Edmonton Construction 13 (November 2015)

[adam-machiavelli]

Originally Posted by Hallsy's Toupee

YMCA to close downtown Edmonton housing facility
http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmonton/20...own-ymca-to-close-housing-facility-.html

Personally I would like to see an extension of the Sutton there.

So where are the current residents going to live? On the streets that surround the building?

[Coldrsx]

Did you read the article? They are working to find alternative housing and it will not shut until that is found.

[rapid_business]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Huge opportunity for redevelopment.

Bonnie Doon mall losing Sears store, looking at redevelopment

GORDON KENT

One of Edmonton’s oldest shopping malls is preparing for an overhaul after losing another major anchor tenant.


http://edmontonjournal.com/business/comm...looking-at-redevelopment?__lsa=62cc-230e

You know, it's funny how things change. Morguard was approached by the City to see if they would be part of some TOD design studies for the mall in 2012-2013. Morguard said, no, we're good. We have Target coming. How quickly the projections of what the saviour that Target was for the mall have shifted.

[noodlenoodle]

Yeah, but the massive implosion of Target Canada was an unprecedented boondoggle. Or would that be a Bonniedoonboggle?

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Province divided over new building codes
http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmonton/2016/10/31/province-divided-over-new-building-codes.html

A glass condo tower under construction in downtown Edmonton might not have been possible under new provincial building codes that come into effect Nov. 1.

The Alberta government is adopting seven building code changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency for windows, heating, lighting, building envelope, insulation, air-conditioning and ventilation.

The CEO of Westrich Pacific Corporation, which is building the 43-storey Encore Tower at 103 Street and 102 Avenue, was less than thrilled to hear about the new requirements.
Westrich is exempt from the changes as the developer got its building permit in before Nov. 1, but CEO David Sanche said the new rules might have made a glass condo tower impossible.

“There won’t be any more glass buildings. It’ll be basically a lot of small windows and a lot of opaque areas,” he said.

“There will be a lot more stucco, a lot more closed in space, a lot less windows.”

The Encore Tower will be under construction for four years, but Sanche said the changes could be “very” discouraging to other developers.

“There’s only three builders in Edmonton now and there’s no margins,” he said.

The changes are being adopted to meet existing national energy efficiency standards that Alberta had not yet adopted or enforced.

Some developers, like UrbanAge Homes, are already meeting or exceeding the standards.

“We’re not concerned whatsoever,” said UrbanAge operations manager Richard Nault.
“I think it’s a really good thing. At the end of the day what’s happening is this is going to raise the minimum bar in the building industry.”

Nault said the auto industry has improved and modernized with new technologies like Bluetooth, navigation systems, fuel efficiency and electric vehicles, and it only makes sense for the housing industry to evolve as well.

“It’s nice to see our own industry, the housing industry, start to evolve and push that bar towards improvement and efficiency," he said.

[240glt]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Did you read the article? They are working to find alternative housing and it will not shut until that is found.

Given that there is currently a severe shortage of housing, especially for hard to house individuals and the core neighbourhoods where that type of housing has been built in the past are not accepting any more projects I think it's s valid question. I'm curious as well, and waiting to see some of the more "privileged"
Neighbourhoods do their fair share

[feepa]

Maybe they will build some transitional housing on 104th street.

[McBoo]

^ LOL, not likely as the province is already kicking Emergency Relief Supplies out of its digs!

^^^ I was getting a little concerned about Encore when I didn't see any shovels in the ground over the summer. Glad to see it's still a "go."

Not that 102 Ave needs anymore dump trucks these days, to which I will add kudos to PCL for non-stop street sweeping during the current Ice District dig.

[240glt]

Originally Posted by feepa

Maybe they will build some transitional housing on 104th street.

Plenty of social housing on (and just off) 4th st already.

I'd like to see some accessible neighbourhoods outside the core integrate some smaller 20-30 unit projects

[rapid_business]

Like the one in Terwillegar Towne that got kiboshed a couple years ago?

[noodlenoodle]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Plenty of social housing on (and just off) 4th st already.

I'd like to see some accessible neighbourhoods outside the core integrate some smaller 20-30 unit projects

There's a surprising number of group homes & transitional services in my 'hood, but I'm not sure where you personally draw the "core" line.

I also wouldn't mind more of the same as we already have in Oliver either, as I feel it's a great neighborhood with lots of amenities & decent transit (as far as transit goes here.) I don't really notice those who partake of these services as-is, so clearly they're not burdensome or otherwise detrimental.

[240glt]

^^ yup. But on that case the community fought a religious organization. Let's see how the community association fares against the province and city.

Neighbourhoods like Belgravia and Century Park should be able to absorb some harder to house residents without overly impacting existing residents.

But they'll freak out regardless

[feepa]

Originally Posted by rapid_business

Like the one in Terwillegar Towne that got kiboshed a couple years ago?

yup, I was in Ttowne, I supported that project. most of my neighbours didnt though, but mostly because they were misinformed by a facebook group saying it would be a flop house for druggies or a halfway house for those just leaving jail, which I'm sure we here all know isn't true.

