Il Portico: 4 Years Later

ScottieA · 03-08-2012, 01:24 PM

Just thought that I would share an update of what the site now looks like. I have to walk past this every day, and it makes my blood boil seeing the state of this building (abandoned and deteriorating). It's truly shameful that this place closed down, all in the name of a small and cheap parking solution for Alberta Blue Cross...

The front door has been closed in by this plywood wall with another door that is locked by a padlock.

The ground level windows along 107 Ave are all boarded up. Must be a lovely sight for customers at the Matrix to look down at.

No real cleanup of the site is happening on a regular basis.

And it may look like wood chips, but those are dead leaves that have rotted together to form a grey mass. The trees and shrubs are starting to die now.

Sonic Death Monkey · 03-08-2012, 01:32 PM

I miss Il Portico. Anyone know what the deal is? I'm guessing the parking lot was killed by the city.

IanO · 03-08-2012, 01:41 PM

There is/was plans for an office tower for BC, but that might be a ways out still...?

Paul Turnbull · 03-08-2012, 01:42 PM

Now I am sad. A good restaurant closed for a development that never happened. :/

IanO · 03-08-2012, 01:56 PM

^yes and no. Didnt the owners all want to go their own ways or something of that nature?

GreenSPACE · 03-08-2012, 02:38 PM

^Even so, the space could still be used now until other plans are made. No reason for it to sit empty.

IanO · 03-08-2012, 02:52 PM

Then do something Mr. talk no walk

Chmilz · 03-08-2012, 03:10 PM

Hate to say it, but Edmonton has lots of great pasta, but without this closing we may have never had Marc grace us with their excellent french bistro (though I'm still disappointed that the pork spatzel was rotated off the menu...)

SteveB · 03-08-2012, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanO

^yes and no. Didnt the owners all want to go their own ways or something of that nature?

Yes, they didn't tell the staff or anything until it shut. They could have kept operating without the parking out front...was a business decision by the owners if I remember correctly

deedub35 · 03-08-2012, 04:22 PM

Having once lived on 110 street/100 avenue we went there probably about once every three to four weeks.

jagators63 · 03-08-2012, 06:06 PM

This building was sold to alberta blue cross and was planning to demolish it to make parking lot for their employees but they decided to keep the bulding stand as is ever since.

my boss who was once general manager there and now, he is the owner of The Marc Restaurant.

this restaurant was closed on Oct 3 rd 2008

ChrisD · 05-08-2012, 11:53 AM

Yes, I believe ABC had plans to tear it down and build a parking lot, but they recieved some major flack over that idea and has since sat idle.

jagators63 · 05-08-2012, 12:04 PM

^^^ Yes, correct

jagators63 · 05-08-2012, 12:08 PM

here the link

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourna...5-470adc52c3b8

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourna...5-0ec9784d2dae

Cal76 · 06-08-2012, 07:55 PM

Apologies for nitpicking, but it should be 107 St, not 107 Ave (my neck of the woods)!

Marcel Petrin · 07-08-2012, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanO

^yes and no. Didnt the owners all want to go their own ways or something of that nature?

I think the termination of their lease prompted them to go their separate ways instead of moving elsewhere, but had that not happened it's likely Il Portico or something similar would still be operating there. The Blue Cross royally screwed Edmonton on this one with their complete lack of foresight.

03-08-2012, 01:24 PM	#1
ScottieA Addicted to C2E Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Edmonton	Il Portico: 4 Years Later Just thought that I would share an update of what the site now looks like. I have to walk past this every day, and it makes my blood boil seeing the state of this building (abandoned and deteriorating). It's truly shameful that this place closed down, all in the name of a small and cheap parking solution for Alberta Blue Cross... The front door has been closed in by this plywood wall with another door that is locked by a padlock. The ground level windows along 107 Ave are all boarded up. Must be a lovely sight for customers at the Matrix to look down at. No real cleanup of the site is happening on a regular basis. And it may look like wood chips, but those are dead leaves that have rotted together to form a grey mass. The trees and shrubs are starting to die now. __________________ Formerly known as Megatron Last edited by ScottieA; 03-08-2012 at 01:28 PM..

03-08-2012, 01:32 PM	#2
Sonic Death Monkey Addicted to C2E Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Downtown	I miss Il Portico. Anyone know what the deal is? I'm guessing the parking lot was killed by the city. __________________ “You have to dream big. If we want to be a little city, we dream small. If we want to be a big city, we dream big, and this is a big idea.” - Mayor Stephen Mandel, 02/22/2012

03-08-2012, 01:41 PM	#3
IanO Addicted to C2E Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Edmonton	There is/was plans for an office tower for BC, but that might be a ways out still...? __________________ inspiration or mediocrity www.decl.org Ottawa-Edmonton-Vancouver-Edmonton

03-08-2012, 01:42 PM	#4
Paul Turnbull Addicted to C2E Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Westmount, Edmonton	Now I am sad. A good restaurant closed for a development that never happened. :/ __________________ twitter.com/chigaze

03-08-2012, 01:56 PM	#5
IanO Addicted to C2E Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Edmonton	^yes and no. Didnt the owners all want to go their own ways or something of that nature? __________________ inspiration or mediocrity www.decl.org Ottawa-Edmonton-Vancouver-Edmonton

03-08-2012, 02:38 PM	#6
GreenSPACE Addicted to C2E Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Downtown	^Even so, the space could still be used now until other plans are made. No reason for it to sit empty. __________________ www.decl.org

03-08-2012, 02:52 PM	#7
IanO Addicted to C2E Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Edmonton	Then do something Mr. talk no walk __________________ inspiration or mediocrity www.decl.org Ottawa-Edmonton-Vancouver-Edmonton

03-08-2012, 03:10 PM	#8
Chmilz Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jan 2009	Hate to say it, but Edmonton has lots of great pasta, but without this closing we may have never had Marc grace us with their excellent french bistro (though I'm still disappointed that the pork spatzel was rotated off the menu...) __________________ "Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" - Blaise Pascal

03-08-2012, 04:22 PM	#10
deedub35 Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Kelowna	Having once lived on 110 street/100 avenue we went there probably about once every three to four weeks.

03-08-2012, 06:06 PM	#11
jagators63 Addicted to C2E Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton (belevedre)	This building was sold to alberta blue cross and was planning to demolish it to make parking lot for their employees but they decided to keep the bulding stand as is ever since. my boss who was once general manager there and now, he is the owner of The Marc Restaurant. this restaurant was closed on Oct 3 rd 2008 __________________ Edmonton Rocks Rocks Rocks Last edited by jagators63; 05-08-2012 at 12:02 PM..

05-08-2012, 11:53 AM	#12
ChrisD Addicted to C2E Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Edmonton, AB	Yes, I believe ABC had plans to tear it down and build a parking lot, but they recieved some major flack over that idea and has since sat idle.

05-08-2012, 12:04 PM	#13
jagators63 Addicted to C2E Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton (belevedre)	^^^ Yes, correct __________________ Edmonton Rocks Rocks Rocks

05-08-2012, 12:08 PM	#14
jagators63 Addicted to C2E Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton (belevedre)	here the link http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourna...5-470adc52c3b8 http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourna...5-0ec9784d2dae __________________ Edmonton Rocks Rocks Rocks

06-08-2012, 07:55 PM	#15
Cal76 Addicted to C2E Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Edmonton	Apologies for nitpicking, but it should be 107 St, not 107 Ave (my neck of the woods)!