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Iconic Canadian retailer Mountain Equipment Co-Op (MEC) has been going through a renewal period, rebuilding existing stores and opening new locations. As part of this, Vancouver's flagship store, currently located on 130 West Broadway, will be relocated to 101 East 2nd Avenue near Olympic Village. The site for the new building has recently been cleared and construction is expected to complete in 2018. The store is being developed by Beedie Development Group and designed by Proscenium Architecture + Interiors Inc. who also designed the recently built MEC Head Office.
The LEED Gold three-storey building will provide two storeys of retail space and office space and a fitness centre on the third floor. The 24-metre-tall building will feature a green roof, three levels of underground parking with 148 car spaces, 80 bicycle stalls and three loading bays. The new location will be well served by public transit, with buses and Main Street/Science World Skytrain Station within walking distance. Though the number of proposed car parking spaces will exceed the Parking By-law standards, this store is considered a "destination" that will draw people from Vancouver and beyond. This project will set aside over $2 million as their public benefit contribution, which will be allocated to affordable housing.
The City of Vancouver held an open house in December 2016 and received mainly positive feedback; however, there were concerns about an increase in traffic and parking issues. Participants also suggested more retail and related amenity options, such as rock climbing walls or a sport clinic.
The 29,796-square-foot site was cleared in the spring of 2017 in preparation for construction. Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.
