^ Even better than that would have been a research effort (certainly there has been enough time) into what Retail and Hospitality elements would be an asset to the neighborhood and how design could have accommodated that research putting into effect solutions for very specific businesses -- this is seldom done in Edmonton; it is clearly done elsewhere. For example we know that a major new structure will come on scene (NorQuest) directly across 102nd Ave. North from this site that will have a major impact on student population numbers in the area. That is also the case with MacU a few blocks north and the new Business Faculty structure now well under construction there. A heads up developer would look at trends that are not far off their own completion schedule, looking to consider what might be useful social infrastructure to meet expanding needs instead of simply writing off Retail and to a lesser extent Hospitality as a dead horse. Some examples include so-called Grab-n-Go Markets, Bookstores (especially those that expand on alternatives to curricula plus other items related to campus life), Food & Grocery Vendors based on locally available food stuffs, stores offering "hip" apparel brands that attract a more youth-oriented market, tech stores, diverse eateries, and "Social" hospitality (coffee shops, tea houses and pubs). An effort has to be made. One axiom in both Retail and Hospitality is that the more choice and variety in an area the better the overall scene and the greater the overall success -- currently the retail (such as it is on Jasper Avenue and in the area generally) is weak -- it needs more like businesses not less. For example, look at what is currently happening at the University of Alberta and how well the recently added businesses are being received.
