Groundbreaking featured tons of expected development within six years

The area around Stadium LRT station is changing. A groundbreaking ceremony on July 8 for the new Muttart Urban District at 109 Avenue and 84 Street showed just how much change will happen in the next five or six years.

Initial planning for the new district was completed by Brookfield Residential, which worked closely with the City on a new LRT crossing, sidewalks, park areas, and lighting. 

The Rohit Group of Companies will work on vertical development. The first phase, totalling 246 rental units, is underway. Ultimately, 720 residential units and 7,500 square feet of commercial amenities will be built. 

When Brookfield is completed, the transit-oriented development will include a coffee shop and a restaurant, among other possibilities.

“We see our tenants working downtown and making the most of the six-minute LRT ride into the city. They may be starting out in business, [they may be] students, or [they’re] seniors looking to downsize,” says Rohit Gupta, CEO of the Rohit Group of Companies. 

Born in Alberta, Rohit Gupta follows in his father, Radhe Gupta’s footsteps. Both men work in development and are part of the same company, which has developments in Western Canada.

“The province of Alberta still makes sense for investment,” Gupta adds. “We looked at the Parkdale-Cromdale area, and saw potential for growth. I still love home, and home is here in Edmonton.”

The six-storey phase one rental apartments will offer walk-to amenities such as the Stadium station, river valley, Commonwealth Recreation Centre, Commonwealth Stadium, Dawson Park, Kinnaird Ravine, and Save-On-Foods. 

Curious neighbours dropped by the groundbreaking ceremony to look at display panels illustrating the final look of the project. 

Giff Edmonds and Helen Sahs live within minutes of the new Brookfield development. They have been watching progress for some time. As 30-year local residents, they look forward to completion of the project. “As long as there are no rocks,” says Sahs. “We don’t want any rocks on the landscape.” She approved of the inviting, recently completed parkette adjacent to the building site.

Fellow neighbour and condo owner John Kinnear sees the development and future renovations of the Stadium LRT station as positive. After 31 years as a resident, he says, “I like the changes. It’s getting more modern over here, and cleaner looking.” 

Among Kinnear’s wishes are “more condos, with appealing style and access to the LRT.” He also asked for another dog park, and learned that a dog run is among the plans. 

Residents will benefit from a transit-oriented lifestyle connected to downtown through a newly updated Stadium station. A new pedestrian and vehicle road, Muttart Crossing, will connect 84 Street to the Stadium over the LRT tracks within the next year.

Planned Stadium station upgrades include a new platform added on the west side of the tracks (the existing platform would remain to serve northbound passengers). The underground concourse will be removed. Additional access points and pedestrian track crossings will be built. A plus will be connections to the multi-use trails on both sides of the tracks.

Enhanced lighting and new heated shelters, new public washrooms, and new bike parking, with a focus on safety, security, comfort, and barrier-free accessibility are in the works. A timeline for completion of the upgrades is still to be determined.

Janis Irwin, MLA of Highlands-Norwood, was on hand to lift a golden shovel at the groundbreaking ceremony. Irwin doesn’t own a car and commends the potential of the new development. 

“Walkability is so important,” says Irwin, who lives just a few blocks from the site. “This new development is vital to the wellbeing and growth of our neighbourhood. I’m looking forward to having access to more amenities.”

Featured Image: Dignitaries at the groundbreaking ceremony. From left to right: Scott Janis, president, Brookfield Residential Edmonton; Tony Caterina, Ward 7 councillor; Radhe Gupta, president, Rohit Group of Companies; Russell Dauk, vice president, Rohit Group of Companies; Rohit Gupta, CEO, Rohit Group of Companies; Scott McKeen, Ward 6 councillor; Janis Irwin, MLA of Highlands-Norwood. | Constance Brissenden