Manulife Place Renovations | 145.99m | 36s | AIMCo | MdeAS

[Gronk!]

One step closer...

National Bank clears big hurdle in bid to buy Canadian Western Bank | Globalnews.ca

National Bank's plan to takeover Canadian Western Bank still requires approval by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and the minister of finance.

globalnews.ca

 

[Avenuer]

The Manulife podium repositioning is still happening, Ellis Don submitted the building permit for the work.

 

[David A]

This building really does still have great potential and it has been sad to see things languish over the last few years, but hopefully the pieces are finally coming together.

 

[David A]

Well its hard to compete against newer, shinier buildings. But for a long time there wasn't anything else like that here, so I feel a big complacency developed and then they were caught by surprise.

 

[Edmcowboy11]

Something needs to further attract businesses back in the core.

 

[Barnaby]

Something needs to further attract businesses back in the core.

Retail follows rooftops.

 

[David A]

Retail follows rooftops.

There has been a number of new residential buildings downtown over the last decade or so and even some under construction being completed now. So if that were the case, downtown retail should be doing well.

 

[policyenthusiast]

Something needs to further attract businesses back in the core.

With the planned closures of key downtown access points for bridge repair, I expect we will see the inverse.

 

[Munanyo]

Until we start attracting businesses, investment and jobs from the private sector I really don't expect retail to improve much in downtown.

 

[Barnaby]

I really don't see how businesses are the answer to downtown, it's residential first. You see this with 104th St and Ice District being the busiest areas, while the office areas are a virtual ghost town. The Loblaws didn't place itself facing Churchill Sq for a reason.

I'm gonna buy shoes at Foosh. I shop at The Helm and Henry Singer. I buy all my groceries at City Market.

Suburbanites aren't going to be the primary people supporting these businesses. That's not how this works besides the arena.

 

[Barnaby]

With the planned closures of key downtown access points for bridge repair, I expect we will see the inverse.

Capacity into downtown will be considerably higher than it is today, during these bridge closures. Remember that VLW will exist at this point.

 

[policyenthusiast]

Capacity into downtown will be considerably higher than it is today, during these bridge closures. Remember that VLW will exist at this point.

In theory, if Edmonton residents warm up to public transportation.

 

[thommyjo]

Capacity into downtown will be considerably higher than it is today, during these bridge closures. Remember that VLW will exist at this point.

Most of the bridge closures will be before the LRT opens sadly.

 

[David A]

I really don't see how businesses are the answer to downtown, it's residential first. You see this with 104th St and Ice District being the busiest areas, while the office areas are a virtual ghost town. The Loblaws didn't place itself facing Churchill Sq for a reason.

I'm gonna buy shoes at Foosh. I shop at The Helm and Henry Singer. I buy all my groceries at City Market.

Suburbanites aren't going to be the primary people supporting these businesses. That's not how this works besides the arena.

It is more complicated than that and is a real chicken and egg problem - if there are not many jobs, a bunch of empty store fronts, with not much retail variety and you have to drive to get many basics, why would many people want to move downtown?

Cities that have thriving downtowns have many more businesses and employees working there than here and that in turn attracts residents. Residential can not support downtown business alone and putting it forth as a magic wand to solve our problems will not work.

 

[David A]

Most of the bridge closures will be before the LRT opens sadly.

Yes, but there is already LRT to the NE, SW and SE. I experienced bridge closures here in the past, when I lived on the south side and worked downtown at a time with fewer LRT options than now.

Yes there was some inconvenience, but we all managed and I don't think it actually hurt downtown that much. It certainly wasn't the end of the world, but that was also a time when catatrophizing wasn't as popular.