One of Burnaby’s most recognizable landmarks, the Telus “Boot” office building at Boundary Road and Kingsway, is undergoing partial demolition. While the 21-story main high-rise will remain, crews are dismantling the attached 10-story podium that created the distinctive “toe box” and “arch” of the building’s boot-like silhouette. Its removal reduces the building’s floor area from 687,000 to 512,000 square feet (63,820 to 47,570 square meters).
Built in 1976 for BC Tel and later taken over by Telus, the building was once the largest office complex in Metro Vancouver. It was designed by Musson & Cattell (now Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership) and constructed by Dominion Construction. Archival records show that the north podium, now being removed, was not part of the original design but an expansion added in the late 1980s, after construction began on the adjacent SkyTrain Expo Line.
The demolition is part of Central Park Commons, a major redevelopment approved by the Burnaby City Council in March 2025. The plan calls for five new residential high-rises—ranging from 31 to 64 stories—on the 6.6-acre property surrounding the office tower. The three tallest buildings, up to 64 stories, will rise on the footprint of the demolished podium.
Originally led by PC Urban, the project is now being developed by Anthem Properties in partnership with Crestpoint Real Estate Investments, following a transfer of ownership from H&R REIT. Arcadis is the project’s architect.
Though the Boot’s full silhouette will be diminished, its jutted terraces fronting Kingsway will preserve part of its iconic profile when viewed from the south. Once complete, the new development will transform the site from a standalone office landmark into a dense mixed-use hub overlooking Central Park.
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