The site of the popular Richmond Night Market is the subject of a new rezoning application that would see the popular attraction redeveloped into a sprawling commercial district. The application was recently considered by Council and will be going to a public hearing next week.
The application was submitted by Jingon International Development Group, on behalf of Sanhurgon Investment Ltd., 0916544 BC Ltd and 0944325 BC Ltd., who are the owners of the property that lease space to the operator of the Richmond Night Market.
The 22-acre site is located at 8351 River Road, 8411, 8431, 8451 West Road, and 2431 No. 3 Road, along the Fraser River near the Canada Line SkyTrain's Bridgeport Station. A majority of the property consists of Duck Island, which BC Assessment values at $129,513,000.
The developers are seeking to rezone the site from IL (Light Industrial) to ZC54 (High Rise Riverfront Commercial and Institution) in order to allow for the density and uses they are proposing, which would have a total density of 4.9 FSR.
The site plan for the Richmond Night Market redevelopment.(Arcadis IBI Group / Jingon International Development Group)
In total, the proposal includes 3,431,880 sq. ft of commercial space, including 1,321,600 sq. ft of hotel space, 908,500 sq. ft of office space, 622,200 sq. ft of retail space, 538,300 sq. ft of entertainment space, and 41,280 sq. ft of institution/amenity space, delivered across three phases and 10 to 15 years.
The development proposal is a rare master plan development that includes zero residential uses, in part as a result of the site's proximity to Vancouver International Airport and the tower height restrictions. The proposal includes a total of 14 buildings, all of which would be 12 storeys or lower.
The new commercial district would consist of three sub-districts: a Waterfront District at the northern end of the site, a Market District at the southern end of the site, and a Central District in between. In terms of construction, the phases largely (but not entirely) aligns with the sub-districts. The first phase would be focused on the centre third of the site (Central District), the second phase would be focused on the northern third (Waterfront District), and the third phase on the southern third (Market District).
The proposal is essentially a revised version of Jingon's previous development plan, which it had named Jingon International Plaza. The look and uses of the development has not been changed much, but the size has been reduced down from the previously-planned 4,000,000 sq. ft.
A sketch of the envisioned Richmond Night Market redevelopment.(Arcadis IBI Group / Jingon International Development Group)
According to the City, the proposal would see a "reimagining" of the Richmond Night Market into "a series of permanent market buildings located on the south portion of the subject site." The operator's lease with the owner currently expires on December 31, 2026 and the City issued a temporary use permit in March that expires in October 2026.
As part of the development project, the developers would design, construct, and transfer a 30,000-sq. ft arts and culture facility as well as a 11,280-sq. ft community safety facility to the City. The developers would also transfer a 6.82-acre parcel of land adjacent to the Fraser River to the City for the purpose of public open space and dike. The land is currently Provincial Crown Lands, but the developer has received approval from the Province to pursue rezoning.
The proposal also includes a 1.6-acre "river balcony" overlooking the Fraser River that "offers the public an alternative way to experience the water," according to City staff.
For the City, the developer will also be contributing $15M towards the City's Leisure Facilities Reserve Fund, with $5M to be paid before the first development permit for Phase Two is issued and the remaining $10M to be paid before the first development permit for Phase Three is issued. The developer will also be contributing $1,152,804.80 towards future City planning studies.
After being granted a first reading, the proposal will now go to a public hearing on Tuesday, May 21.
An architectural model of the redeveloped Richmond Night Market.(Arcadis IBI Group / Jingon International Development Group)
