Gilmore Place Development-Paper

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Gilmore Place is a large mixed-use, transit-oriented development in Burnaby, British Columbia, built around the existing Gilmore SkyTrain Station and elevated guideway. Its six towers include a 64-storey tower. Construction required deep excavation beneath and around active SkyTrain infrastructure while maintaining safe, uninterrupted service.<br /><br />The first excavation phase covered about 14,200 m² and reached depths of 30.5 m. A perimeter groundwater cutoff and excavation support system used 1,229 secant piles and 2,689 high-capacity tieback anchors. Because the existing SkyTrain piers had to remain supported as excavation proceeded, each pier was temporarily braced with long steel pipe rakers and jackable frames, then incorporated into the permanent building structure. Specialized low-headroom drilling equipment installed piles beneath the guideway and close to existing foundations.<br /><br />The site’s complex ground conditions included shallow groundwater and a confined aquifer with artesian pressures. Secant piles were embedded into low-permeability soils and bedrock to limit groundwater inflow. Anchor installation was also challenging near the station, where a coordinated three-dimensional layout and carefully sequenced drilling reduced conflicts with existing and newly installed anchors.<br /><br />An automated remote monitoring system tracked the shoring and transit infrastructure in real time, using instruments including total stations, tiltmeters, extensometers, strain gauges, load cells, and inclinometers. Baseline readings captured seasonal and daily movement before excavation. During Phase 1, measured guideway movement remained within the project’s strictest tolerance, and the SkyTrain continued operating without disruption.<br /><br />The project’s success depended on collaboration between designers and construction teams, detailed quality control, innovative temporary works, and continuous monitoring. It demonstrates how challenging land with existing infrastructure and difficult ground conditions can be developed while protecting critical public transit.
Keywords
Gilmore Place
Burnaby
mixed-use development
transit-oriented development
SkyTrain Station
deep excavation
secant piles
tieback anchors
groundwater control
structural monitoring