I find this to be absolutely the most insane thing.
The city approves a insolvent development model and continues to do so for years but then blames development for being insolvent and has to increase tax?
I think the only reason why Knack is in, was because of the absolute shit show the municipal election was.
I waited for 2 hours in line and had to leave before I voted because I had to be with the kiddos..
Westrich: "Hey I know you guys like cool tall buildings that look nice and add value, but the best we can do is a six story wood building, but we will add at least two different colours of siding to it!"
This is a sad take.
We shouldn't just build shit to bring more people downtown. This building in 10 years is going to ghettoize downtown rather then improve it.
Even when malls do major renovations like Londonderry did it still doesn't seem to help.
Development into something compelling would be the best option.
I mean that looks semi promising, but malls in general I think are in palliative care. There is some exceptions as always.
I think something like a Ala Moana mall would work (obviously not open air) but a multistorey mall with residential on top.
That's why we need to reinvent ourselves and doing that with Whyte Ave in my mind is a easy path forward.
Jamming another 30k people into these areas, sure will help to some degree but jamming in 30k low effort projects doesn't solve anything.
I mean realistically, most of it is true. The Calgary skyrise cities isn't full of 6 story wood framed buildings with the only distinction being different coloured cheap siding slapped onto the front.
If we keep doing the same and hope for different results we will just keep getting the same.
I think have a really decentralized workforce doesn't help either. Edmonton needs to redefine itself, I was in Nashville and I think turning Whyte Ave into something like Broadway would attract people.
It's okay to want better for the city you live in, then accept the let's be honest with ourselves shitty status quo that we have now. I'm focused on the new buildings going up in Edmonton, most of them are budget architecture at best and will serve only to ghettoize more areas in the city in 5...