East Vancouver’s Kingsway Avenue has long been known for its steady stream of auto dealerships, strip malls, fast-food restaurants, cut-rate motels and as a quick route to somewhere else.

That’s changing.

In what’s regarded by many as part of the area’s renaissance, a 12-storey condominium tower in the 2700-block of Kingsway is now being marketed as part of a city plan to take advantage of the Norquay neighbourhood’s central location and turn it into a more people-friendly place emphasizing higher densities, newer shops and services, wider sidewalks and other public amenities.

Skyway Towers, the first highrise development under the Norquay Village Neighbourhood Centre Plan, is a 130-unit project that includes nine commercial units to be built on the site of the old Wally’s Burgers.

It includes two buildings – the 12-storey tower and a four-storey building – with a 13-metre-wide breezeway between them.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/commercial-real-estate/High+rise+development+aims+make+Kingsway+Avenue+residential+hotspot/6872883/story.html#ixzz1zZW6H2fR