General Construction Updates

[maestro]

Surely the boards on 7th show they're looking to move on it sometime soon? Interest rates are going down though so no incentive to do it quick > do it right.
Maybe we'll see them come back with a 300+, given it sounds they were ready for a 282. Hopefully with a better podium, and better usage of the 7 Ave space.

They're just securing vacant buildings by boarding up windows and doors with plywood. It's a minuscule investment in a billion dollar development. Triovest are a private equity fund and when they aren't using the funds to build their own things they are lending to other developers. Lower rates are not in their favour though there's no prime fixed rate on a large scale project.

The long game waiting for squatters to set the block ablaze is in their favour too.

 

[BigWoofer]

Just to really drive the point home... I struggle to see how this is anymore 'oppressive' on Stephen Ave's street feel than Bankers' Hall.

Funnily enough, this building is basically right at home, with widths that almost exactly match that of the surrounding Telus Sky, Brookfield, and other adjacent, older office towers.

Does Calgary want to be a world-class city or not? Let's get shovels in the ground on this thing.

Couldn't disagree more. The only definer of "world-class city" isn't just big monolithic towers. Plenty of world class cities around the globe have preserved historical districts - I think Calgary can spare one of our only surviving blocks of old buildings, in a pedestrian oriented downtown area which is already very lively and busy (the Stephen Ave portion, not commenting on the 7th Ave part). Calgary has plenty of room for large towers and dense development, but not many old surviving buildings. This portion of Stephen Avenue is special because it is pedestrian scale.

At best this project will plop a monolithic tower on that block, completely overshadowing the pedestrian realm. At worst it'll result in some facades pasted onto another boring corporate podium, or another Hotel York situation. Building this will mean the loss of something unique and irreplaceable - once it's gone, it's gone. I sincerely hope this is never built.

 

[BKha]

I disagree with your "fact" but think what you want lol.

I think he’s agreeing with you

 

[Geo_Jedi]

...

The final section of the ‘entertainment district’ next to the theatre has a new building going up that I can’t figure out. Was expecting steel as it was supposed to have retail. These precast cement walls look commercial. I hope it’s not a carwash. Would be a terrible addition to the theatre complex section. Not very entertaining.


View attachment 621090

Unfortunately you are correct in your fear of a carwash...

 

[Rollerstud98]

Airdrie's 'Inspire' fully enclosed, interior work underway

Airdrie's

discoverairdrie.com

They’ve given it a goofy name but our new library building is coming along.

 

[CalgaryTiger]

Unfortunately you are correct in your fear of a carwash...
View attachment 621521

Yikes, Seton... So much potential, so poorly executed. It has multi-family but it isn't urban at all. Huge opportunity missed.

 

[maestro]

"Inspire" sounds as bad as if it was "Inspire" in Tsuut'ina. What happened to calling a library a library? The Central Library just beat the buzzer on these bizarre naming conventions.

 

[O-tac]

Unfortunately you are correct in your fear of a carwash...
View attachment 621521

Attempting to not completely give up hope. There’s still half the site left. Wtf Brookfield never updates the Seton website. Still advertises it as an entertainment ‘district’. If shopping at Superstore then getting your car washed is entertainment then I’m Ron Swanson! Argh!!

 

[Mountain Man]

I think he’s agreeing with you

Apparently I read his reply wrong... lol.