Long considered an undeveloped area of ​​downtown Edmonton, the Quarters neighborhood could be home to Edmonton’s last affordable housing site.

Today, the City Council’s Executive Committee will receive a recommendation to sell eight city-owned lots at below market price to e4c, a non-profit charitable organization that helps the vulnerable population of downtown Edmonton.

The sales contract indicates the price of the land is $1,000, with a security deposit of $15,000.

The market value of the parcel – located between 102a Avenue and 103rd Avenue, east of 96th Street – is estimated at $3 million.

E4c plans to construct a building that would provide 19 single-occupancy transitional housing units, approximately 50 shelter beds, office and service spaces, as well as an emergency shelter for women.

Plans also call for the building to have potential future commercial space, similar to City Hall’s Hallway Café.

The proposal is a good use of land that has long been vacant, said Michael Lee, president of the Chinese Benevolent Association.

“I’m in favor of building something on this site that would serve some people who are really neglected by society at large,” Lee said.

The association manages some establishments for Chinese elderly people nearby. He was consulted on the project alongside the Chinatown Transformation Collaborative.

Both groups are supportive of the project, saying e4c has proven to be a considerate neighbor and good facilities manager.

“We were just excited…because this will be the first new construction in the southern part of Chinatown,” said Sandy Pon, president and co-founder of the transformation group.

e4c officials declined to give an interview before the committee meeting.

But in an email to CBC, e4c spokesperson Shannon Donogh said acquiring the land was essential to moving the project forward and assessing its viability.

“We have been neighbors and long-time tenants of Boyle Street and the Quarters for over 50 years, and we look forward to the committee’s consideration on Wednesday,” Donogh said.

Growth slower than expected

The plot of land has been listed for sale on the city’s website for 36 months.

Advice. Anne Stevenson said the sale represents a great opportunity for the city to use its land to create business and housing in the area.

“The growth rate over the quarters has not been as high as expected, but there have been some great successes,” Stevenson said.

In the past five years, the neighborhood has seen the construction of a hotel and a high-rise apartment building – and the city has spruced up the streetscape along the Valley Line LRT.

But community members say the neighborhood is still too quiet.

“My dad lives in one of the buildings and he always says the neighborhood is very quiet,” Pon said.

“It would be nice to see more activity in the area.”

Depending on the city Neighborhood development plan, the region is currently home to approximately 2,400 people.

The objective is to increase the region’s population to 20,000 inhabitants. And the community feels that in recent years, progress has stalled.

“I think there’s still work and analysis to be done. But the team, the team of city staff who are working within the testing to identify some of these failures,” Stevenson said.

The city has attempted to re-evaluate zoning that creates requirements for ground-floor commercial space, she said.

“I’ve already heard that there is new interest from property developers who had been interested in the area before, but they just couldn’t make a mixed market product work.”

One of the challenges of the site is that the Joseph Reed Residence, a historic home built in 1912, occupies one of eight lots.

While the city has recommended preserving and repurposing the structure, e4c plans to demolish it to keep the project financially feasible.

Larissa Poseluzny, administrator of nearby arts venue CO*LAB, said she hopes that as the neighborhood’s development progresses, vulnerable populations in the area will be consulted and considered — something she has not always seen.

“They may not have a physical address, but they are a vital part of the community and deserve to have their voices heard, too.”