Miscellaneous

[Hilman]

@Hilman Considering where the temp. walkway is, your best bet will be: Churchill -> ECC East -> ECC West -> exit via Delta or The Bay -> 103 St. temporary walkway.

When things are completed you'll be able to go: Churchill -> ECC East -> Sutton Place -> Bell Tower -> Edmonton Tower -> JW Marriott -> Rogers Place

Thanks Dave

 

[Hilman]

Restaurant craziness in downtown Edmonton

Graham Hicks BY GRAHAM HICKS

Holy atomic pile, Batman!

The new JOEY Bell Tower restaurant opened this week, 278 seats with an investment of at least $5 to $6 million in an extension off the downtown Bell Tower, just a 30-second stroll to Rogers Place.

JOEY is the latest hospitality business to make such a bold move. At least 50 existing downtown restaurants/bars are pinning their hopes and improvements on the disposable dollars of the 5,000 to 20,000 people that will flow in and out of Rogers Place some 150 nights a year.

Another 50 – at least – new downtown bars and eateries will open in the near future.

Outside the immediate Ice District (the four office/residential/hotel towers and plazas around Rogers Place) the following restaurants have been announced:

Buco Pizzeria and Vino (Sorrentinos Group) opens in the EPCOR Building.
Baiju (sister to North 53) in the Mercer Building.
Bundok (brand-new, chef Ryan Hotchkiss) in the Fox Tower.
Bottega 104 by the Crudo brothers (Café Amore, Black Pearl Seafood) in the old Weight Watchers now Yardstick Building on 104 Street.
Jamie’s Italian in the new Kelly Ramsey Tower in Rice-Howard Way, part of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s move into Canada (not yet official).
The Alder Room and Alta (chef/owner Ben Staley) on Jasper Avenue.
Stage 104 (in the former The Burg space on 104 Street)
The JOEY on Jasper Avenue now converts to that chain’s other brand, Local Public Eatery.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2016/08/16/restaurant-craziness-in-downtown-edmonton

 

[Daveography]

This rezoning is snuck into the next council meeting on Aug. 22, located in Brander Gardens, Whitemud Road & 56 Ave:

This application proposes to rezone the subject lands from (RR) Rural Residential and (RF1) Single Detached Residential Zone to (DC2) Site Specific Direct Control Provision to accommodate a unique variation of apartment-type development within up to six separate building envelopes on the site and a natural area below the top of bank of the North Saskatchewan River Valley. Key features of the proposal include:
• replacement of an existing single detached house with up to 46 residential units in a number of 16 meter high apartment buildings dispersed throughout the site above the top of bank
• maintenance of a natural treed ravine below the top of bank
• relocation of an original trapper’s cabin to an offsite location

This application also proposes to amend the North Saskatchewan River Valley and Ravine System Protection Overlay being Section 811 of the Edmonton Zoning Bylaw to match the eastern border of the surveyed upland setback area.

Source:
http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1686&doctype=AGENDA

Interesting proposal, design, and location, but feels unlikely to pass based on the location and surrounding housing types.

 

[Daveography]

25 people registered to speak against Brander Gardens proposal today. Yikes.

 

[archited]

These guys have money and therefore power -- expect to see this one go down!

 

[Daveography]

Well, colour me surprised: it passed, 12-1.

Council approves controversial Brander Gardens luxury condo plan
A plan by cardiologist Dennis Modry to turn his $6.6-million top-of-the-bank property into a 46-unit luxury condo development won council approval Monday.

The proposal calls for six four-storey luxury condo buildings on a 3.2-hectare site along the edge of the river valley. Two dozen neighbours spoke against the project. Council debated until 10 p.m. but ultimately approved the project 12 to one.

Neighbours on either side are million-dollar single-family homes. Architect Brad Kennedy promised to move mature trees and create a 16-metre high wall of trees so thick it “will block the view both to and from the development.”

But Brander Garden residents worried about increased traffic on Whitemud Road, an enclosed development cut-off from the rest of the community, and river valley land that will forever remain private.

Full Story (Edmonton Journal)

Edmonton councillors approve development on edge of river valley
City councillors approved a new condominium complex on the edge of the river valley Monday night, over the objections of neighbours and despite concerns about losing public space along the bank.

The proposal contemplates up to 45 units spread across multiple apartment buildings of up to six stories, in the Brander Gardens neighbourhood.

The buildings will be constructed on the top of the river bank, but the development will retain ownership of the area below. In similar developments, that area has been given over as park space.

Several councillors considered delaying a final decision, expressing concern the proposed condominium complex would cut off access to the valley.

Coun. Ben Henderson, the only vote against the proposal, said that was his major concern.

“I think that gets to that question of asking for public benefit,” he said. “That should be public space and not private space.”

Full Story (Metro Edmonton)

 

[archited]

Chalk another one up for Brad -- beautiful design.

