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The developer of a new residential tower in downtown Edmonton says the project is a vote of confidence in the city’s core after a punishing pandemic.
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Construction crews are set to begin work on Falcon Tower after a formal groundbreaking Monday. The 240-unit, 30-storey building is one of two towers set to replace a parking lot at 104 Street and 100 Avenue.
A news release from Langham Developments described the project as the “first downtown high-rise development in Edmonton since the COVID-19 pandemic” and a “symbol of the resilience of the city’s downtown.”
Langham won city council approval to build two towers on the property in October 2018. The current proposal is scaled back from the original plan, which called for two towers of 37 and 43 storeys, with a total of 650 units.
At the time, community groups expressed concern about whether there was demand for such a project, and how it might affect other developments.
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President Reza Mostashari disagreed that the development would negatively impact other sites, saying more development creates a “snowball” effect by making neighbourhoods more desirable.
Langham Developments has already built several high-rises on 104 Street, including Icon and Fox Towers, which were completed in 2010 and 2017, respective.
The news release describes the units in Falcon Tower as luxury, rental condo-style suites. It boasts a 4000-square foot social room, a fitness centre and children’s area. The original plan included retail and commercial development on the building’s first floor.
“Every building I build, my goal is to push the limits of what we have done before,” Mostashari said in the news release. “The Falcon Towers will surpass all the other projects done to date in Edmonton with scale, finishes and amenities.
Postmedia sought an interview with Mostashari but did not hear back over the weekend.
The 1 p.m. Monday groundbreaking will include remarks from Mostashari and Puneeta McBryan, executive director of the Downtown Business Association.
