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This week marked the grand opening of two major projects in Edmonton: The Hyatt Place Edmonton Downtown Hotel and The Armature, both located in The Quarters neighbourhood on the eastern edge of downtown.
The grand opening of both of these projects was celebrated with a public invitation to witness a ceremonial ribbon cutting, followed by champagne and hors d'oeuvres inside the spacious lobby of the new hotel. Additionally, media were invited to take a brief tour of the hotel, which city ambassador Daveography was able to join.
The brand new Hyatt Place Edmonton Downtown is a 12-story glass building designed by Edmonton-based Dub Architects. The striking angles and facets of the building readily catch the eye of passersby, and — due to its location near the top of the river valley — can also be seen clearly from many points across the river. The strong angles and lines and blue glass contrast sharply with the rounded "flatiron" edge and red brick of the 1913 Gibson Block next door, but together form a complementing gateway to The Armature beyond.
The first thing one notices on entering the hotel is the unusual lack of a reception on the main floor. Instead, guests proceed up the grand stair (or take the elevator) to the second floor, where they are greeted by The Gallery, a large open space that serves as reception, bar, lounge, guest computer area, and breakfast buffet dining room.
Guest amenities in the 255-room hotel include a 450-square-foot hot tub, a 24-hour gym with the latest workout equipment, free Wi-Fi with remote printing, and 200 heated underground parking spaces. All rooms include a 42-inch HDTV and are pet friendly.
The hotel also features roomy extended stay suites with full kitchens, as well as seven meeting rooms, and over 11,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space.
The hotel anchors The Armature, a four-block-long pedestrian-oriented street that runs along 96 Street from Jasper Avenue to 103A Avenue. Envisioned to be lined with parks, shops, restaurants, and other active social uses, the City of Edmonton has invested in new pavers, tree plantings, and public artwork in hopes of attracting new investment and development to the area known as The Quarters.
The grand opening of these projects was celebrated with a ceremonial ribbon cutting by Mayor Don Iveson, hotel owner and developer Prem Singhmar and family, City Manager Linda Cochrane, Councillor Scott McKeen, and Councillor Ben Henderson (not pictured), signalling that The Armature and The Quarters are open for business.
And business is picking up; already two new private development projects are proposed for the area: the Artists Quarters live-work artist residence tower is proposed to occupy a mostly vacant corner of The Armature, and the 80-story Quarters Hotel and Residences (which if built would become the tallest building in Canada outside Toronto) has been proposed just to the south across Jasper Avenue.
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