A city is on the rise and a business centre under construction is doing the same.
As Chilliwack in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland continues to grow economically, it faces a need for more expansive office space. The Benchmark project by Emil Anderson Properties aims to fill that void with a high-end building.
“There’s not much office space in Chilliwack and nothing with this level of finish to attract Class A businesses,” contracting principal Gerry Enns said.
Benchmark, also known as the Hocking Avenue Business Centre, is being developed by Lead 3 Developments GP Ltd. and the YMCA BC Properties Foundation, with Emil Anderson Properties serving as the development manager and Gerry Enns Contracting as the builder, an Emil Anderson Properties release said.
The location near the local YWCA features almost 33,000 square feet of Class “A” capacity across four floors, including a coffee shop or restaurant on the main floor and a rooftop patio, differentiating it from older office stock in the area.
“The esthetics are very modern, much nicer than older buildings in Chilliwack and more in tune with what you’d find in a Vancouver office,” Enns said. “Primarily that’s down to the interior finishes other than the lobby, which is tile and feature wall.”
He added the building exterior is a metal and glass linear form, with “nice overhangs from the second floor to the first floor.”
“It also has grey fleck brick that isn’t used often in Chilliwack,” Enns added.
One of the main challenges in building the structure, Enns said, was building the square footage on a constrained lot.
“We had to get the parking (area) we wanted, and we worked with the City of Chilliwack on solutions and managed to make it work,” he said.
“Most office buildings in Chilliwack are only two storeys and this is a 3.5 storey structure. The fourth floor is only half the footprint of the rest of the other floors, given the rooftop patio for a tenant,” Enns said.
Currently the space is 85 per cent leased, the release said, with tenants including Hub International, Zacharias Vickers McAnn, KPMG and Cascade Physiotherapy.
“The first 50 per cent came fairly quickly and then we had to work harder for the next 35 per cent. Since June we’ve been at 85 per cent and (should) have interest in another 10 per cent pretty quick,” Enns said.
“We are excited to see Benchmark nearing its completion as a future hub for business activity in Chilliwack. This project merges modern design with functional spaces that will provide an excellent environment for professionals and businesses to thrive,” Emil Anderson Properties president and CEO Robert Hasell said.
The building is scheduled to open in March 2025.
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