[policyenthusiast]

Edmonton Downtown office vacancy finally breaks, but it might not last​

For the first time in years, the office vacancy rate in Downtown Edmonton has dipped below 20 per cent.

“It sure is nice to see something that doesn’t start with a two,” said CBRE Edmonton’s managing director, Mark Anderson.

With office, industrial, and residential reports released recently from commercial real estate services company CBRE and from the Realtors Association of Edmonton (RAE), respectively, key indicators for Edmonton’s real estate market show some promise.

 

[northlands]

I would be curious to see what portion of the positive absorption was private sector vs gov't & gov't ABCs, because it feels like all the major space deals downtown I've heard lately are all the latter, not former. Good news regardless though

 

[Kosy123]

Seems like most of the downtown absorption from Q2 was from a new lease with the Canadian Mental Health Association. Not sure what got leased up in the Financial submarket though.

 

[policyenthusiast]

View attachment 666077
Seems like most of the downtown absorption from Q2 was from a new lease with the Canadian Mental Health Association. Not sure what got leased up in the Financial submarket though.

CMHA lease and comm-to-residential conversions are both helping the rate.

 

[CplKlinger]

There's now a page for the Downtown Student Housing Incentive, and they're planning to accept applications starting in August. There's an interesting caveat:
"This program will prioritize proposals for:

• New buildings
• Developments on infill-ready sites
• Projects in the Warehouse Park area"

Downtown Student Housing Incentive | City of Edmonton

Supporting the development of student housing in downtown Edmonton.

www.edmonton.ca

 

[Kosy123]

Was there an estimate on how many units the Student Housing Incentive might create? I know they had an estimate for the Attainable Housing one but I don't think they had any numbers out for this specific program.

 

[IanO]

Simple math says 500, but it's not that simple.

 

[bodsbods9090]

There's now a page for the Downtown Student Housing Incentive, and they're planning to accept applications starting in August. There's an interesting caveat:
"This program will prioritize proposals for:

• New buildings
• Developments on infill-ready sites
• Projects in the Warehouse Park area"

Downtown Student Housing Incentive | City of Edmonton

Supporting the development of student housing in downtown Edmonton.

www.edmonton.ca

Wonder if this helps MacLab get their student housing project started by Norquest?

 

[Gronk!]

Rolling Tales is closing

Rolling Tales comic book store moving online, closing downtown Edmonton shop

Action figures and comic books, past and present, line the walls of the Rolling Tales comic book store in downtown Edmonton, immersing customers in a collection of unique superheroes and stories. Sadly, the owner of Rolling Tales will soon close the doors for good and move the business online...

edmonton.citynews.ca

 

[IanO]

Can someone please fix the light timings Downtown?

Tons of intersections are WAY too long and should have winter and summer programming.

The best Downtowns I know of have 15-20 sec intervals. Keeps thing slow, moving and safe.

Also, a 'summer' version should also remove rush hour extendos... especially along 100ave or Jasper.

 

[thommyjo]

Can someone please fix the light timings Downtown?

Tons of intersections are WAY too long and should have winter and summer programming.

The best Downtowns I know of have 15-20 sec intervals. Keeps thing slow, moving and safe.

Also, a 'summer' version should also remove rush hour extendos... especially along 100ave or Jasper.

I think of this constantly when walking downtown here vs Vancouver. Waiting 45 seconds or more is so annoying. Smaller intersections, quicker intervals.

 

[IanO]

I am honestly going to raise this post-election with our Downtown Councillor to look into.

 

[northlands]

Can someone please fix the light timings Downtown?

Tons of intersections are WAY too long and should have winter and summer programming.

The best Downtowns I know of have 15-20 sec intervals. Keeps thing slow, moving and safe.

Also, a 'summer' version should also remove rush hour extendos... especially along 100ave or Jasper.

and 102 ave... and 103...

The one thing that has had me really confused is LRT construction and light timing.

102 and 103 ave at 107 st: there is no longer NB access and extremely minimal SB traffic, and it's been under heavy LRT construction for close to two years now. I don't believe they have ever adjusted the timing of the lights and as a result you're constantly stopped as either a driver or pedestrian waiting for these lights to change despite there never being anyone going the other way. Painful.

104 ave at 105 st: they've changed this light so there's no longer an advance left turn for NB, and the green light for E+W on 104 ave has been extended a lot longer. I swear it must be a 90 second light. Which is fine for rush hour for keeping 104 ave traffic moving as it's slowed by the LRT construction, but outside of rush hour it's quite frustrating again as both a driver and a pedestrian. Don't we want to encourage people to leave MacEwan campus and cross 104 into downtown?

 

[Gronk!]

‘It reminds me of home’: Ukrainian DJ day parties hit Jasper Ave. this summer

For those who aren’t flying to Europe this summer, a Ukrainian coffee shop and kitchen on Jasper Avenue is bringing European vibes to Edmonton.

www.ctvnews.ca

 

[IanO]

Any idea why DOSC keeps its patio closed 75% of the time. Many times over the last 2 weeks it has been like this during nicer weather.

Asking for a friend.