Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

Delivery Model: Construction Management

Value: $532 million

The Oakridge Redevelopment project will transform the area into a mixed-use, transit-oriented, major cultural hub and new municipal town center for the City of Vancouver. It will offer a mix of unique retail and office space, residential towers, public park space, a civic center, a library, a daycare, a seniors’ center, and much more.

The Oakridge center required a high level of coordination and communication; throughout the preconstruction phase, EllisDon, acting as the executive Construction Manager, delivered a budget estimate incorporating scope works and other information from the other general contractors, multiple architects, various consultants, and the city of Vancouver within the prescribed 6-month period.

Upon commencement of the main project, EllisDon has continued to collaborate and coordinate with the client to ensure that scope and schedule changes related to COVID-19 and the closure of the Oakridge shopping center could proceed in a timely and efficient manner.

One of the client’s goals was to ensure the shopping mall remains open and operational as long as possible during demolition. EllisDon facilitated the enabling works for the project, rerouting certain service lines and upgrading others to anticipate increased demand at the completion of the project. The project team coordinated efforts with subcontractors to limit the impact on the mall, keeping construction disruption to a minimum.

The Construction Sciences group’s all-encompassing approach to site logistics and construction methodology planning allowed the project and site teams to make informed and educated decisions throughout the preconstruction and construction process; this ensured any action taken on one part of the site wouldn’t negatively affect operations on another part of the site or impact a future phase. Alongside the Site team, the Construction Planning and Logistics team has been overseeing the site plan for various phasing, scheduling, and scope changes from the first day of preconstruction up to the present day. This allows one of the largest developments in the city of Vancouver to ensure it can function efficiently and cohesively—and ultimately achieve a successful project outcome.