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Development news in Calgary's Bridgeland neighbourhood has been relatively quiet over the past year, but things are heating up in the the city's inner city community. Calgary-based Jemm Properties recently unveiled intentions to build a multi-family residential development currently dubbed '950 McPherson Square' at Bridgeland's McPherson Square. The announcement comes shortly after Bucci Developments released plans for Dominion, a two-tower residential development opposite the northeast corner of McPherson Square.
At this stage of the development, the design is mostly conceptual as Jemm, with the help of Zeidler Partnership Architects, are applying for a land use amendment which would change the zoning of the parcel from DC (Direct Control) to MU-1 (Direct Control based on the Mixed Use general F5.5H50). Changing the zoning would allow for a FAR (Floor to Area Ratio) of up to 5.5 and a height of up to 50 metres — roughly equivalent to 15 floors. The building would also be zoned to contain retail at the base.
The project has already been through one round of community consultation with an information session held on November 12th. The project ran into a stumbling block on December 13 when it faced the Calgary Planning Commission, who recommended refusal of the proposed land use amendment based on proposed parking rates and this particular use of a DC District:
This report concludes that while Administration is supportive of a district that would allow for increased density, greater building height to allow flexibility in built form, and a mix of uses in close proximity to an LRT station, Administration is not in support of this application based on the use of a DC and the proposed parking rates, as presented. The proposed DC District is being used for the purposes of solidifying a proposed parking relaxation. The use of a DC District in this situation, conflicts with Section 20(2) of the Land Use Bylaw 1P2007, where it states that a DC should not be used in substitute of a stock district that can achieve the same outcome with or without relaxations. The proposal can be adequately accommodated through the M-U1f5.5h50 District.
Further, Administration is not in support of the proposed parking rate prescribed in the DC District that is lower than the base MU-1 District. There is insufficient understanding of the future development and implementation, based on preliminary information provided. Despite requests for additional information, no development permit application or plans were submitted at the time of report writing.
Jemm had originally intended to submit a development permit application in Q2/Q3 2019. The development permit will contain a design of similar scale, but a more detailed plan of the project.
SkyriseCalgary will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.
| Related Companies: | Zeidler Architecture |
