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The master developer of East Village plans to address the neighbourhood's current transportation demand by constructing a multi-storey parkade in the booming district, but is also planning for the future by leaving the door open for the forthcoming building's conversion to other uses. Calgary Municipal Land Corporation announced Tuesday a partnership with Calgary Parking Authority and Platform, a new innovation centre that will be integrated with the parkade upon completion in 2020.
The $80 million project proposed for the strip of surface parking at 9th Avenue SE and 3rd Street SE will service the influx of vehicles heading to the East Village and its cultural attractions, like Studio Bell and the New Central Library. The five-level, 500-stall space will sit above the Platform innovation hub, which will occupy part of the first floor and the entirety of the second floor in the building. The multi-use space for learning and entrepreneurship is an "investment by our community, for our community, to create jobs and economic growth in Calgary, and a place where future generations can live, work and find success here in our city," said Platform founder Brad Zumwalt.
Designed by Kasian and Winnipeg's 5468796, the building is capable of being converted into commercial or residential uses in the future, an anticipatory move by CMLC in response to increasingly applicable autonomous vehicle technologies. The ceiling heights in the parking levels will be one-and-a-half times that of traditional parkades to accommodate the eventual repurposing of the space.
"The 9th Avenue Parkade is an innovation in the design of structured parking," says Shelley Trigg, acting general manager, Calgary Parking Authority. "Our business model is changing rapidly and we need to be open and responsive as the demand for parking shifts. Our intention is to provide parking structures that can service today’s needs but have the ability to convert into residential, commercial or mixed-use space."
The 250,000-square-foot project is slated to break ground in 2019. Additional information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.
