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IanO
Superstar
Planner sees need for ‘granular’ projects to build downtown population
Feb. 15, 2022 · The Pulse
By Emily Rendell-Watson
Comments
The latest census shows that Edmonton is one of a handful of Canadian cities to see a decline in its downtown population between 2016 and 2021. The decrease is surprising, says urban planner Neal LaMontagne, but he doesn’t think it is necessarily a sign that the city is headed in the wrong direction.
edmonton.taproot.news
Feb. 15, 2022 · The Pulse
By Emily Rendell-Watson
Comments
The latest census shows that Edmonton is one of a handful of Canadian cities to see a decline in its downtown population between 2016 and 2021. The decrease is surprising, says urban planner Neal LaMontagne, but he doesn’t think it is necessarily a sign that the city is headed in the wrong direction.
Planner sees need for 'granular' projects to build downtown population
The latest census shows that Edmonton is one of a handful of Canadian cities to see a decline in its downtown population between 2016 and 2021. The decrease is surprising, says urban planner Neal LaMontagne, but he doesn't think it is necessarily a sign that the city is headed in the wrong...
archited
Senior Member
^^^^ Mostly hogwash -- I say 
This overview neglects many obvious sensibilities related to the current-day stress on Retail and small venue Hospitality. Again (I have stated this many times before), Edmonton is a young City that exploded into existence and, while it has a lot of internal "problems" vis-a-vis community and inter-connectivity of neighbourhoods, the flip side of that coin is that the City has greater opportunity to "get it right" than almost any other City in North America. So-called "granular projects" go where developers see opportunity and these cannot easily be mandated nor managed by "Planning" incentives (or likewise disincentives). The Ice District tends to be looked upon as a "fait accompli" when in reality it has barely begun -- compare that area and its growth potential to the City "planned" effort in the Boyle Street district -- called the "Quarters" -- where would you rather locate your business? City Planning needs to be reactive rather than prescriptive when it comes to new development -- it needs to support bold ideas coming from development minds rather than trying to create "hit-and-miss" opportunities.
The pap presented in the foregoing article misses the mark almost entirely.
This overview neglects many obvious sensibilities related to the current-day stress on Retail and small venue Hospitality. Again (I have stated this many times before), Edmonton is a young City that exploded into existence and, while it has a lot of internal "problems" vis-a-vis community and inter-connectivity of neighbourhoods, the flip side of that coin is that the City has greater opportunity to "get it right" than almost any other City in North America. So-called "granular projects" go where developers see opportunity and these cannot easily be mandated nor managed by "Planning" incentives (or likewise disincentives). The Ice District tends to be looked upon as a "fait accompli" when in reality it has barely begun -- compare that area and its growth potential to the City "planned" effort in the Boyle Street district -- called the "Quarters" -- where would you rather locate your business? City Planning needs to be reactive rather than prescriptive when it comes to new development -- it needs to support bold ideas coming from development minds rather than trying to create "hit-and-miss" opportunities.
The pap presented in the foregoing article misses the mark almost entirely.
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EtoV
Active Member
Well this certainly paints a stark picture, and highlights a need for infill not just in the areas outside of DT, but most inner ring suburbs as well. As the population ages in these areas and the kids move out, we need more housing in these areas to allow businesses and institutions to continue to thrive. Outside of a few select neighbourhoods such as McCauley and Boyle Street, the population decline isn't a result of loss of housing, but a demographic shift to an older empty nester population.
JNO1
Active Member
There is TELUS Garden in Vancouver (500k sq ft office/retail), TELUS Sky in Calgary (60 story mix of office and residential) and now the planned TELUS Ocean in Victoria (new offices for the TELUS "Victoria Team"). I sure would like to see a TELUS Snow or ICE tower here in Edmonton with a mix of new office for the TELUS Edmonton "Team" and a hotel or residential.
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IanO
Superstar
A mixed-use concept was explored for the 2 storey of ATB Place/Telus Tower but I am not sure it was akin to those projects and whether or not Telus was actually involved or not.
ChazYEG
Senior Member
All I can say about this is: TELUS House is up for a major reno and a brand new occupant who'll fill most of the currently empty spaces in that building over the next two years.
I would bet my horses on ATB building a new office, as this new occupant also plans to occupy the space currently known as TELUS House @ATB Place (3 separate floors in the ATB Place).
More info to come in the summer.
JNO1
Active Member
Wow!! Can't wait to hear more @ChazYEG . A full ATB/TELUS office complex (with non ATB/TELUS tenants) sounds fantastic. Christmas in July????
And, dare to dream, maybe a new TELUS (fill in the blank) project for Edmonton's TELUS team and a new ATB office. Like I said, dare to dream.
Keep us posted @ChazYEG .
And, dare to dream, maybe a new TELUS (fill in the blank) project for Edmonton's TELUS team and a new ATB office. Like I said, dare to dream.
Keep us posted @ChazYEG .
Avenuer
Senior Member
How much space in Telus House is currently empty? That amount will determine the 'scale' of the occupant that may be moving in.
IanO
Superstar
Telus House
~2.5 floors or 50k
ATB
~1 floor over 4 at 25k
That said, I suspect we will see some contraction/consolidation going forward.
~2.5 floors or 50k
ATB
~1 floor over 4 at 25k
That said, I suspect we will see some contraction/consolidation going forward.
ChazYEG
Senior Member
I don't know about ATB, but TELUS is not moving a single pen out of the city for the foreseeable future, but They will be rearranging the office space they have to occupy less floors.
Should fill all currently available space + whatever TELUS frees from their currently occupied space within 2-3 years.
I don't see TELUS building anything, considering the sheer amount of office space they currently own. I can confirm that they will be doing major renovations to their building, though.
I'd love to see ATB build a new tower (maybe ICE District... I'd kill to see them fill that plot of land in the SE corner of 104 Ave/101 St.
air_ic
New Member
I really hope they reclad the building like the 360 main in Winnipeg. It would make the south view more modern.
ChazYEG
Senior Member
I strongly disagree. We should not be trying to make the whole city uniform, architecture-wise, and this office complex is somewhat of a landmark and a very fine example of architecture.
CaptainBL
Active Member
Can you clarify what you are referring to? On the one hand you're saying you'd bet on ATB building a new office, on the other hand you're saying you would love to see them build a new office.
Just trying to understand if you're sharing from a place of potential inside knowledge versus you are just sharing what you would like to happen. A new tower would be great to have for ATB and I hope its more a matter of closer to happening rather than just wishing it would happen.
ChazYEG
Senior Member
I have no inside track on ATB, but I know for a fact that there is interest in consolidating the office towers ownership under TELUS again (this is inside knowledge).
Someone mentioned that they'd like to see TELUS build a new tower in Edmonton, which I don't believe would happen and, between the two, I'd bet that ATB is likelier to do it, and I would love to see that happen.