An Edmonton shopping centre could be bulldozed to make way for high-rise residential towers and mixed-use property if a rezoning is approved.
RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust wants to redevelop the Jasper Gates Shopping Centre at 14915 Stony Plain Road.
With the future Valley Line West LRT station nearing construction across the street, RioCan wants to create a transit-oriented development including commercial space and around 1,000 residential units.
"Because the LRT is coming west, this has given them an opportunity to think about the redevelopment of that space and not just having all the commercial development you see there," said Ward 1 Coun. Andrew Knack.
"You'd see that built into mixed-use buildings, so you'd have sort of commercial on the main floor, or on a couple of floors followed by residential above those."
RioCan is proposing the mixed-use buildings be built as tall as 10 storeys, or 30 metres. Residential towers could be built as tall as 30 storeys, or 90 metres, on the north side of the site.
Internal roads would also be established at the redeveloped property.
Edmontonians are being asked to weigh in on the proposal at a drop-in engagement session next Tuesday, Oct. 29 at the West End Christian Reformed Church on 149 Street.
Several shoppers who spoke with CTV News Edmonton Thursday were not happy with the proposal and said they were concerned about the congestion it would bring.
Knack said he understands the concerns, but there are others who are excited about the impact redeveloping the site could have on the area.
"If you have 1,000 units of residential, what does that do for the opportunity for local businesses because now you have a much larger customer base," he said.
The public engagement session is the final step in the rezoning application, which will be presented to council at a future public hearing.
