[IanO]

A) What do you think is more likely—ECC or Ice District getting a retailer like Zara, H&M or similar? and B) What do you think is a realistic timeline on that happening, if ever?

Neither.

H&M passed and Zara is unlikely given the retail environment.

I could see something like an Adidas life-style store, but Edmonton simply does not have enough foot traffic in the Downtown to warrant it.

 

[David A]

A) What do you think is more likely—ECC or Ice District getting a retailer like Zara, H&M or similar? and B) What do you think is a realistic timeline on that happening, if ever?

Well, if it were me I would be tempted by the nice shiny new spot, but if that comes with higher rent, one thing it might depend on how is much more.

I don't think they would turn them down if approached with a good offer, but I think the focus ICE district is more towards higher end retail, entertainment or financial services.

ECC also has better parking IMO, is closer to transit and and has other retailers, so that may be part of the consideration too.

 

[Greenspace]

There's apparently a revised residential tower design floating around.

 

[Greenspace]

My guess if we can get a CRL per door incentive, it might go ahead.

 

[archited]

So snap up that rendering and post it so some of us can deride it and others can say how good it looks compared to the last effort.

 

[KreationYEG]

Really hope this location is a huge success and can spur more retailers to take a chance downtown—even if it's just in Ice District for now. What kind of CRU space is still available over there? Are there any along 104 under Ford Hall or is that all back-of-house stuff?

There is already a scramble cross walk at 103 and 103 for the ID. I don't get why they put it there when you are free to cross 103st on the north side of 103rd Ave, as there's no thru traffic.

 

[thommyjo]

There is already a scramble cross walk at 103 and 103 for the ID. I don't get why they put it there when you are free to cross 103st on the north side of 103rd Ave, as there's no thru traffic.

View attachment 532504

If you’ve cross there after events/games, you know how crazy packed that intersections gets. I’m assuming the scramble just helps to block off the entire intersection for the pedestrian cycle. Let’s people know they can use the entire intersection.

 

[bodsbods9090]

There's apparently a revised residential tower design floating around.

Have you seen or heard anything about what it looks like?

 

[Canadian 001]

is it going to only be 16 floors
or is this Residential Tower going to 30+ floors

 

[archited]

The footings were designed for a 44-storey structure max. The footings are already in place.

 

[IanO]

I recall a variety of options for height with their early tower proposals and would be curious to know if they built capacity in for more.

 

[archited]

You are right, Ian, there were number of discussions re height and what might be allowed. In the end an ICE spokesperson -- I believe it was someone from Dialog -- stated that the soil conditions for the third tower were significantly poorer than the condition for the Hotel Tower and Stantec's Tower and that the reason for the reduction in height from 50-some storeys to 44 was entirely due to soil conditions. Whether that was true or not, the tower footing design proceeded with an allowance for a 44-storey tower and that is what is there presently. The Dialog design, then, for a residential tower took that height restriction into account. As you know the column structure is currently set in place as well, further limiting what the tower can show from a design perspective. The Dialog aesthetic that was presented pre CWB office tower scheme was sorely lacking in my opinion (there was one previously proposed that was a whole lot better. I have added the Good, the Bad here as a reminder -- I sure hope we are not awaiting the Ugly.
The Good (with the new height restriction of 44 floors):

The Bad (did Dialog give this to a newbie to design?):

And the one that got away (58 Floors designed by Hariri Pontarini firm):

 

[archited]

Further there are some rumblings that the new tower design might be incorporated in a 2-tower proposal incorporating the ICE land on 104th Street -- I am hopeful that that is what @Greenspace is referencing -- that would be something with a whole lot of potential, particularly if the towers were conjoined by an upper-storey pedway. It would be doubly exciting if the design was handed back to Hariri Pontarini.

 

[Greenspace]

I have not seen anything just heard something is being worked on.

 

[archited]

I have not seen anything just heard something is being worked on.

In your eavesdropping, did you catch the name of the Architectural Design firm?