Edmonton Construction 9 (2008-08) - Page 190

CMD UW · #**3781** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 12:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

I was told by a contractor who frequents that new Home Depot that it literally has no one going to it yet...

oh and on that note, the Westmount Home Depot is surpassing all sales targets i was told by a solid margin.

That is true, if you actually want good service, go there.

Once the area around it populates, traffic will pick up.

0773|=\ · #**3782** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 1:17 AM**

I knew the Westmount Home Depot would be a hit. Lots of 'reno-friendly' homes in the area, and a lot of trades workers have shops west of 142nd. That and the fact that the Home Hardware on 149 and 111th has terrible service. That move is a no-brainer.

CMD UW · #**3783** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 2:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 0773|=\

I knew the Westmount Home Depot would be a hit. Lots of 'reno-friendly' homes in the area, and a lot of trades workers have shops west of 142nd. That and the fact that the Home Hardware on 149 and 111th has terrible service. That move is a no-brainer.

You are absolutely right....and close to neighbourhoods with good income levels to boot.

240glt · #**3784** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 2:52 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMD UW

Yes, there is.

Regardless what one wants to think, this will be one of the better designed suburban retail developments in Edmonton. It's not WHYTE, DOWNTOWN, 124 STREET, etc...nor will it be able to replicate the authenticity and 'flavour' of those districts.

You're probably right. The development exudes a bit of a Newport Village feel to it (sans Burrard Inlet) which I don't think is a bad thing at all.

The only reason I wouldn't live there is because, Unlike Newport Village, it's at the absolute edge of nowhere. 30 years from now it'll likely be different.

Coldrsx · #**3785** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 3:25 PM**

"Regardless what one wants to think, this will be one of the better designed suburban retail developments in Edmonton."

oh i am sure it will be for from the video i can already picture myself walking in the vast expanses of parking lots, driving from store to store, and soaking up the beauty of the 'urban village'.

(in homer's voice)

mmm contrived lifestyle

Dave D. · #**3786** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 4:04 PM**

This is probably a dumb question, but why would the Epcor tower under construction not have bumped up the height just enough to make it taller than Manulife? Does this have something to do with the airport height restrictions? A new tallest in Edmonton would have made a real statement. That said, I am not looking a 450 foot gift tower in the mouth!

Kevin_foster · #**3787** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 4:08 PM**

No matter how much marketing spin you put on it, it's still just another S.E.C.; drawing even more of the population away from independent shopping and drawing even more cars on the road and causing further deterioration of our core and adding even more predictability and blandness to our communities.

Sure it's in the suburbs, but who set the rule that suburban shopping had to be this boring and this plastic, this predictable and this bland?

It's almost a societal law now that every suburban quadrant in this city requires it's own mega-center - so that every community has it's own city center; a community that is independent from the rest of the city with no real reason to leave the community but to perhaps go to work. What is the point in a city having one heart if every part of that city can function fine on it's own. It's a shame, to be honest. And people wonder why no one is downtown, or why there is no life on our streets? I'm not blaming it all on suburban mega retail development, but it can sure take some of the blame.

I will put down $20 that I can guess at least ten of the stores that will lease there.

Coldrsx · #**3788** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 4:08 PM**

^overlay restrictions... manulife is the zenith of the overlay.

Coldrsx · #**3789** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 4:09 PM**

"What is the point in a city having one heart if every part of that city can function fine on it's own. It's a shame, to be honest. And people wonder why no one is downtown."

bingo... you get what you deserve

Coldrsx · #**3790** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 4:45 PM**

man i cannot WAIT to see this... not to mention the building reno.

newfangled · #**3791** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 4:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin_foster

It's almost a societal law now that every suburban quadrant in this city requires it's own mega-center - so that every community has it's own city center; a community that is independent from the rest of the city with no real reason to leave the community but to perhaps go to work. What is the point in a city having one heart if every part of that city can function fine on it's own. It's a shame, to be honest. And people wonder why no one is downtown, or why there is no life on our streets? I'm not blaming it all on suburban mega retail development, but it can sure take some of the blame.

That this isn't new, though.

The existence of 124st was based around the fact that it was too much effort to get from the "West End" into downtown for basic services. It's a half hour walk - people in the 20's were so lazy. But the same goes for SPR, Whyte, and name-your-former-mainstreet. And it's not like this was just Edmonton, because every city was like that.

A few years later we get Westmount followed by Londonderry, Capilano, Kingsway, Bonnie Doon, Northwhatever et al. A little further out, offering more than just basic services, catering to cars but still accessible by transit and often even acting as transit hubs.

The Commons are just the next step, by being even further out, almost entirely beholden to the auto, anti-transit and anti-pedestrian as a result of that, and just that extra bit me-centric.

But yeah, look at the "pedestrian friendly" section of Callingwood Mall. It's all dark and po-mo and 80's, but it's basically the same concept as this. It works great as a staging area for the farmers market, but try getting a tenant to last in there that's not a tailor or tax prep office. Hello, Currents teh sexy.

