There's a bank in the base of Brookfield too. Not exactly a driver of vibrancy though, so it shouldn't really count. These buildings do support a lot of retail, it's just all up in the +15 level instead of on the street. If we didn't hide it all inside, these buildings would do more for the street than people know.

I hope they bring the food trucks back outside the Bow this summer, was always bustling on a nice day.
 
Mountain Man said:
There's a bank in the base of Brookfield too. Not exactly a driver of vibrancy though, so it shouldn't really count. These buildings do support a lot of retail, it's just all up in the +15 level instead of on the street. If we didn't hide it all inside, these buildings would do more for the street than people know.

I hope they bring the food trucks back outside the Bow this summer, was always bustling on a nice day.
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There's still a density incentive in downtown zoning for retail space at the +15 level - but not for at grade retail. How bananas is that?

There's also an incentive for at grade public open space - which is why downtown is full of windswept corporate plazas that are usually empty.

I thought Rollin Stanley was going to fix all of this. What happened?
 
A few have made comments about just the office part being built (assuming they have a tenant), but I think at least the rental apartments could be built, as it seems like developers just keep moving ahead with purpose built rental.

The Condo may be a different story, but I could see that moving ahead too. Calgary & AB seem to be on an upswing with us returning to net immigration again and really we haven't seen much in terms of large new condo development....there has been a bunch of smaller buildings in Kensington, Maria Loop etc. I think condo inventory could potentially contract very quickly.

There are obviously concerns about how this would change that block, but perhaps an extra 1500 people can walk a block or two to make other blocks much more vibrant.
 
I don't see this project getting approval or moving ahead unless there is a dominant residential component. This project is not being initiated to get an office tower built for someone. That agenda makes no sense whatsoever. As most on this blog would agree, it makes no sense to build more office space ...period.
The purpose rental market continues to grow so one residential tower is a given. As for the condo/hotel, it depends if the developer is optimistic whether the downtown condo market will come back. The market has been on hiatus for more or less 5 years so past history would suggest the market is due to come back, particularly if they market to retiring 'boomers' and maybe out-of-province investors.
 
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calgaryherald.com

Breakenridge: While exciting, the proposed mega-tower on Stephen Avenue doesn't solve the vacancy rate

With Calgary and Edmonton set for a new chapter of hockey’s Battle of Alberta, provincial bragging rights may also be up for grabs in a completely different…
calgaryherald.com calgaryherald.com

Breakenridge playing a tune I can tap my foot along to.

""If we have too much vacancy as it is, and we want to encourage the creation of new and vibrant real estate projects, perhaps we need to reduce the supply in a more dramatic way.

Are there some empty and outdated buildings that could make way for, say, some new green space? It’s worth considering."

The question will always come back to who will pay for such a thing, but at least someone with a megaphone is saying something about it.
 
The 4 I was thinking of are the Dorian, Alt Hotel in East Village, Farifield Inn & Suites on 12 Ave and 4St SW (Beltliner is in the base) and the Mariott on 10th and 5th SW. Honourable mention to Le Germain, but that's at least 10 years ago now.
 
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CalgaryTiger said:
calgaryherald.com

Breakenridge: While exciting, the proposed mega-tower on Stephen Avenue doesn't solve the vacancy rate

With Calgary and Edmonton set for a new chapter of hockey’s Battle of Alberta, provincial bragging rights may also be up for grabs in a completely different…
calgaryherald.com calgaryherald.com

Breakenridge playing a tune I can tap my foot along to.

""If we have too much vacancy as it is, and we want to encourage the creation of new and vibrant real estate projects, perhaps we need to reduce the supply in a more dramatic way.

Are there some empty and outdated buildings that could make way for, say, some new green space? It’s worth considering."

The question will always come back to who will pay for such a thing, but at least someone with a megaphone is saying something about it.
Click to expand...
I've always wondered about tearing down some older buildings to make way for green space or some kind of public space, but it seems like most of the smaller older buildings are the ones best suited for for residential conversions or alternate use.

Of all the downtown buildings I'd like to see converted it would be Bow Valley Square or Calgary Place. Centrally located and both have podiums that are flexible to work with.
 
Surrealplaces said:
I've always wondered about tearing down some older buildings to make way for green space or some kind of public space, but it seems like most of the smaller older buildings are the ones best suited for for residential conversions or alternate use.

Of all the downtown buildings I'd like to see converted it would be Bow Valley Square or Calgary Place. Centrally located and both have podiums that are flexible to work with.
Click to expand...
Can Bow Valley College get some funding from the province and just convert an old office tower nearby or build student housing already? I mean every report and news story mentions a downtown post-secondary campus. We already have one, lets fund its expansion.
 
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