The recently completed Coastal Heights Distribution Centre stands as an elegant industrial landmark in southern British Columbia but its presence offers no clues of the disruptions and obstacles that made the build a highly challenging task.
During construction, work crews from Orion Construction were forced to cope with a shortage of available cranes required to install the 341 insulated concrete tilt-up panels that are designed to keep the cold and heat out, as well as provide an attractive aesthetic element to the project. The construction team improvised by importing a 50-ton alternate crane from the United States.
The crews were also required to raise the level of the site by one metre to address water pressure and high water table issues at the development site. The workers also endured difficult weather conditions that included heatwaves and rain and also faced supply chain disruptions. In spite of the challenges, the construction teams completed the job within the scheduled 18-month time frame.
A panel of real estate professionals familiar with the Vancouver market awarded the Pure Industrial project with a 2024 CoStar Impact Award for commercial development of the year.
About the Project: The now-completed 428,000-square-foot building at 2325 190 St. features 49 docks and a 36-foot clear height. It sits just four kilometres from the United States border and less than one hour's drive from downtown Vancouver. Shoe company Skechers has leased the entire property.
What the Judges Said: “A unique, well-executed build-to-suit distribution centre, which introduced a world-class company to Surrey and will be a significant catalyst for employment in the region as Canada's only distribution center for Skechers Shoes. I also appreciate the unique solutions of Orion,” said Irfan Shariff, senior vice president of investments for Hungerford Properties.
They Made It Happen: Aaron Fedora, vice president of development at Cedar Coast, and Tim Donald, vice president of capital projects at Toronto-based Pure Industrial, organized the construction project.