An Edmonton neighbourhood was just profiled in an architecture magazine
From waves of historic development to its tree-lined streets, easy access to major roadways, and the “Oliverbahn,” the community of Oliver is undoubtedly one of Edmonton’s coolest neighbourhoods, and now it’s being profiled in Canadian Architect.
The article, written by the CEO of the Urban Development Institute, Kalen Anderson, asks the question — is Oliver Edmonton’s urban investment gem? It very well may be.
Located just to the west of downtown, Oliver is less than two square kilometres in size and is home to around 20,000 people. It’s dense, walkable, and home to some fantastic dining and shopping options, in addition to a network of parks and gorgeous river valley views.
According to Canadian Architect, Edmonton has a goal of accommodating the next 500,000 residents through infill development.
So, what makes Oliver such a prime candidate for investment? It’s an area familiar with growth and change, with three significant waves of development.
The first wave began before WWI when the neighbourhood was merely a streetcar suburb, with a mix of detached homes, small apartments and commercial/industrial spaces on the main thoroughfares.
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Between the 1950s and the 1970s, Oliver saw its second wave of development, with lots of walk-up apartments being built in response to Edmonton’s then-booming population.
Today, Oliver is experiencing its third wave of redevelopment with many new mid and high-rise towers and a mix of residential and commercial development of all types in the Edmonton neighbourhood.
This development, combined with streetscaping and amenities available in the community, gives it that bustling and pedestrian-friendly charm.
“Building a mix of housing types in Oliver, from medium-density apartments to ground-oriented walk-ups to high-rise towers, will support our city’s aspiration for more compact, walkable communities,” the author writes.
Small changes can make big waves
The author pointed to a “modest but locally impactful public infrastructure investment” that has seen the area around the 102 Avenue bicycle lane, which regular users call the “Oliverbahn,” bursting with new activity and private sector investment.
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The two-kilometre tree-lined lane not only makes the community more accessible to those biking and rolling through the neighbourhood but has also created a connecting route through the heart of this Edmonton neighbourhood.
This has made this part of Oliver more lively and exciting from a livability, mobility, and development perspective, the author wrote.
“When we think about public sector upgrades to transportation infrastructure, we tend to consider large-scale roadway expansion and the addition of major transit facilities, but smaller gestures can make a big impact too,” the article says.
“If done well and integrated in the right place and at the right time, City investment in all types of public realm upgrades – from parks to pathways – can have multiple positive economic spin-offs.”
The author also noted that on a walking tour of Oliver, seven active development sites either completed or under construction on 102 Avenue between Railtown and 124 Street were documented, representing $529 million of private investment, which includes 1,222 new residential units and over a million square feet of commercial, retail and office space.
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