MichaelS

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DP has been submitted a while ago for the NE corner of 10th Ave and 14th Street SW:

A sign is up for the development permit, that has a rendering on it:
IMG_20191226_131004148.jpg
 
I don't know how anyone on here could accept this design - as rendered - as acceptable for the downtown core of a major city in 2020... even in f*ckin 1990 this wouldn't have been ok. What a waste of space.
 
I don't know how anyone on here could accept this design - as rendered - as acceptable for the downtown core of a major city in 2020... even in f*ckin 1990 this wouldn't have been ok. What a waste of space.

The four corners of this intersection are currently occupied by two surface parking lots, a one story strip mall with a motorcycle dealer, and a one story lighting store. The lot itself is bounded by the heavy rail line, a four-lane divided highway, and a 1.5 story strip mall.

What masterpiece of urban design are we expecting in this location? A six-story building with 80 units is a starting point. If every block of the north side of 10th ave from 9th st to 19th st were filled with copies of this, the density lift would create amazing opportunities for exciting urban buildings in the whole interior of the West Village and Sunalta. Right now the tallest thing along those 10 blocks along the tracks is a 3-story self storage.
 
I don't know how anyone on here could accept this design - as rendered - as acceptable for the downtown core of a major city in 2020... even in f*ckin 1990 this wouldn't have been ok. What a waste of space.
A bit harsh - this lot has been largely a vacant lot since Calgary was formed if aerial photos are to be believed. For such a challenging site - and a dumb 14th Street setback - I don't see anything wrong with this as it's at the blurry rendering stage: 6 storeys forgettable, pedestrian-oriented. I don't think that Calgary lacks examples of quality design in the inner city, it lacks people - a far more fundamental need for downtown cores of major cities in 2020. This proposal helps towards that while repairing a huge ugly hole in the urban fabric on a key corner.
 
The four corners of this intersection are currently occupied by two surface parking lots, a one story strip mall with a motorcycle dealer, and a one story lighting store. The lot itself is bounded by the heavy rail line, a four-lane divided highway, and a 1.5 story strip mall.

What masterpiece of urban design are we expecting in this location? A six-story building with 80 units is a starting point. If every block of the north side of 10th ave from 9th st to 19th st were filled with copies of this, the density lift would create amazing opportunities for exciting urban buildings in the whole interior of the West Village and Sunalta. Right now the tallest thing along those 10 blocks along the tracks is a 3-story self storage.

Where did I insinuate in the slightest that it needed to be a masterpiece of urban design? I said that this design is unacceptable. There are so many other options for what could/should be done with a building of this scale and at this location. Along with the obvious fact that stucco as the defining feature of any facade (or anywhere on any new building?) should not be allowed within the confines of downtown in this day and age, even if it's on the border.
 
Nothing will get people out of their far flung suburban homes and into the inner city like a suburban low rise punched window stucco box with half the units overlooking a CP rail line, adjacent 14th freeway traffic, and overlook from an elevated light rail.

At least a podium design would lift units up for the perception of being away from the rail line and views beyond 14th, 10th, Bow Trail and rail lines

Density should be higher for a Beltline location.

Retail units is an obvious plus however there are lots of vacant units in the immediate vicinity and it’s not a prime foot traffic spot.
 
Nothing will get people out of their far flung suburban homes and into the inner city like a suburban low rise punched window stucco box with half the units overlooking a CP rail line, adjacent 14th freeway traffic, and overlook from an elevated light rail.

At least a podium design would lift units up for the perception of being away from the rail line and views beyond 14th, 10th, Bow Trail and rail lines

Density should be higher for a Beltline location.

Retail units is an obvious plus however there are lots of vacant units in the immediate vicinity and it’s not a prime foot traffic spot.
All is see in this post is the usual bla,bla,bla.... 14st freeway traffic. That is hilarious that section of 14 st might be the most congested in the city. There are traffic signals everywhere. It is far from a freeway. ??????
 
I don't know how anyone on here could accept this design - as rendered - as acceptable for the downtown core of a major city in 2020... even in f*ckin 1990 this wouldn't have been ok. What a waste of space.
9 times out of 10 I would agree, but this is not a cause I'm prepared to die for, I'd rather take the positives from it and see it developed.. Given that it's been empty for a century, I'd say the parcel is never going to developed if it means waiting for a nicer design. Let's be realistic, it's a garbage location that's lucky to have anything other than a gas bar developed on it. I'll take the 6 floors of residential and ground floor retail for the win.
 

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