Birch Bay Square sold for $12.8 million to investor in Surrey, B.C.

By Stefanie Donahue

Local I-5 shopping mall Birch Bay Square was sold for $12.8 million to a Surrey, B.C. investor.

Represented by Thuy Tiller of Sterling Real Estate Group, Christopher Thanh Phat Quach purchased approximately 135,000 square feet of the retail center on July 19 from a Canadian investment group, registered as North America 6666 Investment Birch Bay LLP and North America 3333 Investment Birch Bay LLP.

In addition to retail space, the purchase also included approximately 16 acres of undeveloped land located north of the mall. Tiller said the sale did not include the Jack in the Box, Bob’s Burgers & Brew or the Windermere building, which are independently owned.

Formerly called the Peace Arch Factory Outlets, Birch Bay Square was built in 1993.

In 2005, the Ware family of Mount Vernon purchased the mall but lost it in 2010 after Union Bank of San Francisco foreclosed on the property and claimed ownership. In 2012, North America 6666 Investment Birch Bay LLP purchased the retail center for just under $8 million.

Bellingham-based Saratoga Commercial Real Estate is the leasing agent for the property and did not return a request for comment.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.