Albertasaurus said:
I think the big problem is most of the parking lots are owned by pension funds that have a very long-term outlook on things, and would be happy to sit on a chunk of land for 20 years to maximize long term shareholder value rather than take a more short term view of things.

But I fully agree that the tax system needs an overhaul to disincentivize this behaviour. not sure of the legalities of doing so, however.
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This answers your question Missing Middle.

I would suggest that the City look at significantly increasing the tax rate every time a parking lot goes in for a DP to remain a temporary parking lot. The longer they stay a parking lot the more burdensome the taxes should be until the carrying costs of the parking lot are terrible and the land turns over. We need housing in good locations right now so it should be considered a part of the affordable housing strategy imo.

We have got to stop long term land banking in the inner city and build housing now.
 
Alternative proposal - provide attractive temporary tax breaks to owners of vacant lots with TLUs that provide a temporary public good. Put time limits on the tax breaks (maybe 5 years) so landowners are still incentivized to develop. Property owners can put the tax savings towards planning for redevelopment. City could potentially even have a program similar to the office conversion program to cover portions of the costs of the TLUs (with parameters for what the temporary uses can be). Who wouldn’t want to have a city full of temporary parkettes, or pop-up outdoor markets (think shipping containers) instead of weed-filled vacant lots or parking lots?
 
outoftheice said:
Are there any provinces that allow 8 story wood-framed buildings? Was thinking that perhaps it's time for Alberta to approve those as a way to boost construction as Kensington is proof that 8 stories can fit well on a neighbourhood mainstreet as well as within the downtown core.
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Code currently allows 12 storey mass timber, however, there's a big difference between Mass Timber and light frame.
 
Cities can subsidize development to accelerate construction but, they simply can't afford it on a large scale at today's prices. The Trudeau government is investing another $15 billion to accelerate the construction of 30,000 units across Canada. 30,000 is a drop in the bucket. It's less than a year of new inventory. The $15 billion tells you the astronomical costs. The large trusts and funds are the only ones that can afford to built or buy right now. Forcing them to sell banked land won't accomplish much. Rental rates have to be near record breaking to justify construction. That's creating the opposite of affordability.

Canadian municipalities decided not to own all the land, hire architects to develop plans and, lease it to developers to build the plans and it's financially careless to get involved now. These land bankers holding out for the most opportune time to develop represent our retirements than the wealthy 1%.
 
CalgaryTiger said:
What is mass timber? large wood beams?
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It includes lawn sawn members, however those are increasingly rare/expensive. More common is "engineered" mass timber, like glulam and CLT. Basically just smaller pieces glued together to make a bigger section.

Incredible strength-to-weight ratio, much more sustainable than steel or concrete, quick construction time, excellent fire resistance, can build up to 12 stories (or more), and looks fantastic.

Visually, it's the difference between this:
1722011025104.png

and this:
1722011041700.png


More reading here:
Calgcouver said:
www.naturallywood.com

What is Cross-laminated timber (CLT) & How is it made | naturally:wood

CLT is an engineered wood product consisting of layers of kiln dried dimension lumber oriented at right angles and then glued to form structural panels.
www.naturallywood.com www.naturallywood.com
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The mass timber beams at Rocky Ridge YMCA are glulam, and extremely striking and beautiful. I am absolutely a fan of mass timber and hope it becomes a more common material in construction here in Alberta. It's such a warm and welcoming material and its natural look just fits in so nicely in built environments.
 
outoftheice said:
Would the construction cost of mass timber versus concrete make it a cheaper option in the 8-10 story range? Could it lead to a new mid-rise boom if we encouraged their construction here in Alberta?
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It's very cost competitive.

Experienced designers and quick construction schedule can make it cheaper than concrete, especially in the 6-12 storey range.
 
The Alberta Building Code already adopted the height increase to 12 stories this year, based on the national recommendations.

Beyond that it's more about educating the people involved in the finance, manufacturing, design, and construction process. It's an emerging material and market, which didn't really exist in a meaningful way rather recently. For example:
  • More manufacturers to produce materials, which increases volume output, and also provides more options.
  • Architects need to be knowledgeable in the pros/cons of the material, so that they can feel confident using it, and convince clients that it's worth it.
  • Developers need to see the value proposition and realize that a comparable price leads to a much more valuable asset.
  • Engineers need to be educated in the design and behavior such that the design process isn't outrageously expensive. Wood design is rarely taught in Civil Engineering.
  • Contractors need to know what they're doing to take advantage of the increased construction speed.
It'll get better, but it takes time, education, and successful implementations to point to as examples.
 
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