Oliva introduced the benefits of suburban density to Tsawwassen with residential strata homes, a library and sidewalk retail, situated at the Tsawwassen Town Centre Mall.

Ten years ago, there wasn't a lot of density in Tsawwassen; it was primarily made up of single-family homes and a few apartment buildings here and there. When the opportunity came up to do some redevelopment at the Tsawwassen Town Centre, we decided it was time to do something different. The result: Oliva, an urban style mixed-use development that marked Century Group’s first venture into the practice of suburban density.

For Oliva, our idea was to develop condominium homes using LEED-certified green building practices, with retail and services at the sidewalk level. We created a walkable plaza with a water feature in partnership with the local Rotary Club to build Rotary Square, an urban-oriented public space that serves as a meeting place, a showcase for community events, and a place for kids to play. Rotary Square signalled our company’s involvement with a long-term commitment to the community.

Oliva introduced suburban density to Tsawwassen and set Century Group on the path to creating liveable, walkable urban centres. Oliva also inspired the next phase of the Tsawwassen Town Centre's redevelopment which will take out the parking lots and put them underground, move Thrifty Foods from the periphery to the centre of the site and connect better with the transit system.

The first LEED-certified building in Delta, with public and commercial facilities, including a library and retail stores, Oliva was the first of its kind and quite an innovative project for its time.