Martel Block | 8m | 2s | Systemic Architecture

Silence&Motion said:
Garrison Corner (2016), Marda (2019), Martel Block (ongoing), Infinity (2018), Shops at Avenue Thirty Four (2020, 2022, ongoing)... 34 Ave is really starting to give 33 Ave a run for its money. Less congested, more human-scaled, more trees, and no strip malls.
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Cycle lanes coming as well. One of the great things about 34th is that it doesn't connect to Crowchild. Once the 34th ave main street upgrade is done (cycle lanes, better sidewalks, and burying the utility poles) it will indeed give 33rd a run for its money, and may even become the dominant retail street in a few years.
 
Surrealplaces said:
Cycle lanes coming as well. One of the great things about 34th is that it doesn't connect to Crowchild. Once the 34th ave main street upgrade is done (cycle lanes, better sidewalks, and burying the utility poles) it will indeed give 33rd a run for its money, and may even become the dominant retail street in a few years.
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The City missed a huge opportunity to build the northbound BRT station at the terminus of 34 Ave (busy main street) instead of 32 Ave (quiet residential street).
 
Silence&Motion said:
Garrison Corner (2016), Marda (2019), Martel Block (ongoing), Infinity (2018), Shops at Avenue Thirty Four (2020, 2022, ongoing)... 34 Ave is really starting to give 33 Ave a run for its money. Less congested, more human-scaled, more trees, and no strip malls.
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It’s a race between the two for which actually makes a pleasant space for walking and patios.

Both avenues function as loud, polluted SUV car sewers currently but won’t be for too long before some of these developments start finding designs and expanding sidewalks enough that they start working alright despite the context. That will encourage others to follow with their designs and patio configurations.

Combined with the upcoming main streets work and it’s very close to a really special area.
 
Silence&Motion said:
The City missed a huge opportunity to build the northbound BRT station at the terminus of 34 Ave (busy main street) instead of 32 Ave (quiet residential street).
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Really good point for the Calgary Transit thread - a local example where transit design seems to not consider the full importance of density, destinations, or walking trips in its location choices and design.

34 Avenue would be far more connective to people and destinations, while also naturally solving the barrier caused by high traffic and terrible pedestrian conditions to cross 33rd Ave.

Every signalized intersection to cross 33rd is a “beg button” where if you aren’t already waiting and haven’t pressed the button you get no walk signal, including the intersection at 33rd and Crowchild (which also includes 2 unprotected, high speed slip lane crossings). Every intersection with a protected turn further delays pedestrian movements on 33rd.

The nearest pedestrian-crossing where no wait is required is at 21st Ave pedestrian “blinker”, however it’s only a crosswalk on the east side rather than both, so will make some pedestrian trips longer than they would have to be.

It’s all in the details with transit and pedestrian design. Putting a stop a 5 minute (unpleasant) walk further from the activity centre reduces usability of transit and makes every trip less pleasant.
 
CBBarnett said:
Really good point for the Calgary Transit thread - a local example where transit design seems to not consider the full importance of density, destinations, or walking trips in its location choices and design.

34 Avenue would be far more connective to people and destinations, while also naturally solving the barrier caused by high traffic and terrible pedestrian conditions to cross 33rd Ave.

Every signalized intersection to cross 33rd is a “beg button” where if you aren’t already waiting and haven’t pressed the button you get no walk signal, including the intersection at 33rd and Crowchild (which also includes 2 unprotected, high speed slip lane crossings). Every intersection with a protected turn further delays pedestrian movements on 33rd.

The nearest pedestrian-crossing where no wait is required is at 21st Ave pedestrian “blinker”, however it’s only a crosswalk on the east side rather than both, so will make some pedestrian trips longer than they would have to be.

It’s all in the details with transit and pedestrian design. Putting a stop a 5 minute (unpleasant) walk further from the activity centre reduces usability of transit and makes every trip less pleasant.
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Really excited about this street corner and 34th in general. A little worried about what Co-op does with the block in the NW of this intersection.

To the point on transit, I live in Garrison and specifically take the 7 to and from work instead of the MAX line because it doesn't stop on Flanders Ave. 54th Ave and 32nd Ave are just too far away. The MAX Yellow tries to do too much IMO (Southland Leisure Centre, Rockyview Hospital, Mount Royal University, Downtown). But the whole Calgary transit bus system could use shakeup.
 
There are some really nice smaller developments happening a block East of this building. Leonard Development Group have converted a few old houses into some boutique retail.

They are also converting a 2 story building directly West of these into retail units and building townhomes on top. Think they're calling it Henry Block? Will try and take a picture next time I walk by, it looks amazing and I hope some good retail goes in there. Great repurposing of an outdated building into something new.

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I am sure this will be fine in the end, but I am really surprised just how much surface parking is taking up on this site, it's wild how small the building is relative to the parcel:

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I expected more from Marda Loop developers, as at least half of them realize they are building in a semi-urban place destined to become increasingly pedestrian and urbanized in the coming years.

At least this development realized pedestrian-oriented retail component is a good thing and built the small building to acknowledge that by pushing the frontage up to the sidewalk. Too bad it'll end up being mostly just a parking lot.
 
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I wondered if there were minimum parking requirements at the time of permitting, or if the parking in the back was just an acknowledgment that there will be limited street parking immediately adjacent to the building (none on 20th, maybe one or two on 34th (maybe none with Main Streets changes). One possitive is that the parking will be largely unseen from the street.
 
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