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Glistening in its white, grey, and red livery at the corner of Whyte Ave and 105 St NW, the newly completed Raymond Block has brought a splash of mixed-use PoMo slendour to Old Strathcona. After languishing for more than a decade as an abandoned lot, the addition of the 6-storey structure by Wexford Developments and DIALOG has brought new life to the intersection and immediate surroundings.
The 7/11 already in operation will soon be joined by other early adopters, including Remedy Cafe, Miniso Japanese Lifestyle, Blaze Pizza, and Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Located in the heart of Old Strathcona at the nexus of the neighbourhood, Raymond Block will also soon be home to 20,000 square feet of commercial space atop of which 4 storeys of residential will soon fill out.
The mixed-use, mid-rise development is a perfect fit for the area, part of the city's ongoing push to realize the "missing middle," as defined by mid-rise developments somewhere between single family homes and high-density high-rises.
Viewed from Whyte Ave, Raymond Block has filled out the local streetscape nicely, its presence a certain improvement over the aforementioned vacant lot. While only time will tell if this proves to be a success in the long run, all signs currently point to yes.
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.
