Kudos to Dale Regehr, president and CEO of Langley's WestStone Properties, and his team.

This Walnut Grove-based company is making news designing high-density urban communities - including muliti-family projects in Langley City and Surrey.

Well Regehr and his team were back in the news this week, receiving a development permit to build Surrey's highest building ever while also announcing a ground-breaking for their new and innovative Serenade project on Douglas Crescent at Park Avenue in Langley.

The claim to fame - if you will - of this local project is that it will have underground parking under a public road. Work is expected to begin next month.

In the meantime, the Surrey project, known as Ultra, will be 40 floors, and will tower over Simon Fraser University, Central City, the new Surrey Civic Centre, and the rest of WestStone's Urban Village community.

This is the third phase of WestStone's master-plan, and will allow for 362 suites and 11 townhouses. In 2009 WestStone completed the first two phases of Urban Village, two low-rise buildings, Agenda and Element, which contain 206 apartments.

"We're very excited to be moving forward in the city centre, especially with such a landmark building," Regehr said. "We'll be holding our ground-breaking ceremony sometime during the summer months."

Third Valley showcase on next week

For the third year in a row, Fraser Valley Chambers of Commerce are hosting a business showcase next week, and Langley's crew is going to be there in spades.

As the most inclusive Valley networking event of the year, the show has grown since its inception. And, event organizers expect more than 1,500 people to flock to the Tradex at the Abbotsford airport on Wednesday, April 28, for the event that showcases more than 200 businesses from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m.

It is a great opportunity to network with business leaders and professionals working throughout the Fraser Valley, including at least 25 participating Langley businesses, according to Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce executive director Lynn Whitehouse.

The show is a joint event put on by all the chambers in the Valley, which represent a total membership of 4,500 businesses from Langley, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Surrey, Mission, and Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

Complimentary tickets are available online at: www.abbotsfordchamber.com. Parking for the event is $5.

Project Runway contender a draw

Speaking of crowds, did you catch the line up in front of Pennington's on the Langley Bypass the other day?

A swarm of women gathered outside the store last week to catch a visit with Jessica Biffi, a favourite finalist on the TV show Project Runway Canada.

Since leaving the show, Biffi has collaborated with plus size retailers Addition Elle and Penningtons, to design spring fashions reflecting her own unique style and edgy infused fashion-sense. Well, she brought that and an autographing pen to the full-figured women of Langley's Landmark Square store on April 13.

It was a chance for locals to meet this rising star in the fashion industry, and they came out in droves to see her.

Realtor walks for Kids Help Phone

Sutton Group's own Jill Sinclair is pounding the pavement, but the local realtor isn't just shaking up business, she's shaking down people who share her passion for helping kids.

She's soliciting support, and trying to motivate others to participate in the ninth annual 5-km Walk for Kids Help Phone, which is Sunday, May 2 at Mill Lake Park in Abbotsford (www.walkforkidshelpphone.ca).

"Why not join us?" Sinclair said. "It's a great cause."

Don't be surprised if this feisty little volunteer shows up at your business soon, asking for support.