LDA20-0216 Strathcona The Baron Rezoning
Consultation has concluded
***The discussion has concluded and a What We Heard Report is now available.***
Thank you for participating in engagement activities for this rezoning application.
The application is expected to go to City Council Public Hearing for a decision, with the exact date still to be determined.
***The discussion has concluded and a What We Heard Report is now available.***
Thank you for participating in engagement activities for this rezoning application.
The application is expected to go to City Council Public Hearing for a decision, with the exact date still to be determined.
Tell us what you think about the application
Please let us know what you like and what could be better about this application. What should Council know as they decide whether or not to approve the rezoning? Other people that visit this part of the site will be able to see your comments.
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
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Who's Listening
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Phone 780-496-2939 Email andrew.mclellan@edmonton.ca
ADVISE
ADVISE
This means the City asks the public to share feedback and perspectives that are considered for policies, programs, projects, or services.
ROLE OF THE PUBLIC
Historical Significance of the Archibald Block
The Archibald Block was one of several brick commercial buildings constructed on this part of Whyte Avenue after the Strathcona City Council banned further wood construction in 1907. It is the oldest building remaining from this grouping. It is also a rare example of a transitional architectural style where the scale is reminiscent of Strathcona’s early Boomtown architecture (one storey) but the masonry construction method was a precursor to the grander, multi-storey, brick, Edwardian commercial architecture of the early 1900s.
The Archibald Block is also significant due to its association with Alberta’s early Arabic-speaking business community. From 1912 through 1928, the building was home of Morie & Co. Confectioners, owned and operated by the Morie family, who immigrated to Canada from present-day Lebanon in 1901. The historical experience of Arabic-speaking immigrant businessmen is a significant part of Alberta’s history and the Archibald Block reflects the important contributions of this immigrant merchant community to Alberta’s growth and development.
FAQs
- Why is a historically important building allowed to be demolished?
- What options do the City or the Province have with regards to protecting the building from demolition if the landowner doesn’t want to designate it?
- What is a Provincial Historic Area and what does that mean for redevelopment?
- There were just recent amendments to the Strathcona Area Redevelopment Plan to incorporate recommendations from the planWhyte Land Use Study, including a height restriction of 4 storeys for the historic core. Why is that not being followed?
- Will vehicular parking be provided on site and if so, where will the parking be for this development?
Timelines
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July 28, 2020
LDA20-0216 Strathcona The Baron Rezoning has finished this stageComplete Application Accepted for Processing
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August 12, 2020
LDA20-0216 Strathcona The Baron Rezoning has finished this stageNotification postcard mailed out to surrounding property owners and the Community League providing information about the application and inviting feedback.
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December 7, 2020
LDA20-0216 Strathcona The Baron Rezoning is currently at this stageLaunched Engaged Edmonton page. Accepting feedback until December 21, 2020.
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Mid - 2021
this is an upcoming stage for LDA20-0216 Strathcona The Baron RezoningTarget for City Council Public Hearing
Information About Rezonings
Zoning regulates what types of buildings are allowed on a site (eg. residential or commercial) and the basic size and shape of those buildings. It does not control who can live or work in the buildings or whether the property is rented or owned.
The City's Development Services Branch reviews the rezoning application based on:
- Approved policies, plans and guidelines;
- Planning analysis (how the proposed zone fits into the neighbourhood);
- Technical information (traffic impacts, water and sewer capacity, etc.); and
- Public input (feedback from the public will be summarized in the final report to Council)
How Your Feedback Will Be Used
We appreciate your feedback and will use it to:
- inform the City’s planning analysis and ensure all factors are taken into consideration;
- help inform conversations with the applicant about making revisions to address concerns; and
- summarize feedback for City Council so that they know your perspective prior to making a decision.
A summary of what we hear from this engagement will be posted on this webpage and provided to City Council when the application advances to Public Hearing for a decision. When the applicant is ready to take the application to Council, notices of the Public Hearing date will be sent to surrounding property owners. You can register to speak at the City Council Public Hearing or listen online. Click here for more information about how to speak to Council. You can also submit written comments to City Council through the Office of the City Clerk (city.clerk@edmonton.ca).
This is exactly what is needed in our City, especially for Whyte Ave. Mixed use developments is how whyte ave is developing. We as a city need to add density to that area and with a sustainable development like the one proposed it makes total sense. The Met hotel next door is in line with this project as is Raymond Block. The existing building is tired and this is a great proposed development that we as a city can be proud of.
JOBS
Removed by moderator.
Removed by moderator.
I think this is a positive push for the city of Edmonton. I'm originally from Vancouver and moved to Edmonton for about 2 years a little under a decade ago. The Edmontonians welcomed me into their circles of friends. The music scene, festival scene and cultural scene are amongst the best in Canada. I think it fitting to lead not only our country but the world in innovative projects such as this.
Kindly.
This project looks great. The building looks beautiful and it will add to the vibrancy of the strathcona community. This is also a great opportunity to show that the City of Edmonton can lead the way in sustainable development.
This is great for the city. We can’t stop living and growing here cmon guys
Removed by moderator.
