Site D at UBC — better known as Focal — has received its occupancy permits, and is ready to welcome tenants and new retailers, including several new restaurants for the Vancouver campus.
The GBL Architects-designed, mixed-use building includes 101 purpose-built rental units available to UBC students, staff and faculty — as well as six retail units on the ground floor.
![New restaurants at UBC](https://www.urbanyvr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/New-restaurants-at-UBC-4-960x720.jpg)
![New restaurants at UBC](https://www.urbanyvr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/New-restaurants-at-UBC-3-960x720.jpg)
![Browns Social House patio](https://www.urbanyvr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/New-restaurants-at-UBC-2-960x720.jpg)
Retailers slated to open in Focal include several new restaurants, including:
- Brown’s Social House
- Kinton Ramen
- Body Energy Club
![David Strangway Building hoarding](https://www.urbanyvr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/New-restaurants-at-UBC-5-960x720.jpg)
Across the street at the David Strangway Building, the former location of Mahoney & Son’s is being subdivided into several smaller retail units. Slated to open soon are:
- Ryuu Japanese Kitchen
- Steve’s Poke Bar
- Chatime
The new development, Focal, and the renovation of the David Strangway Building will bring six additional food and beverage outlets to the UBC Vancouver campus — big news on a campus with thousands of students, staff and faculty.
The development also includes a new MacInnes Field behind the building, with one level of underground parking and a new turf surface.
![New MacInnes Field at UBC](https://www.urbanyvr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/New-restaurants-at-UBC-6-960x720.jpg)
![Focal at UBC](https://www.urbanyvr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/New-restaurants-at-UBC-1-960x720.jpg)
Improvements have also been made to the public realm around the development, linking it to the Nest and former SUB (now known as the Life Building).
Editor’s note: Peter Meiszner is an employee of the University of British Columbia.