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Community members sought to ensure the new 240-unit Londonderry redevelopment creates an open and engaging street front. Capital Region Housing said they sought to honour that in this design; no one came out to oppose the tripling of density when it went to public hearing Monday, August 28, 2017. GEC ARCHITECTURE
An Edmonton housing agency tripled the density of its affordable housing project without one resident turning up to oppose it at public hearing Monday.
It’s a good sign for what city officials hope will become a template for new affordable housing across the city, eventually giving homes to the more than 5,000 families now on waiting lists.
“We have dozens of other sites around the city with aging housing … where we could do this over and over again,” Mayor Don Iveson said of the 240-unit Londonderry redevelopment in Edmonton’s Kilkenny neighbourhood.
It will replace an aging 80-unit structure on 72 Street near 144 Avenue with new townhouses and apartments ranging from one- to five-bedroom suites.
“This is fantastic work. It really is a community you’re building here,” Iveson said of the design that creates a large outdoor public courtyard, indoor community space and amenities for the whole neighbourhood, and front doors and porches facing every direction.
“The fact no one has come to oppose mixed-income housing in their neighbourhood is substantial and note-worthy.”
Capital Region Housing executive Greg Dewling said it hopes to start the $72-million project this fall, opening the building in 2019.
Plans for Capital Region Housing’s Londonderry site call for 240 units arranged in an X formation with townhouses facing inside and out. GEC ARCHITECTURE, SUPPLIED
He credits winning over the neighbourhood to the fact they didn’t start with a predetermined design. They went into the first open housing thinking they’d aim for about 220 units, but it was soon clear the community cared more about the design than the total.
Community members wanted something that was nice to walk beside, that was part of the neighbourhood without a “monolithic wall” beside the street, said Dewling. Once they satisfied that, “we actually ended up with more homes than we originally proposed.”
Community members sought to ensure the Londonderry redevelopment creates an open and engaging street front.GEC ARCHITECTURE
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