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Urban Development and Proposals Discussion

I didn't think the third track was used much at the station. Guess it is important for some reason.
From what it says in the document it's just to park trains. For example during training or malfunctions they don't want to disrupt the schedule. It's also used to hold empty trains during peak times so they can quickly dispatch.
 
Going to CPC next week is the redo of the LRT bridge over the Elbow River, next to Macleod Trail and the Stampede grounds. This is to adjust the rail sidings to allow the crossing of 17th Ave into the Stampede Grounds.
Report:
Renderings:
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I had no idea they needed to build a new LRT bridge for this.
According to the document it starts construction Q1 2020
 
A bit of a random topic for discussion that has been on my mind lately. Calgary is starting to have a greater number of developments where all four sides of the building are activated space. This means that things that used to be able to be hidden somewhere along a back alley are now exposed.

One design elements that seems to be consistently overlooked in design is the access to the natural gas meters. I get that maintaining ventilation to these spaces is key but surely there are better ways to hide these spaces, especially ones that are in prominent locations.

Below are two examples from East Village that I think are poorly done. I'm curious if anyone has discovered buildings in Calgary where there has been thought, attention to detail and creativity that has been put in to screening the natural gas meters? I know it's a very small design elements but in terms of the pedestrian realm where they are extremely visible too often they appear to be a complete design afterthought. Surely there's a better way of doing things?

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So I was surfing the net and came across this website called venuesnow which is a website for arena/stadium news. According to rumors, HOK-Dialog have been selected as the design team for the new arena! The article mentions the other firms who bid (populous, rosetti, etc.) but lost out. The article also mentions that they chose HOK because they won awards for Rogers Place in Edmonton and Little Ceasar's Arena in Detroit. There is a quote stating that "The Flames love Little Ceasar's Arena". Design should be unveiled around December.

 
That would be disappointing since Little Caesars Arena is totally fugly. I was hoping, and still am, that populous would be the winner of the bid.

So I was surfing the net and came across this website called venuesnow which is a website for arena/stadium news. According to rumors, HOK-Dialog have been selected as the design team for the new arena! The article mentions the other firms who bid (populous, rosetti, etc.) but lost out. The article also mentions that they chose HOK because they won awards for Rogers Place in Edmonton and Little Ceasar's Arena in Detroit. There is a quote stating that "The Flames love Little Ceasar's Arena". Design should be unveiled around December.

 
Well since that cat is out of the bag, yes, that's the design team. Not who I would have wanted, either, but oh well. The rumoured teams of Rossetti / Populous, or BIG / AECOM would have been more my preference.
 
Looking at all of HOK's projects in general, they tend to design interesting stuff, and look capable of doing cool design. I think it's going to depend on the how much leeway the owners give them.

Personally, I would have liked to see Populous, but then again much of it will come down to the owners.
 
Hopefully it's the way retail is a permanent street frontage on Little Caesar's that the Flames like, and not the design. Detroit probably has a bigger hard on for Stampetecture than the Stampede and Flames do lol. As long as it's not some weird spaceship design or red brick I think it should be fine.
 
That would be disappointing since Little Caesars Arena is totally fugly. I was hoping, and still am, that populous would be the winner of the bid.
Hopefully it's the way retail is a permanent street frontage on Little Caesar's that the Flames like, and not the design. Detroit probably has a bigger hard on for Stampetecture than the Stampede and Flames do lol. As long as it's not some weird spaceship design or red brick I think it should be fine.
I think HOK can make this a solid looking arena, and integrate well with the whole district. I have a different opinion on Little Caesars Arena, and think it's a great concept to replicate off of.

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I would've liked to see the Inverted Bowl from Rossetti, but I for Flames owners, that may have been too big of a risk to be the first to attempt doing it.
 
I have absolutely no worries over what the outside of the building will look like. The Stampede and CMLC are planning to develop 4th street (Olympic Way/Stampede Trail) south of 12 Ave into a shared street with retail, bars and restaurants and I think money from the CRL will likely go into its development. What I did worry about was the design of the interior. The Rossetti Inverted Bowl would have been a mistake. We need a tried and true design that will last us for another 40 years and not be a nightmare of design flaws and be impractical to renovate.
 

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