M2 Block | ?m | 4s | XYC | Riddell Kurczaba

[Mountain Man]

It's not the ground breaking building we had hoped for, but it's definitely a nice building and a style we need to see more of! The fact that it interfaces so well with the riverwalk is the best part of it IMO.

 

[DiscoStu]

The fact that it interfaces so well with the riverwalk is the best part of it IMO.

Does it thought? I guess we'll have to see the final result, but I think there is plenty of room for improvement there too. They had an opportunity to create an inviting experience set against river (such as an indoor/outdoor cafe you'd see in Europe), yet it looks pretty sterile even in the renderings. The only real public space is in the alley...and even that looks somewhat cold.

 

[Mountain Man]

Basically I mean that it fronts directly onto Riverwalk, not a street. The final interaction will be up to the tenant that takes that ground floor space.

 

[Surrealplaces]

So much could change if they have patios out in front of it on the Riverwalk side. They do that, and the place could be an epic success.

 

[CBBarnett]

To be honest, I find this building a bit more generic than I was hoping. It's a nice, clean, modern effort.. but there's nothing really unique or interesting about it either. From the river-side, it comes across as a podium for an unbuilt tower.

Aesthetically I agree, it's fairly generic. But functionally - a pedestrian-focused (i.e. only pedestrian), low/mid-rise retail block with no parking is practically unheard of in Calgary. Generic or not, that's something I would like to see repeated a few hundred times throughout the inner city. It's real innovation is the application of something so basic that it's often overlooked - pure, uncut 100%-European style pedestrian orientation.

 

[Surrealplaces]

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[Zoom]

I think the building is on the sterile side, but that's okay if it's surrounded by good landscaping or good public space design. A resto patio with a semi open ceiling would be fantastic.

Something like this, but maybe with the woof painted black, so as to tie into the modern like design of the building?

 

[googspecial]

It comes across as a podium for an unbuilt tower.

West Village Towers podium wishes she could be her

 

[dougsie]

Anyone remember the details of how the underground parking is supposed to interact with the lot directly to the east?

It's meant to be shared between M2 and a future development if I remember correctly, but it looks like the ramp was built right along the lot line parallel to the Riverwalk, popping out right into the middle of the lot beside. As is, it seems like it would prevent anything being built with proper integration to the riverfront, but maybe it's meant to just be a temporary entrance that would be rejigged once something gets developed nextdoor?

 

[Urb]

Yes - it's temporary

 

[1875]

 

[UrbanWarrior]

 

[Mountain Man]

The darker cladding there looks great!

 

[maestro]

[

I think the building is on the sterile side, but that's okay if it's surrounded by good landscaping or good public space design. A resto patio with a semi open ceiling would be fantastic.

Something like this, but maybe with the woof painted black, so as to tie into the modern like design of the building?
View attachment 206501

The public space is cold and sterile with too much concrete and the design is not particularly engaging; the placement of the benches, for example. I think that is what makes this building look colder than it is. The standard ground floor layout is uninteresting . I'm hopeful they aren't done yet. Custom awnings would go a long way if a patio on public space isn't allowed.

I'm happy to see this completed. I'm a bit surprised it went so smoothly.

 

[CCF]

Ground floor will consist of a restaurant from a local group, and an e-bike shop (also a well-known local group).