Edmonton Construction 9 (2008-08) - Page 227

deedub35 · #**4521** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 7:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

I would like to see 2-3, 25 storey buildings in 2-3 strategic locations downtown where no parking is required other than visitor and a few shared vehicle spots, largest unit size being 750sqft with most 450-650.

Why wait for these other developers to come around? You should start your own development company. I'm sure you can find investors here on this forum. A lot of us here want the same things.

Coldrsx · #**4522** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 7:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by deedub35

Why wait for these other developers to come around? You should start your own development company. I'm sure you can find investors here on this forum. A lot of us here want the same things.

if you can lend me... oh $150,000,000-200,000,000.00 I will give you your unit for free.

tallisgood · #**4523** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 7:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin_foster

That said, don't knock a minimalist lifestyle until you try it... /

So eating out constantly, buying designer furniture, going to Starbucks, and driving sports cars now qualify as living a minimalist lifestyle?!?! Don't get me wrong, I love life in a highrise condo (though I do wish my unit was a little bigger) but it sure ain't minimalist. Live in a three story walkup on 107th Ave, take the bus to work every day, and pack your lunches in a brown bag (especially if you can afford not to)... now that would be minimalist...

deedub35 · #**4524** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 7:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

if you can lend me... oh $150,000,000-200,000,000.00 I will give you your unit for free.

Get your business plan together. Talk to the banks. Look for some investors. If you have a good product, I would invest. I'm sure there are others. With the economy and market as it is now buying land and building couldn't be cheaper. You build a decent building with everything that you (and others) look for it will sell.

Kevin_foster · #**4525** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 7:47 PM**

Yeah cold, use your rice rocket as collateral

- it's gotta be worth something??

Coldrsx · #**4526** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 7:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin_foster

Yeah cold, use your rice rocket as collateral

- it's gotta be worth something??

not after what i have done with it... haha

Coldrsx · #**4527** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 7:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by deedub35

Get your business plan together. Talk to the banks. Look for some investors. If you have a good product, I would invest. I'm sure there are others. With the economy and market as it is now buying land and building couldn't be cheaper. You build a decent building with everything that you (and others) look for it will sell.

land is cheaper
materials and labour also

but money is impossible almost

Coldrsx · #**4528** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 7:57 PM**

"So eating out constantly, buying designer furniture, going to Starbucks, and driving sports cars now qualify as living a minimalist lifestyle?!?"

yes

less but better = good IMO

dancinb · #**4529** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 8:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

less but better = good IMO

Amen! or...Bingo! Whatever makes sense to you.

I would much rather have a small handful of quality things than have a garbage bag full of things that broke or that I didn't really need in the first place.

feepa · #**4530** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 8:40 PM**

1 bdrm apartment...525 sqft + balcony. Beat that for minimalist. You don't have much choice but to get the most out of the least...

Kevin_foster · #**4531** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 8:45 PM**

^ 75 sq foot office for when I'm working too late. HAH!

SHOFEAR · #**4532** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 9:31 PM**

I noticed a legal survey crew from Focus digging up property pins and ASCM's along 116st near ChemE yesterday. I would assume they were bringing in control for immediate construction or doing a property report for building planning.

0773|=\ · #**4533** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 9:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

"So eating out constantly, buying designer furniture, going to Starbucks, and driving sports cars now qualify as living a minimalist lifestyle?!?"

yes

less but better = good IMO

Sounds like a partial truth to me. Actually, wait, "better"? Yes. "ideal"? Far from it. Forgive me for playing devil's advocate here, but allow me to elaborate...

Don't you think the epicentre of a minimalist lifestyle still has to be the restoration of an interaction with a given 'place'? We've lost that in the last 100 years or so, and now we have a dilemma where nobody seems to be owning up to that relationship anywhere, so many of the issues combated are reasoned by a global "one-solution-fits-all" paradigm, which clearly is not the case.

We may live in a geographic location, but do we really have a connection to this land anymore? Does it provide us with all our food (Do you know where any of the food you get while eating-out or shopping at the DT Sobey's comes from? How about the car (yes, judging by the pics that S2K must be a nice ride...)? The coffee?) It's overwhelming, yes, but those questions continuously need to be asked, despite the global integration that we see happening right now. It goes beyond just walking to the corner store, or popping in at the local farmers market. It takes some serious thinking.

