1st St Chinatown Tower Development | ?m | 28s | El Condor Lands | Perkins + Will

[Surrealplaces]

That’s good news, and a decent architect involved, so here’s hoping ?

 

[Mountain Man]

I wonder if they are going in with a lower FAR, the size was a major concern for the community.

 

[gsunnyg]

This is great news! Can't believe the original proposal faced criticism from locals, that too in downtown. If well designed projects like this are getting slammed by NIMBYism then we're doomed.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

Please bring this back to life as is, part strata / part rental. I love it. Hon Group if you can hear me, build it and i will move in!

 

[YourBoy007]

Planning Commission meeting scheduled for April 8th

 

[Calgcouver]

Can't keep El Condor down, they are stepping back in like:

Glad cause i love this project.

 

[Urban Outdoorsman]

What changes will they have made to the new plan? I loved the renderings of the street level activity, really hope they keep that element.

Also I'm a little late to the party on this project but what where the major hang ups? As far as I can tell this is a slam dunk.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

It was entirely in regards to the Chinatown Community Association shutting it down. Their position was essentially that it would destroy Chinatown somehow.

 

[Urban Outdoorsman]

Hmm, was it the density or what?

 

[GoVertical]

I'm so happy this came back to the table!

 

[gsunnyg]

Hmm, was it the density or what?

Loss of surface parking and height, which are ridiculous things to oppose in downtown.

 

[Disraeli]

The community association doesn't want the area to gentrify and price out small business and lower income tenants like what has occurred in other chinatowns in North America. They have legitimate concerns but there are ways to address them without halting all development in the area. The lot is on the edge of Chinatown after all.

 

[Urban Outdoorsman]

The community association doesn't want the area to gentrify and price out small business and lower income tenants like what has occurred in other chinatowns in North America. They have legitimate concerns but there are ways to address them without halting all development in the area. The lot is on the edge of Chinatown after all.

I get that, not really sure how you can do any development without that as a concern though. I like Chinatown, but truth be told I wish it was bigger. A development like this could really help make Chinatown more of a destination, but I do understand the fear of being priced out of the neighborhood.

 

[The Familia]

Chinatown sure isn’t doing themselves any favours. The area is dilapidated and run down. There is nothing really there to attract people to go. They need more restaurants and retail and to fix up their crumbling buildings and infrastructure. If they keep it up and block future development they will only set themselves back.

 

[gsunnyg]

Chinatown sure isn’t doing themselves any favours. The area is dilapidated and run down. There is nothing really there to attract people to go. They need more restaurants and retail and to fix up their crumbling buildings and infrastructure. If they keep it up and block future development they will only set themselves back.

Exactly, look at Vancouver's Chinatown. Now it's on a freefall with homeless people everywhere. A healthy neighbourhood needs to continue to attract investment to thrive. Too much or too little investment is bad. Although the population has increased, Calgary's Chinatown has been showing signs of a declining neighbourhood and with nearby areas like Eau Claire losing businesses and a YMCA, it's not getting any better. This development and the Greenline (connecting Chinese businesses along Centre Street) could really help bring more life into the area.