Silence&Motion
Senior Member
I'd settle for more frequent bus service.
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Urban Development and Proposals Discussion
- Thread starter Surrealplaces
- Start date
I'd settle for more frequent bus service.
CBBarnett
Senior Member
Or more logical service. Grided, straightish routes along main streets vs. arbitrary turns off and onto main roads.
Silence&Motion
Senior Member
Yes! The 7 is the only route that actually runs through Marda loop. Great for getting home from 17th Ave, but it won’t take me there.
I miss the Toronto grid.
CBBarnett
Senior Member
I wonder if Calgary Transit will ever do a service review on the scale of many of our competitor cities are doing lately? Many are responding to declining ridership through better network planning: competitive, straight, efficient routes vs. inefficient and windy routes. Shifting from a coverage focus (minimize walking distance but low frequency) to a frequency focus (longer walk times, but more frequency and reliability on main routes).
Decades of service requests for new stops, service tweaks and route adjustments - both the actual route and the physical characteristics of the street itself (e.g. new lights, new traffic patterns etc.) render many bus routes bloated with too many stops and too many weird, travel-time increasing turns. I get that our curve-linear burbs are antithetical to efficient bus route planning, but many of the routes in our gridded inner city are also strangely designed. It has always boggled my mind that no bus goes straight along 16th Avenue N. Every route that travels on the street makes weird detours that prevent efficient transit travel east-west (although this is soon changing).
AJX
Active Member
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-developer-buys-17th-avenue-buildings-1.4614830
Calgary developer buys 42 buildings to revamp 17th Avenue
Calgary developer buys 42 buildings to revamp 17th Avenue
Attachments
Rollerstud98
Active Member
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-developer-buys-17th-avenue-buildings-1.4614830
So Arlington has purchased 42 buildings along 17th with pretty major plans.
So Arlington has purchased 42 buildings along 17th with pretty major plans.
AJX
Active Member
Pretty crazy. My worry is that if they do mediocre stuff, it could ruin things for 17th. I haven't seen Arlington do anything yet with any of the properties they've purchased, so maybe nothing will happen.
gsunnyg
Senior Member
I dont know if anyone bumped into this recent layout by CMLC for the river districts but it gives us a good idea of how the rest of east village could be filled up. Plus that 17th ave news is amazing to know! Wish i was 10 years younger, Calgary will be a beast like any other metro in another 10-15 years once these plans get underway. I really do hope they don't mess up the Entertainment district, its going to be one of those things that define us as a city like Dundas square for Toronto, Times Square in NY or Piccadilly circus in London.
IanBray
Active Member
I don't know how I feel about this. I like the push for density around 17th Ave but Arlington are vultures, the building's that they have purchased are all low rise, unique or boutique buildings. This includes the Analogue Coffee Building, Blanco etc. These building's are low rise but have excellent pedestrian interface. The Analogue corner for example is an incredibly busy a sunny spot.
What I gather from the article is that Arlington plan to demo these buildings and construct mid rises similar to what they are constructing on 5th street across from National. I like the density but not the potentially bland and characterless architecture. I note that Arlington also own the heritage block that currently houses Commonwealth and Bridgette Bar. I would hate to see this block go.
Silence&Motion
Senior Member
Looks like its Arlington Street Investments. Does anyone know what kind of reputation they have? The article claims they own a third of the buildings on 17th Ave. I really hope they know what they're doing.
IanBray
Active Member
I have copied over my comment from the General Development Discussion Thread regarding Arlington's 17th Ave plans.
I don't know how I feel about this. I like the push for density around 17th Ave but Arlington are vultures, the building's that they have purchased are all low rise, unique or boutique buildings. This includes the Analogue Coffee Building, Blanco etc. These building's are low rise but have excellent pedestrian interface. The Analogue corner for example is an incredibly busy a sunny spot.
What I gather from the article is that Arlington plan to demo these buildings and construct mid rises similar to what they are constructing on 5th street across from National. I like the density but not the potentially bland and characterless architecture. I note that Arlington also own the heritage block that currently houses Commonwealth and Bridgette Bar. I would hate to see this block go.
I don't know how I feel about this. I like the push for density around 17th Ave but Arlington are vultures, the building's that they have purchased are all low rise, unique or boutique buildings. This includes the Analogue Coffee Building, Blanco etc. These building's are low rise but have excellent pedestrian interface. The Analogue corner for example is an incredibly busy a sunny spot.
What I gather from the article is that Arlington plan to demo these buildings and construct mid rises similar to what they are constructing on 5th street across from National. I like the density but not the potentially bland and characterless architecture. I note that Arlington also own the heritage block that currently houses Commonwealth and Bridgette Bar. I would hate to see this block go.
Meikkhaell
Active Member
This could be huge. They're specifically citing a lack of density as a primary reason for this acquisition. Might pave the way for some massive changes.
42 buildings is a lot ... I know most of them are 1-3 stories usually ... but still. Wonder how much it all cost to acquire?
Could be great, especially for the Red Mile and the whole entertainment district thing - that is - if Calgary can stop doing epic faceplants and actually make the playoffs
Then again, I can't be too hopeful as with such a large purchase by a single developer, it has a chance of just being some billionaire's canvas ... a big master-planned, synthetic smozzle no one asked for.
42 buildings is a lot ... I know most of them are 1-3 stories usually ... but still. Wonder how much it all cost to acquire?
Could be great, especially for the Red Mile and the whole entertainment district thing - that is - if Calgary can stop doing epic faceplants and actually make the playoffs
Then again, I can't be too hopeful as with such a large purchase by a single developer, it has a chance of just being some billionaire's canvas ... a big master-planned, synthetic smozzle no one asked for.
Nimbus
Active Member
Put me in the "not enthusiastic" camp about Arlington and their plans for 17th. @IanBray sums up how I feel very nicely, if they take out all the little buildings and slap in midrise with retail the costs for rent will most likely just get higher. How is that going to possibly allow for unique retail to set up shop? I have no problem with a good mix, including urban format big box retail. I guess the true challenge is how to make that happen.
UrbanWarrior
Senior Member
That seems like worst case scenario. Like I couldn't imagine a worse developer, or worse than a single developer doing all of our most important street. Jesus.
O-tac
Active Member
Analog is one of the most urban coffee spots in the city. It would be an absolute shame if they bulldozed it. I’m all for more density but I fear they risk destroying any character the street has left. The old corner grocery it's in is an important historical marker for the area. Does anyone know if they bought out the now closed Wendy’s? That type of stuff should be the first to go. Not Analog Coffee.
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