As an Edmontonian I believe this project should be built without question. It is built with sustainable construction and will be a center piece on whyte ave for years to come due to it’s stunning architecture. Furthermore due to the developers proposed size of the building it will bring more living spaces to whyte ave which will lead to more support for local business. Let’s put the shovels in the ground now!!
This building looks awesome, beautiful architecture which will only make the area nicer and increase values of all surrounding properties.
Looks like a no Brainer win win to me!
I think this is so great for Edmonton. To be a leader in sustainability and to have something creative along Whyte ave! This is a leading edge project that will show cities around the world that edmonton thinks about sustainability along with beauty.
I don’t think the existing building is of any real importance in terms of heritage and putting up something new while using older ways of building of timber construction is the way to go!
I heavily approve this project!
Sounds like a great addition to the further revitalization of Whyte Avenue. I feel like residential density could help create a less transient community in this area of Edmonton which could in turn help support the businesses in the area and general feel of Whyte Avenue. I appreciate Edmonton’s history but this should not stand in the way of bringing investment, new ideas and beatification to our great city.
I strongly support this project. The architecture, design and building methodologies that will be utilized in this project are a fresh and highly sustainable alternative to an old, low performing building that doesn’t retain any historical relevance due to its numerous renovations, demolitions and additions. Please think ahead and proactively on this matter.
I support the building of the Baron property. Whyte avenue needs to be refreshed and more inclusive to all of Edmonton, not just Strathcona elitists who feel that keeping Whyte avenue the same as it has been for decades is acceptable. We need better access to businesses, to residences and attract more people. I think the Baron can help with that.
I am very much against this development. You talk of 'an inviting pedestrian experience..' on Whyte Ave. but this development will deteriorate this experience. Ever since the Raymond block across the street was built, its shadow across the Avenue is significant and prevents insolation especially in the winter months. With this development we will also have to contend with a wind tunneling effect on the corner of Whyte and 105street. The pleasant morning and afternoon sunny pedestrian experience is forever being changed on Whyte as it slowly turns into the canyon lands of Jasper Ave. Keep development to 4stories on the north of the Avenue and no more than three on the south side.
I am very much against this development. You talk of 'an inviting pedestrian experience..' on Whyte Ave. but this development will deteriorate this experience. Ever since the Raymond block across the street was built, its shadow across the Avenue is significant and prevents insolation especially in the winter months. With this development we will also have to contend with a wind tunneling effect on the corner of Whyte and 105street. The pleasant morning and afternoon sunny pedestrian experience is forever being changed on Whyte as it slowly turns into the canyon lands of Jasper Ave.
As with my previous comments, I am not against development in principal. However this proposal would dignificantly change the character of a historic zone that has already been significantly eroded both other developments in the area. This is the death of a thousand cuts. If approved, one cannot blame other property owners in the area if they seek similar rejoining. Council,should either decide to maintain the protections for the historic character of the area or admit that it is simply abandoning these protections and face the judgement of the electorate at the next election. I am strongly against the size and scope of this application and the attempt to remove this site from the protections afforded to the historic district.
So often after a building is gone, we are filled with regret. We are at a moment in time when we can preserve a building that is of enormous consequence to Arab history in Edmonton and for Alberta's north. The Archibald Block was where the Assad Morie family began their commercial empire which stretched along Whyte Ave and up to Fort Smith and further north. The Arab merchants moved to North America in the early 20th century from Ottoman-controlled Lebanon and arrived in Edmonton soon after. Trade began in Edmonton and then moved north where an Arab-Cree trading language is said to have developed. Fred Assad Morie began to work on Whyte Ave in 1911 at another Arab-run shop owned by the Tarrabain brothers. Fred Assad Morie would open the Mories' first shop in the Archibald Block in 1912. It looks like the entire family would work there. Fred's brother John Assad opened another store at 10350 Whyte in 1913. Fred served in the First World War and another brother George would manage the Archibald Block shop. In 1925 Fred married Grace and moved north to work in their already established businesses in Fort Smith and Fitzgerald. The family has wonderful pictures and stories of their northern adventures. At some point the Archibald Block store would close and George would run a grocery store at 10438 Whyte Ave (this is the third Morie shop). George was running it in 1935 and into the 1940s.
Clearly more scholarly research is needed to fully understand the Arab connection to Whyte Avenue and the north. It would be a huge loss to the Avenue and to the history of our City to lose the Archibald block. I hope Council will do the right thing and preserve the Archibald Block and work to fully understand the richness that Arab settlers and traders brought to Edmonton and Alberta's north. There are lots of historical newspaper articles to be researched about the Mories in the north. I think the building should be preserved and, at the very least, a plaque acknowledging the contribution of Arab merchants to the Avenue be put on the Archibald Block so that the Arab contribution is acknowledged and honoured.
Yours sincerely,
Margaret (Peigi) Rockwell, PhD (Canadian History)
This application should be rejected. That block represents some of the few historical buildings left and allowing such changes would further degrade the already compromised heritage integrity of one of the only examples of a thriving commercial heritage area in our city. Please reject this application and protect our city’s heritage resources. Too many have been lost.
Leave the building alone. Stop destroying our historic buildings on whyte Ave! I say No.