Metropolis 3, Boosts Downtown Project to $18 Million

Tuesday, November 08, 2005 12:03 PM

He calls it Metropolis "3" and he plans to build it on the parking lot that stretches from Quebec Street to Dominion along Second Avenue. Yes, it is the stretch that runs along the back of the Columbus Hotel. The "he" in this story is Yves Ghiai, of Ghiai Development Corporation.

His vision has student oriented apartments (65 of them) on the second floor above 30,000 square feet of retail space. Parking for the units will be provided by the City through the use of the parkade.

The project marries the wish of Council to have more living quarters in the downtown along with new retail. Metropolis three follows the recent announcment of a high end condo/ retail unit set for the parking lot at 5th and Quebec.

Ghiai says the latest development will call for the closure of Quebec so it can become a pedestrian walkway, special sculptures that will actually be air purifiers and a small amphi-theater for concerts or plays. He envisions the roof being covered in photo light cells to add power for the structure, and notes it will be designed to tap into the city's downtown heating project.

Ghiai says the entire project ( Metropolis 1, 2 and now 3) will top $18 million dollars, and that construction could start on the first two stages next summer, with the third stage completed in 2007.

Right now, the site for Metropolis "3" is a parking lot. But if all the financing is approved, it will become a multi level building that will be home to student housing and a ground floor retail complex.

Ghiai says pending financing approal, the deal should be sealed in December.

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Posted on Tuesday, November 08, 2005 12:03 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Don Mackenzie on November 8 2005 1:01 PM

Looking at the pictures, I CAN just see the streetpeople loving it. How do Photo cells work with a foot of snow over them.

Posted by: Jethro on November 8 2005 1:11 PM

Man... I hope the Emperor keeps his clothes on.

At least until the 19th.

Posted by: rock on November 8 2005 1:17 PM

I'm not going to get to excited until I see some actual $$$$ change hands,right now this is still just a letter of intent.Kinda funny how all this stuff just happens before an election.Not to worry Lil Collin,you are getting my vote just because the alternative(Rogers) in my opinion will be 4 more years wasted.
Rock

Posted by: Palopu on November 8 2005 3:42 PM

Interesting. Where is this dude coming from. I suggest he talk to other property owners before he closes Quebec St. It sounds like pie in the sky to me, however lets wait and see the outcome.

Posted by: Chadermando on November 8 2005 5:19 PM

LOL this is funny. I can't think of a single student that would be interested in locating downtown next to The Bus. LOL

Seriously what would parents think about that? Most students I know complain about their apartments on 15th being to far from the school, I can't see how any would locate downtown in a rough area of town. There are cost of transportation issues when you have 3-4 classes at different times throughout the day, as well as safety issues (ie parkade, the bus, rowdy night life neighborhood, late classes).

Reality says it may get built, but it won't be students living there IMO.

That said I welcome the prospect for improvements to the downtown. It looks like a good project that will have the potential to change the neighborhood and enhance the downtown but it will not be a meca for students.

Posted by: owl on November 8 2005 6:18 PM

Interesting architecture .... Ideal for hot, sunny areas of the world ... it looks like a modular housing unit building which is "habitat" like, desinged by Moshe Safdie ....

and that building is covered by a roof which protects the building from sun and allows air to pass over it to cool it in a desert or tropical climate .....

One of the signs of a good architect is the understanding he/she has about the environment one designs for .....

If this building will be built, it will not be built as shown in the presentation drawings if any financing is going to coem from those who have their feet anchored to the ground a bit better .....

30,000 sf of retail space ??? ... that is close to the amount which was available on the ground floor of the Plaza 400 building before the hotel moved into the ground floor plus government offices because the retail mall failed during better economic times .....

If he can rent it out at $5 to $8 per square foot, it might have a chance for something ....

Pie in the sky is my immediate thought ....

And, of course, the solar cell roof is not exactly ideal ... unless one puts the solar cells on the "ceiling" of the roof structure ..... less efficient, but may be possible ..... and very costly ..... geothermal would have a better chance ..... but then this fellow only thinks "sun" ......

Posted by: spanky on November 8 2005 7:12 PM

looks good to the spankster. sign me up. i will move in tomorrow. looks like some nice digs.

Posted by: spanky on November 8 2005 7:12 PM

looks good to the spankster. sign me up. i will move in tomorrow. looks like some nice digs.

Posted by: spanky on November 8 2005 7:13 PM

looks good to the spankster. sign me up. i will move in tomorrow. looks like some nice digs. i am in brutha.

later.........

Posted by: brackencole on November 8 2005 11:23 PM

This is possibly one of the most unattractive buildings I have seen proposed. Why not keep it simple? More human scale stuff along the lines of four or five story walkups etc.

Posted by: rock on November 9 2005 11:16 AM

Spanky welcome back,just remember you only have to hit the enter key once.Looking forward to some of your warped humour.
Rock