EDMONTON | The Edmontonian | 278 M / 912 FT | 71 FLOORS - Page 3

TallBob · #41 Posted **Nov 1, 2013, 7:17 AM**

It belongs in Calgary.... I don't think anyone's got the balls to build this even there! Really like this proposal, but really what's the chance it'll get built?

fatboy · #42 Posted **Nov 1, 2013, 12:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TallBob

It belongs in Calgary.... I don't think anyone's got the balls to build this even there! Really like this proposal, but really what's the chance it'll get built?

never.
400 ft taller than anything there? really??

mcc16 · #43 Posted **Nov 1, 2013, 2:52 PM**

This "middle of nowhere" everyone is referring to is across the street from future hotel/office/arena and a block from lrt stops/museum/city hall/university/shopping mall. So...how exactly is this in a "bad area". This building is still in very preliminary stages so much of the neighbourhood may be built out if/when this gets underway...

Calgarian · #44 Posted **Nov 1, 2013, 3:03 PM**

Is there a market for this type of product? it sounds very high end and that would be a new for of condo development for E-town. I could see a smaller version of this getting built, not sure about 900' being really feasible.

SHOFEAR · #45 Posted **Nov 1, 2013, 3:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Is there a market for this type of product? it sounds very high end and that would be a new for of condo development for E-town. I could see a smaller version of this getting built, not sure about 900' being really feasible.

Market for what exactly?

Individually, all these components (hotel, condo and office) are very realistic and in demand (office space less so, but we are only talking 10 floors of it). Now, does BCM have access to the financing to pull this off, and would anybody be willing buy into a building with a builder who has a rather shitty track record...thats a valid question.

Calgarian · #46 Posted **Nov 1, 2013, 3:56 PM**

Very high end condos, this seems like a Shangri-La type project.

DAVEinEDMONTON · #47 Posted **Nov 1, 2013, 4:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcc16

This "middle of nowhere" everyone is referring to is across the street from future hotel/office/arena and a block from lrt stops/museum/city hall/university/shopping mall. So...how exactly is this in a "bad area". This building is still in very preliminary stages so much of the neighbourhood may be built out if/when this gets underway...

The building is not in the middle of nowhere but it is certainly on the edge of an area of downtown that may be considered questionable for such developments.

The small structure west of the tower is a newly renovated warehouse being used for providing a mixed use of services to low income individuals and the homeless. The "u" shaped building to the north is a homeless shelter. Lots of homeless guys hanging around the entrance at all hours. And the short tower to the north is Edmonton's most crime ridden low income apartment tower in the downtown core. These three buildings will not be going anywhere soon, if ever. The apartment tower has been in the news of late and the owners have undertaken to clean up the crime and it seems to be working. When I visit downtown I usually park on the street just north of the tower with no problems.

And it is true that the area has lots of nearby development that will make the area more desirable. The empty parking lot west of the tower will be part of the up and coming cultural center that is in development as well as the museum beside that. And the nearby arena district will all make that location better over time.

Given that the building would be 1/3 office and 1/3 hotel, I see no problems with the location for those uses. The condos might be a harder sell given the close proximity to the social service uses of some of the other buildings listed above.

Mind you, my first time to San Francisco, I stayed at the edge of the tenderloin area and was surprised to see the back side of a five-star hotel across the street from a soup kitchen. It was quite the contrast. And if it can work in San Francisco it can certainly work in Edmonton.

TallBob · #48 Posted **Nov 1, 2013, 10:00 PM**

There will be a lot of "back and fourth" on this building between Calgary & Edmonton posters on this baby, much like Calgary - Toronto mini-rift! I like the building a lot, it'll probably get a few floors chopped off (if built) but in my eyes, it's great! Good for Edmonton!!

Deepstar · #49 Posted **Nov 1, 2013, 10:12 PM**

Judging from the article in the Edmonton Journal, it seems like their whole goal is just to build something taller than Calgary has, and the way they have been making drastic changes to the concept over a short time, gives the impression they don't know what they are doing. If the demand is there for luxury condos, hotel etc, all in one tall tower you would see other developers - more solid and reputable ones - coming up with similar plans in better locations, let alone that location.

