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Urban Development and Proposals Discussion

I'm not at all versed in the minutia of zoning, but have any cities tried a rigorous formula-based approach?

Obviously there would be room for shenanigans when determining the input variables, and you'd likely end up with a few funky results that don't necessarily pass the eye test, but it seems like you could improve the transparency and bake in some graduated lead-time variables so people can't complain about a rug being pulled under them...

Not sure if that's at all clear...I'm thinking inputs would include things like:
- proximity to core
- proximity to transit
- population density
- community age (ie. how long an area has existed, not resident age)
- utility/service/geographical constraints
- etc

Resulting in a 0-100 score, with different bands meaning different zoning. Maybe it would need to be a multi-axis thing. You could either set the thresholds to change gradually over-time, or ensure that the inputs will move towards increased density over time.

It seems like it might be such an uphill battle (and political football) to make immediate/near-term changes, whereas a longer-term system could preclude staunch opposition...
 
Apparently Heritage Station/Towers (formerly London project) is back on the front burner. This would be towers 3 & 4 of
www.google.ca

8740 Horton Rd SW · 8740 Horton Rd SW, Calgary, AB T2V 0R6, Canada

8740 Horton Rd SW, Calgary, AB T2V 0R6, Canada
www.google.ca www.google.ca
that backs on to Horton Rd. The new towers would contain 656 rental suites. This was last tabled in 2015 and then it died. I don't think Westcor is involved anymore. I have heard Pinnacle Properties??? Anyone else heard about this?
 
JonnyCanuck said:
Apparently Heritage Station/Towers (formerly London project) is back on the front burner. This would be towers 3 & 4 of
www.google.ca

8740 Horton Rd SW · 8740 Horton Rd SW, Calgary, AB T2V 0R6, Canada

8740 Horton Rd SW, Calgary, AB T2V 0R6, Canada
www.google.ca www.google.ca
that backs on to Horton Rd. The new towers would contain 656 rental suites. This was last tabled in 2015 and then it died. I don't think Westcor is involved anymore. I have heard Pinnacle Properties??? Anyone else heard about this?
Click to expand...
Not the prettiest density addition but still an improvement.
 
JonnyCanuck said:
Apparently Heritage Station/Towers (formerly London project) is back on the front burner. This would be towers 3 & 4 of
www.google.ca

8740 Horton Rd SW · 8740 Horton Rd SW, Calgary, AB T2V 0R6, Canada

8740 Horton Rd SW, Calgary, AB T2V 0R6, Canada
www.google.ca www.google.ca
that backs on to Horton Rd. The new towers would contain 656 rental suites. This was last tabled in 2015 and then it died. I don't think Westcor is involved anymore. I have heard Pinnacle Properties??? Anyone else heard about this?
Click to expand...
I know someone in that building, it has probably the largest parkade to unit ratio I've ever seen, it's mind bogglingly expansive and constantly nearly empty. Which is to say that they surely built all the parking first, and have a capital investment to recoup, just a matter of when.
 
Love him or hate him, I'm inclined to share his sentiment about the Midtown proposal. Is there a more detailed explanation for why it was shut down? White says it had to do with the ARP, but that seems too simple.

Calgary Herald: White: Midtown Station is Calgary's next mega-infill project.
calgaryherald.com

White: Midtown Station is Calgary's next mega-infill project

Integrating transit, work and living and consulting with residents for their community wishlist makes redevelopment community a solid plan
calgaryherald.com calgaryherald.com
 
Urban Outdoorsman said:
Love him or hate him, I'm inclined to share his sentiment about the Midtown proposal. Is there a more detailed explanation for why it was shut down? White says it had to do with the ARP, but that seems too simple.

Calgary Herald: White: Midtown Station is Calgary's next mega-infill project.
calgaryherald.com

White: Midtown Station is Calgary's next mega-infill project

Integrating transit, work and living and consulting with residents for their community wishlist makes redevelopment community a solid plan
calgaryherald.com calgaryherald.com
Click to expand...
We had a big debate on Midtown back when it was last at Council, I don't think anything has changed in my opinion since this post in the Midtown thread here - it's an enticing, but flawed, proposal and it's not at all clear that city approval is the only barrier to achieving the vision proposed.

From what I recall, several statements White makes in the article are actually not agreed upon in the detailed report by the city - the development would require public investment in utility infrastructure, the total cost of the LRT station would be much higher than the amount the developer has agreed to pay etc.

The article doesn't try to explain or clarify any of this, but reads as a booster press release where the only problem is a city approval holding back 30 towers of development. I am curious why White only bothered to interview the developer and not the city for their perspectives.
 
applications LOC2021-0072 (3719 14th Street S.W.) and LOC2021-0065 (1531 33 Ave S.W.) for anyone wondering.

The 1531 33 Ave lot has a tiny house now dwarfed by Primrose Townhomes - two sets of 5x rowhouses (each with single attached garage ) on a 100ft corner lot, and a duplex infill immediately to the east (each with a detached double garage). Two Primrose units are currently for sale, as well as a unit in CoCo on the opposite corner. It must be the other lot where life is so terrible they have to cash-in their lots.

1531 house lot is currently assessed at $550k. Each of the duplexes next door are $750k (3x more revenue same lot size). Each of the rowhouses are around $570k (5x more scaled to same lot size).

All arguments against the 1531 lot are pretty darn weak when viewed in context. I'll have to dive into the other lot later.
 
lemongrab said:
It must be the other lot where life is so terrible they have to cash-in their lots.
Click to expand...
It definitely is, but I think the CA is being disingenuous about these sales. I walked by the houses that sold on my way to the dog park the other day. They are all 50’ lots with older single story homes on 14A St, so they back on to the development. Realistically, these lots were primed for sale for future development, just like every other 50’ lot with older single story home in the neighbourhood. It seemed like they may have sold as a block because they all had the same “sold” signs in front of them.
 
3719 is the Same developer, same design. Nearest thing for sale right now is a half block down on the other side of street (actually backs onto 14th, fronts 13A)...listed at $2.9M; given their 3-car garage I kinda doubt this development is the thing driving them away. A few other $3M+ homes and newer builds listed around, but not terribly close.

Similar to 33 ave, this has a 6-plex next door with 6 single garages. The other neighbour is actually kinda funny... that fence and big conifers should keep them insulated from anything happening next door, let alone the wider world. The rest of the block is mostly duplexes with double-double garages. Most of the older homes also have garages/carports of some sort, too; no street view in the alley, but the top view shows at least one weird alley parking job at an older home.

A half block east of this site there is a playground/green block with nearly 300 meters of unrestricted parking. Satellite view shows 1 vehicle parked. Street-view tour showed 1 motorcycle. 14A st looks fairly busy for parking, but every other block in the area is not (especially east of 14 St).

But, just to be safe, maybe they should plow a few more parking spots on the front lawn (less than 1 block away). It's real shame that these infills ruin the character of the community (there are actually 4 old walkups on that block with limited onsite parking, yet somehow the streets are not overrun)

Just for fun, this kid apparently in a mario costume is awesome.
 
MissingMiddle said:
I know someone in that building, it has probably the largest parkade to unit ratio I've ever seen, it's mind bogglingly expansive and constantly nearly empty. Which is to say that they surely built all the parking first, and have a capital investment to recoup, just a matter of when.
Click to expand...
Is the parkade under the Save-on or is it under the towers themselves? There is always a ton of cars parked in the dirt lot to the west of London, figure parking there is super cheap or even free, probably a factor in the parkade being empty.
 
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