Miscellaneous

[archited]

Perhaps, @Daveography But I look at it like this. If the same owner has two hotels side by side and one is an elegant 5-star property that draws say $500.00 per night, then next door he has another property that is a flea-infested hovel that rents out at $45.00 a night, it seems to me that the less appealing property impacts negatively the higher end hotel. So too with parking. If M. Katz wants to attract people to the warm underground property so conveniently located to so many varied amenities at $20.00 (say) per visit then he should want to restrict access to parking where the cost becomes a determining factor for its use. Now, to your point, if demand is so high that supply doesn't come close to satisfying it, then he will overcharge for both scenarios. But there is a lot of choice downtown once the main facilities are built out, considering other existing enclosed parking facilities that are underused at night.

If parking alone is the determinant, I am with your argument. But I believe that the ICE District is going to create a ton of additional demand for all kings of development -- more hotels -- more hospitality generally -- certainly more residences and, therefore, more retail and services outlets. That, in my view, will supersede the parking value of surface parking. If M. Katz is a super-smart businessman (and all indicators point in that direction) he will stay ahead of the demand curve, taking advantage of his land ownership edge to get to the marketplace first before all others.

 

[Hilman]

I just don't see Katz getting minimal revenue on parking lots when he can/will make a ton developing the land. He is turning into an entertainment and real estate magnate (not a parking magnate). This will be a transition and will be developed sooner than later imho.

 

[Daveography]

I just don't think it's worth the risk. As a city we've been trying for more than a decade to take a stand on "no new surface parking lots downtown." I don't think this should be any exception.

 

[Hilman]

Risk? It is a barren wasteland of parking right now, he will develop it when the first phase is complete.

 

[Daveography]

It is a risk, though, and as great as your faith is in Katz, if the economics of sitting on the land rather than develop it (especially given the current economic climate), you can bet he will sit on it. That's not to say that I don't trust him, nor even would I fault him for holding off redevelopment, that's just business.

As long as there is revenue being collected from parking, there is that much less incentive to develop the land. The parking - as I currently understand it - is mostly accessory to the arena construction now, which won't go on forever. Adding more will be a huge detriment to the north edge neighbourhood, reducing redevelopment potential and increasing traffic, all while providing less and less incentive to use alternate transportation like transit.

That's just too many cons outweighing the pros in my mind, and I don't think the city should take any action that makes that land even slightly less developable, especially when it also contradicts so many other goals of the city and the ICE District.

Btw, just want to say I appreciate the courteous debate. I feel the need to say that given the level of discourse I've been seeing/experiencing elsewhere

 

[Hilman]

^ For sure, this site is a breath of fresh air!! I don't love the 10 years part (5 would be better) but call me an optimist for thinking he will develop it sooner than later.

We can agree that this area needs a lot of work and if he starts it off with a few years of nicely paved, lit, fenced parking, then I am all for it.

Great pics by the way Dave, I appreciate yours and others tours on here

 

[Daveography]

Joey Bell Tower today:

 

[Das Ponto]

Well I would say that's an improved location over Joey's on Jasper.

Game nights going to be nuts.

Love how downtown is becoming an actual downtown now.

 

[Daveography]

@Das Ponto Was saying elsewhere, it's funny how much attention is being paid to this single-story development for a middling chain restaurant brand (at least, how much attention I'm paying to it), but in this location it is a great addition to this part of downtown and I suspect it will do very well here.

 

[archited]

The street needs more developments like this -- hence the hope that I expressed days ago -- that Dave kindly dashed -- that there might be more to expect around the base of the Bell tower. Too bad!

 

[Daveography]

Spied this in the June 21 Edmonton Design Committee agenda:

PRECONSULTATION PRESENTATIONS (Closed to the Public)
The Quarters Hotel & Residences (Rezoning Application LDA160082)
Kennedy Brad Kennedy

http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/EDCAgendaJune21.pdf

Much curious...

