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Located adjacent to a large cemetery at the periphery of downtown Edmonton, a longstanding Brick warehouse outlet will soon be converted into a European wonderland of faux-historic facades, shops, and restaurants, all of which will be centred around a courtyard parkade. The quixotically-named Manchester Square by 76 Group Co will be evocative of Amsterdam's Old Town, the Dutch-inspired, skinny-profile facades to feature narrow-pitched rooflines reminiscent of Holland.
Located between Westmount and Queen Mary Park, and tucked away along a particularly sleepy suburban stretch of 107 Ave NW, owing in no small measure to the expansive grounds of the aforementioned adjacent Edmonton Cemetery, the future site of Manchester Square has been a traditionally tough place for retail.
Nevertheless, the addition of up to 20 separate, fine-grained retail units centred around a common parking lot, and made distinctive via the appliqué of Old World charm, may prove to be a recipe for success, Manchester Square to form a kind of shopping land-bridge between two historically disparate neighbourhoods.
Abutting onto 107 Ave NW with a parking lot, Manchester's longest street frontage will lack any meaningful pedestrian interaction with the neighbourhood, having been designed primarily for motorists. Contrasted to the much shorter 120 St NW frontage, which will meet the street directly, Manchester Square's largely car-centric design may represent a lost opportunity for those desirous of filling in what in urban planning speak could be labelled a pedestrian desert.
Part of a recent trend of what could be considered a more generous take on the suburban strip mall, the inclusion of fine-grain retail here will be of great benefit to the overall shopping experience, bringing with it the bonus of variety and a certain degree of pedestrian vibrancy at least within the immediate bounds of the property.
While further details are yet to emerge, Manchester Square is sure to become a topic of discussion among area locals and urban enthusiasts alike, as items ranging from the development's layout and bold architectural design choices, are sure to stir debate.
SkyriseEdmonton will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.
