My future brewpub & meadery
I sure hope something cool happens to it — I think it would be neat to see the Edmonton Radial Railway Society run its track down to it and use it as a new museum space, given how small their current one is. Its the last (partially) remaining roundhouse left in the city, and one of only three left in the province. It was originally built in 1907 as a six-stall house, but another six were added in 1913. Sometime around 1985 all but three stalls and the machine shop/ boiler room were demolished.
Here's an aerial photo of it from 1950.
Speaking of the C.P.R., here's a depressing past vs. present; the bastardized remains of their former H.Q. on Jasper Avenue.
...and the original building;
Constructed in 1912, the building served as the C.P.R.'s Edmonton headquarters. Designed by Winnipeg architect William Wallace Blair, it featured an impressive 100 foot frontage and was Western Canada's first steel reinforced concrete building. Initially designed as an elaborate ten storey structure, it would be reduced part way through construction. Even still, it cost the Railway over $400,000 to complete. Featuring terra cotta, granite, ornate relief panels, and Bedford stone pillars, the building was one of the city's most impressive upon its completion in February 1913.
In 1992 it was purchased by Hong Kong businessman Lin Hop Lee, who quickly announced his intent to demolish it. Lee's project architect, Doug McConnell, described preservation of the building as "not feasible, in a business or construction sense." The issue was contentious and eventually brought to city council. Demolition was reluctantly permitted at a vote of eight to three, on the condition that some historic elements were to be retained. Lee agreed but called the 'preservation' a "waste of time."
In late 1992 the old C.P.R. tower finally came down. The small two storey building that replaced it was occupied by Hop's Handbags, Lee's high end accessory store; it only lasted for three years before going under.