240glt · #**3792** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 5:38 PM**

Feb 17 EDC Minutes: http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/PermitsLicences/MinutesFeb17.pdf

240glt · #**3793** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 5:42 PM**

This may be of topical interest to several people here... The next ASHRAE meeting will be focusing on a LEED retrospective, The topics include:

- Is LEED doing what it is supposed to do? Is it effective or is it “greenwashing”?
- Are consultants communicating the LEED intentions effectively to the contractors?
- Is it more work for Consultants? Contractors? Suppliers?
- Are Contractors “buying into” the LEED process?
- What can be done to improve building design and construction

March 18th 5:30 pm (Next wednesday) at the U of A faculty club, $35 for non member which includes a really good dinner and moderately priced booze. Let me know if you are interested.

Coldrsx · #**3794** Posted **Mar 13, 2009, 5:45 PM**

^i would be interested in attending... that is if i wake up from the events day prior.

EdmTrekker · #**3795** Posted **Mar 14, 2009, 12:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

man i cannot WAIT to see this... not to mention the building reno.

OK I will bite. Who is the landscape Architect? Or is the Kasian (Munbai) vision? I know that while Manasc Issac did some preliminary planning....they did not get the job (or as some would say...they lost what was theirs to win). Ouch...

Shodan · #**3796** Posted **Mar 14, 2009, 1:29 AM**

Make haste while costs down: Mandel
City has paid for failure to build during last downturn, mayor says

Gordon Kent
The Edmonton Journal

Friday, March 13, 2009

Edmonton should take advantage of cheaper prices created by the tough economic times and move ahead with important infrastructure projects, Mayor Stephen Mandel said Thursday.

The cost of construction has dropped as much as 50 per cent from two years ago, with the price of widening and rehabilitating Whitemud Drive alone down about $70 million from earlier estimates, he said in a speech to the Rotary Club of Edmonton.

"We need to move fast to take advantage of these conditions on capital projects, including new federal spending, and spend to speed up some critical infrastructure projects," he said.

"The real lesson of our last downturn was one of the consequences of paralysis, of slow investments that just deferred and increased costs, and how we've been paying for this for the last several years. When times were slow in the '90s, we just decided to cave in and do nothing."

Premier Ed Stelmach said this week he wants to look at borrowing for public works, given the current low interest rates, saying this makes more sense than using cash from the $6-billion capital fund that's still earning high returns.

City councillors agreed in December to borrow about $1 billion over the next three years for the LRT line from downtown to NAIT, three new recreation centres and other major projects.

But Mandel warned in his speech that the city must be careful about raising taxes to pay for more debt in case that slows the local economic recovery.

"I remain nervous about how much we are borrowing, and I think we need to be careful to pace our debt so we're not incurring financing costs until we're ready to spend the money."

Mandel also brought up the City Centre Airport, which the city is looking at closing and putting up for redevelopment, possibly as a new community that could house more than 30,000 residents.

While he won't indicate publicly where he stands, the mayor said the issue must be settled "once and for all" in a discussion that includes looking at the best way to use the site 30 years into the future, not just today.

But with other communities and provincial politicians wading into the debate in the past, he emphasized the issue must be resolved in a way "that is in the best interest of all Edmontonians, and I repeat, to Edmontonians."

[email protected]
© The Edmonton Journal 2009

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christopherj · #**3797** Posted **Mar 14, 2009, 7:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by newfangled

That this isn't new, though.

The existence of 124st was based around the fact that it was too much effort to get from the "West End" into downtown for basic services. It's a half hour walk - people in the 20's were so lazy. But the same goes for SPR, Whyte, and name-your-former-mainstreet. And it's not like this was just Edmonton, because every city was like that.

A few years later we get Westmount followed by Londonderry, Capilano, Kingsway, Bonnie Doon, Northwhatever et al. A little further out, offering more than just basic services, catering to cars but still accessible by transit and often even acting as transit hubs.

The Commons are just the next step, by being even further out, almost entirely beholden to the auto, anti-transit and anti-pedestrian as a result of that, and just that extra bit me-centric.

Shhs. Don't use facts. Buy into the belief that some people have that this is all brand new, when the reality is that we're doing the same thing we've always been doing.

Kevin_foster · #**3798** Posted **Mar 14, 2009, 2:45 PM**

^ still doesn't make it right.

I mean, we used lead paint in our homes for how many years? It was the standard.

240glt · #**3799** Posted **Mar 14, 2009, 5:33 PM**

Provincial grant has residence eyeing additional 36 rooms of affordable housing

A Whyte Avenue student residence will undergo a major expansion this fall after receiving a provincial grant for affordable housing.

The St. John's Institute, a non-profit operation near the University of Alberta, is planning to add two storeys to it 21/2-storey building

...

The institute at 11024 82nd Ave. currently has 45 units, which have seen increasing interest from students in recent years as Edmonton's vacancy rate tightened, he said.

The expansion project will add 36 units -- 28 two-bedroom units, four three-bedroom units and four bachelor suites.

Zubritsky said the estimated price tag is $4.5 million, of which the provincial grant is covering $1.9 million.

rest @ link

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Business/Residence+eyeing+additional+housing/1389519/story.html

CMD UW · #**3800** Posted **Mar 14, 2009, 7:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdmTrekker

OK I will bite. Who is the landscape Architect? Or is the Kasian (Munbai) vision? I know that while Manasc Issac did some preliminary planning....they did not get the job (or as some would say...they lost what was theirs to win). Ouch...

Kasian partnered up with another firm on this project, but I cannot recall their name.