UrbanWarrior
Senior Member
The Wurst location is being taken over by the Hayden Block/Comery Block group. To be turned into a brewery and smokehouse. Work is underway...
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Calgary Restaurant Thread
- Thread starter Surrealplaces
- Start date
JonnyCanuck
Senior Member
That's too bad that Wurst could not make a go of it. I believe it was the only German/Octoberfest themed place in the city. A big space so the capacity restrictions probably did not make it viable.
darwink
Senior Member
They lasted 10+ years. We need to stop thinking 'trend' restaurants lasting 30 years is a good thing. 10 years is a great success!
JonnyCanuck
Senior Member
Well, if I was the owner of Wurst, I think I would want to get more than 10 years out of my investment. Particularly as they lost some time (and revenue) in the 2013 flood closure and a year from the pandemic. Both closures were no fault of theirs.
MichaelS
Senior Member
Wurst was also pretty vocal about the rate of increase in their property tax.
calgaryherald.com
Varcoe: 'A failure of leadership' as council dithers while 8,000 businesses face massive tax hikes
They came, they saw, they dithered, they failed.
calgaryherald.com
darwink
Senior Member
While I have sympathy, I also point right back at landlords. The landlord bought the land and building for $1 million in 1995 according to spin. It is worth a lot more now, and the tenants are paying for the landlord's costs (the property tax) of holding a property that is worth far more as land than building. The tax shift adds to that, but it isn't only the shift.
Triple net leases don't really make much sense for properties that are under developed. It is a great deal for the land lord - but tenants should not sign a triple net lease there for anywhere near a similar $/sqft of a building that does not have redevelopment potential. Even better would be not to sign a lease which includes flow through for property taxes at all. The landlords should market properties with the lease rate including property taxes. That way, if the property is uncompetitive, they have massive incentive to redevelop.
Triple net leases don't really make much sense for properties that are under developed. It is a great deal for the land lord - but tenants should not sign a triple net lease there for anywhere near a similar $/sqft of a building that does not have redevelopment potential. Even better would be not to sign a lease which includes flow through for property taxes at all. The landlords should market properties with the lease rate including property taxes. That way, if the property is uncompetitive, they have massive incentive to redevelop.
zagox
Active Member
The loudest complainers about increased commercial property taxes on valuable sites (setting aside tax shift issues) conveniently neglect to mention that the owners of these buildings have made massive capital gains, and the tenants are likely getting lower rent than they otherwise would.
UrbanWarrior
Senior Member
Construction of the new place at Wurst is well underway now...
West of Gringo Street...
Cleaver has upgraded their patio...
And the former Fat Burger location in 20/20 is also well underway...
(no photo)
West of Gringo Street...
Cleaver has upgraded their patio...
And the former Fat Burger location in 20/20 is also well underway...
(no photo)
UrbanWarrior
Senior Member
Pretty much every place on 17th has finished expanding their patios. I’m impressed.
And Chakalaka is finishing up their rooftop patio...
And Chakalaka is finishing up their rooftop patio...
Color me impressed also. Looking forward to Patio season.
JonnyCanuck
Senior Member
Let's hope this variant gets under control or the next round of restrictions will probably force the closure of patios as happened in Ontario.
CBBarnett
Senior Member
It took a horrible global pandemic, but glad that our sidewalks and patios are finally getting some attention for what they could be if we let them and are smart about it. Some of these look great!
I am a huge fan that many places that now seem to acknowledge that it's okay to have a roofed patio. It seemed like roofs or shelters were such an afterthought in local patio design before this, despite the highly predictable daily thunderstorms for much of the summer season and a long shoulder season that only needs a patio owner to raise the temperature a few degrees and reduce the wind a bit to have a comfy outdoor sitting spot most of the year. Perhaps all this patio action is the start of a local design aesthetic that actually corresponds to our climate.
I am a huge fan that many places that now seem to acknowledge that it's okay to have a roofed patio. It seemed like roofs or shelters were such an afterthought in local patio design before this, despite the highly predictable daily thunderstorms for much of the summer season and a long shoulder season that only needs a patio owner to raise the temperature a few degrees and reduce the wind a bit to have a comfy outdoor sitting spot most of the year. Perhaps all this patio action is the start of a local design aesthetic that actually corresponds to our climate.
Urban Outdoorsman
Active Member
I second that, I love seeing restaurants spill out onto our main streets! I hope that the massive shift to patios in the summer will stay after the pandemic.
UrbanWarrior
Senior Member
It will certainly spur a paradigm shift in the long term... unless a gigantic men-in-black style neuralizer laser happens.
JonnyCanuck
Senior Member
The patios on Stephen Ave were quite full, within capacity restrictions, last Thurs & Fri evening. However the up and down weather this week is going to play havoc with planning and scheduling. We went from sunny and 20C on Saturday to snow and 1C on Sunday. Today and probably tomorrow will be a little too cool for outdoor dining. Warms up to 18C on Wed. and then cools right off again on Thurs heading into the weekend (with some snow). These restaurants can't catch a break.