New plans released for old Esso site on Whyte Avenue
CBC News | Posted: September 22, 2015 6:27 PM | Last Updated: September 22, 2015
Six-storey building called the Raymond Block will be developed at 105th Street lot
A long-empty lot in the heart of the Whyte Avenue business district is about to be redeveloped.
Wexford Developments announced plans Tuesday for a six-storey building called the Raymond Block, on the corner of Whyte Avenue and 105th Street.
The building, named after the Raymond Hotel which occupied the site in the early 1900s, will be half covered in brick.
The ground floor will have shops and restaurants, with office space and luxury apartments on the floors above.
Murray Davison of the Strathcona Business Association said the plan fits with other buildings in the neighbourhood.
"The height isn't an issue here," he said. "It's the same height as the hotel across the way. It's going to be a great fit.
"If we get the right retail mix and that many more eyes on the street with the people living there, it's just going to be a profound contribution to the area."
The developer said construction won't start until more leases have been signed, something it expects to happen soon.
But Eric Slatter, vice president of commercial realtor Colliers International, said he believes there is demand for space on Whyte Avenue.
"There's just such a limited amount of vacancy on Whyte Avenue currently and we haven't seen a new development project on this scale in over a decade," he said.
CBC News talked with residents and business owners in the area. Most seemed to like the plan, though some hoped it would feature local businesses as tenants rather than chain stores.
"I would probably like to see more localized businesses as opposed to franchises," said Sherry Gibson-Walters. "I think that's really important to keep the culture of Whyte Avenue."
Once the site of an Esso gas station, the vacant lot has been an eyesore on Whyte Avenue for the last 16 years.
Last fall, city council approved an application to zone the lot for a mixed-use building. The design originally ran afoul of the Strathcona Area Redevelopment plan, but council approved bylaw changes to allow it to be built.