General rating of the project

  • Great

    Votes: 8 13.8%

  • Very Good

    Votes: 33 56.9%

  • Good

    Votes: 14 24.1%

  • So So

    Votes: 3 5.2%

  • Not Very Good

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Terrible

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    58
I like those metal panels they have behind the glass near the bottom. Let's hope those don't get covered.
 
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Empty Brookfield Place[/url] by RemotelyBoris, on Flickr[/IMG]
Empty Brookfield Place by RemotelyBoris, on Flickr
 
Although this is a very elegant tower, I can't help but think that it's just adding to downtown's vibrancy problem. The buildings it replaced were not pretty, but they had a better street presence. With this tower, the Bow, and Eighth Ave Place, we've replaced older buildings that were more oriented toward the sidewalk with towers that look nice on the skyline, but that are very sterile at ground level.

Case in point: http://calgaryherald.com/news/local...-offer-fixes-for-calgarys-struggling-downtown
 
Silence&Motion said:
Although this is a very elegant tower, I can't help but think that it's just adding to downtown's vibrancy problem. The buildings it replaced were not pretty, but they had a better street presence. With this tower, the Bow, and Eighth Ave Place, we've replaced older buildings that were more oriented toward the sidewalk with towers that look nice on the skyline, but that are very sterile at ground level.

Case in point: http://calgaryherald.com/news/local...-offer-fixes-for-calgarys-struggling-downtown
Click to expand...

I'm still holding out for revisions for the second tower, which isn't going to be built anytime soon, to incorporate a sort of grand underground LRT station since this is where the Green Line will meet the current LRT lines. It would add a lot of vibrancy of people moving in and around the core and help add a centralized portal of accessing downtown.
 
Silence&Motion said:
Although this is a very elegant tower, I can't help but think that it's just adding to downtown's vibrancy problem. The buildings it replaced were not pretty, but they had a better street presence. With this tower, the Bow, and Eighth Ave Place, we've replaced older buildings that were more oriented toward the sidewalk with towers that look nice on the skyline, but that are very sterile at ground level.

Case in point: http://calgaryherald.com/news/local...-offer-fixes-for-calgarys-struggling-downtown
Click to expand...
Agree. My own personal opinion is that the CBD has too much of this. I would be happy if we never saw another office building go up in the core, unless mixed use.
 
Surrealplaces said:
Agree. My own personal opinion is that the CBD has too much of this. I would be happy if we never saw another office building go up in the core, unless mixed use.
Click to expand...

Haha, maybe they should make a rule, the next proposal slated for the Beltline should be shifted North to the CBD and he next proposal for the CBD should be shifted south to the Beltline.

I really don't think Brookfield is going to be a loss of the downtown though. It replaced the old Herald building and some parking lots. I'll admit that will do nothing for the nightlife, but I bet it will acutally add to the foot traffic compared to what was there. I also like it's position in the +15 system linking the Core and Bow Valley Square in a much more straigh forward manner.

Arts commons was a loss, but I think Sky is roughly infinitely better. I'll have to check the math. Too bad the old tennants couldn't just move to the derilect hertiage buidings on 7th.

8th Avenue place is the biggest sinner when it comes to street life for me. It has a way bigger footprint than either Brookfield Place or Telus Sky. Street life on the downtown's most vibrant street drops dead at it's feet. Apart from Cucina, none of the street facing spaces have been filled. Maybe they should have a conference on how to correct that. :p I wish Penny Lane and Cowboys didn't have to be rubbled for it, but I still like it.

So long as any other future office only towers are going up over parking lots like at 6th Avenue and 4th Street or over crappy little buildings that make poor use of downtown real estate like 4th Avenue and 6th street I'm all for them. More mixed use is probably the way to go though.
 
I'm admittedly biased and don't care for office buildings, so any non-development of office buildings is fine by me :) Mixed use is fine.
 
My issue with office buildings ultimately comes down to the street level. Same issue Silence&Motion had mentioned. Even when they include retail at the base it doesn't do a great job of replacing the previous retail. As much as I live 707-5th ave as a tower, the retail base isn't as good as the crappy building it replaced. Same for City Centre, as it replaced the French Maid and Don Quixote's with a lifeless street treatment. If it's an empty lot getting developed, an office building is better, but some of these office buildings are replacing good street frontage.
 
Surrealplaces said:
My issue with office buildings ultimately comes down to the street level. Same issue Silence&Motion had mentioned. Even when they include retail at the base it doesn't do a great job of replacing the previous retail. As much as I live 707-5th ave as a tower, the retail base isn't as good as the crappy building it replaced. Same for City Centre, as it replaced the French Maid and Don Quixote's with a lifeless street treatment. If it's an empty lot getting developed, an office building is better, but some of these office buildings are replacing good street frontage.
Click to expand...

I'll take a wait and see on 707, but you're totally right. I forget the name of the bar that used to be there, but I really liked the warm feel of the brick when you got off at 6th Street station. Bang on again about City Centre. 3rd ave just can't win. Sadly I can't really think of a recent project with winning street level design. Maybe the Bow with the head, but we're in trouble if that's the best we can do. Can you cite any examples of tall towers in this city or others that manage to add to the street life?
 
Oddball said:
I'll take a wait and see on 707, but you're totally right. I forget the name of the bar that used to be there, but I really liked the warm feel of the brick when you got off at 6th Street station. Bang on again about City Centre. 3rd ave just can't win. Sadly I can't really think of a recent project with winning street level design. Maybe the Bow with the head, but we're in trouble if that's the best we can do. Can you cite any examples of tall towers in this city or others that manage to add to the street life?
Click to expand...
There were a couple of businesses in the smaller office building that was right on the corner. A Vietnamese place and a couple of other businesses. They were kind of dives, but were always busy.
 
yea downtown calgary is kinda down on vibe for it's size ............... but i also don't want them to stop having a new tallest tower. lol
 
Oddball said:
I'll take a wait and see on 707, but you're totally right. I forget the name of the bar that used to be there, but I really liked the warm feel of the brick when you got off at 6th Street station. Bang on again about City Centre. 3rd ave just can't win. Sadly I can't really think of a recent project with winning street level design. Maybe the Bow with the head, but we're in trouble if that's the best we can do. Can you cite any examples of tall towers in this city or others that manage to add to the street life?
Click to expand...
The only examples I can think of is the Opus 8 building. Because there was nothing there before.
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and Pennwest plaza, which also had nothing but the old post office and an empty lot.

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Le Germain hotel replaced an empty lot, but that is part hotel and office. Cemtennial was an improvement from an empty lot also, but then again the empty lot lot could have been replaced by something much better than an office tower with a couple of retail bays.
 
Hi Group,

That Court Yard as Such for Brookfield Place, Am I Correct to Assume it Will B Facing the 7th Ave Side of the Complex. Years Back (2012) When I Worked at B F I by Chance Came Across a Set of Drawings (Rolls) of the Site. If I Remember it Right, the Court Yard was to Face the 7th Ave Side. Am I Correct on This? I Know the 2nd Bldg will B Facing 2nd St Looking Towards the 1st Bldg if I'm Correct. Wasn't Able to Keep Drawings so I am only Going by What I Remember. Until the Parking Structure is
Torn Down the Court Yard Won't Realize its Full Worth etc.

Thanks,
Operater.
 
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