Southpark on Whyte | 50.9m | 16s | ONE Properties | GBL Architects

What do you think of the design of Southpark?

  • I like it a lot

    Votes: 14 27.5%

  • I like it

    Votes: 25 49.0%

  • I neither like nor dislike it

    Votes: 8 15.7%

  • I dislike it

    Votes: 1 2.0%

  • I dislike it a lot

    Votes: 3 5.9%
  • Total voters
    51
I can remember the time when Old Strathcona as an urban scene was a social derelict. Recognition of its important architectural history was a hard fought battle without any support from the City. It now subtends the most vibrant street scene in all of Edmonton. Developer interest in the area is important to sustain. This kind of well thought out development as put forward by the "Southpark on Whyte" scheme should be heralded as the brilliant effort that it is.
 
@archited Exactly my thoughts. I think a lot of people see Old Strathcona as being in a "perfect" state of vibrancy and turn-of-the-century charm that can't or doesn't need to be improved upon. But that kind of complacency, coupled with a (real or perceived) hostility to change and new development leads to valuable lands like this sitting empty, derelict, and abandoned.

No new units entering the market in a highly desirable location means it becomes more expensive for existing residents and out-of-reach for everyone else who wants to become part of it. That puts a lot of pressure on heritage buildings, too, as they become more valuable as redevelopment opportunities rather than maintained as they are, which in turn incentivizes dereliction and abandonment to justify replacing them.

You can't preserve the character of a neighbourhood by locking it in a time capsule. It has to be resilient to change and it has to grow to sustain itself. The best, most vibrant neighbourhoods I've visited in cities across the world are nearly always a mix of old and new, including short, medium, and tall. These things don't have to be in opposition to each other if we can find the right balance.

Low- and mid-rise developments like this that don't threaten any existing architectural heritage are exactly the balance we need in this area.
 
Rezoning application for Southpark on Whyte heads to council
A rezoning application for a new development on Whyte Avenue is set to go before a city council public hearing Monday.

One Properties is the developer behind Southpark on Whyte, which would see two high-rise residential buildings built at 81 Avenue and 106 Street and two low-rise retail buildings built at Whyte Avenue and 106 Street.

The high-rise buildings would be between 17 and 19 storeys tall, while the low-rise buildings would be between four and six storeys tall.
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http://globalnews.ca/news/3198321/rezoning-application-for-southpark-on-whyte-heads-to-council/
 
Southpark on Whyte debate delayed at city hall
Council postponed its Southpark on Whyte decision Monday in order to hear more details on the overall PlanWhyte work done to date.

Wheaton Properties and One Properties are pitching two 18-storey towers on 81 Avenue as part of a four-building development on Whyte Avenue and 106 Street. They were hoping for a council rezoning decision Monday but will get a chance to present their case March 20 instead.
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http://edmontonjournal.com/business...y-for-southpark-on-whyte-project-at-city-hall

Delay for controversial Whyte Avenue highrise
Developers behind a proposed highrise along Whyte Avenue will have to wait another eight weeks to see if Edmonton city council will let them begin construction on the huge new apartment building.

Southpark on Whyte would transform a vacant car dealership lot into a series of residential and commercial towers between 17 and 19 storeys high.

City council decided Monday to delay debate and the public hearing on the application until March 20.
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http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/delay-for-controversial-whyte-avenue-highrise-1.3949183
 
Last edited:
Here's the results from the EDC presentation on Dec. 6:
FORMAL PRESENTATION
B.3. South Park (Rezoning Application LDA15-0648)
Stantec - Nancy MacDonald
P. Speary read the comments of the Development Planner.
MOVED: W. Sims
MOTION OF: Support
SECONDED: C. Domanski
CARRIED
FOR THE MOTION: F. Cavaliere, C. Craig, C. Domanski, M. Figueira, S. Kaznacheeva, R. Labonte, A. Rowe, W. Sims
OPPOSED: D. Deshpande

https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/EDCMinutesDec6.pdf
 
Permit for demolition of small showroom east of 106 is submitted:

Reference ID: Job No 239776343-002
Description: To demolish a commercial building.
Location: 10565 - 82 AVENUE NW
Plan I Blk 63 Lots 13-18
Applicant: B&B DEMOLITION
Status: New
Create Date: 1/23/2017 2:59:34 PM
Neighbourhood: QUEEN ALEXANDRA
 
Back at council on Mar. 20.

C7KW_a1V0AUHXbi.jpg:large

YEG City Planning‏ @PlanEdmonton 1 hour ago
Rezoning application & plan amendments to allow #yeginfill mixed use development - Queen Alexandra. #yegcc Public Hearing, item 3.9 - 3.11 pic.twitter.com/jegpBNH7lS
 
seamusmcuffs said:
Woah this has support? I am surprised to say the least. Are they directly on Whyte, or a half block south?
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This development is a bit of both iirc. Some on Whyte, some south. I think the taller buildings are on the south side, with a bit shorter on Whyte.
 
Edmonton city council green lights 20-storey Whyte Ave towers
Whyte Ave is about to get much taller — and denser, too.

City council voted 10-2 (Coun. Tony Caterina was absent) Monday to green light the construction of Southpark on Whyte, a complex featuring two 20-storey towers on 81 Avenue and two four-storey buildings on Whyte itself.

But the decision didn’t make everyone happy.

Coun. Ben Henderson, who represents the area and voted against the proposal, suggested council jumped the gun on the decision.

He said the development violates the guidelines set out in both the proposed Plan Whyte and Winter City strategies — at 50.5 metres, Southpark is a smidgeon taller than the 50-metre height restriction and still shadows Whyte Ave from October to February.

“This stuff needs to be thought out and I really worry we’re being careless; it’s a really important asset for the city,” he said, referring to the popular shopping street. “This is not about saying no, it’s about recognizing we have an important asset and making sure we take care of it.”
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http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmont...-green-lights-20-storey-whyte-ave-towers.html

Council OK's towers up to 18 storeys high for Southpark on Whyte
Council approved a plan Monday that could see two new towers built half a block south of Whyte Avenue, just outside the heritage district.

Tall towers in the neighbourhood will change the experience of walking Whyte Avenue, Mayor Don Iveson said after council voted for the project 10-2. But the handsome design and thousands of extra residents makes this worth it, he said. “Is it net positive? I come down on yes.”

“Like many of us here, I grew up on Whyte Avenue and have a very concrete and embedded idea of what Whyte Avenue is,” he said. “It has never included 16-storey buildings up until now. This is a sign of a changing city.”

“We have developers and business leaders that are wiling to invest significant money into our city,” added Coun. Michael Oshry. “We can nitpick these things to death.”
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http://edmontonjournal.com/news/loc...-up-to-18-storeys-high-for-southpark-on-whyte

Highrise gets the go-ahead on Whyte Avenue
 
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