General Construction Updates

[MichaelS]

I posted the three sort of big CPC updates in the individual threads for next week. Here are a few other items of interest that don't have their own thread.

17th Avenue SE International Avenue ARP is going to CPC (items 7.2.1 and 7.2.2):
Draft ARP:
https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=69537
City initiated land use changes:
https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=69543

One of the 14 new greenfield communities, Homestead, in Residual Sub-Area 5G (items 7.29 and 7.2.10)
https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=69568

And a small medical clinic being proposed at the corner of 26th Ave and 20th Street SW (Item 7.2.14):
https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=69599
DP design (not full package):
https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=69603

 

[Surrealplaces]

MacLeod Professional bldg almost done.

 

[FCC1982]

I found a few renderings of the proposed Alberta Ballet project in Erlton. Does anyone know if this is still in the works?

View attachment 159745 View attachment 159746 View attachment 159747 View attachment 159748

I sure hope it is.
I know the opera house at Stampede Park is moving along.

 

[Platopos]

I sure hope it is.
I know the opera house at Stampede Park is moving along.

Very sexy design. Looks really similar to a few projects in downtown Toronto, where they combine the components of an old, historic building and merge it with a newer half. The only complaint I have is the new side looks a little blocky aside from the very interesting bent wood panels.

 

[maestro]

Long story short-
- An educated populace drives prosperity. And it drives it for every income group (higher wages, lower unemployment)
- The target demographic to attract is 25-34 year olds with at least a 4 year college degree. They are the most likely to move between cities.
- This demographic group shows a preference for living in close, urban neighbourhoods

Thoughts?

I agree with this study. I do believe that well paying professional jobs in oil & gas, and supporting industries, were attracting well educated 25-34 year olds to Calgary from other cities. Those job opportunities have declined significantly over the last 3-4 years. You probably have people in that demographic all over the country that want to move here, but are unclear about their prospects for the future.
That is why it is baffling to me, why the spike in rental residential construction in the inner city. Who are these people who are moving into the inner city when the job market is so uncertain? Are they native Calgarians wanting to move out of the suburbs? If so are they living in the inner city but working outside of it?

The spike in rental housing is nationwide. It's not specific to Calgary. Calgary is just a participant. It's not surprising Calgary is a participant either. It's a major urban centre and 25 to 34 years olds are seeking an enriched lifestyle not based on material things. They can't afford the lifestyle of past generations across most of Canada. It's increasingly harder in Alberta too as the post oil boom drags on. That is what caught the interest of investors to the rental housing market.

The amount being built in my opinion does reflect the current economic situation around energy. There would much more under construction if those office towers were filled.

 

[maestro]

The atrium is lovely but, I wish the other sides were rendered too. It looks like an architectural statement tacked onto a conventional addition in one of the renderings. The juxtaposition doesn't always turn out well.

 

[Patrick.1980]

There was a land use submitted recently for area alongside the CP tracks. Does anyone know what that's about?

 

[gsunnyg]

Isn't that where the residential developments for the entertainment district are suppose to go?

 

[Stephen Ave]

I thought it was potential athlete housing for the Olympics.

 

[darwink]

So, that area has a a lot of recent land reorganization, almost all of the parcels were touched in 2017 or 2018. Someone who wants to invest some money can check whether it is CMLC or Remington. IBI was one of the original consultants on Remington's railtown. Interestingly, it looks like the province has given up its high speed rail station land at 4th St SE.

 

[Nimbus]

Isn't that the Remington lands?

 

[JonnyCanuck]

This was the proposed 'Railtown' site by Remington Developments which I assume had already been zoned for residential or mixed use. Since neither the Olympics or the Entertainment District proposal has been approved, it seems premature that there would be any land use changes. Doesn't it??

 

[darwink]

Old old Railtown... This actually might be an early design before who was it - Foster - created a concept, the Gateway??

The text, starting in the upper left and going clockwise:

• Office towers connected by 6-8 story glass twisted garden atrium
• Major pedestrian corridor ala Spanish Steps over rail lines
• Rooftop gardens above parkade
  
• Major interpretive park ????? - East Gateway to project and downtown containing vintage locomotives, station house and gardens, roundhouse, water tower
• Pedestrian promenade along 7th Street alignment
• ???? ???? stepped down along river
• Mixed use project including retail, office, live/work and big box formats in pedestrian oriented setting with through linkages to river
• Central Plaza - a south facing - lined with restaurants and specialty retail
• Gateway residential above retail - towers at corners oriented towards courtyards, fronted by ground appropriate town homes
• Central Plaza Tower Project - office, residential, hotel mix
• European Style LRT & High Speed Rail Station with multiple access points

 

[Mountain Man]

Where is the HSR station supposed to go eventually?

 

[Surrealplaces]

Here's the rendering of the other Railtown version. Interesting that there are no details, but if it was submitted by IBI, then it must be something for Remington (unless they've since sold the land)