Edmonton Construction 12 (December 2013)

[Coldrsx]

Office building gets $6-million makeover to attract, keep tenants


BY BILL MAH, EDMONTON JOURNAL

EDMONTON - Overshadowed by a trio of office towers on the rise downtown is a quieter construction boom as owners renovate and rebrand older buildings to attract and keep tenants in a growing market.

The Ledgeview Business Centre is poised to open as the latest redevelopment.

“It’s a new building from where it was a year ago to today,” said Michael Hungerford, a partner at Vancouver-based Hungerford Properties, which bought the building a year ago.

Crews are finishing renovations at the former Capital Place building, at 9707 110th Street, in time to showcase it to commercial real estate brokers at an open house on March 4.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Office+building+gets+million+makeover/10839692/story.html

[bulliver]

new exterior cladding at ground level including a backlit perforated-metal sign

That cladding catches the sun at sunset and is damn near blinding. Luckily traffic is only southbound there...

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Originally Posted by 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.

I would think the McDougall has way more historic value than most other churches.

Herzog:
http://yegishome.ca/news/2008/12/11/mcdougall-united-church

[itom 987]

McDougall Church would make great loft apartments.

[bulliver]

^ Eh, would take some pretty significant renovations. Why not keep the interior configuration and go with a live music venue? Small-medium sized live theatre venue? Isn't the city crying for those?

If anyone is interested, interesting Urban Planning thesis out of MIT on the adaptive re-uses of former churches...(WARNING: large PDF)
http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/35692/56409883.pdf?sequence=1

[bulliver]

Anyway, walked by the Stantec pit. They've taken the gate right out, were grooming the ramp, and there are a couple of track-hoes staged on a big berm. I get the sense they are going to have a big push and get the east side done (or close to) overnight...

[CMD UW]

Originally Posted by 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.

I think giving the church money sets a veeery dangerous precedent. What happens when another building of historic significance is not properly maintained and the owners then ask the City open their wallet? This City shouldn't be responsible for picking up the tab to save a building all because the owners didn't properly maintain it over the decades. But there has to be a creative solution to this. Perhaps the City could purchase it and seek a private sector partner to give it a new use or incorporate it into a new development. But I don't think the City should simply cut a cheque.

[Mikemike]

That's why a deal where they surrender the building in exchange for the right to use it one or twice a week is a reasonable compromise. It's not like the building has been neglected, it just hasn't had more than basic maintenance in 25 years.

It has to be clear, though that it doesn't really need a massive investment ASAP. It's an old building, that's all.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Friends of McDougall
https://twitter.com/FriendsofMcD
http://friendsofmcdougall.nationbuilder.com/

[SHOFEAR]

And why shouldn't the church protects its assets?

well....apparently they are.

Edmonton's McDougall Church not helping plight to stick around: Mayor Iveson
13

By Dave Lazzarino, Edmonton Sun

First posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 02:32 PM MST | Updated: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 04:22 PM MST

........

But once the designation is granted, the value of the land -- roughly $7 million -- disappears because the building can't be demolished. The congregation that owns the building has refused to designate it under their ownership without a guarantee of funds to maintain the building.

"The church has been playing hardball with us for several years now, basically threatening to sell the building if they don't get what they want and that's not helping the situation here right now. We still want to very much work with the church to find a solution to the building," said Iveson.

......


http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/02/24/ed...ping-plight-to-stick-around-mayor-iveson

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.

Well then they need to start selling property that is underused and concentrate on maintaining certain facilities that are important to them.

Churches have to realize the landscape is changing and this change will only accelerate in the future. The second you start deferring maintenance with the hope that someday your congregation will grow and be able to make the repairs you are doomed. Start pruning your facilities the second you come close to not being able to pay the bills....your only fooling yourself if you think some miracle is coming to save you.

