luk_o
New Member
Agreed. The rep from QuadReal for the project said renderings will be made public within the next few weeks.
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Urban Development and Proposals Discussion
- Thread starter Surrealplaces
- Start date
CBBarnett
Senior Member
I don't really understand these plaza renovation projects. I like things "spruced up" as much as the next person as opposed to stale 1980s designs, but will it be anything more than a 2019 corporate plaza instead of a 1980 one? I guess it can help the tower compete for tower-interested clients against similarly aged towers with nicer main floors, but will it respond to the trends and contemporary needs materially? I am not even speaking something major - adding some co-working space or ground level retail that people actually want to be at - but even like trees and materially more bicycle racks. Or is it more of a re-pave, re-paint, re-visit in 40 years for the same?
luk_o
New Member
I'm in WCP quite a bit, I know one thing they definitely want to upgrade are the automatic revolving doors at the main entrances - they are brutal. I'm interested to hear the details and see the renderings though because beyond that, there is nothing in dire need at WCP IMO, it is dated and a bit stale but fine for what it is if no retail is added.
Agree completely. Most office building renos don't do anything for the public realm or the streetscape. They are only standard updates to keep from looking dated, and to keep the tenants happy. I'd like to see a reno where some exterior retail gets added, but there's no incentive for the owners to do that.
IIRC, they did a fairly major reno on the interior a few years back. Can't remember what they did exactly, but they had scaffolding, and ongoing work for quite some time.
I think we've seen this before, but here's a refresher on the update to 17th ave. The thing that sticks out more than anything is the removal of the telephone poles. Would be nice if the lamp posts were slightly closer to the street.
Atticus
Active Member
The telephone poles alone are a huge improvement.
CBBarnett
Senior Member
Re: 17th Avenue changes:
While the telephone poles are gone (good) they have decided to replace them with ornamental street light poles with flags, clustered at intersections (bad). Combining these new ornamental poles - with the City's bizarrely huge standard base design and the aforementioned placement far from the curb - and the signal control boxes remaining in the same location (in most cases I think) pedestrians actually are getting less space than before, now with more cluttered major intersections. It's been the huge disappointment for this project for me: it doesn't have pedestrians in mind or how people use the street currently let alone in the future (arguably a more pedestrian one in this area).
This whole 17th Avenue rebuild always been conceived as a utility project with only the slightest window dressing of pedestrian improvements despite the marketing push saying otherwise. The result is a pedestrian environment with negligible improvements, a huge $45 million price tag (95% of which is below the ground) and a public left with the perception - why did it cost so much for so little improvement? Of course, the utility upgrades were needed and were always going to be expensive - but then we shouldn't be marketing this as a public realm improvement project.
Apologies for my grumpiness on this one - I just happen to think two wheelchairs (at least) should be able to pass side-by-side on our most popular pedestrian sidewalk in our most urban part of the city, especially after an "upgrade" ☹
/endrant
While the telephone poles are gone (good) they have decided to replace them with ornamental street light poles with flags, clustered at intersections (bad). Combining these new ornamental poles - with the City's bizarrely huge standard base design and the aforementioned placement far from the curb - and the signal control boxes remaining in the same location (in most cases I think) pedestrians actually are getting less space than before, now with more cluttered major intersections. It's been the huge disappointment for this project for me: it doesn't have pedestrians in mind or how people use the street currently let alone in the future (arguably a more pedestrian one in this area).
This whole 17th Avenue rebuild always been conceived as a utility project with only the slightest window dressing of pedestrian improvements despite the marketing push saying otherwise. The result is a pedestrian environment with negligible improvements, a huge $45 million price tag (95% of which is below the ground) and a public left with the perception - why did it cost so much for so little improvement? Of course, the utility upgrades were needed and were always going to be expensive - but then we shouldn't be marketing this as a public realm improvement project.
Apologies for my grumpiness on this one - I just happen to think two wheelchairs (at least) should be able to pass side-by-side on our most popular pedestrian sidewalk in our most urban part of the city, especially after an "upgrade" ☹
/endrant
MichaelS
Senior Member
Not much at CPC next week. Only one DP, and it is for some townhomes in Medicine Hill (to the east of COP). Drawings here:
https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=87618
https://pub-calgary.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=87618
Tarsus
Active Member
I haven't heard about this until now, but that would be great if they did. The east end could use one.I don't recall this being mentioned before, but CO-OP is looking at putting in a grocery store in the east end of the Beltline.
Another grocery option possibly on the horizon for Calgary’s downtown dwellers - Calgary | Globalnews.ca
Calgary Co-op is looking to expand its footprint in downtown Calgary.globalnews.ca
CBBarnett
Senior Member
I would be curious what size they are looking at, I saw the Nuera condo retail has a sign up as "Leased" today - only about 9 years since it was built. It's a fairly large footprint and has that awkward flood-mitigation steps up to the retail door, but could be a location Co-op would be into.
Another possibility on the smaller end is in the Underwood Tower, who are in the process of lining up tenants for their main floor retail. It is much smaller, but the sales office speaks of "a curated local retail offering that support an active, condo lifestyle of grab-and-go" type retail.
ByeByeBaby
Active Member
I doubt that could be a full service grocer; it's 18,000 square feet, which would be smaller than even the Mission Safeway (25K sq ft). Sunterra Keynote and Urban Fare are 30K, the Beltline Safeway is 40K, Midtown Market Coop is 50K and as the article says, the E Village Loblaws is 82K. (Superstores can get to 150K+ out in the 'burbs.) Although it could be a dense urban-format type thing I suppose.
darwink
Senior Member
Sadly, I bet it is Shoppers moving a few blocks north to get further away from Alpha House.
Mull
Active Member
For anyone following this, the City did buy the Enmax site. Here's hoping for some sort of development, although, I don't know what you would want there.
Mountain Man
Senior Member
Yeah I bet they deal with some sketchy shit, always have security guards at the door there.