I know I'm going to catch flak for this, but I just don't see this one getting built. It wouldn't get built in Calgary either. Toronto or Vancouver, yes, but as we've witnessed only by a large, solid developer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

Individually, all these components (hotel, condo and office) are very realistic and in demand (office space less so, but we are only talking 10 floors of it). Now, does BCM have access to the financing to pull this off, and would anybody be willing buy into a building with a builder who has a rather shitty track record...thats a valid question.

whiteford · #50 Posted **Nov 2, 2013, 6:34 PM**

we have all seen multiple pie in the sky proposals for calgary that are taller and far more feasible designs than this. i dont think that a single person ever thought any of them would have any chance of ever getting built. just like this tower. any hope that some variation of this proposal will see the light of day in is just silly and wishful thinking on the part of whoever entertains such a notion. haha nice to dream though.

TallBob · #51 Posted **Nov 2, 2013, 9:32 PM**

The only thing that would stop this from being built in Calgary is a certain kind of a "mind-set", (so to speak).... and deep pockets! I also feel this will probably get some height lopped off... but at least they've got the right idea.... doesn't hurt to think big, (or tall in this case). You know the old saying... "Build it and they will come"!

Coldrsx · #52 Posted **Nov 3, 2013, 11:22 PM**

'the way they have been making drastic changes to the concept over a short time'

5 or 6 years...

Deepstar · #53 Posted **Nov 3, 2013, 11:45 PM**

Maybe not drastic changes, but the height has changed twice in the last year or so, and hasn't the design changed twice recently also? Since the start of this thread not to long ago, there have been three different renderings, none of which look anything alike. I'm assuming the first one is from way back, but the other two are more recent.

At any rate is there an actual design that's been submitted to the city or just the conceptual type we've seen on SSP?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

'the way they have been making drastic changes to the concept over a short time'

5 or 6 years...

Tarsus · #54 Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 4:30 PM**

I saw the story on this on Yahoo news and had a chuckle. I'm like most people in that I doubt it will ever get built, but still it's nice to see some pie in the sky thinking. While this one won't get built, it might inspire a serious developer to do something like this, it might also inspire a developer to do something like this in Calgary who knows.

canucklehead2 · #55 Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 6:15 PM**

I think the concept itself is solid (mixed-use building close to the Arena district), but like many I don't feel the developer has the background to really move it forward… And well... the design is rather sad, especially given previous designs of the building… Maybe with a few more redesigns and a better developer?

Surrealplaces · #56 Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 6:58 PM**

I agree. The concept is good, and makes sense, but probably on a smaller scale and with a serious developer...which I think will happen. I wouldn't be surprised to see something mixed use on that location or nearby that would be around 40-50 floors mixed use developed by a 'Westbank' type of developer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by canucklehead2

I think the concept itself is solid (mixed-use building close to the Arena district), but like many I don't feel the developer has the background to really move it forward… And well... the design is rather sad, especially given previous designs of the building… Maybe with a few more redesigns and a better developer?

TallBob · #57 Posted **Nov 5, 2013, 8:53 PM**

Tarsus: I agree! This might spur some developer in Calgary to raise the height threshold here. We seem to be in a 15-25 story mind set. With the exception of 3-4 projects. At least they're displaying the reality that tall residential/ mixed-use e buildings are viable in Calgary, Edmonton!

Coldrsx · #58 Posted **Feb 10, 2014, 4:18 PM**

(http://vipmedia.globalnews.ca/2013/1...448%26crop%3D1)

TriWolf · #59 Posted **Feb 23, 2014, 6:21 AM**

I think we can be reasonably sure that this won't get built. But hopefully this is just a preview of an upcoming building boom in Edmonton, and with the downtown airport gone, the city's skyline might be changing quite a bit. It'd be nice if it were unrecognizable 30 or so years from now.

Coldrsx · #60 Posted **Mar 18, 2015, 11:16 PM**

Edmontonian-new images

http://www.bcmdevelopments.com/