Edmonton Tower | 129.84m | 27s | ICE District Prop.

What do you think of this project?

  • I like it a lot

    Votes: 10 52.6%

  • I like it

    Votes: 8 42.1%

  • I neither like nor dislike it

    Votes: 1 5.3%

  • I dislike it

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I dislike it a lot

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    19
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Edmonton city staff make first move into new downtown office tower

ELISE STOLTE

The City of Edmonton will soon take possession of the first phase of Edmonton Tower, located at 104 Avenue and 101 Street.

City of Edmonton staff are getting ready to start “hoteling it” — trading permanent desks for lockers to save space in a new office tower.

At least 200 employees will work hotel-style with only lockers, a tablet and a briefcase in the new Edmonton Tower, which is nearly finished construction at 104 Avenue and 101 Street.

City officials take possession of their first floor Tuesday, the 10th floor of the 27-storey building, with the first employees scheduled to arrive at 4 p.m. Friday. Other scheduled moves will happen about every two weeks until June.

“We’ve been working on this for a couple years. We’re excited,” said Robert Guenthe, project director.

The new space is designed to save costs, but also empower employees by giving them the freedom to choose how and where to work, said Scott Varge, who led the space redesign.

To start, 10 per cent of employees will not have desks. Most of them spend their days going from meeting to meeting. They’ll have access to sit/stand desks throughout the building if they need a temporary spot to work.

“It’s a huge philosophical shift,” said Varge, who said the city is following global best practices for increasing productivity. Where the current office spaces have only meeting rooms or traditional desks, the new space will have eight different types of work areas, including one-on-one coaching spots and single-desk quiet rooms. Kitchen spaces are also open for collaborative working.

The move also comes with a new coffee policy. In the past, some departments had city-supplied coffee as an employee retention perk. Now, the city will supply a Keurig machine but no coffee. That’s led to many jokes about a coming boom to local coffee shops.

“The coffee policy has been a great debate,” said Varge. “This is an opportunity to hit refresh.”

The move to a new tower was pitched in 2012 as a money-saving venture. Fourteen developers bid for the 20-year lease, with city council voting 10-3 in favour of the WAM-Katz Group building.

WAM has previously said this was a $300-million project.
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http://edmontonjournal.com/news/loc...to-start-hoteling-it-with-downtown-tower-move
 
I think that I am going to open a street kiosk specializing in frozen desserts and call it Roger's Ice -- the advertising for my new business is already in place!
 
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