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D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 4 | 95 Sunset Industrial Centre R EN D ER I N G CO U RT E S Y S H ATO H O L D I N GS LT D. SUNSET INDUSTRIAL CENTRE by ROBIN BRUNET S outh Vancouver's newest indus- trial facility is unique in several regards. The Sunset Industrial Centre provides an enormous amount of space for prospective owners within a relatively small footprint, also, Shato Holdings Ltd. and TK A+D Architecture + Design Inc. ensured that the two buildings comprising the Centre would be visually pleasing, unlike typical utilitarian structures (for starters, it's the first of its kind to have a vehicle and pedestrian bridge connecting the two buildings). The beauty of Sunset Industrial Centre, located on a sloping site, is that its 24 units are stacked on top of each other across two levels totalling 99,051 square feet. Given this layout and the fact that floor loads (for levels two and three) are 350 pounds per square foot, an enormous amount of engineer- ing was required to make the facility work. "The loading requirements were huge, plus the units have 22- to 25-foot ceilings," says Leo Perez, principal at Pro-Can Construction Group. "To say it had to be built rock-solid would be an understatement." The project commenced when it was announced that the White Spot restaurant at SE Marine Drive and Ross Street would close permanently in April of 2021. "We had previously developed a building in the vicinity with TK A+D that became White Spot's head office, which meant that its warehouse and supply area on the same site was empty – and since it had been built in the 1960s and had low ceiling heights, it wasn't attractive to industrial tenants," says Dan Soos, project manager for Shato Holdings. "After studying the zoning restric- tions we decided we would build an entirely new industrial complex with a retail component – but considering the site was sloped, each unit would have to be stacked," Soos adds. Craig Taylor, president and founder at TK A+D, points out that while a sloped site might have been regarded as a challenge by others, "we saw it as an opportunity to create increased density, and we undertook this project having worked on other sloped sites, Ironworks being one of them." Craig West, architect and principal at TK A+D, describes some of the oppor- tunities of the grading: "In addition to stacking, we used the slope to develop multiple entries – to the underground parking, to the central loading court, and to the topside parking area. "To minimize the massing of the retail frontage on SW Marine Drive, we broke the building into two por- tions and angled the entrances. We also varied the size and appearance of the industrial units in order to provide prospective buyers with a host of options depending on their needs. Additionally, the development of a vehicle bridge helped eliminate the need for freight elevators: every indus- trial unit would have its own loading area" – a feature facilitated by each unit equipped with overhead grade- level loading doors. Design elements such as a black- white cladding colour contrast was inspired by the appearance of the White Spot head office. "This coupled with the new building's layout and other features resulted in the facility having a community centre ambiance, which we intend to continue in the future as we develop the entire block as an industrial precinct," Soos says. Pro-Can Construction Group broke ground in the beginning of 2022, still a time of procurement challenges and hyperinflation brought on by the lock- downs. "There was also a concrete strike going on, but we used a supplier who wasn't part of the strike, which was fortunate, because this project required lots of concrete and rebar," Perez says. Soil issues also had to be dealt with. Foundations were a combination of pad foundations with micro piles; construction consisted of a concrete frame with steel bracing on the upper levels (tilt-up wasn't an option due to site constraints), with insulated metal panel and curtain wall comprising the skin of the facility. As of October of 2024, Soos reports that sales targets had been achieved and occupancy was impending. From Taylor's perspective, stacking as a solution to light industrial develop- ment in Greater Vancouver has great potential. He says, "We're very excited to pursue this solution with other cli- ents in the future. It makes sense in urban environments." A LOCATION 8210 and 8220 Ross Street, Vancouver, B.C. OWNER /DEVELOPER Shato Holdings Ltd. ARCHITECT TKA+D Architecture + Design Inc. GENER AL CONTR ACTOR Pro-Can Construction Group Corp. STRUCTUR AL CONSULTANT WHM Structural Engineers MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Jade West Engineering Co. Ltd. ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Liew Engineering Ltd. L ANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Van Der Zalm + Associates CODE CONSULTANT Pontem Group TOTAL SIZE 99,051 square feet TOTAL COST Undisclosed

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