Tower 101 | 175m | 50s | Regency Developments | DER + Associates

What do you think of this project?

  • Total voters
    46
With respect, you seems to be confusing the desired result with the process to get there. I don't disagree that this site looks terrible and there should not be incentives for property owners to demolish buildings to reduce their tax burden. I also agree that the status quo isn't great. The solution, however, is not to make bylaw changes to allow the city to contractually require property owners to pay increased taxes until a build occurs. In fact, I suspect the MGA explicitly prohibits this since property taxes must be based on actual assessed value and, unless there is some special provisions for municipalities, I would be surprised if cities had the power to unilaterally override that and assess based on different criteria.

Designing generally applicable rules to resolve specific problems is not simple.
 
Perhaps in this case City Council should have just said no. If not, perhaps dates could have been set in an agreement for completion of demolition, clean up and beginning construction, with bonds or deposits required to be forfeited if that didn't happen.

However, I agree with the comment the current system gives a perverse incentive to tear down usable buildings and leave an ugly mess. If this was the first time in the history of Edmonton this ever happened, perhaps I could forgive the city for being shocked, surprised or unprepared. No specific problem is easy to fix, but that vague generality can become an excuse for inaction.

So, to use a saying here - either City Council got played here or perhaps the developer was at least smart enough to make political contributions to the right people.
 
This could have been a visually appealing garden or park next to the street level lrt. Other than Frank Oliver park, which is scheduled for removal, there will be no green spaces between Jasper Ave and 105 ave and 99 st and 105 st. That's a big gap for a major city. "Build another skyscraper to add vibrancy" they said.. how about considering adding some outdoor areas for the new downtown residents and visitors?
 
Not to nitpick:
Churchill Square​
Centennial Plaza (currently under renovations)​
ICE District Plaza​
TELUS Park​
Abbey Glen Park​
Michael Phair Park​
Beaver Hills Park​
Alex Decoteau Park​

That said, that's a commendable idea, @Mmira - something Regency must do if no tower is forthcoming.
 
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5258372380873310&set=gm.1955238074647313
 
I want a resurrected Tegler, it would add character to a somewhat nondescript area, but I doubt the current owner of the site is up to making anything of note on this site.
 
I would rather see the Tegler Building replicated in exacting detail in Old Strathcona on the CPR lands around 79th/80th Avenue east of Gateway Boulevard (for about 102 reasons (so as not to create confusion with spotted dogs)). The revived Zellers brand to locate there -- https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/hbc-resurrects-zellers-1.6553473 -- would serve to replace the Army & Navy Dept. Store and could not only be a discount store but could also be a unique Strat Brand element. Pushing the notion even further Zellers with its famous lunch counter could also open there along with Woolworths privately owned brands like Footlocker and Kinney Shoes. The floors above could be developed as tech-heavy office space and work-share space.
 
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I would only agree with that if the original spacing is not available for reasons that our downtown is lacking a bit of identity as we don't have history as references. As a person, try living and disregarding your past, and you'll find a 100% failing rate. Downtown maybe a physically concrete jungle, but, distorting its history, it will distort our own mentality as a community. It took us 40 + years just to restore the IceD zone once formerly known as Greyhound and the east empty block. Our downtown has no soul, and I'm in favor or reconstructing any old structures saved by the city in the storage archive pertaining to structures once upon a time erected in downtown.
 
Went to Dalla Tavola Zenari in the Enbridge building this weekend. They haven't done the "light up" yet but it was still very nice on Rice Howard way and there was some foot traffic around with people visiting the different restaurants and things around.

Anyways, my point is, what an opportunity for a residential and/or hotel to be positioned on that great little street. I know it's been discussed why things haven't happened but this has to be the most prime lot one could ever hope for. My wish for 2023 is that we get some news of some sort on this site.
 
I wonder if their idea of making it an U/G parking garage with park on top is still an idea 'until such time market conditions' permit a tower.

This was proposed to us back in 2019/20.
 
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