1405 - 4th Street | 77m | 24s | GWL | Arcadis

Well a 42 storey tower just started construction in the EV like two months ago, and a 6 storey with retail along the RiverWalk is starting in like 4 months. So I’m good with where we’re at with EV all things considered.

I’ll also take the 12 highrises between 10 and 20 storeys throughout our suburbs currently than 6 taller ones. Maybe someday, but I’d rather us fill out first.
 
The DP drawing package is now available on development map (there were website issues, finally resolved now by the looks of it), and more renderings are available there. I have also heard rumour that this is phase 1 of a 2 tower project, with the second twin tower being on the remainder of the parcel, including the small apartment building to the west. This one is 74.712m tall according to the elevations.
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Love the density. A couple of notes:

1). The "potential towers" shown on 14th Ave, west of Phase 2, would require demolishing existing mid-rise residential. I have a hard time believing that would be financially feasible any time in the next 20 years, especially given how much vacant land still exists.

2). Ground level is great, but the sidewalks are relatively narrow and there are no bike lanes, tree canopy, or meaningful space for patios, all of which provide more economic benefit than parking. Taking a look at the 2019 traffic flow, the roadway is overdesigned by more than 200%. There's off-peak parking, but it still just doesn't make sense. Great design for the development, but the success of its urbanism is being shafted by the transportation planning. And yes, I know that this street was identified in the Main Streets program, but it was not considered a priority, which is exactly my point.
 
2). Ground level is great, but the sidewalks are relatively narrow and there are no bike lanes, tree canopy, or meaningful space for patios, all of which provide more economic benefit than parking. Taking a look at the 2019 traffic flow, the roadway is overdesigned by more than 200%. There's off-peak parking, but it still just doesn't make sense. Great design for the development, but the success of its urbanism is being shafted by the transportation planning. And yes, I know that this street was identified in the Main Streets program, but it was not considered a priority, which is exactly my point.
Agreed - as in all renderings, the traffic lights and amount of signage are all minimized. The actual signal poles that will go in there are chunky and with huge gravity bases so will look way thicker. That cool looking magpie statue and other street furniture looks to be directly in the way of the crosswalk pedestrian direct travel line. Also not visible is the inexplicable, multiple signal control boxes we use at every intersection which will likely obscure the views of the magpie and the pedestrian flow further. I love the magpie, but I would rather the community amenity funding that the magpies cost go to burying the signal boxes that will show up one day.

This all may seem minor but a few small things like that will ultimately eat up 20-30% of the pedestrian right-of-way and prevent efficient mechanical snow clearing from ever being possible resulting in higher maintenance costs.

Otherwise tower and design look great. Obviously better than current conditions. Location top notch etc.
 
Love the density. A couple of notes:

1). The "potential towers" shown on 14th Ave, west of Phase 2, would require demolishing existing mid-rise residential. I have a hard time believing that would be financially feasible any time in the next 20 years, especially given how much vacant land still exists.

2). Ground level is great, but the sidewalks are relatively narrow and there are no bike lanes, tree canopy, or meaningful space for patios, all of which provide more economic benefit than parking. Taking a look at the 2019 traffic flow, the roadway is overdesigned by more than 200%. There's off-peak parking, but it still just doesn't make sense. Great design for the development, but the success of its urbanism is being shafted by the transportation planning. And yes, I know that this street was identified in the Main Streets program, but it was not considered a priority, which is exactly my point.

what do you mean by this?

the roadway is overdesigned by more than 200%.
 
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Hmmm those renders make me much more hopeful for this project. And seeing that the second tower will be on 14th rather than smooshed between this and Lofts makes me happy. Winwinwinnn 👌🏼😁
 
what do you mean by this?

the roadway is overdesigned by more than 200%.
Here's some capacity numbers for daily traffic volume for a 4 lane road w/ left turn:
-Numbers Every Traffic Engineer Should Know: 36,800 vehicles per day
-Road Diet Guide: 31,000 vehicles per day

According to the 2019 pre-pandemic traffic volumes, 4th street sees 11,000.

So really, it's more like 300%, but I rounded down to be conservative when accounting for peak volumes, off-peak parking, and that both 14th and 15th avenues are one-way.
 
Yeah, 4th St goes into the downtown with 4 lanes, 11,000 vehicles. The other four-lane one-way accesses into downtown are Bow Trail, 35,000 vehicles; 4th Ave (flyover + reconciliation), 36,000 vehicles; Macleod Tr, 22,000 vehicles in 2009 but 32,000 in 2014. 4th St north of 12th Ave might be the most obese road in the inner city. At least its lanes are only 11 feet, which is a foot over width but not as bad as the 12 foot lanes on Macleod.
 

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