Two excavators were knocking down walls at the former Aldergrove Mall at 272nd Street and Fraser Highway on the weekend, turning the concrete and brick structure into a pile of rubble, and loading the debris into waiting trucks.

It marked the next phase of demolition for the building, after crews spent weeks tearing out material from the interior.

Property owner Janda Group is planning a a mixed-use master-planned development, , on the site.

Built in 1976, the mall was home to a large grocery store, retails shops and dozens of small businesses.

By the time it closed down, only a dentist鈥檚 office and a dollar store remained.

Once it is completed, the new Aldergrove Town Centre will include three six-storey buildings, with residential condos and ground-level commercial space, a 10-storey tower with four levels of public parking and six levels of residential housing, and a stand-alone two-level daycare.

The first, sold-out phase, features three creekside buildings named after some of Aldergrove鈥檚 pioneer families, Jackman, Shortreed and Vanetta.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: First look at interior of Alder Grove Town Centre project

Plans include expanding and lighting pathways, adding footbridges and reclaiming green space by replanting native vegetation into the habitat around the adjacent Bertrand Creek area.

Sonny Janda, President of Janda Group, said the goal with the development of Aldergrove Town Centre 鈥渉as been to keep the core values of the community at heart while helping to facilitate Aldergrove鈥檚 future growth.鈥�

Colin Hogan, principal architect of Focus Architecture, said residents have said 鈥渢hat they were looking for ways to connect. Whether it was walkability, bike-friendly pathways or a transit exchange, we identified this recurrent theme, this desire for connectivity.鈥�

READ ALSO: Aldergrove rec centre to keep name despite change at credit union

There will be a new bike path through the neighbourhood, to encourage a less vehicle-centric downtown core, as well as a new transit exchange on the west end of the development.

Janda Group鈥檚 Marketing Coordinator Alisha Dhillon said 鈥渨hile 91原创 Township has seen significant population growth over the past ten years, Aldergrove hasn鈥檛 been equipped to keep the same pace. This transit exchange has the enormous potential to contribute to the economic vibrancy and sustainability of the community.鈥�

More photos can be viewed at the .