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Heritage rail retail plaza moves ahead

A heritage rail-themed shopping centre planned for Cloverdale heads to fourth reading at the city.

A heritage rail-themed shopping centre planned for the sizable vacant lot on the northwest corner of Highway 10 and the Cloverdale bypass is a step closer to becoming reality.

A representative from Anthem Properties Ltd. has confirmed its “Brickyard Station” proposal is proceeding through the approval process at city hall. The development permit and rezoning application is headed to fourth reading.

If approved, construction could begin in two to three months, said Rob Blackwell, vice-president of commercial development for Anthem.

“We’d like to start construction in late spring,” he said.

For now, the company is only developing the commercial half of the 10-acre property. Anthem’s long-term plans also call for an industrial/business park on the site, a former industrial works yard.

“The market currently doesn’t support the industrial/business park side going forward yet,” Blackwell said.

Meanwhile, the company is excited about moving forward with Brickyard Station, a name that takes its cue from the design plans.

The buildings will feature a lot of brick, with large canopies that are conducive to restaurants, and other features chosen to create a heritage rail theme.

“We have all these little touchstones of heritage and railway,” Blackwell said, adding the architectural design and site landscaping will be “definitely memorable and linked to the history.”

Anchor tenants are expected to include CIBC, Staples and Rexall Drugs, along with smaller tenants COBS Bread and Kin’s Farm Market.

While Blackwell would not elaborate or confirm, he did add that “Our expectation would be to have some funkier tenants. It’s been our focus to bring some new tenants to Cloverdale.”