[MacLac]

 

[Gronk!]

MacEwan Means Business

The MacEwan Means Business campaign is raising funds to build a new business building at MacEwan University in Edmonton.

www.macewan.ca

 

[MacLac]

“Chandos is proud to work with Grant MacEwan on their growth plans……”

Growth plans eh?

 

[IanO]

Pete! (he's a beauty by the way)

Given their enrolment goals, I suspect another significant expansion will be required to accommodate folks.

 

[MacLac]

Oh yeah? Pete's a real looker eh Ian?

 

[Kosy123]

At this rate, it's given that they're probably going to be the U of A north of the river. I'm curious how long until people realize this massive growing student population and just create a mini-Whyte Ave somewhere in downtown, or adjacent to it. If you wanted younger population vibrancy, there's your ticket right here.

 

[mcr]

At this rate, it's given that they're probably going to be the U of A north of the river. I'm curious how long until people realize this massive growing student population and just create a mini-Whyte Ave somewhere in downtown, or adjacent to it. If you wanted younger population vibrancy, there's your ticket right here.

Take the blocks surrounding 108st, from alley to 107 street, and create a lively district including activated alleyways like Strathcona Backstreet. Redevelop the Best Buy power center block with higher density mixed use too. Bing bang boom, mini fun district for the revelers of both Grant Mac & Norquest, with a few old building already there for character

 

[Kosy123]

Take the blocks surrounding 108st, from alley to 107 street, and create a lively district including activated alleyways like Strathcona Backstreet. Redevelop the Best Buy power center block with higher density mixed use too. Bing bang boom, mini fun district for the revelers of both Grant Mac & Norquest, with a few old building already there for characterView attachment 632087

Yup. That and probably throw in a whole bunch of lifestyle/thrift/consignment stores in the area catered towards the 16-30 demographic, along with continued overabundance in restaurants and cafes. The fact that VLW is going to go through here makes it almost equivalent to Whyte Ave in terms of transit reliability/accessibility imo.

Somehow get City Centre Mall to attract retailers like H&M (in a dream world) and maybe Urban Outfitters since it's along the line, and have it be visible street level whenever they renovate it to have it be less of a bunker and we're cooking something here.

As much as we'd love to have a more lively corporate downtown, I don't think that's where most of the focus should be. I fully understand why, but there's an exponentially growing clientele base with MacEwan expanding like crazy along with NorQuest that we shouldn't ignore. They're not going to pay as much as corporate office workers but they're more visible.

 

[buildings]

think their next expansion will be a dedicated Science Building located north of Allard Hall and west of the Residence building.

 

[Gronk!]

Take the blocks surrounding 108st, from alley to 107 street, and create a lively district including activated alleyways like Strathcona Backstreet. Redevelop the Best Buy power center block with higher density mixed use too. Bing bang boom, mini fun district for the revelers of both Grant Mac & Norquest, with a few old building already there for characterView attachment 632087

Good idea, although I would make sure the existing restaurants are left alone:
- Mikado
- Harvey's
- Canadian Brewhouse
- Denny's
- Parlour
- Naked Cafe

 

[mcr]

Good idea, although I would make sure the existing restaurants are left alone:
- Mikado
- Harvey's
- Canadian Brewhouse
- Denny's
- Parlour
- Naked Cafe

Oh yes, especially ones like Parlour & Naked, but the Harveys, Dennys etc. should be part of re-developed buildings. They aren't conducive to the built-form you hope for in a vibrant area, they're suburban buildings. Keep them open while a new spot is built, then tear down the crappy old suburban buildings and get more life.

 

[David A]

Yup. That and probably throw in a whole bunch of lifestyle/thrift/consignment stores in the area catered towards the 16-30 demographic, along with continued overabundance in restaurants and cafes. The fact that VLW is going to go through here makes it almost equivalent to Whyte Ave in terms of transit reliability/accessibility imo.

Somehow get City Centre Mall to attract retailers like H&M (in a dream world) and maybe Urban Outfitters since it's along the line, and have it be visible street level whenever they renovate it to have it be less of a bunker and we're cooking something here.

As much as we'd love to have a more lively corporate downtown, I don't think that's where most of the focus should be. I fully understand why, but there's an exponentially growing clientele base with MacEwan expanding like crazy along with NorQuest that we shouldn't ignore. They're not going to pay as much as corporate office workers but they're more visible.

Good points. Financial districts in many other cities are also usually not the most lively, especially in the evenings and weekends.

However, the nearby MacEwan and NorQuest areas could be more so. It could also be a good area for various smaller independent retail businesses targeted towards students similar to Whyte Ave.

 

[Kosy123]

Good points. Financial districts in many other cities are also usually not the most lively, especially in the evenings and weekends.

However, the nearby MacEwan and NorQuest areas could be more so. It could also be a good area for various smaller independent retail businesses targeted towards students similar to Whyte Ave.

Exactly, it's where we can harness that potential energy and take advantage of it. I'm not expecting that Rice Howard Way suddenly becomes a hotbed for university students, but downtown Edmonton's corporate weakness means that this might be a good medium term solution, especially like you said, financial districts aren't lively in evenings and weekends. This? Probably would be more lively, has transit access and would make this area more of a destination in off-peak hours.

 

[Glenco]

Renderings on site.

 

[archited]

I think that there is a kind of friendly race in the works between MacU and NorQ in terms of campus build-out that may even bring UofA into the friendly fray. This is promising to be the main engine for the restructuring of downtown Edmonton into a friendly people-place with ICE and Qualico helping the transmogrification.