 

[archited]

If Brad Kennedy has his hands on it, we ought to expect something spectacular… this guy is just hitting his creative stride. Dare I say Edmonton's best architect for the moment -- certainly up there with Gene Dub.

 

[Daveography]

Construction underway to transform old Canada Packers site into new Edmonton transit garage
The City of Edmonton broke ground Thursday morning on a $186-million transit garage in the city’s northeast.

The 500,000 square-foot facility will be located at the corner of Yellowhead Trail and Fort Road. The land, which was once home to the Canada Packers plant, has sat vacant for more than 20 years.

Currently the brick smokestack is all that’s left of the old plant. It was given historical designation and will be worked into the design of the transit garage.

Once built, the garage will be the size of 10 football fields. It will house 300 buses, administrative and operational space and a credit union. It’s hoped the new facility will bring some life to the neighbourhood.

Full Story (Global Edmonton)

 

[Daveography]

While I was at the 101 Ave. Workshop, EPL was there with a reminder of the new Capilano Library planned for the area:

The location on 67 St. seems odd, but when I asked about it the explanation gave it a bit more perspective: namely that they wanted the library to really connect with the Fulton Ravine behind it, which you can see in the full-length glass wall in the third image. Additionally the city is looking at re-naturalizing and reconnecting the ravine south of 101 St. where the old fire station was.

A new library complete with serene views and natural light will be a place Capilano residents can call their own come 2018. The new Edmonton Public Library Capilano Branch will be a ground-floor location at 6225 101 Avenue NW, which will help overcome accessibility challenges of the current site on the second floor of Capilano Mall. The new branch will serve approximately 167,158 visitors annually, up from 139,298 today.

Edmonton’s Fulton Ravine will border the new library. The 60-meter wide forested area will divide the property into an east side facing 67 Street and a west side facing Terrace Road NW. Beyond the beautiful setting, visitors to the branch will have access to the ravine zone – a seated study space featuring the ravine as a backdrop. Community rooms with private and semi-private meeting and study spaces will also offer this view.

Other new features include:
- 24-hour material returns
- Ground-floor access
- Makerspace
- Quiet study room
- Larger community program room

As with all EPL building projects, we are targeting a minimum LEED Silver rating for this new location. The use of sustainable building materials, proximity to public transportation and parking capacity are key factors that will contribute to the building’s LEED rating.

Progress Updates

(March 20, 2016)

• To help with traffic flow, a one-way street northbound on 67 Street between 99 and 100 Avenue will be converted to a two-way operation. This will take place prior to the start of construction, which is scheduled for late 2016.
• To allow for safe and easy access to the site, a pedestrian-activated signal will be installed on the east side of the intersection of 101 Avenue and 67 Street.
• Edmonton Parks has approved extension of the ravine naturalization to 101 Avenue, meaning trees will be added to the boulevard on 67 Street.

Source: http://www.epl.ca/building-projects/
Images source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/epldotca/

 

[Daveography]

Not a huge or "sexy" project, but important nonetheless and great for EIA.

Construction starts on $10-million distribution facility at Edmonton International Airport
Construction started Wednesday on an Edmonton International Airport distribution warehouse that marks the latest step in the area’s growth as a regional economic powerhouse.

The $10-million facility being erected south of the airport terminal by Annapolis, Md.-based Aeroterm will house such firms as flight caterer Gate Gourmet and air cargo support companies Airport Terminal Services and Swissport Canada.

The tenants are expected to create at least 100 new jobs. Some of the companies will be new to the airport and some already operate there — Gate Gourmet works out of a 40-year-old building on the path of a future runway.

The 4,700-square-metre Aeroterm building, set to be finished early next year, is the most recent in about $500-million worth of private investment that has happened as the airport continues expanding as a business hub, said Myron Keehn, the airport’s vice-president of commercial development.

Full Story (Edmonton Journal)