Brentwood retailers in the dark about new development

Photo by DennisTsang

A massive new development is slated to replace the current Brentwood Town Centre but retailers in the mall say they have been given no information about what will happen to them.

Shape Properties bought the mall in 2010 and quickly proposed a huge development that will eventually include a new open-area shopping district and up to 11 condo towers.

Burnaby city council gave approval for the Brentwood master plan back in October, but retailers Wednesday were still confused about what was happening.

Owner of clothing store Match, Kevin Wang, said he had no idea when the development was set to start and what would become of his store.

“It is hard to get information. The bosses, owners of this mall, keep changing their minds I think. Now that it is passed, they don’t have to rush I guess,” said Wang.

Several other owners echoed Wang’s confusion. Owner of Gam Shoe Repair, Habibi Jamshidian, whose store has been in Brentwood 36 years, said he “hadn’t been told anything.” Jamshidian said he wasn’t opposed to the development.

“The project is exciting,” said Jamshidian, but he would like to know more specific details from his landlord.

The Shape Properties webpage says the new development is “expected to start unfolding in the spring.”

Shape spokesman Brian Nosko said Thursday representatives had recently been out of town. Regarding informing the retailers about the progress of the development Nosko said,

“They do know. We had tenant meetings in the fall.”

Nosko said it would actually be a year before any ground would be broken for the first phase of the development and that drawings for that phase are currently being prepared.

thuncher@shaw.ca