A major mixed-use redevelopment is transforming a 25-acre-plus tract of downtown Edmonton. Bounded by 101 and 104 Streets NW, and 105 and 103 Avenues NW, Ice District will add several new towers and a major sporting and cultural institution to the city, all within steps of the newly opened Metro Line of the Edmonton LRT. There have been a few changes since we last checked in, which have been well documented in our Edmonton Forum.

Construction in Edmonton's Ice District, image by Forum contributor Daveography

Among the most hotly anticipated elements in the large-scale urban overhaul, Rogers Place, designed by Dialog Architects, HOK and ATB Architecture, will serve as the new home of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers for the 2016-2017 NHL season. The new arena will support a capacity of 18,641 as a hockey venue and 20,734 when set in its concert configuration. A protruding 'wing' section, seen in the image below, bridges the facility over 104 Avenue to a new pedestrian plaza expected to add a significant amount of foot traffic to the site's surroundings.

Construction of Rogers Place, image by Forum contributor DarrenK

Since our last look at Rogers Place, installation of the facility's exterior cladding has been moving quickly, and as more glazing and stainless steel panels are applied to the exterior we are getting a better understanding of how this sports venue will look upon completion.

Cladding installation at Rogers Place, image by Forum contributor DarrenK

Just southeast of the new arena, at the corner of 104 Avenue and 102 Street, below-grade construction is well underway for the 54-storey JW Marriott Edmonton. Designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, Dialog Architects, and Shugarman Architecture + Design, the tower will eventually rise to a final height of 191 metres.

Below-grade construction at the site of the JW Marriott, image by Forum contributor Daveography

To the immediate south of the JW Marriott, construction continues on the 68-storey Stantec Tower. Designed by Stantec, this tower will rise to a height of 251 metres, becoming one of the city's tallest buildings in the process. The completed tower will contain a mix of office, residential, and retail uses. Both the Stantec Tower and the JW Marriott are tentatively planned to open in 2018.

Construction of the Stantec Tower, image by Forum contributor Daveography

Nearby on the southeast corner of 104 Avenue and 102 Street, WAM Development Group and Katz Group Properties' Edmonton Tower is making major impact on the neighbourhood skyline as the development's core has reached its final height with 27 occupied storeys and two mechanical levels above. The tower's steel skeleton continues to rise around the concrete core, while cladding installation seals off the tower's structurally completed levels.

Construction of Edmonton Tower, image by Forum contributor Daveography

The Ice District is expected to continue growing over the next few years, with a number of lots surrounding the current construction projects awaiting redevelopment. Most notably, Ice District Tower B — planned for the current site of the 103 Street Greyhound Station — is planned to rise 43 storeys to a height of 149 metres, and will include a retail podium.

Rendering of Ice District Tower B, image courtesy of WAM/Katz Group Properties

What do you think about Edmonton's Ice District? Let us know by leaving a comment at the bottom of this page, or by visiting our Edmonton Forum, where you can also post your photo updates. More renderings and information for each of the projects featured in this article are available in the dedicated Database files, linked below.