Edmonton Construction 12 (December 2013) - Page 388

240glt · #**7741** Posted **May 1, 2015, 8:56 PM**

Wink wink

I think I mentioned some time back about a towerless podium and a current developer with a well connected co-owner

Sounds like something interesting may be happening

Daveography · #**7742** Posted **May 1, 2015, 9:04 PM**

^ Hmm. Not a lot of those towerless podiums around...

oiler-dude · #**7743** Posted **May 1, 2015, 9:17 PM**

^

Anything other than Manulife 2 actually ready for a tower? Unless something like BMO counts as towerless podium, even if it was never built to handle a tower. I'd be good with either one, not gonna be picky.

EdmTrekker · #**7744** Posted **May 2, 2015, 1:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by oiler-dude

^

Anything other than Manulife 2 actually ready for a tower? Unless something like BMO counts as towerless podium, even if it was never built to handle a tower. I'd be good with either one, not gonna be picky.

What about Commerce Place, and perhaps Canada Place given it was designed for expansion? Then there is City Centre of course

that just so happens to be an Oxford property. The question is just how tall...where and what that would mean to an overall reno given the place is a clfk right now.

christopherj · #**7745** Posted **May 2, 2015, 1:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdmTrekker

What about Commerce Place, and perhaps Canada Place given it was designed for expansion? Then there is City Centre of course

that just so happens to be an Oxford property. The question is just how tall...where and what that would mean to an overall reno given the place is a clfk right now.

Based on the comment I would think it is City Centre?

New tower and redevelopment of the mall itself?

EdmTrekker · #**7746** Posted **May 2, 2015, 2:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by christopherj

Based on the comment I would think it is City Centre?

New tower and redevelopment of the mall itself?

as someone who lives in the core...my personal opinion is it needs a complete overhaul. An overhaul including a tower has been the subject of much discussion on C2E for years and years. It won't mean much if they don't spend some BIG $$ - this revamp needs at least $250M to do much of anything and more $$$ to create great space to make it a destination mall. That excludes the Tower. The reality is Oxford have in the past see this as a contiguous mall...and its not working. Perhaps if they "reimagine" this and treat it as 2 separate properties - business centre on East side and retail / big food court on West side it may work better. I guess time will tell.

s13 · #**7747** Posted **May 2, 2015, 3:51 PM**

Awesome if Oxford is looking to inject capital into our downtown! Be interested so see what exactly any plans are? If it is the mall, maybe redo with yes another hotel tower maybe? Wild guess.

Coldrsx · #**7748** Posted **May 2, 2015, 4:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240glt

Wink wink

I think I mentioned some time back about a towerless podium and a current developer with a well connected co-owner

Sounds like something interesting may be happening

Things that make you go hmmm.

Jasper and one o nin · #**7749** Posted **May 2, 2015, 8:10 PM**

U of A - Galleria = manulife 2 for U of A school of business

EdmTrekker · #**7750** Posted **May 2, 2015, 8:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasper and one o nin

U of A - Galleria = manulife 2 for U of A school of business

Indeed that is what the original plan was iirc. But with NO money from the Province - how can the UofA do that while trying to freeze and roll back salaries and benefits of academic and non-academic staff? Presently the non-academic have a 1 year contract but the academic expires 01 July and negotiations on salary have come to a stand still and now in the hands of lawyers (so I was told). Apparently the Chair - a Mr. Douglas Goss wrote to all academic staff (includes administrators, professionals as well as teaching staff) last week telling them they next to be flexible and bend over lol.

Jasper and one o nin · #**7751** Posted **May 2, 2015, 10:38 PM**

There is a bigger game plan and this could play into it. The province wants to provide less funding to post secondaries but acknowledge the importance of their role. They want to commercialize research and innovation. Having synergies and proximity is key.

EdmTrekker · #**7752** Posted **May 3, 2015, 12:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasper and one o nin

There is a bigger game plan and this could play into it. The province wants to provide less funding to post secondaries but acknowledge the importance of their role. They want to commercialize research and innovation. Having synergies and proximity is key.

About 10% of students graduating from a "business" background have 2 hoots about being involved in commercialization of research - the rest are headed in other directions.

Coldrsx · #**7753** Posted **May 3, 2015, 12:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 240glt

Wink wink

I think I mentioned some time back about a towerless podium and a current developer with a well connected co-owner

Sounds like something interesting may be happening

Just heard about hmmm