PLATFORM | 21m | 6s | CMLC | Kasian
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UrbanWarrior
Senior Member
I love living in the future.
maestro
Senior Member
?
maestro
Senior Member
Be right at home in Amsterdam
Cowtown
Senior Member
The design looks better now that I've seen it from some other angles. I love the massing of it, but the wildcard will be the mesh covering - it could go either way, be really cool, or a disaster.
Reecemartin
Active Member
I'm already not stoked on the idea of a big above ground downtown parkade but as Cowtown said if the mesh doesn't look great this is gonna be a real missed opportunity.
CBBarnett
Senior Member
It will be an interesting and well designed parkade, but I am still not convinced on how this project aligns with the overall goals of the city / evolution of the city centre.
Downtown Calgary & East Village aren't lacking parking stalls. What may lacking is the *perception* of available parking ($80 million is a expensive way to correct a perception). While the city and large office developers are moving away from building significant new parking structures (as parkade ROI and payback is now questionable over the long-run due to the anticipated impact of autonomous vehicles as well as active mode share growth in city centres everywhere), the city-owned CMLC is going the opposite way with this project. Granted; it is designed for future transition and has other uses in mind- definitely the right moves - but in the meantime (20, 30, 40+ years) it's a parkade adding to the over-supply of parking, suppressing demand/attractiveness of active transportation in the area through more auto-orientation of the area.
I know this isn't how funding for projects works in this city, but imagine if $80 million was spent on bicycle infrastructure? Or pedestrian improvements like wider sidewalks, street trees etc.? That's 3 more Peace Bridges ($25 million each) or 68km or 14.5 more cycletrack networks ($5.5 million for 6.5km) or 13 more 1st Street SW - scale street revitalizations ($6 million for 5 blocks). All these projects align very well with the trend of an increasingly urban and pedestrian-heavy city centre.
Surely any projects like these would have higher positive influence on achieving a sustainable, attractive future for downtown Calgary than another parkade - albeit a really nice and convertable one?
Downtown Calgary & East Village aren't lacking parking stalls. What may lacking is the *perception* of available parking ($80 million is a expensive way to correct a perception). While the city and large office developers are moving away from building significant new parking structures (as parkade ROI and payback is now questionable over the long-run due to the anticipated impact of autonomous vehicles as well as active mode share growth in city centres everywhere), the city-owned CMLC is going the opposite way with this project. Granted; it is designed for future transition and has other uses in mind- definitely the right moves - but in the meantime (20, 30, 40+ years) it's a parkade adding to the over-supply of parking, suppressing demand/attractiveness of active transportation in the area through more auto-orientation of the area.
I know this isn't how funding for projects works in this city, but imagine if $80 million was spent on bicycle infrastructure? Or pedestrian improvements like wider sidewalks, street trees etc.? That's 3 more Peace Bridges ($25 million each) or 68km or 14.5 more cycletrack networks ($5.5 million for 6.5km) or 13 more 1st Street SW - scale street revitalizations ($6 million for 5 blocks). All these projects align very well with the trend of an increasingly urban and pedestrian-heavy city centre.
Surely any projects like these would have higher positive influence on achieving a sustainable, attractive future for downtown Calgary than another parkade - albeit a really nice and convertable one?
darwink
Senior Member
^ Parking is self funded, not building it does not free up money to be spent somewhere else.
CBBarnett
Senior Member
You can take the parking revenue and reallocate it to non-parking projects though (in principle, perhaps not in practice given how our parking policies work here) instead of deciding to fund garages. Portland recently enacted a policy to dedicate 50% of all parking revenue to non-parking upgrades in the area that's purpose is to reduce driving (transit, pedestrian and bike infrastructure). https://www.sightline.org/2018/08/13/portland-smartest-parking-policy-in-america/
CMLC being city-owned, but not city-run - perhaps the "city" can't do much to change the outcomes or reallocate CMLC's funds (forgive me, I don't know how this relationship works, seems complex/nontransparent from my uninformed bystander perspective). But the principles of good urban design in city centres (especially our over-parked one) point to less parking, not more - even if its nicely designed/convertible in the future.
darwink
Senior Member
You could take direct revenues from existing projects and street parking, if they have a surplus beyond their financing, depreciation and operating needs sure. My understanding is you couldn't use the offsite parking reserve for other purposes (money towers are forced to pay in lieu of building parking) — you might even have to figure out how to reimburse it if you stop planning to build offsite parking!
I don't think Rivers District CRL money is going into the parking portion of the project - it is Calgary Parking Authority.
I don't think Rivers District CRL money is going into the parking portion of the project - it is Calgary Parking Authority.
Spring2008
Active Member
I visited a booth on this the other day and walked by site. Site's fenced off and zoning designation is posted. Believe they're aiming for early 2019 start. First couple floors totalling approx. 60k sf will be collaborative work pace and incubation/start-up space in partnership with many of Calgary's top organizations. Lots of potential here.
With The One tower u/c nearby and AIMCo/Cidex having purchased this lot (https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0445...4!1s-9Ht0yIibn2OM-IgxA4xTw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656) one block to the west late last year, one of the last desolate areas of the City Centre looks like it may be coming together.
With The One tower u/c nearby and AIMCo/Cidex having purchased this lot (https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0445...4!1s-9Ht0yIibn2OM-IgxA4xTw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656) one block to the west late last year, one of the last desolate areas of the City Centre looks like it may be coming together.
John Wick
New Member
I don't recall reading anything about that AIMCo/Cidex purchase. Is there any movement or info on that or are they presumably sitting on it until things pickup here a bit more?
Spring2008
Active Member
^Wasn't stated here before, researched the acquisition on RealNet and forgot to post it. Actually, AIMCo/Cidex purchased the lot on the other side in the Beltline (10th ave) as well around the same time. I'd say these are challenging sites due to rail tracks/9th ave, but the site is actually close to many cultural amenities, East Village, Stephen Ave, plus 10th ave and 1st SW amenities.
There's no telling how long before development, but AIMCo via WAM/One Properties and Cidex have been two of the most aggressive highrise developers here in recent years.
There's no telling how long before development, but AIMCo via WAM/One Properties and Cidex have been two of the most aggressive highrise developers here in recent years.
Operater
Active Member
Hi,
This project looks to B interesting in its Own Right. True its only a parking structure but lets hope it encourages Quality Projects in the areas.
Tnx,
Operater.
This project looks to B interesting in its Own Right. True its only a parking structure but lets hope it encourages Quality Projects in the areas.
Tnx,
Operater.
LloydBraun
Active Member
Not to mention a future green line station in the close vicinity. Surely Developers are waiting on certainty before design plans but shouldn't be long
