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Downtown

IanO said:
They used to have telephone booths and intersection electronics. Maybe folklore, but I had heard at one time that bathrooms were contemplated.

Very 'Metro' Parisian and they will be missed... especially given the metal stand-ups with corrugated plastic to staple to now. Seriously, WTF folks.
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Not sure who will miss them besides yourself - I sure won't lol. They are 80s chic, in a bad way.
 
^ the one in front of Enterprise Square is in especially bad shape. You're right, it looks like the City gave up maintaining them sometime around when they must have removed the payphones.
 
I like how this article covers the topic of office conversions in a more thoughtful balanced less rah rah way.

First of all, while I think it can be beneficial it is not a magic bullet as some people try to present it. Our downtown needs: more retail businesses, more employers, more residents and to be safer/more appealing. Having more residents is only one part (maybe 1/4 of the solution) and not having the other three will limit the ability to get more residents.

Also, it is popular in Calgary now, so it is being insinuated by some as we are somehow behind and need to catch up. This is not true, in fact a lot of conversions were done over a decade ago here, which means we were actually ahead of elsewhere, but probably means some of the most suitable conversion opportunities have already been done here.

 
DISTRICT MOTO - RETAIL CONDO UNIT
#143- 10309 107 STREET NW, EDMONTON AB.
BEAUTIFULLY APPOINTED DOWNTOWN
CENTRALLY LOCATED RETAIL CONDO UNIT WITH HIGH END FINISHINGS ON TWO LEVELS
2 TITLED UNDERGROUND PARKING STALLS INCLUDED IN SALE
ZONING: URBAN WAREHOUSE (UW)
DESIGNED FOR A VARIETY OF RETAIL AND OFFICE USES
APPROX. 2,700 SQ. FT. ON 2 LEVELS
SALE PRICE: $995,000.00
 
David A said:
I like how this article covers the topic of office conversions in a more thoughtful balanced less rah rah way.

First of all, while I think it can be beneficial it is not a magic bullet as some people try to present it. Our downtown needs: more retail businesses, more employers, more residents and to be safer/more appealing. Having more residents is only one part (maybe 1/4 of the solution) and not having the other three will limit the ability to get more residents.

Also, it is popular in Calgary now, so it is being insinuated by some as we are somehow behind and need to catch up. This is not true, in fact a lot of conversions were done over a decade ago here, which means we were actually ahead of elsewhere, but probably means some of the most suitable conversion opportunities have already been done here.

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Not a magic bullet but also leaving c-class office buildings empty is also not going to get bodies Downtown that support retail, etc. This is as much about shoring up our declining tax base as it is about bringing more people Downtown.

Commercial realtors have identified 5-6 buildings that would be converted if the city provided a program like Calgary has.
 
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Greenspace said:
Not a magic bullet but also leaving c-class office buildings empty is also not going to get bodies Downtown that support retail, etc. This is as much about shoring up our declining tax base as it is about bringing more people Downtown.

Commercial realtors have identified 5-6 buildings that would be converted if the city provided a program like Calgary has.
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Why is there little discussion or thought to attracting more companies to downtown, whether from the suburbs or companies not in Edmonton at all?

I harp on this often, but I just never hear this as a concern, consideration or an avenue of exploration.
 
^Commercial realtors, that is their job. However overall business attraction to Edmonton or specifically Downtown is the purview of mayor and Council, mostly through Edmonton Global. It's not as easy as it seems, but we don't do enough and don't always do ourselves favours. Making Downtown safer, more attractive to investment, good experiences will help but definitely more could be done.
 
Greenspace said:
^Commercial realtors, that is their job. However overall business attraction to Edmonton or specifically Downtown is the purview of mayor and Council, mostly through Edmonton Global. It's not as easy as it seems, but we don't do enough and don't always do ourselves favours. Making Downtown safer, more attractive to investment, good experiences will help but definitely more could be done.
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If I ever ran for council it would be for this reason that drives me.

This is a blind spot bordering ignored spot. I dont think we have had councils and mayors that have addressed this adequately and I have my own qualms with Edmonton Global's performance or non-performance record in this area since inception in 2017.
 
Greenspace said:
Not a magic bullet but also leaving c-class office buildings empty is also not going to get bodies Downtown that support retail, etc. This is as much about shoring up our declining tax base as it is about bringing more people Downtown.

Commercial realtors have identified 5-6 buildings that would be converted if the city provided a program like Calgary has.
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I feel you're probably right about the 5-6 number, but to put it in context, how many conversions were done here a few decades ago? I think it was over a dozen or maybe even over 15.

I'm not saying don't do it, just not to expect miracles. However regardless, people are not going live downtown if it is not safe/clean, there are no additional jobs there or there is a lack of retail. All of these are pressing problems we need to address in conjunction with any residential conversions otherwise it will fail.
 
^clean/safe yes. Jobs hard to say but you’re probably right long term but will appeal to younger or older folks. Retail is entirely driven by foot traffic so the people have to be here first before retail will return.
 
All the people who already live (or work) downtown are often forgotten in these discussions. We have actually been steadily building more residential buildings downtown for decades, yet somehow downtown retail has been declining, not increasing over that time. So I have doubts a few building conversions will result in miracles.

It is not appealing to have to drive to strip malls to get almost everything for those of us who are downtown now and the current state it will not help attract more new residents. So it is essential the other problems I mentioned have to be addressed in conjunction and with as much enthusiasm and effort as residential conversions in order for it to achieve results.
 
My guess is that some downtown residents will be headed on the Valley Line to Bonnie Doon Mall for basics like groceries.
 
Gee, it would be even better if we could have more of the basics in our own neighbourhoods downtown and wouldn't have to go to a mall in another part of the city.

The concept of having a reasonably decent variety of common goods and services downtown, like most normal cities, seems to elude us.
 
Personally hoping for a T&T downtown, but considering even Calgary doesn't have one in their DT I'm not going to raise my hopes up.
 
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