Jasper Avenue Getting a Facelift

The western end of downtown Jasper Avenue is getting a facelift. Several buildings are being demolished, including the one time dive known as Skinny Legs and Cowgirls, located between 122nd and 123rd Streets on Jasper’s north end. John Day, the developer, has been buying up land on Jasper for the last few years.

The idea is for a mixed use development, the first of which is a three story building going up at 122nd and Japer Street. That structure will have office space including a new Canadian Western Bank branch. Scheduled opening date is sometime in 2013. Day does not have the plans for the rest of the development fully figured out.

The idea is to keep the entire development at three stories, at least along Jasper. It is possible that there will be residential suites added, but that hasn’t been worked out. Day wants to make the new development fit in with the character of the existing buildings on Jasper Street.

City planners are still reviewing the application for mixed use development rezoning. Cathy Raftis, the director for Edmonton city planning notes that they are looking at site suitability and whether there are any other issues. One thing being looked at is the site of an old dry cleaning firm, which has some contaminants that are being taken care of. City council is expected to act on the rezoning application early next year.