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There are now visible signs of construction at 10455 82 Avenue in Old Strathcona, courtesy of a recently erected tower crane that is servicing the corner property. With below-grade work advancing quickly, it won't be long before the six-storey project by Wexford Developments starts meshing within the neighbourhood's commercial streetscape.
Dubbed Raymond Block after the original Raymond Hotel that stood on the site in the early 1900s, the DIALOG-designed project aims to complement the pedestrian-friendly Whyte Avenue with a mix of uses. A two-storey commercial podium will anchor the development to the street and provide 19,300 square feet of retail on the main floor. Above that, over 20,000 square feet of office space will fill out the second level. This podium will be designed in deference to the neighbourhood's historic storefronts, with brick and stone masonry wrapping around the perimeter of the building.
Its proximity to the University of Alberta will undoubtedly spark interest in students looking for apartments within walking distance to the campus and convenient amenities. Raymond Block's 96 units are split into a range of bachelor, one- and two-bedroom floor plans, making the development particularly attractive to university clientele.
Activity at the site has been a long time coming. The property had languished as a neighbourhood eyesore for nearly 20 years after its former use as an Esso gas station left the soil contaminated. Now that the site has been remediated, the upscale project is ready to take its position within the neighbourhood mosaic.
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