Glenora Skyline eyesore redevelopment 9 months away

Construction on the troubled Glenora Skyline project is about to restart under new ownership and a new name. But it will be at least nine months before the eyesore starts to disappear.

Work on the three luxury towers was abruptly stopped in January 2014 when the previous owners ran into money problems.

The property on Stony Plain Road and 142nd Street went into foreclosure and remained untouched for months before InHouse, a branch of Beaverbrook Developments, took full possession through a lengthy court process.

Beaverbrook is hoping to restart construction on the site by mid-summer 2016, but approval is still pending, although the company hopes to submit plans to city hall for approval before the new year.

The development has been renamed West Block and undergone a significant redesign. 

The proposed site will include a mix of commercial, residential and retail space spread over more than three acres.

A public square, a complex of new town homes and a private seniors-care facility are also included in the blueprints.

InHouse presented their plans to residents in an open house on Tuesday night.

"The most resounding comment we heard is that people are excited to see something happen again, they're very happy that we've come to the table to resurrect the project."  said project manager Salima Kheraj in an interview with CBC's Edmonton AM.

Although most of the community feedback has been positive, there were some complaints about possible traffic congestion.

Kheraj said those concerns have been addressed with the addition of a new access road running from the eastside main entrance.