Councillor wants us to re-think unused office space downtown
Knack wants to address growing downtown vacancy rate so that it doesn’t hit 20 to 25 per cent — as some fear, thanks to an influx of new buildings.
By: Jeremy Simes/Metro Published on Sun Oct 23 2016
Expect downtown Edmonton’s vacant office towers to turn into innovative spaces in the near future — think collaborative workspaces for startups, art studios or micro-apartments.
This week, Coun. Andrew Knack will introduce a notice of motion that calls on the city to look at alternative ways Edmonton’s empty downtown tower spaces can be used.
Knack is open to all creative ideas at this point and said he wants to get a grip on the growing downtown vacancy rate so that it doesn’t hit 20 to 25 per cent — as some fear thanks to an influx of new buildings.
“It’s still going to be tough. We’re not going to be perfect,” he said. “But I’d like us to see us stop at the 20-per-cent mark.”
In fact, the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC) has been working on this idea for the past year, according to EEDC President and CEO Brad Ferguson.
Ferguson said he’s seen some “dynamite” ideas already surface, including yoga studios, pop-up retail, mini-markets and shared spaces for start-ups.
http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmonton/20...ethink-unused-office-space-downtown.html
Prev
Linear Mode