 

[Daveography]

Honestly thought it would at best be a close vote. Surprised the city didn't fight more for public ROW in the valley, but there are good reasons not to bother (already private, would be difficult or impossible to secure potions of other private parcels to make a useful trail, etc.).

 

[Daveography]

Reference ID: Job No 228838017-001
Description: To construct a Professional, Financial, and Office Support Service building (852m2).
Location: 5704 - 75 STREET NW
Plan 7520139 Blk 3 Lot 2
Applicant: SPAN ARCHITECTURE
Status: New
Create Date: 8/19/2016 2:27:32 PM
Neighbourhood: MCINTYRE INDUSTRIAL

Apparently office demand in industrial areas is still strong?

 

[Daveography]

Health minister announces expansion of west-end seniors facility
The Alberta government will take a small step closer to its goal of adding 2,000 new long-term care beds by expanding a west-end seniors facility.

Ninety-nine new beds will be housed in an expansion of Villa Marguerite, a supportive living facility in west Edmonton, which is already home to 230 people who require supportive living. The $6.3-million expanded facility will open in 2018.

Full Story (Edmonton Journal)

 

[Daveography]

Londonderry housing project blends subsidized units with market-rate homes
Greg Dewling can offer 20 per cent off rent to low-income Edmonton residents and still make his buildings profitable.

His new Londonderry pilot project will push that one step further. The executive director for Capital Region Housing said better-off tenants paying market rate for some units will allow the organization to finance an equal number of deeply subsidized social housing units with no ongoing operating subsidy.

While still at the design stage, it’s a project to watch because what succeeds here will influence 110 other social housing sites in need of redevelopment across the city.

Dewling, chief executive for the not-for-profit housing agency, said its new $55-million design will replace Londonderry’s 80 worn social housing units with 240 new units — an even mix of market-rate, affordable (20 per cent under market) and deeply discounted social housing units.

“The goal is no net loss of subsidized housing,” said Dewling, as the final building designs take shape. After a capital investment, this new model is intended to be sustainable.

Full Story (Edmonton Journal)

 

[Daveography]

2 years after purchase condo buyers upset with stalled project
Jordan Hails saw potential in a condominium proposed for north of Oliver Square, but after putting $30,000 down on a unit two years ago, he wants out.

Located at 117th Street and 105th Avenue, Infiniti on 105 is only a few blocks from his current home and close to many amenities.

...

Robert McLeod says work stalled on the site in May. As an associate broker, he handled sales & marketing for the project and helped sell 60 per cent of the 108 units.

McLeod has been hearing from buyers who planned to move in as soon as the project finished, and are now growing impatient.

"Their lives are on hold and they're seeking more finite information from the developer on the actual state of the project and completion", he said. "That has been up in the air and that's been of great concern and frustration for them and us."

McLeod would like buyers to wait it out, but Jordan Hails is considering to walk away from the project and get his money back.

"They won't give us any information," he said. "They won't give us any assurance that it's actually going to be completed."

Full Story (CBC Edmonton)

 

[Daveography]

Spotted this in the EDC agendas:

UPCOMING APPLICATIONS
NOVEMBER 15, 2016
FORMAL PRESENTATIONS
FCE Properties - Campus and Residence (Rezoning Application LDA15-0120)
Dub Architects - Bobby Harris
10531 and 10541 - 106 Street NW
Sites legally described as: Lot 199 - 201, Block 5, Plan B3

https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/EDCNovember1Agenda.pdf

This area:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@53.5485...4!1s39IenhHEcEKPRRKIaDgShQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Probably won't be a huge development, but being a Dub design should be interesting I hope?

 

[Daveography]

Meant to post this last week; not a bad little midrise project, approved under the new 109 St. ARP:

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

FIVE-STOREY, MIXED-USE, 39 RESIDENCES
UNIVERSITY LUXURY – MCKERNAN

Address: 77th Avenue and 109th Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Delivering a timeless sophistication of architecture renowned the world over, this upscale condominium development incorporates a design influenced by the enduring ‘Prairie Architecture’ of critically acclaimed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Night rendering of THE MARK on 109 at the northwest corner of 77th Avenue and 109th Street.


PROJECT DETAILS

TOTAL UNITS: 39
FLOORS: 5
HOUSING TYPES:
Luxury Condominiums, Live/Work Lofts, Executive Town homes
SIZE RANGE OF RESIDENCES:
950 – 1,640 sq ft
AVERAGE RESIDENCE SIZE:
1,375 sq ft
PARKING:
Underground – 2 levels
COMMERCIAL COMPONENT:
Main floor retail shops, services, restaurants.
EXTRAORDINARY FEATURES:
Mixed-use; cascading urban village type design; steel and concrete construction; living alley; re-imagined luxury.
PROJECTED PROJECT COST:
$23M

http://revcor.ca/investment/detail-mark-on-109/

 

[Das Ponto]

I like it, all the big patio spaces are cool, and another possible Cactus Club location would be good! 109 Street has some good potential I think.