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Downtown Real Estate

Percent increases don't share the right story here... actual numbers would be far more valuable and telling.
 
Sure, but % increases often fail to properly represent things.

Last year we had 1 sale, this year 2 = 100% growth!
 
Greenspace said:
The story itself talks about the slump we've been in for the last 10 years, and year of year increases.
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Its not only the year over year increase, but a number of other positive things noted as well

"Even over the last couple months, I've seen something we haven't seen since maybe 2007, which is bidding wars on condos," real-estate agent Sara Kalke told CBC News.

"You can buy three benchmark price condos in Edmonton for the average benchmark price of a condo in Canada," Kalke said. "So people from other provinces who are either priced out or who want to make an investment have been looking at buying in Edmonton more than ever."

The relative affordability of single-detached homes also means many buyers weren't starting with condos as their first choice, but higher borrowing costs are changing those calculations. Ng said he's seeing a significant spike in interest from out-of-province buyers looking at relocating to Edmonton, and they're considering condos and townhouses too.
 
David A said:
The relative affordability of single-detached homes also means many buyers weren't starting with condos as their first choice, but higher borrowing costs are changing those calculations. Ng said he's seeing a significant spike in interest from out-of-province buyers looking at relocating to Edmonton, and they're considering condos and townhouses too.
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On top of affordability, anecdotal evidence from a few people I have met recently also points out that some of the out-of-province buyers are also looking into having some semblance of urban living that, while not comparable to their places of origin (Van and TO, especially), at least keeps them somewhat entertained.

I still think that the inflow of people coming from these cities will create a stronger demand for urban living in Edmonton, over the next few years, and that developers and retailers will eventually catch on, even if it takes them a while.
 
Exactly, the people coming here for affordability are not only people looking to buy houses in the suburbs. Condos here are more affordable too, renting is more affordable.

So those people are coming from places that have more vibrant urban living, will bring a demand for more of that here and may change the culture here for the better.
 
David A said:
Exactly, the people coming here for affordability are not only people looking to buy houses in the suburbs. Condos here are more affordable too, renting is more affordable.

So those people are coming from places that have more vibrant urban living, will bring a demand for more of that here and may change the culture here for the better.
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Precisely. And while my evidence is anecdotal, it stands to reason (and statistics) that there is a large demographic that wants affordability, but doesn't want suburban living. It might take a few years, but I won't be surprise if the demand for a better urban experience starts to change our central areas (and other centre-adjacent ones as well). And not only from the big developers and retailers' side, but a lot of these people might end up being entrepreneurs themselves.
 
Good urban experiences require safe, clean and well maintained streets. It's gotten better but no where near where we need to be, we slid back during the pandemic and still requires coordinated effort and continued investments in safety as well as streetscape upgrades and ongoing maintenance. This is the most important aspect of attracting people to high-density urban living.
 
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ChazYEG said:
Precisely. And while my evidence is anecdotal, it stands to reason (and statistics) that there is a large demographic that wants affordability, but doesn't want suburban living. It might take a few years, but I won't be surprise if the demand for a better urban experience starts to change our central areas (and other centre-adjacent ones as well). And not only from the big developers and retailers' side, but a lot of these people might end up being entrepreneurs themselves.
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I can speak for myself - we chose to move to Edmonton specifically to avoid having to live in the far flung suburbs. Things in Vancouver were looking more and more like if we wanted to buy and settle down, we'd have to end up in Surrey, Langley, or worse Abbotsford or Chilliwack, stuck with both a small space and an absurd commute.
The comparison we made by moving to Edmonton (at the time) wasn't the City of Vancouver vs the City of Edmonton, it was Abbotsford vs Edmonton. On that comparison Edmonton wins handily. But if we came to Edmonton only to move to Windermere it wouldn't really have been worth the trouble; it's that we can easily afford to live centrally with good access to everything and a convenient commute. With that of course, it's hard not to feel the urban realm of Edmonton is lacking compared to what we left behind; we lived in Burnaby renting at the time, and came to appreciate good urban amenities, good transit, and the benefits of transit oriented design - which are present and appreciated even when driving.
I'm confident many will be making similar moves, and in turn will be seeking out urban or semi-urban, and transit oriented development patterns.
 
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Greenspace said:
Good urban experiences require safe, clean and well maintained streets. It's gotten better but no where near where we need to be, we slid back during the pandemic and still requires coordinated effort and continued investments in safety as well as streetscape upgrades and ongoing maintenance. This is the most important aspect of attracting people to high-density urban living.
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I have a question for all about complete streets - streets designed and operated to enable safe use and support mobility for all users. These include people of all ages and abilities, regardless of whether they are travelling as drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, or public transportation riders.

Not all streets will be or need to be complete streets, but in terms of that definition, what do people think is Edmonton's best example of a complete street?

Is it 124 st with some of the recent improvements made there? Will it be 104 Ave which has multiple users that will be accommodated? Or where?
 
TAS said:
I have a question for all about complete streets - streets designed and operated to enable safe use and support mobility for all users. These include people of all ages and abilities, regardless of whether they are travelling as drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, or public transportation riders.

Not all streets will be or need to be complete streets, but in terms of that definition, what do people think is Edmonton's best example of a complete street?

Is it 124 st with some of the recent improvements made there? Will it be 104 Ave which has multiple users that will be accommodated? Or where?
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I want to say 104 St downtown. It is very pedestrian friendly, while still leaving room for cars. The cars move slowly and aren't very intrusive, making it also a fairly safe area for cyclists. The only thing missing on the street itself is transit, but technically it intersects with 2 and soon 3 light rail lines and numerous bus lines. I feel like the other contenders - Jasper, 124th, Whyte, 97th, 118th all still leave too much room for cars, though (some of them are) improving.
 
TAS said:
I have a question for all about complete streets - streets designed and operated to enable safe use and support mobility for all users. These include people of all ages and abilities, regardless of whether they are travelling as drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, or public transportation riders.

Not all streets will be or need to be complete streets, but in terms of that definition, what do people think is Edmonton's best example of a complete street?

Is it 124 st with some of the recent improvements made there? Will it be 104 Ave which has multiple users that will be accommodated? Or where?
Click to expand...
I like the very simple streetscape of 96 St in the Quarters. It feels safe to walk, bike, drive in that stretch. It's a shame it's devoid of development, but I'd like to see more of that sort of street design. It doesn't have to be brick, you could do it with asphalt or concrete too. It's the amorphous edges and the tight vehicular row that make it work.
 
Reference ID:Job No 501214990-002
Description:Exterior Alteration, Demolition
Location:10246 - 104 STREET NW
Plan NB1 Blk 4 Lots 173-174
Applicant:607816 ALBERTA LTD., HENRY
Status:Intake Review
Create Date:2024-02-19T20:52:09Z
Neighbourhood:DOWNTOWN
 
Demo of what I wonder? The Impark pay station?
 
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