Edmonton Construction 13 (November 2015)

[Harrison]

A few general thoughts:

I'd also like to see future provision for a free-flow WGD from Fort Road/Yellowhead south to 101 Ave - current layout seems to provide for a diamond interchange like most of Terwillegar Drive.

If 118th is raised, I'm assuming the LRT would be an at-grade crossing? Not sure how busy 118th is at rush hour, but I'm hoping the City did their homework with this as to not cause any crazy congestion (a little is good).

There should definitely be some expansion room for the Expo Centre, as it is the largest convention centre in the City and should be supported into the future.

Expanding Borden Park is a great idea.

[Coldrsx]

David Staples: How Tony Franceschini and Stantec reached for the sky
DAVID STAPLES, EDMONTON JOURNAL

We’ve all got our eyes on the sky as the new Stantec skyscraper reaches ever-greater heights on its way to topping out at 69 storeys and 251 metres by the end of the year, making it Canada’s tallest building outside of Toronto.

Tony Franceschini, a key player at Stantec for four decades, takes special pride in the new Stantec Tower. It represents a pinnacle for Edmonton and for Stantec, the remarkable Edmonton company founded in 1954 that has become a global leader in design and engineering.

Making the building so tall was done with a purpose, Franceschini said. “It’s not like you’re showing off, but it’s more like you’re making a statement: We are here. We have arrived. We are a global company and the city should be proud, the company should be proud and the employees should be proud that we have that.”

https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...ceschini-and-stantec-reached-for-the-sky

[kcantor]

Originally Posted by MichaelC

City unveils four options for future use of exhibition lands / Edmonton Journal
-Juris Graney
https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...tions-for-future-use-of-exhibition-lands
...

underwhelming choices is the most charitable conclusion i can arrive at.

that starts with the precondition that the coliseum needs to be demolished and cannot be repurposed for anything.

it moves on to the impact that each of these has on EXPO Hall as every one would seem to effectively deal it a death sentence as well.

many of the "big ticket items" such as bringing 118th avenue to grade, eliminating the wayne gretzky couplet, relocating the lrt station seem to be predetermined in the assessment matrix (i.e. the costs are included in some options that makes them more expensive even though they proceed without them and they're not included in others where they may be perceived as adding value).

so many of the important decisions have been predetermined that one wonders whether this is another current example of gigo in action. i'm also not sure that using consultants from elsewhere helps in that or is able to respond to local nuances...

[240glt]

Here's my response to you on that other site....

Well at least we're no longer talking about massive outdoor festival venues or any of that silliness that came about from the 2020 discussions.

Expo Centre will likely suffer regardless I think. Which is too bad, it's an excellent venue but I doubt that the EDC is going to run it the way it should be and frankly the EDC is not a great facility operator in the first place. I question how much expansion space is really required there, the existing facility is quite massive so aside for eliminating the parking nothing's really being taken away. It will still be the venue of choice for most large scale tradeshows and expos, the Shaw is just not that great a facility for those types of things.

Ultimately, when I lived in the area and was involved, the thing I heard most from area residents was "put it back the way it was". I think most of these plans achieve some level of success there, with the more connected "C" options being ideal. Nobody wants another Blatchford boondoggle, stalled development like Fort Road & the Quarters or literally just nothing as is the Rossdale Flats area, what's wrong with restoring the majority of those lands to what they were before the entire area was taken over for horse barns and trailer storage and a horse track and casino and acres of mostly unused parking ... primarily a residential community. That's what most of the folks I talked to wanted to see happen. I get the frustration over the coliseum but in the grand scheme it's actually a very small piece of the larger picture. Which is why I've always said, for any re-purposing of the site, start at the SW corner at 82st and 113th ave which already has excellent transit connections and shopping and amenities, and work north from there. That at least gives some time to figure out what to do with the coliseum (if there is even still an option there) and also provides proof to a very doubtful population that something can indeed happen there.

[kcantor]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Here's my response to you on that other site....

as i responded "on that other site ", not much there to disagree with as far as i'm concerned (or any other developers as far as i can determine).

