While Edmonton is building the necessary infrastructure to support and encourage many new residential and office developments, the city is also working to assert its identity as the northernmost metropolis in North America with a population above one million. Just north of the financial district's core, several city blocks between 101 and 104 Streets NW, and 105 and 103 Avenues NW are being redeveloped into a modern entertainment area for Edmonton, known as the Ice District. Currently under construction, the project consists of several mixed-used towers organized around a shopping mall, a public plaza, and the widely anticipated Rogers Arena, future home of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.

Aerial view of the Ice District under construction, image by Forum contributor DarrenK

Designed by Dialog Architects, HOK and ATB Architecture, Rogers Place will have a capacity of 18,641 as a hockey venue and 20,734 when transformed into a concert hall. Scheduled for completion in 2016, the edifice is taking shape along 104 Avenue, with the glass portions of the buildings now complete. The cladding rails and brackets are also being installed on the insulated facade of the building, preparing for the final light metallic cladding to be applied soon. The protruding wing bridging over 104 Avenue, as seen in the picture below, will directly connect the arena to the pedestrian plaza in the centre of the development, assuring high foot traffic for the area and its businesses.

Rogers Place awaits cladding, image by Forum contributor DarrenK

To the southeast, at the corner of 104 Avenue and 102 Street, what is still a deep pit will eventually become the Delta Hotel & Residences Edmonton and stand 191 metres, or 56 storeys, above street level. The tower is in its early construction phase, as the foundations are currently being poured simultaneously with its neighbour to the south, the Stantec Tower . Designed by Stantec , it will be the tallest building of the complex and one of the city's tallest towers, at 251 metres above street level. The 68 storeys of the development will house a mix of office, residential, and retail spaces. Both towers are tentatively planned for delivery in 2018, and will front onto the pedestrian plaza, whose underground levels are now being formed, as seen in the picture below.

The site of the Delta Hotel and Residences and the Stantec Tower looking south, image by Forum contributor Daveography

Across the street on the southeast corner of the intersection of 104 Avenue and 102 Street, the Edmonton Civic Tower is becoming increasingly visible from other parts of the neighbourhood, as the concrete core approaches its final height of 27 storeys and the steel structure forming the office floor plates is almost halfway to the top. At 130 metres in height, the building will boast a slightly curved facade on the south side, contrasting with the existing surrounding buildings while aligning with developers WAM Development Group and Katz Group Properties ' design principles for the Ice District.

The Edmonton Civic Tower, image by Forum contributor DarrenK

As the first phase of development described above materializes, more details about phase two should become available in the next few months. This will include several lots around the current construction sites, in particular the 103 Street Greyhound Station site adjacent to the west. This is the future home of a project currently known as the Ice District Tower B, and is expected to rise to 160 metres and contain 55 levels of residential units atop a retail-dedicated podium. The Ice District will be connected to the rest of the city thanks to the newly opened Metro Line of the Edmonton LRT.

Rendering of the Ice District showing Tower B on the left, image via WAM Development Group and Katz Group Properties