[Edmcowboy11]

The most pressing venue that has some funds being held by private donors for an opera house is an opera/ballet hall. I am not sure if the courthouse can be renovated for that purpose but an addition to the building may be possible while using space in the courthouse to accommodate offices, music rooms, set construction etc. for Edmonton Opera and Edmonton Ballet. It’s a perfect site and location and likely get Federal funds for a renovation.

The actual performance space requirements for ballet or opera would require a whole new build, especially for a proper fly system due to set pieces and lighting.

 

[buildings]

The Opera House idea is my fav, the building would essentially be the same size as the Jubilee Auditorium; sure you could shrink the audience chamber a bit, say 1600 seats down from 2400 and stack shops, dressing rooms and rehearsal spaces to keep the footprint in check but yes, the opera could build a new home in that space. The existing structure however, don't know how that could be kept, it's not like an office to condo refit. Now, the way the new director at the opera has the company going in a "smaller is better" direction (witness their staging a Wagner opera at the Citadel), maybe Edmonton Opera isn't interested anymore. I for one believe the City does indeed need a 1400-2000 seat fully equipped venue specifically designed for the performing arts (as opposed to touring music acts). The Jube is a road house, not great (acoustical) acoustics and is pretty much in use all the time.

 

[MetroEd]

That is a really strong list of failures to preserve some of our best buildings, and you are right about needing to value repurposing many of them. However, I don't think the Remand belongs on that list. It's long history as one of the worst prison's in the country has left a scar on a significant portion of our city's population (the new one is Canada's largest prison, and very few people staying there have been convicted of anything). Happy to see it go, would rather provincial preservation money go to the old RAM which could still be saved!

I have always found The Remand to be butt ugly and no you can't compare it to the old courthouse or the old library, two incredibly beautiful historic buildings that would have added so much to an ultra modern downtown !

 

[Offworld]

View attachment 584149

Anyone know what the dark discolouration on the yellow sections might be? Water penetration? Mould? Nothing to see here, move on?

 

[Pro.N]

A small update on this Demo. From today.

 

[Edmontonium]

 

[IanO]

 

[archited]

I would still like to see the City talking to the Prov.s about a property exchange with the City picking up the Remand Centre site (post-demolition) and the old RAM site (as is) in exchange for the Century Tower. The Prov.s could then build a new Family Court Building between Century Tower and the existing Law Courts building, incorporating Century Tower (refurbished) into the new Courthouse. The City could sell the demoed Remand site to Qualico for an extension of their mini-City development and the old RAM to Beljan for a "concept development".

 

[EdmTrekker]

I think the better potential is for High Speed Rail station and offices.

 

[IanO]

Hearing this will become a parking lot.

 

[mcr]

Of course... what a joke

 

[IanO]

Assuming interim use until court expansion is decided?

 

[CplKlinger]

Assuming interim use until court expansion is decided?

Yeah, they're still deciding between a few different locations.

 

[Avenuer]

Yeah, they're still deciding between a few different locations.

There is tons of land around the existing Courthouse. It would be surprising if they were looking elsewhere.

 

[archited]

I still see the obvious -- Prov.s trade old remand (demolition complete) and former RAM site to the City for Century Tower -- then the Prov.s develop a new Family Court structure between existing court and Century Tower including a re-fitted tower as part of the courthouse expansion. CoE would then be able to sell the remand site to what I am sure would be a willing buyer in Qualico allowing that company to expand their City-within-a-City concept to include two additional residential/mixed use towers directly connected to a new LRT station on 97th street; the CoE could also sell the old RAM site to Beljan for a magnificent repurposed development. Chancery Hall could be donated to AGA for a much needed expansion (maybe a little "deconstruction" architectural aesthetic") and street-side expansion for outdoor sculpture galleries. This solution is so obvious it hurts to repeat it.