Vancouver Airport has decided to move its proposed designer outlet shopping centre into the shadow of a Canada Line station.
The facility, being built in conjunction with UK-based luxury outlet firm McArthurGlen, will now be situated next to the Templeton station on Sea Island.
YVR had originally planned to build the outlet centre off Russ Baker Way, next to BCIT and were still preparing the ground at the site as recently as two months ago.
However, after receiving feedback from the local community, the airport decided to switch focus to the Templeton site, before confirming the move on Tuesday.
The airport authority and McArthurGlen have selected the Templeton site as the preferred location for the designer outlet centre, said airport spokeswoman Alana Lawrence.
Results from the feasibility testing at the site near the Canada Line Templeton Station and at the Russ Baker Way site on Sea Island, along with feedback from our communities, resulted in the change in location.
Work done for site preparation at the Russ Baker Way location will be used for future commercial development, as designated in the airports 20-year master plan.
Shifting major retail to the proximity of rapid transit will sit well with the City of Richmond, which urged YVR to re-think its original proposal to build the shopping centre outside of the city centre core.
Richmonds CCAP (city centre area plan) calls for development retail and residential to be densified in and around the city centre and next to rapid public transit.