A part of being sustainable (or 'Green' as pop-culture likes to label it these days) is understanding the land you live on, and interacting directly with it in a peaceful way. Many of the pushes being made right now, are still done in ignorance to a true 'place', and I think in the future, that will begin to emerge as an issue.

All this to say, living in 700 sq. ft. condo is a reasonable step, but you have to remember that you are now dependent on others for providing you with certain necessities, and those providers don't necessarily share the same motives (interaction with local 'place') as you will.

Forgive me if I sound like I'm preaching right now, I've just proof-read this post and it does appear like I am... Sometimes I just like to let others know what page I'm on. This whole idea is basically conscious consumption/consumerism at it's heart.

feepa · #**4534** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 10:00 PM**

I shop at a lot at farmers markets... so at least some of my food is coming locally. Even Sobeys, Saveons, Safeway and walmart buy from local producers to sell locally...

rapid_business · #**4535** Posted **Apr 16, 2009, 10:17 PM**

....anyways, back on to construction news... Any news if Urbia is sticking with BKA for there 104th street project? I'm glad they got rid of GMH... but seriously, BKA is only the next step up the ladder.

CMD UW · #**4536** Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 2:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tony0911

^ Problem is I want to be downtown but can't find suitable product.

Have you looked at Uptown? Great location, nice building, and good interiors.

CMD UW · #**4537** Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 2:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

^yup... hard to convince people what 'they really need'.

I am in 770sqft but easily could shed some things and be in 600

Yes, however, pricing will 'convince' people to live in smaller units for location, amenities, convenience and other amenities.

It takes time for the market to 'mature'.

CMD UW · #**4538** Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 2:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

land is cheaper
materials and labour also

but money is impossible almost

Land is dropping, but I expect better deals over the next 12-18 months.

Materials and labour are decreasing.

Banks yes, but there is alot of private equity out there.

naidoo · #**4539** Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 4:01 AM**

[QUOTE=0773|=\;4199654]
Don't you think the epicentre of a minimalist lifestyle still has to be the restoration of an interaction with a given 'place'? We've lost that in the last 100 years or so, and now we have a dilemma where nobody seems to be owning up to that relationship anywhere, so many of the issues combated are reasoned by a global "one-solution-fits-all"

^A wonderful post, thank you, as these issues are rarely ever raised in the drumbeat towards living centrally in a new condo development. There is very little discussion in what living sustainably actually is, and the philosophy behind it.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Shodan · #**4540** Posted **Apr 17, 2009, 1:00 PM**

Epcor Tower's ground floor poured

The Edmonton Journal

Friday, April 17, 2009

Ken Cantor at the construction site in February; ...
CREDIT: Rick MacWilliam, The Journal

CREDIT: Larry Wong, The Journal, file
... A mockup of the finished tower

Construction on Epcor Tower has reached a lofty milestone -- ground level.

"We poured main-floor slabs last (week)," said Ken Cantor, commercial manager for developer Qualico.

"That's the first main-floor office tower slab to get poured in over 20 years."

Construction of the 28-storey tower, at 10423 101st Street, started in May 2008.

It's the first phase of Qualico's multi-use Station Lands project and Edmonton's first new downtown office highrise since Commerce Place opened in 1990.

Crews excavated a pit where work proceeded on four underground parking levels and an underground portion of the city's northwest light-rail transit line.

"It probably took $50 or $60 million just to get the structure up to grade."

In the next several days, work begins on core walls and main-floor columns.

The tower is scheduled for completion in 2011, but nearly 70 per cent of its office space has been pre-leased by the federal government and Epcor.

Cantor said discussions are ongoing with other prospective tenants. "We're almost at the point where if we brought in another large tenant, we'd probably seriously be looking at the next stage of Station Lands instead of trying to shoehorn them into the Epcor Tower."

That next stage could be another tower or podium space, Cantor said.
© The Edmonton Journal 2009

Copyright © 2009 CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.
CanWest Interactive, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved.

http://www2.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=b1b5c90d-b8d5-4078-9ecb-28f57cfaaa85&sponsor=