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Hot on the heels of the topping off party for Raymond Block on Whyte Avenue, InHouse by Beaverbrook celebrated the topping off of the first tower of the West Block project in Glenora.
Dubbed 100 West Block, the 16-storey tower began life as a completely different product than what now stands on the busy intersection of 142 Street and Stony Plain Road. An earlier proposal came about in 2006 for a five-tower complex designed by the former Brinsmead Ziola Kennedy Architecture. It was later pared down to three towers and approved by City Council in 2008.
Construction began in 2012, four years behind schedule. Shortly after the concrete structure of the first tower reached its second storey, the entire project came to a grinding halt. It was later revealed that the development company had run into financial problems, and lawsuits and liens were filed against the project by its unpaid contractors.
After languishing for several years, the site was purchased by Beaverbrook in 2015, and an entirely new three-tower proposal designed by GEC Architecture was put forward, incorporating the already-completed portion of the original structure.
The first tower has now reached its full height less than one year after the project restarted, and media and buyers of the building's residences were invited to the roof to celebrate the milestone.
The project is designed as a Transit-Oriented Development, incorporating a mix of residential, office, and retail, in anticipation of the upcoming Valley Line LRT extension into west Edmonton.
The tower provides 60 spacious residential units ranging from 1,600 to 2,000 square feet, which are currently 65 percent sold according to the project's website.
The floorplates of 300 West Block, a three-story office and retail building, are nearing grade, with the elevator core now two storeys above.
The first phase is expected to open in 2019. Following phases include a 24-storey residential tower, a 12-storey seniors residence, and townhouses for a total of about 550 units.
What do you think of West Block's vision for Glenora? Share your thoughts below, or in the associated Forum thread, where you'll find many more photos of the event, including more views from the roof.
