Edmcowboy11
Senior Member
More importantly that little bit is finally activating.
- Thread starter SRC Admin
- Start date
Avenuer
Senior Member
It’s going to be a pharmacy and a daycare.
Jkjk
Jkjk
David A
Senior Member
... or a coffee shop, restaurant or bar, because there are so few of all of these downtown
. Maybe another Subway or Shoppers Drug Mart.None of these are bad things in moderation, but perhaps our motto now should be downtown Edmonton, where our imagination is limited.
Edmcowboy11
Senior Member
Flower shop, Internet Cafe, Gaming Cafe, Barber. Model train store, produce store, meat market, deli, bakery...
constance_chlore
Active Member
Produce store—please! (I'd still love to see a hardware store somewhere in the neighborhood, too.)
SarcasticMarmot
Active Member
I don't think the problem is imagination, it's cost. Hard to start a creative small business with 4-5k a month in rent expenses before you even start, only the most reliable things (daycares, pharmacies) can make up that gap. You have that cost during setup, and you need to be making enough to cover rent plus investment in month one. No time for a creative business to build following by word of mouth these days. I know tons of people with cool ideas who've looked into starting things, but when putting together the business plan can't make the cost/income work.... or a coffee shop, restaurant or bar, because there are so few of all of these downtown
None of these are bad things in moderation, but perhaps our motto now should be downtown Edmonton, where our imagination is limited.
David A
Senior Member
Perhaps. Maybe Edmontonians are more risk adverse than elsewhere, but currently there are so many things missing from our downtown that really should be there and are in other places.
It also really limits the ability to appeal to more potential residents.
Edmcowboy11
Senior Member
Well it does also say something if a building owner is willing to let a space stay empty for a long time and get the lease rate they want, rather than filling the space at a lower rate.
David A
Senior Member
I suppose it does, but I don't feel lease rates are higher here than elsewhere, likely the opposite. I also don't feel making our downtown more vibrant only falls on building owners.
NicolBolas
New Member
There is nothing downtown that doesn't exist in the suburbs.
Parking is expensive.
The LRT/Bus is a unsafe joke.
Open drug use is overlooked by our for profit police force.
I feel that we need to encourage more luxury and high end into our downtown. The perception of opulence often leads to gentrification. IE: Gastown in Vancouver
constance_chlore
Active Member
Setting aside the rest, this is obviously false. Like, what's the equivalent of the Starlite Room or Harcourt House or Metro Cinema for the suburbs?
degrandprix
Active Member
Rogers Place, Re/max Field, HLB Streetcar, Legislature grounds, AGA, RAM, concerts/festivals at Fan Park, Neon Museum, historic buildings, and plenty of unique non-chain cafes/restaurants. The Milner library has more activity spaces than any of the other locations, as far as I know it's the only one with a classroom kitchen.
We should try to add more, but there's definitely not "nothing".
Also, the only area with residential that's higher than 20 stories if you want a place with a view. And one of very few areas that qualifies as a 15-minute city.
Kosy123
Senior Member
As someone who still lives in the burbs, there's so much stuff downtown and in the core that the suburbs don't have it's not even funny.
David A
Senior Member
All good points. My concern is mostly with the dearth of retail downtown in recent years it does now struggle to be that 15 minute city.
The basics are mostly still there, but not as much variety now. While people are coming back particularly for work, a lot of empty retail space in particular remains.
IanO
Superstar
For lease signs down on corner, but still nothing.