Edmonton Construction 13 (November 2015)

[Kevin_foster]

Originally Posted by hilman

https://twitter.com/KellyRamseyYEG/status/719642569227960320

[Black Star]

Originally Posted by s211

Question: I was in Edmonton last week and noticed that most buildings along 101 Street from 104th to 107th appear mostly vacant and/or derelict. Are there development plans for those sites, being so close to the arena district? I don't recall them being part of Katz's holdings.

That stretch is bad. I hope Katz buys it if he doesn't already own it, and flatten the whole block.

[Daveography]

^ I would honestly rather see it redeveloped more organically than as an extension of the ICE District. That whole area would just become way too sterile.

[SHOFEAR]

Too bad Boyle Street wants to expand and make that area even less appealing.


The existing buildings on the west side of 101 street north of 105 ave could be a great low cost alternative for restaurants and bars trying to locate around the arena district.....but not with the current neighbors.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Black Star

That stretch is bad. I hope Katz buys it if he doesn't already own it, and flatten the whole block.

I don't recall that area being that bad a couple of decades ago, back in the days of Marquee Records being in the area.

At best, perhaps speculators have snapped up the properties in hope of redevelopment. At worst, I don't know but wow will there be a juxtaposition when the arena is up and running.

[rapid_business]

Originally Posted by Daveography

^ I would honestly rather see it redeveloped more organically than as an extension of the ICE District. That whole area would just become way too sterile.

I do not disagree, but you need a capable owner rather than a deadbeat landlord if you want to see anything other than the bare minimum take place.

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by s13

The scale of this pit doesn't really show until shots like this when you can see how much rebar goes into the foundations. Awesome shot, thanks!

The scale is much more impressive up close. I was told the deepest pile is 80m down.

I was also informed, Saturdays pour will be one of the largest in the cities history. about 2800 cubic meters of concrete. 8 trucks an hour.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

When l look down 101 Street north of Baccarat, I see a bunch of fugly firetraps
https://goo.gl/maps/FeAWG6GPMRw

I say level the whole damn block and rebuild.

[Daveography]

^ Because in the history of urban renewal and development, razing entire blocks of buildings has always improved things?

See: Houston, Montreal, QC, Ottawa, Edmonton 1970-80s, etc...

[Daveography]

Someone apparently thought it would be good idea to build a house on top of this apartment building?

[SHOFEAR]

Originally Posted by Daveography

^ Because in the history of urban renewal and development, razing entire blocks of buildings has always improved things?

See: Houston, Montreal, QC, Ottawa, Edmonton 1970-80s, etc...

I agree. We have (or will have) enough new sterile street front commercial demanding big lease rates that are challenging for independent businesses.

A stretch like this, with what should be affordable commercial space, could become a decent hub of interesting commercial activity. Just like Whyte/118/124. It allows unique commercial to thrive and eventually be replaced by expensive shiny and sterile buildings over time.

[Coldrsx]

[s211]

Originally Posted by Daveography

^ Because in the history of urban renewal and development, razing entire blocks of buildings has always improved things?

See: Houston, Montreal, QC, Ottawa, Edmonton 1970-80s, etc...

I hear you, but what exists along that block has really been left to rot and appears economically, physically and functionally obsolete.

Sometimes killing it with fire might be the humane thing to do?

[GreenSPACE]

^^You have a camera?

^^^Agree

^^^^Alan Wasnea's crazy idea.

[rapid_business]

Originally Posted by Daveography

Someone apparently thought it would be good idea to build a house on top of this apartment building?

Needed a new roof perhaps and someone came up with a crazy solution?

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Unsettling, unusual project essential to Whyte Avenue
http://edmontonjournal.com/business/comm...nusual-project-essential-to-whyte-avenue

Here's the Top 10 List portion of it

1. The Mezzo isn’t going up right on Whyte Ave. itself. It’s on 81 Avenue. When you’re a block away on Whyte, you will barely notice it. Instead, you’ll see the same old, great old Whyte Ave. buildings, only there might be more people in the area due to The Mezzo.
2. The Mezzo will bring hundreds of new tenants, all of them customers for the various shops and businesses in all those old Whyte Ave. buildings. The avenue is indeed a fine place, but it’s not always busy, especially on weekdays. More people also mean safer streets due to more eyes on the street and better people watching for all on Whyte.
3. The Mezzo’s tower will be built on a podium, just like the residential towers on 104th St. downtown. When you’re walking on 104th, you barely notice the towers, you just see the restaurants and clothing stores of the charming podium portion of the building. This will be the same.
4. The Mezzo was lowered from its original planned 20 storeys so it will not cast a shadow on Whyte or block out the sky.
5. The Mezzo’s podium will be built to match elements of the adjacent Old Strathcona Post Office. “It’s giving the Post Office a big hug in terms of the fitting in and in terms of the style of it,” says Simon O’Byrne of Stantec, one of the project’s backers.
6. The building will have 21 units on four floors set aside for affordable housing for families, the developer Westoak promises. This housing will bring about 100 children to an area that has few children. There will be an additional 196 highly-affordable small rental units (approx. 450 sq. ft.) in the tower.
7. The church that will be torn down is an unexceptional post-Second World war building. It’s not crucial to Old Scona’s feel.
8. Some of the rental stock in Old Scona from the 1970s is looking pretty shabby. The Mezzo will provide healthy competition and may spur other developers to build or at least fix up their dumpy buildings.
9. If The Mezzo is built, there may well be a push to build more mixed use, podium/towers on 81st Ave. And that would be an excellent development on an avenue full of cruddy buildings and parking lots.
10. This city council has talked a lot about densifying, building higher, building mixed use, building affordable housing, and building walkable neighbourhoods. It’s “build up or shut up” time in that regard.

[Coldrsx]

^speaking of which... a few new renderings.





From Westoak Developments

[Harrison]

^This thing needs to get approved ASAP - can't believe that business owners along Whyte would be opposed to having hundreds of new potential customers located a block away from the strip.

[s4.audios]

How will this take away from historical feel? Historical small town feel?? Yah personally don't really care for a small town feel in the middle of the city. I agree don't touch the historical buildings on Whyte Ave. but that is totally enough to keep Whyte the way it is. Everything around it can and should go up.

[Daveography]

It is up at Council on Monday:
http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1680&doctype=AGENDA
5.3 - Bylaw 17620 - Amendment to the Strathcona Area Redevelopment Plan
5.4 - Bylaw 17621 - To allow for high density, mixed use development, Queen Alexandra

If you want to see it built, don't just post here, write the mayor and your councillor to express your support!