditional sales galleries are fated to be. What’s more, Surrey Pavilion also serves as a preview of what can be expected from the retail experience at the base of 102+Park — a warm, inviting, community-oriented environment that enhances the surrounding locale.
Renderings of 102 + Park, which is set for 13525 102 Avenue in Surrey. / Courtesy of Marcon
Since being founded as a construction company, Marcon has evolved into a fully-integrated real estate company that develops their own projects on top of constructing projects for several other respected developers. Today, they're the second-largest builder in British Columbia. Paolella believes the concept behind Outpost and Surrey Pavilion only works because it's backed by the quality of Marcon's work.
"It's not any different than the Apple store, right? You go to the Apple store to buy a phone, but everything else in the space around you makes you think differently about the product. It inspires and gives you confidence that the decision you're making is a good choice. Ultimately, if the iPhone wasn’t a must-have product, then the space wouldn't matter. If we didn't have a good quality product, if we weren't selling the location, or if we weren't selling a building that's going to add to the fabric of the neighbourhood in the long run, then the approach of what we're doing with Surrey Pavilion would be disingenuous."
Due to the area's convenient access to Surrey Central Station, the neighbourhood where 102+Park is rising has become the downtown core of Surrey. The area is already home to the Central City mixed-use complex and Simon Fraser University, with SFU's new medical school on the way as part of the City of Surrey's own Centre Block mixed-use development. What's more, between the Skytrain extension and Centre Block development, the region will be receiving $8B of investment on the doorstep of 102+Park, supporting the area's burgeoning development. In short, this means Surrey will only continue on its growth trajectory, with the area expected to become the most populous city in British Columbia by 2030.
For Marcon, then, Surrey Pavilion is not just a flag being planted, it's also a beacon of the future of Surrey and what's to come downtown.
Surrey Pavilion is located at 13380 102A Avenue in Surrey and is open weekdays from 8 am to 5 pm, and weekends 9 am to 5 pm. To learn more, click here.
102+Park is expected to launch sales in Spring 2025. To register, visit the website.
This article was produced in partnership with STOREYS Custom Studio.
