The city only does:
• land purchases
• infrastructure construction
• infrastructure renewal
• misc. incentives
Yes, the city spent lots of money renewing all the infrastructure and preparing land in the area which gives absolutely nothing in return by itself. Multiple buildings need to be built and occupied to get a return on investment. A good example of this is 104th St. downtown. That area had multiple buildings built/renovated to change it from being a hobo invested wasteland to what it is today. It would still be a hobo infested wasteland of the newly paved streets and sidewalks along with only one building being renovated or built. No matter what building you choose.
I know Fort Road is stuck beside the tracks and industrial land to the east but proper urban development can mask those areas. The Transit Hotel provides an excellent local focal point. The LRT station provides excellent access to employment. Those two points were the main drivers of this redevelopment. Only one developer got on board, it takes a team effort by multiple developers to make the plan work.
The city did it's part, I don't consider them at fault. The developers didn't come on board and do their part in reanimating the east side of Fort Road. Why bother when they think they can make more money elsewhere.
There is a brand new street in downtown's east side that is still barren in spite of a new hotel and your project, as well the one beside yours. The flatiron and other buildings still need their main floor activated, multiple parking lots need to be filled. That will take a co-ordinated effort from multiple developers/owners. New neighbourhoods in the suburbs are built in tandem by multiple home builders.
The level of risk will go down if developers team up, form alliances and build together.
Steel and concrete going up on the BG site ie. Loblaws City Market et al. and judging by the size of those concrete columns, a tower is still planned above it at some point.
I can't wait for that sidewalk across 104 Ave from Rogers Place to finally open. It's been closed for about 7 years now and may stay that way until Block BG is done.
Last edited by Hallsy's Toupee; Sep 10, 2020 at 6:31 PM.
That's great to see movement on that parcel nonetheless. A new grocery store is always good to look forward to, especially in these rather strange times.
^There wasn't a sidewalk there really. There was a southbound turning lane onto 103 Street which was decommissioned.
But, ya, they could still have pedestrian access along 104 avenue. It's just until JW was done there was no where to walk to, an entire block under construction.
The ugly new gate for the direct connection from Symphony Tower to the Leg. Imagine that you dropped 400-600k on a 3rd floor unit and now get to look at this every day.
The ugly new gate for the direct connection from Symphony Tower to the Leg. Imagine that you dropped 400-600k on a 3rd floor unit and now get to look at this every day.
...
imagine that you dropped that money on a unit in the telephone building and now got to look at the library every day.
at least you could plant hops or engelman's ivy in front of this and you wouldn't even be able see it by next june - something you can't say for the library.
Man the west exposure of the library...I wouldn't even wish such a building was built in an industrial park much less at the heart of the civic precinct.
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