[Mikemike]

They have been selling and merging congregations in mature neighbourhoods for decades. I don't know which were united Churches, but there are several ethnic churches, community centres and at least one mosque in former main-line churches, along with some others that have been sold for redevelopment.

Knox-Metropolitan and Robertson-Wesley United Churches are hyphenated because they were merged back in the 60's and 70s, and sold their other buildings.

Just in the last couple of years there's been Augustana Lutheran in oliver, St. Stevens Anglican in McCauley and that one on 81ave and 105st sold for redevelopment.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

https://twitter.com/KristopherWells/status/570583317336199168

Dr. Kristopher Wells ‏@KristopherWells

Thxs @atbfinancial 4 leading the charge against bullying at home, in schools, & workplaces! #AlbertaPink @dmowat_atb

[Coldrsx]

There are lots creative ways to skin a cat, this is one of those opportunities to think outside of the box for I agree the City putting much money into this is a dangerous precedent.

[Coldrsx]

Reminder!

Healy Ford Proposed Development

DECL - 10042 -103st
February 25 - TONIGHT
7-8pm

The Downtown Edmonton Community League will be hosting an evening to update downtown residents on the proposed development on the former Healy Ford site on 106 Street. We will hear from the developer and have an opportunity for Q&A and to provide feedback.

Must be a DECL member to attend. Downtown residents without current memberships can purchase them at the door for $5.

FB event

https://www.facebook.com/events/365823780276102/

[Coldrsx]

Developer tweaks plans for Edmonton’s Healey Ford site
By Ryan Tumilty

Two has become three as a proposed development downtown gets tweaked in advance of a public meeting Wednesday night.

The proposed redevelopment of the Healey Ford site on 106 Street between 103 Avenue and 104 Avenue was originally planned as two 51-storey towers on a large podium. The developer is now planning three towers with the tallest at 40 storeys, a second at 35 and the shortest at 30.

Spread across the three towers the project would have 1,300 residential units as well as a 38,500 square feet of commercial and retail space in the podium.

http://metronews.ca/news/edmonton/1296608/developer-tweaks-plans-for-edmontons-healey-ford-site/

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

Well then they need to start selling property that is underused and concentrate on maintaining certain facilities that are important to them.

The church has been doing so, there was also the matter of paying the church's portion of the residential school settlement.

The church is also somewhat unique in being very congregationalist. I bet there is a big split in more than one way between factions in the congregation.

Most the problem is that even as a United Church member who lived nearby for 3 years, I never set foot in the building for a religious function.

[GreenSPACE]

Another huge parking lot bites the dust!

New downtown campus parking restrictions during construction

"February 24, 2015

Following the end of business hours on Friday, February 27, the parking lots to the north of NorQuest College's Main Campus Building (10215 108 St.) and the Health Education Centre (10704 102 Ave.) will be closed and fenced off for pre-construction work for the Singhmar Centre for Learning."

http://www.norquest.ca/media-centre/news...mpus-parking-restrictions-during-co.aspx

[Coldrsx]

Massive for the western half of the UW zone.

[Airboy]

Huge pour at the the Museum site today. But this is on the roof section on the east side.

[SHOFEAR]

Originally Posted by MalcolmTucker

The church has been doing so, there was also the matter of paying the church's portion of the residential school settlement.

The church is also somewhat unique in being very congregationalist. I bet there is a big split in more than one way between factions in the congregation.

Most the problem is that even as a United Church member who lived nearby for 3 years, I never set foot in the building for a religious function.

But it seems like selling off property only occurs after maintenance has been neglected and deferred for years where the building is no longer even salvageable. I think it's safe to say that there are a significant amount of churches that have membership dwindling and can barely afford to keep the lights on...and there is a whole lot more who will be facing that problem in another ten years. Bite the bullet, accept reality and plan accordingly so the rest of the city is not left with situations like Mcdougal. You've been living tax free forever and it's only fair that some of the larger more historically appealing facilities can be turned into public spaces for performances and other non religious cultural events before they fall apart.