As reported in the Surrey Now-Leader, a developer is hoping to build a new highrise on the former site of the Best Buy in Whalley.

The proposal, according to a planning and development report that will be at council on Monday (Sept. 16), is for a 25-storey office tower on the southeast corner (100th Avenue and King George Boulevard) of the Central City Mall in City Centre.

The proposal, which is still in the planning stages, is asking for council’s approval to amend the road network on the subject site, rezone a portion of it to comprehensive development zone (CD) from community commercial zone (C-8), and a development permit.

Staff is recommending the public hearing be scheduled for Oct. 7.

This office tower, according to the report, would be phase one of the “ultimate redevelopment of the Central City Mall site.” The future redevelopment of the rest of the site “will be addressed through a subsequent Master Planning process tied to a future development application.”

Each phase will be subject to rezoning and development permit applications.

Because of the proposed tower’s location, staff “encouraged” the applicant to increase the height of the proposed tower, the report reads. But the applicant declined, “noting that the building had been sized for anticipated market needs.”

The report also says the proposal, which is 656 feet from King George SkyTrain Station, “conforms” to the goal of achieving highrise, high-density, mixed-use development around SkyTrain stations.

The office tower will include 567,114-sq.-ft. of commercial office space and 16,168-sq.-ft. of ground-floor commercial retail space fronting King George Boulevard, Old Yale Road and future City Parkway.

Keep reading in the Surrey Now-Leader