Greenspace
Senior Member
Just a few reports from today's EDBA Imagining Downtown luncheon.
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Downtown
- Thread starter Daveography
- Start date
Greenspace
Senior Member
10152 - 104 STREET NW Condo Common Area (Plan 1024741,1125068) - Sign Development Permit
External ID537570470-002
Job Type
Sign Development Permit
Description
To install (1) Fascia Sign(s) limited to On-premises Advertising (Foosh)
Applicant
FIVE STAR PERMITS
Status
Intake Review
Class of Permit
Create Date
October 30, 2024
Approval Date
Location
10152 - 104 STREET NW Condo Common Area (Plan 1024741,1125068)
Neighbourhood
DOWNTOWN
MacLac
Senior Member
Wait what?! Why is this 4 year old topic being brought up again? Didn't NY, NY and a DC suburb share the title of HQ-2? And didn't Amazon just shut down HQ-2? Whose DT is he besmirching? Ours or YYC's?
thommyjo
Senior Member
What a dumb comment…. The Amazon HQ2 was a farce, tax grab, and hasn’t actually happened…
What a silly thing to illustrate with.
David A
Senior Member
Yes and it is also very off point - really Amazon didn't pick the location selected based on the quality of its downtown. I hope the quality of the rest of the discussion was better.
Greenspace
Senior Member
Sorry guys, there's a whole thread to the tweets if you click on it, didn't mean for folks to just focus on the first one.
Glenco
Senior Member
I don’t do Twitter ever since what’s his face bought it. Could you post more.
BASE
Active Member
- Downtown core is too big
- Need to make strategy that doesn't rely on gov't assistance to get people living there
- Positives include post secondary institutions, things for people to do (museums, performances, etc.)
Is Edmonton's Downtown too big? Size matters, experts say
The size of Edmonton's downtown core is a reflection of ambition from decades past, but now its size is also its problem.
edmontonjournal.com
thommyjo
Senior Member
I’ve always thought this too, in relation to Wihkwentowin being our residential extension of downtown. If we could squish all of Wihkwentowin’s density into 97st-109st and rossdale to 107ave, we would have such a better downtown.
- Downtown core is too big
- Need to make strategy that doesn't rely on gov't assistance to get people living there
- Positives include post secondary institutions, things for people to do (museums, performances, etc.)
Is Edmonton's Downtown too big? Size matters, experts say
The size of Edmonton's downtown core is a reflection of ambition from decades past, but now its size is also its problem.
It really makes me think that the quarters need a downsized vision. Townhomes and 4-6 story buildings.
And those comments on our DTs size, likely don’t even factor in whyte ave/garneau splitting our entertainment/nightlife.
erudyk_29
Active Member
^ 100% true. The density of things to do is way too low. Which ironically means density outside of the main CBD should probably be lower, allowing the urban fabric to spread farther. When Edmonton was undergoing the big tower boom from like 2013-2019, I wonder if it would have had a more transformative effect on downtown if we had seen more, smaller towers and developments instead of concentrating high amounts of density in big towers, while leaving vast swaths of underutilized land untouched.
Personally, I think there should be clusters of higher towers along Jasper, and then a main core of towers in the CBD and Warehouse District, and then the rest of downtown / Wikhwentowin / Quarters should be 5-6 stories with some smaller towers scattered throughout.
If we end up at a point where we need more density downtown, we can build more towers, but for now we have lots of land, so I wouldn't be too worried about having lower density than condo towers. I think it will be a LONG time before that happens though, as there are also areas like Strathcona, and even other mature neighborhoods that are going to be densifying significantly as well and will start to enable the urban lifestyle you can really only have in Wihkwentowin right now.
Shorter buildings are also far more affordable to build, and thus also more affordable to rent/buy as well which is another bonus.
Personally, I think there should be clusters of higher towers along Jasper, and then a main core of towers in the CBD and Warehouse District, and then the rest of downtown / Wikhwentowin / Quarters should be 5-6 stories with some smaller towers scattered throughout.
If we end up at a point where we need more density downtown, we can build more towers, but for now we have lots of land, so I wouldn't be too worried about having lower density than condo towers. I think it will be a LONG time before that happens though, as there are also areas like Strathcona, and even other mature neighborhoods that are going to be densifying significantly as well and will start to enable the urban lifestyle you can really only have in Wihkwentowin right now.
Shorter buildings are also far more affordable to build, and thus also more affordable to rent/buy as well which is another bonus.
David A
Senior Member
There is an element of truth here, but the first two points are really off the mark. Yes, Edmonton is fairly spread out, which is based on the period of time our city grew as opposed to older cities built in the pre-auto era.
- Downtown core is too big
- Need to make strategy that doesn't rely on gov't assistance to get people living there
- Positives include post secondary institutions, things for people to do (museums, performances, etc.)
Is Edmonton's Downtown too big? Size matters, experts say
The size of Edmonton's downtown core is a reflection of ambition from decades past, but now its size is also its problem.
The downtown is full of empy lots because in the 1970's and 1980's many older smaller buildings were torn down in anticipation of a huge demand for office space. Sadly for Edmonton, this huge demand never happened here but this office space was built in other cities. We have over the years gradually filled a number of these lots with residential and there has been a modest increase in office space, but there are still empty lots from 30 or 40 years ago. But there is no reason to tear more things down in the name of some bizarre new planning idea, this will only make things worse.
With our still limited demand for office space, related limited employment opportunities in the area and very limited retail downtown, it is not attractive for many more people to live downtown, even if we resolve some of the safety perceptions. The city has never adequately dealt with any of these issues in the past and now needs to if our downtown is going to thrive. However, I do agree with the last point in that post secondary institutions and things for people to do are a positive strength and may attract some people.
Edmcowboy11
Senior Member
I'd add that with more walkable and inviting street fronts with varied commercial options needs to be further expanded upon. 104st is a good example, Rice Howard somewhat, Jasper Ave is slowly improving.
Greenspace
Senior Member
The Churchill Apartments, perhaps a lobby update.
537880129-002
Job Type
Major Development Permit
Description
Interior Alteration, Demolition
Applicant
ARC STUDIO
Status
Intake Review
Class of Permit
Create Date
November 1, 2024
Approval Date
Location
10015 - 103 AVENUE NW Plan F Lots 86-90
Neighbourhood
DOWNTOWN
10015 - 103 AVENUE NW Plan F Lots 86-90 - Major Development Permit
External ID537880129-002
Job Type
Major Development Permit
Description
Interior Alteration, Demolition
Applicant
ARC STUDIO
Status
Intake Review
Class of Permit
Create Date
November 1, 2024
Approval Date
Location
10015 - 103 AVENUE NW Plan F Lots 86-90
Neighbourhood
DOWNTOWN
archited
Senior Member
'sbouttime... maybe some frontage work as well?