[240glt]

Originally Posted by noodlenoodle

There's a surprising number of group homes & transitional services in my 'hood, but I'm not sure where you personally draw the "core" line.

I also wouldn't mind more of the same as we already have in Oliver either, as I feel it's a great neighborhood with lots of amenities & decent transit (as far as transit goes here.) I don't really notice those who partake of these services as-is, so clearly they're not burdensome or otherwise detrimental.

Yes I am aware of several social and transitional housing projects in Oliver. The key being, in that neighbourhood the demographic of folks that are having trouble getting housing for whatever reason has not overwhelmed other demographics, so it's rather seamless. Unlike, say the South McCauley/ east edge areas where the concentration of social housing and services causes a significant amount of disorder that makes it hard for those neighbourhoods to thrive

[noodlenoodle]

Oh, I'm with you there. We've certainly got a nexus of services in one area that caters to some of the more challenging members of our society & we need to address that. I brought up Oliver just as a case of it being done right in Edmonton, at least from my perspective, not to disagree. Apologies if you thought I was trampling on your point.

I've got no background in social services & my only experience with the ol' safety net is a 5ish month stay at the YMCA in Toronto as a wide-eyed teenager down on his luck in the big city, so I can understand & empathize with the level of services in my neighborhood. I wouldn't want to speak on the complex Rat King of an issue which is the nexus & its unfortunate clientele.

[240glt]

^ no actually, I though you brought up a great point that social housing can co-exist with market housing if there is a healthy balance. That's what the city and province needs to strive for, regardless of the push-back

[hilman]

Edmonton city staff make first move into new downtown office tower

ELISE STOLTE

The City of Edmonton will soon take possession of the first phase of Edmonton Tower, located at 104 Avenue and 101 Street.

City of Edmonton staff are getting ready to start “hoteling it” — trading permanent desks for lockers to save space in a new office tower.

At least 200 employees will work hotel-style with only lockers, a tablet and a briefcase in the new Edmonton Tower, which is nearly finished construction at 104 Avenue and 101 Street.

City officials take possession of their first floor Tuesday, the 10th floor of the 27-storey building, with the first employees scheduled to arrive at 4 p.m. Friday. Other scheduled moves will happen about every two weeks until June.

“We’ve been working on this for a couple years. We’re excited,” said Robert Guenthe, project director.

The new space is designed to save costs, but also empower employees by giving them the freedom to choose how and where to work, said Scott Varge, who led the space redesign.

To start, 10 per cent of employees will not have desks. Most of them spend their days going from meeting to meeting. They’ll have access to sit/stand desks throughout the building if they need a temporary spot to work.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-ne...art-hoteling-it-with-downtown-tower-move

[Coldrsx]

Important and about time, although it should be for anyone considering placing these, not just the City.

Edmonton's mayor pushes for more accountability on sidewalk closures

ELISE STOLTE

City staff are too often blocking city sidewalks with construction barricades and signs for motorists, Mayor Don Iveson said Monday, pushing for an explanation.

He submitted a formal inquiry, giving administration until January to describe its policy and the “values” it uses to determine what to block with signage, fencing and construction materials.

“I’ve had a lot of persistent concerns from people,” said Iveson, describing how either city officials or contractors will often leave signs and post fences that cut off access for pedestrians, especially those with limited mobility.

It’s to the point “where if you’re in a wheelchair, you couldn’t get by. If you’re on a bike, you’ve got to basically slow down and walk it passed these detours.”

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-ne...more-accountability-on-sidewalk-closures

[Landlocked]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Important and about time, although it should be for anyone considering placing these, not just the City.

Edmonton's mayor pushes for more accountability on sidewalk closures

ELISE STOLTE

City staff are too often blocking city sidewalks with construction barricades and signs for motorists, Mayor Don Iveson said Monday, pushing for an explanation.

He submitted a formal inquiry, giving administration until January to describe its policy and the “values” it uses to determine what to block with signage, fencing and construction materials.

“I’ve had a lot of persistent concerns from people,” said Iveson, describing how either city officials or contractors will often leave signs and post fences that cut off access for pedestrians, especially those with limited mobility.

It’s to the point “where if you’re in a wheelchair, you couldn’t get by. If you’re on a bike, you’ve got to basically slow down and walk it passed these detours.”

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-ne...more-accountability-on-sidewalk-closures

This shouldn't just be about pedestrians and cyclists. There are a ton of lane barriers that are also left up on perfectly usable roads when workers are not present; increased traffic congestion, and risky merges result. I do think this is more often contractors not being held accountable rather than city staff though.

[Daveography]

Open house for Holyrood Gardens redevelopment on Nov. 9:
http://skyrisecities.com/forum/threads/e...ments-der-associates.26188/#post-1161484

(originally posted photos of the letter but they don't scale well here)