Urban Development and Proposals Discussion

[Urb]

I like the design, just really don't like the materials and colours chosen.

To provide constructive criticism, I think it could be really good and still hang on to that mid-century vibe it is giving off. I'm guessing it is a whole lot of Hardie Panel and aluminum trims as drawn.

For the front elevation on 17 Avenue, i think it would look good if they changed:
- Grey and white sections - change to the Ash Matte brick by Interstate Brick. Use the thin brick version to save money.
View attachment 697157
- For the yellow, orange, brown (CRU's) and the larger white sections - change to a mix of MC 1-1/2" Wall Panel and corrugated metal siding installed vertically from someone like Metalworks Canada. I like the Hemlock Green but any of these three colour choices would be cool:
View attachment 697155
- Use either Commercial Brown or Beige Windows and sliders from typical suppliers.
- To add the visual interest to the front, use lots of Hardie Plank and Hardie Panel on the sides and rear of the building to save a money and colour-match the panels reasonably closely to the main colours used on the front elevations.

Think it could look a bit like this quick reskin i threw together:

View attachment 697151
closer up:
View attachment 697161

Tried to make it kind of like a tiny version of Capella Court building in King's Cross (London).

Just my two cents as I think the design could be elevated on the 17 Ave frontage and balance the budget out saving some money on the sides and rear cladding. Maybe I don't have good taste but I think something like this would look better.

You will like that fact that Allies and Morrison is working on a project here in Calgary. It will be announced soon.

 

[Albertasaurus]

Thanks for doing all the legwork in finding these projects Calgarytiger, and great news about those conversions. The west end of downtown is going to be insanely dense once they are all done, which is an amazing transformation considering how dead the area was a few years back. I hope there will be some significant architectural improvements to those Atrium buildings.

 

[Albertasaurus]

I like the design, just really don't like the materials and colours chosen.

To provide constructive criticism, I think it could be really good and still hang on to that mid-century vibe it is giving off. I'm guessing it is a whole lot of Hardie Panel and aluminum trims as drawn.

For the front elevation on 17 Avenue, i think it would look good if they changed:
- Grey and white sections - change to the Ash Matte brick by Interstate Brick. Use the thin brick version to save money.
View attachment 697157
- For the yellow, orange, brown (CRU's) and the larger white sections - change to a mix of MC 1-1/2" Wall Panel and corrugated metal siding installed vertically from someone like Metalworks Canada. I like the Hemlock Green but any of these three colour choices would be cool:
View attachment 697155
- Use either Commercial Brown or Beige Windows and sliders from typical suppliers.
- To add the visual interest to the front, use lots of Hardie Plank and Hardie Panel on the sides and rear of the building to save a money and colour-match the panels reasonably closely to the main colours used on the front elevations.

Think it could look a bit like this quick reskin i threw together:

View attachment 697151
closer up:
View attachment 697161

Tried to make it kind of like a tiny version of Capella Court building in King's Cross (London).

Just my two cents as I think the design could be elevated on the 17 Ave frontage and balance the budget out saving some money on the sides and rear cladding. Maybe I don't have good taste but I think something like this would look better.

That does look a lot better. I o like a bit fo colour on a project rather than the usual white/black/grey, and I don't mind the yellow and orange but can see how it could be a bit polarizing.

 

[Surrealplaces]

This list on the front page of the office conversion thread has been updated. If anyone sees anything missing or incorrect, let me know.

 

[Chowda7]

City announces nine additional downtown office conversion projects

The City of Calgary increasing effort to convert 6 million square feet of vacant downtown office space into residential and commercial uses.

calgaryherald.com

 

[JCS101]

This list on the front page of the office conversion thread has been updated. If anyone sees anything missing or incorrect, let me know.

Can we add 1207 11th ave SW. https://impeccable-interiors.ca/project/connaught-centre/

 

[CallmeCatbread]

You will like that fact that Allies and Morrison is working on a project here in Calgary. It will be announced soon.

HOLY SHIT WHAT

Allies and Morrison is one of the best multifamily architects on the freaking planet there is no way we're getting a project from them

 

[rkarsk]

I would love to see office to residential conversions along 17th Ave. So many empty and struggling office buildings that would be great conversion candidates for condos or boutique hotels.

Some candidates below.

Really have to disagree with you on this one. Calgary is already too segregated from a land use perspective. Having offices along retail corridors brings bodies in to support breakfast, lunch and general daytime activity so business don't have to only rely on the 6pm+ crowd to survive. If anything, 17th would benefit from more office space throughout.

 

[KensingtonLurker]

This list on the front page of the office conversion thread has been updated. If anyone sees anything missing or incorrect, let me know.

I think that 500 5 Ave SW, Chevron Building, is missing. That's another 332 units.
Another one that was completed in 2021 would be The Westley Hotel at 640 4 Ave SW. It has 104 rooms.

 

[Mountain Man]

An office to hotel conversion on 17th would be money!

 

[darwink]

boutique hotels.

Yes!

 

[Surrealplaces]

I've updated the list some more. I'm pasting it here so people can have a look in case they haven't seen it in the other thread.

	Name	Status	# Units/Rooms	Opened/Opening	Notes	Developer
1	Westley Hotel	Completed	104	2022	Hotel
2	Cube	Completed	65	2020		Strategic
3	Sierra Place	Completed	108	2022		Homespace
4	Cornerstone	Completed	112	2024	Including below-market and accessible	Peoplefirst
5	The Hat Eau Claire	Completed	87	2025		Cidex
6	HAT @ NINTH	Completed	108	2025	Teck Place	Cidex
7	The Loft	Completed	56	2025		Institutional Mortgage Capital
8	Dominion Centre	In Progress	122	2025	Including below-market	Alston Properties
9	Place 800	In Progress	204	2026	Including below-market	Peoplefirst
10	Taylor Building	In Progress	83	2026		Cressey
11	The Barron	In Progress	94	No posted date		Strategic
12	Petro Fina	Completed	103	2025	Including below-market	Astra Group/People First
13	Eau Claire Place II	In Progress	195	2025		Pacific Reach
14	Palliser One	In Progress	418	2027	Including below-market	Aspen Properties
15	Hannover Building	In Progress	264	No posted date		Cairo Developments
16	Joffre Place	In Progress	119	2026		Alston Properties
17	Element Hotel	Completed	226	2025	Hotel	PBA Land Development
18	110 - 12 Ave (Former Transalta)	In Progress	153
19	University of Calgary ( former Nexen bldg)	In Progress		2027	Campus for 1,200 students.	U of C
20	606 4th Street	Planning				Dream Office REIT
21	The HAT @ 5 Ave	Planning	32			Cidex
22	510 5th	Planning	128			Bluevale Capital
23	441 Fifth	Planning	63			Bluevale Capital
24	Atrium Residences	Planning	180			Astra Group/People First
25	Epique House	Planning	35			Alston Properties
26	Wicked Hostel	Planning			Hotel	Bryan Mar & Axiz Associates
27	640 5th	Planning	262			Kanas
28	Aurora Residence	Planning	92
29	Chevron Building	Planning	332