Edmonton Construction 12 (December 2013)

[rapid_business]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Belvedere CRL/Fort Road TOD


edmonton.ca - executive comm - feb 24

What does the January 2015 land sale reflect? The Eco Student Housing place? At this point council is just hoping they can dig their way out of this TOD mess at some point.

[rapid_business]

Healy site....Looks like the tallest tower is student housing. Would the other two be market rental or condo? It also looks like the parkade access is right in the middle, so you have to build a good portion of the site all at once. No opportunity to stage it.

[Skyisnolimit]

122m Residential tower sounds great.

[Daveography]

Took a walk today and shot a few composites of KR and the Hyatt for fun and practice. Be sure to check the originals for some zoomey detailey stuff.


Original (8606x7670)


Original (8124x6483)
(Clearly missed a big chunk of that one)


Original (10118x6629)

A couple non-composites of that fantastic glass, which looks to be almost done already:




Making it's mark on Jasper Ave:

[mcc16]

Hyatt one of the best things to happen to downtown. Such a small project but so simple and important. Now we just need some quality res units in that hood. A neighbourhood so close to downtown and lrt should be a WAY bigger draw than it is. 95st park or armature or whatever will help too!

Would be great to see Gibson block retail...even a starbucks (although not a first choice). I remember reading that Gibson block is a woman's shelter or something though? I wonder if ground level is being used by them as well? Anyone know if that's still who occupies the building?

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Yes the Gibson Block is still a women's shelter.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

https://twitter.com/atbfinancial/status/570013479622422529/photo/1

@Val_Sweeting's Team Alberta represented this province well. Tonight, our #yegdt building stands in their colours!

[Shodan]

Industrial waste energy near Edmonton could heat more than 15,000 homes: study

By David Howell, Edmonton Journal February 23, 2015

EDMONTON - A study of 16 industrial companies operating near Edmonton has found waste energy from their exhaust stacks, coolers and compressors could potentially heat more than 15,000 homes and provide electricity for 5,000 others.

But finding ways to harness it would depend on a hard-to-achieve mix of economics, co-operation, technological advances, policy and regulation changes, and a more integrated approach to industrial development, the report’s authors said.

The energy mapping study, released Monday, was the first of its kind in Canada...

[email protected]

Twitter.com/HowellEJ
© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/story_print.html?id=10837011&sponsor=

[SHOFEAR]

Originally Posted by Hallsy's Toupee

Yes the Gibson Block is still a women's shelter.

Anybody know if it still has good bones and who owns it? I'd say it's days are numbered in its current use.

[CMD UW]

Originally Posted by rapid_business

Healy site....Looks like the tallest tower is student housing. Would the other two be market rental or condo? It also looks like the parkade access is right in the middle, so you have to build a good portion of the site all at once. No opportunity to stage it.

The last discussion I had was that the entire podium would be constructed with the first phase. The core and columns for the 2nd and 3rd towers will be built and ready to construct as market demands. The other two towers may be rental or condo, they'll see what the market demands at the time.

[CMD UW]

Originally Posted by rapid_business

What does the January 2015 land sale reflect? The Eco Student Housing place? At this point council is just hoping they can dig their way out of this TOD mess at some point.

This and other 'redevelopment' areas would have been dealt with differently if this was under the responsibility of an arms-length development corporation. Eg, Council would not have been requested to spend the millions if the market wasn't ready to support redevelopment in such an area. Its being strategic on where you decide to spend the money and so far I don't really see any strategy from West Rossdale to Fort Road, etc.

[DAVEinEDMONTON]

Originally Posted by mcc16

Hyatt one of the best things to happen to downtown. Such a small project but so simple and important. Now we just need some quality res units in that hood. A neighbourhood so close to downtown and lrt should be a WAY bigger draw than it is. 95st park or armature or whatever will help too!

Would be great to see Gibson block retail...even a starbucks (although not a first choice). I remember reading that Gibson block is a woman's shelter or something though? I wonder if ground level is being used by them as well? Anyone know if that's still who occupies the building?

Someone should get a shot of the interesting artwork inside the Gibson block right at street level in the curved front windows.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Edmonton councillors take one final shot at saving historic McDougall Church
http://metronews.ca/news/edmonton/129627...hot-at-saving-historic-mcdougall-church/

McDougall United Church was put on its last hope and last prayer Tuesday, as city councillors asked administration to work on one last-ditch effort to save the building.

Councillors debated a new report from administration on the future of the century-old church and moved to form a community effort to save the building.

Mayor Don Iveson said it would take a concentrated effort from the church, the provincial government, the city and the broader community.

“This is the last swing at this. If we swing and miss again, everyone has to be prepared that we are going to lose this building,” he said.

Repairs at the building that were initially estimated at between $8 million and $12 million are now pegged at somewhere between $18 million and $24 million. City administration also told council that they estimate the downtown land would be worth at least $7 million if the church was removed and the site redeveloped.

In addition to working on a community effort to save the building, Iveson’s motion proposes preparing a historical designation for the building.

Iveson said that designation would need to be part of any deal to save the church.

“The city can not provide money to the congregation without a historical designation. I can’t be any more clear about that,” said Iveson.

Church treasurer Greg Greenough said the church absolutely believes the building needs to be protected, but they also want to make sure that designation will come with a plan for preservation.

“The congregation is concerned because it is our home,” he said.

He said the church got as much as they could have asked for from council on Tuesday and he hopes now people will rally to save the building.

“If we drop the ball, I am not sure we will have the opportunity to pick it up again.”

[SHOFEAR]

I've been to a few concerts at Mcdougall...It is a fantastic venue for a concert.

I always wondered why they wouldn't serve beer though...seemed like an obvious way to raise money, I suppose some moral issue I guess....pretty weak to ask the city for money when you have options that you refuse to take advantage of potential income sources.

[MalcolmTucker]

Being tax exempt, I am not sure how much the church can run outright businesses.

[Coldrsx]

We should not be prepared to lose her, we should be prepared to work to save her.

[SHOFEAR]

So what happens in 30 years when every church built between 1940 to 1970 is going to be considered historic? The can or worms being opened about potentially paying for repairs is downright frightening.

At least ensuring that church's can't play the poor card when it comes to maintenance and ask the city to cover costs accelerates their departure from the landscape and opens up a significant amount of redevelopment sites in mature neighborhoods.

[SHOFEAR]

It will be very telling if they decide to sell the building how sincere the church's motives are. Are you selling it at a value to allow it to be renovated and used as a arts/cultural facility (basically a buck considering the $24m repair bill), or are you selling it at a market rate...aka full site redevelopment.

If a third party can buy it for peanuts and have an agreement to continue to allow them to use the space on sunday mornings and operate it primarily as an arts/cultural venue I would be in full support of public coin going towards it.

[MalcolmTucker]

Well, the United Church is in a bit of a unique situation compared to different faith groups as the church has an over representation of pre-war buildings due to being 3 different groups at the time. The church building as it stands could already have a mortgage on it, making the financial hardball important.

And why shouldn't the church protects its assets?

[Coldrsx]

Not talking full public money, nor should it be, nor do I want a 'new' facility with use given. Maybe we can get creative here, land swap, sponsorship, development around it etc. etc .etc.