O-tac
Active Member
Half block walls of glass are much less appealing as a pedestrian than an original corner store and human sized house with an interesting tenant that isn’t a bank or a subway.
Enzo | 27m | 6s | Arlington Street | DAAS
- Thread starter UrbanWarrior
- Start date
gsunnyg
Senior Member
IMO, I think it looks weird to go from a midrise to a house. The transition ruins the continuity of the main street, or more so, a pedestrian-level flanking wall of buildings. I think a house like that looks more appropriate off a main street. Wouldn't even mind having a few in a row. That's the weird part about 17th Ave, it's still a clutter of mess with buildings of all different shapes and sizes, unlike other historical main streets seen in NA like St. Catherines. I think the best mainstreets I've experienced around the world always hit an ideal height of 4-8 storeys depending on the floor-to-ceiling ratio.
badc0ffee
Active Member
Houses by themselves don't ruin the continuity of a main street. There's no setback or useless green space or plaza here, or really any gaps between the buildings. The front of the house is part of the street wall.
Lang's is downright pleasant to walk past, or to see from the park across the street.
Lang's is downright pleasant to walk past, or to see from the park across the street.
Woosh
New Member
I'd suggest that this is a false dichotomy. It's perfectly doable to create high rise buildings which retain attractive facades at street level.
And of course, development along 17th ave provides other benefits. Like housing supply and a larger contingency of folks who aren't car dependant and willing to advocate for safer, less car-dependent streets.
JoeUrban
Active Member
View attachment 567549
Generally curious but is this character?...I would definitely like to see a well-designed midrise go up on that corner over a mural.
Funny note, that building was built in 1930. Very curious what it used to look like.
CalgaryTiger
Senior Member
Street view goes back a few years, but no real change.
Thrillhou
New Member
You can get an idea from the roof shape on the satellite image. Langs is 833 and you can see the grocery "appendage" around the original home structure. It looks similar to what was torn down (825).
Reminds me of those original homes in Chinatown are is almost completely hidden by the commercial additions
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CBBarnett
Senior Member
Honestly, we should just allow this type of commercial extension again on all collector roads. Want to open a business and have a useless front lawn? Go for it.
CalgaryTiger
Senior Member
As the kids say, let Leonard Development cook.
1875
Senior Member
shermanator
New Member
This. Leonard Development Group are doing the best work in Marda Loop, and it's not even close. Just walked by their Elizabeth Square development and when the plaza is finished, that area is going to be amazing.
I guess it depends on what you want, but I prefer small additions of density that keep character and cater to small business over half block 6 story walls with chain retail on the main floor. One takes a lot longer to build and doesn't allow the developer to charge maximum rents so we get a lot more of the latter unfortunately.
I agree. It's one the reasons I wish the city would breakup large parcels like Westbrook or Eau Claire into smaller ones to be sold to varying developers instead of one. The city could still do a master plan for sidewalks, roadways, etc.. but a collection of smaller individual developments would have a lot more charm and character. In a way I'm kind of glad that Matco and Harvard failed, we can take another run at it.