[kcantor]

now that we have enough perimeter shoring and construction in place, we're able to start demolition from the top down/centre out:

Sept. 19, 2018 site tour by cdnklc, on Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/30443595@N04/

[s4.audios]

Congrats on the milestone Mr.Cantor, looking forward to this project injecting some welcoming life on that street.

[EdmTrekker]

Latest Safari update on Mac shows SkyscraperPage.com is not a "safe bowling site". Safari uses Google Security to inform that ... and Chrome browser shows the same message. In the case of Safari with its built in security - it will not allow retention of user name and password. I hope some of brains at Skyscraper are dealing with the issue. This issue is also present on C2E.

[s211]

Originally Posted by kcantor

now that we have enough perimeter shoring and construction in place, we're able to start demolition from the top down/centre out:

Sept. 19, 2018 site tour by cdnklc, on Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/30443595@N04/

A great labour of love, and I trust a rewarding one also.

[oiler-dude]

Originally Posted by EdmTrekker

Latest Safari update on Mac shows SkyscraperPage.com is not a "safe bowling site". Safari uses Google Security to inform that ... and Chrome browser shows the same message. In the case of Safari with its built in security - it will not allow retention of user name and password. I hope some of brains at Skyscraper are dealing with the issue. This issue is also present on C2E.

It's not anything to actually worry about, though it is a bit of a headache it doesn't let you retain log in information. Starting this summer any site that doesn't use HTTPS and have a certificate installed is marked as "unsecure" automatically as part of Google's efforts to ensure more security internet-wide.

[Vixx]

Some things I noticed driving today:

Scaffolding was placed in the front entrance of the law courts building with construction workers on site. Not sure if they are just doing some small exterior/interior renovations so hopefully someone knows what is going on. I have to say though, that building could use a major facelift, it looks like a Soviet bomb shelter and is a large building in an area where any aesthetic improvements would go a long way in improving the look of the immediate vicinity.

Saw a 'Pending' sign on the 'For Sale' sign on that large empty parcel of land right behind the (now former) Hyatt Hotel in the Quarters. Hopefully the sale goes through and would be nice to know who bought it and what the intentions are down the road.

Lots of new equipment an activity happening on the Emerald site. Good news.

[Mikemike]

Law courts are getting the connecting atrium replaced, the new one has mostly solid roofs and all glass walls, including clerestories up to level 3. I don’t know if any other work is getting done at the same time.

Alberta infrastructure doesn’t seem to like skylights.

[MichaelC]

A major downgrade for Southpark on Whyte




http://oneproperties.com/southpark-on-whyte-retail/

Used to look like this:

https://edmontonjournal.com/business/com...o-18-storeys-high-for-southpark-on-whyte

[240glt]

That's quite a change.

[Urban recluse]

That sucks.

[kcantor]

Originally Posted by 240glt

That's quite a change.

change as in “bait and switch”?

this is the kind of “change” that gives developers a bad reputation.

[s211]

Originally Posted by MichaelC

A major downgrade for Southpark on Whyte

Does it come with a "Welcome to Hinton" sign too?

That project's 99% as bad as that horrible new dump on the south side of Whyte on 102nd. Is there a cohort in Edmonton large enough to say "good enough" for what is effectively visual assault?

[240glt]

Originally Posted by kcantor

change as in “bait and switch”?

this is the kind of “change” that gives developers a bad reputation.

Yes. Just like Red Brick's atrocious bait & switch on their apartment building by the stadium, this also appears to be a case of wow them with the initial proposal and then water it down to a mere shadow of what you said it would be

I somewhat expect that from a novice group like Red Brick but from WAM I am surprised.

Of course some here defended Red Brick to the nth degree so I'm curious what the reaction will be on this one.

[Jaws]

Wow! Southpark is a prominent location which deserves more than a 5 storey slab. It's no better than the garbage that's beside the tracks on Whyte @ 102 ST.

[s4.audios]

This redesign passed through council?