[esquire]

Downtown land was relatively cheap for a long time, it didn't seem to generate much development action.

Success begets success. You build something substantial, it fills in a lot and creates a more appealing place overall, which in turn generates more demand for space be it residential or commercial. For instance, would the new building at Donald and St. Mary be going up if it weren't for TNS nearby? Suddenly surface parking lot owners start looking at more lucrative uses for their increasingly valuable land than renting out a few dozen parking spots for $14 a day or whatever.