Edmonton Construction 13 (November 2015)

[rapid_business]

/\ What a disaster that project has been. Who would have thought, eh?

The lots south of GMU (dennys et al) need to be developed sooner than later. It's an eyesore.

There is an interesting group of owners there. Allards, who won't sell or develop any time soon. I spoke with the owner of the Denney's site, and they plan to redevelop it in 10-15 years, but don't want to sell. Others who are holding on post-LRT before they decide what they want to do. Lots of opportunity. Little motivation right now it seems.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

The City of Edmonton is considering rezoning Station Pointe (the area southwest of Belvedere Station on Fort Road) in order to allow for different types of development by changing Station Pointe zoning from direct control (DC1) to the standard zone of low rise apartment housing (RA7).

This change would mean a move towards lower density townhomes and low rise apartments rather than the original plan for high density tower apartments.

The Fort Road Old Town Master Plan was approved in 2002 with goals to revitalize historic Fort Road, accommodate increased vehicle traffic, enhance commercial activity, add high-density residential housing and increase LRT ridership. In 2007, the City completed the Fort Road Urban Design Plan, amendments to the Belvedere Area Redevelopment Plan and the rezoning of seven areas along Fort Road to Direct Development Control Provision. The Belvedere Community Revitalization Levy Area Plan (Bylaw 15932) was approved in 2012 and funds the City’s redevelopment of the Station Pointe area.

My gawd, this c0ck-up is almost multi-generational. And to think that some planner out there actually thought that highrise development would fly in that location. Pure comedy gold.

[_Citizen_Dane_]

Originally Posted by s211

My gawd, this c0ck-up is almost multi-generational. And to think that some planner out there actually thought that highrise development would fly in that location. Pure comedy gold.

Ehh, not really. There's already about a dozen or so high density apartments immediately north of Fort Road. It wasn't really that far a stretch to think it would work just south of it.

[s211]

Originally Posted by _Citizen_Dane_

Ehh, not really. There's already about a dozen or so high density apartments immediately north of Fort Road. It wasn't really that far a stretch to think it would work just south of it.

The market said otherwise, clearly.

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by s211

The market said otherwise, clearly.

I can't fathom how someone thought people would flock to live beside a 7-lane mini-highway in a less desirable part of the city. Widening Fort Road was one of the main contributors to Station Pointe's failure imo (just try crossing it at 66 Street - that crosswalk is a death trap).

[Coldrsx]

Downtown defying economic gloom

https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...dmontons-downtown-defying-economic-gloom

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Downtown defying economic gloom

https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...dmontons-downtown-defying-economic-gloom

This is an old EJ article - what was "updated" if anything?

[B.ike]

[Coldrsx]

Originally Posted by EdmTrekker

This is an old EJ article - what was "updated" if anything?

It was written yesterday.

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

It was written yesterday.

Any other office towers being refreshed with a new skin besides HSBC? 103rd Tower could have used replacement glass instead of the black look.

[Coldrsx]

Encore, among others.


Augustana


West Rossdale/River Crossing/OPPORTUNITY


Infill to follow

https://twitter.com/IanOyeg/status/1133791267148554240
@ianoyeg

[s4.audios]

Originally Posted by Harrison

I can't fathom how someone thought people would flock to live beside a 7-lane mini-highway in a less desirable part of the city. Widening Fort Road was one of the main contributors to Station Pointe's failure imo (just try crossing it at 66 Street - that crosswalk is a death trap).

I think the failure is much less the widening of the road and greatly due to the desirability of the area.

The idea really isn't that much different than Century Park, just a lot worse part of town, unfortunately.

[Coldrsx]

New lighting!


https://twitter.com/TQDyeg/status/1133496731545493504
@TQDyeg

[kcantor]

Originally Posted by s4.audios

I think the failure is much less the widening of the road and greatly due to the desirability of the area.

The idea really isn't that much different than Century Park, just a lot worse part of town, unfortunately.

i think you nailed it - it's a lot more than street width...

it's the single/two storey frame cr@p across the street view to the north if you're a retail or townhome or podium tenant along with the question mark as to whether they will ever get redeveloped or whether they will end up with a heritage designation...

it's the railroad line view to the south if you're a retail or townhome or podium tenant that's now the back side of a blast wall.

as you go taller, you get a great view of the railroad line and two industrial parks, some retail roofs and the yellowhead trail east and west...

people don't want to live in a tod because it's a tod. they want to live in an attractive community that is easy to access because it's also tod.

the thing about tod's is that each and every one of them by definition is directly competitive with each and every other tod (including downtown). why would anyone choose station pointe over century park and all of the others?

the only attractive differentiator you can create is in price and pricing is so competitive elsewhere already that there's virtually no way you can develop cheaply enough based on what you have to sell for in order to be able to sell. that's why it's still being considered a "new community" two decades after commencement of the project.

[s211]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Infill to follow

https://twitter.com/IanOyeg/status/1133791267148554240
@ianoyeg

I should fire up a kickstarter to reclad that nasty Park Square building.

(and yes I do know that it is already a "reclad", just a stupendously ugly one)

[Hardhatdan]

Originally Posted by s211

I should fire up a kickstarter to reclad that nasty Park Square building.

(and yes I do know that it is already a "reclad", just a stupendously ugly one)

It never was really re-clad. They cut a couple sections of pre-cast off and put in some stucco and did some painting.

I think it was 2001 or so and it was about the best thing going in Downtown. Someone was doing SOMETHING Downtown.

[EdmTrekker]

I don’t use Twitter so miss all of the links to IanO’s private account posts. What is the new lighting Ian links about that he can’t talk about here?

[EdmTrekker]

Originally Posted by Hardhatdan

It never was really re-clad. They cut a couple sections of pre-cast off and put in some stucco and did some painting.

I think it was 2001 or so and it was about the best thing going in Downtown. Someone was doing SOMETHING Downtown.

And still looks like shit.

[itom 987]

Originally Posted by s211

My gawd, this c0ck-up is almost multi-generational. And to think that some planner out there actually thought that highrise development would fly in that location. Pure comedy gold.

I thought the concept would fly back then. Fort Road has good urban bones compared to the rest of the city.

[CMD UW]

Originally Posted by mintzilla

im still trying to figure out who is buying all those terrible stick frame 4 story condos that line the Henday. they keep getting built so it must be someone right?

Many, if not most, are rentals.

WRT McKenzie they will likely switch to rentals which shouldn't be a surprise. Condos are a tough go in this market.