[BKha]

Toronto does have some cool libraries. Props to them for building such a strong network.

You know what REALLY sets Calgary's NCL apart though? It is literally intertwined with the city. I mean, a C-train runs through it from one direction, and the sidewalk continues through it the other direction. Few modern designs give nearly as much tribute to context, regardless of building type. Having a transparent, playful, permeable, inspired-by-nature-but-built-with-digital-technology, and central design is really what a public library is all about.

Andrew Carnegie would be proud.

I think the final product will be amazing. Mr Carnegie would indeed be proud

I'm curious to how the look from EV facing west will be. That little street with the St Louis hotel is a dead end now, but could become an amazing public area in the future.

 

[RyLucky]

Renovating City Hall to build a pedestrian tunnel through, extending Stephen Ave will be a difficult sell, especially when budgets are tight and people feel pinched by the economy. Even if the project is well-directed and well-meaning, it looks like politicians spending money to improve their own workplace. Currently, anyone can just walk right through during business hours, and I imagine that will become more common once the library is finished. The city could do more to welcome the public through... for instance, an overhead inscription that reads "This is your City Hall" or "All Calgarians are Welcome" or something. That wouldn't cost much.

Eventually, of course, it would be great to have an open-air connection right through the building. Like an inside-out +15. Glass would make a statement about transparency of government. It could also be a great path for Calgary's version of Boston's Freedom Trail.

 

[Oddball]

Renovating City Hall to build a pedestrian tunnel through, extending Stephen Ave will be a difficult sell, especially when budgets are tight and people feel pinched by the economy. Even if the project is well-directed and well-meaning, it looks like politicians spending money to improve their own workplace. Currently, anyone can just walk right through during business hours, and I imagine that will become more common once the library is finished. The city could do more to welcome the public through... for instance, an overhead inscription that reads "This is your City Hall" or "All Calgarians are Welcome" or something. That wouldn't cost much.

Eventually, of course, it would be great to have an open-air connection right through the building. Like an inside-out +15. Glass would make a statement about transparency of government. It could also be a great path for Calgary's version of Boston's Freedom Trail.

Obviously the current financial circumstances are going to dictate which projects can feasably persued, but it wouldn't surprise me if the new library changes more than a few opinions on city hall rennovation. From what I had heard, the perception that politicians were looking after themselves first was the exact reason they haven't done any work.

 

[Silence&Motion]

Typically these major renovations hang around as part of a "wishlist" until the building starts falling apart and renovations become necessary. Then it's a matter of kicking in a little more money to make some design changes.

I agree 8th ave west of 8th street is a bit of a wasteland. There was that "West Village Towers" proposal, but I guess that's stale. I'd love to see U of C expand it's presence in that area. It would be cool to have a mini-campus along 8th Ave where there is currently just a single building. And it would be great to see the Armoury repurposed as a public market. This is why I say 8th ave has the "potential" to become spectacular.

 

[RyLucky]

Calgary really needs 1-2 streets and 1-2 avenues that are interesting to walk on from one end of downtown to the other. Currently, I always feel a bit at a loss as to where to direct visitors who want a nice urban stroll. Which ever ave I recommend, I always have to be specific about the cross street and give them 1-2 suggestions for food or entertainment to get them started.

I know we are talking about 8th Ave, but the 8th Street W project would really do a lot to create a nice pedestrian corridor through the city. A nice streetscape can bear the weight until retail catches up. 8th St W happens to perfectly connect Calgary's two greatest assets (the Bow River and the interesting part of 17th Ave) as well as a dozen quasi-interesting areas.

As for 8th AVE, Penny Lane was a bit of a loss, but there are still a few interesting items west of 5th St that could grow in stature over time with a bit of love: Verns, the Globe, Barron Building, Ceili's, Century Gardens, Dicken's, Mewata, and Millenium Park. I'd like to see 8th Ave west of 4th St painted like Argyle Street in Halifax, or perhaps one of those canopies of a thousand umbrellas (if we can stop chinooks from blowing them away). Maybe there's some extra green paint from all those bike lane projects...

 

[Oddball]

Typically these major renovations hang around as part of a "wishlist" until the building starts falling apart and renovations become necessary. Then it's a matter of kicking in a little more money to make some design changes.

I agree 8th ave west of 8th street is a bit of a wasteland. There was that "West Village Towers" proposal, but I guess that's stale. I'd love to see U of C expand it's presence in that area. It would be cool to have a mini-campus along 8th Ave where there is currently just a single building. And it would be great to see the Armoury repurposed as a public market. This is why I say 8th ave has the "potential" to become spectacular.

While I like the idea of a more accessable Mewata armoury, I also like it the way it is. Calgary's military history has been gutted over the years. It's nice to see at least one military building serving it's original purpose. I like the rest of what you have to say though, especially a broader U of C presence downtown.

As a side note, I'd love to see the military return to having a greater presence in Calgary. I doubt we'll ever get that again though. I'll never forget my mom driving me to a piano practice at Mount Royal and seeing a tank with a Student Driver sign beside us on 37th. That's a memory I'll cherish for life.

Calgary really needs 1-2 streets and 1-2 avenues that are interesting to walk on from one end of downtown to the other. Currently, I always feel a bit at a loss as to where to direct visitors who want a nice urban stroll. Which ever ave I recommend, I always have to be specific about the cross street and give them 1-2 suggestions for food or entertainment to get them started.

I know we are talking about 8th Ave, but the 8th Street W project would really do a lot to create a nice pedestrian corridor through the city. A nice streetscape can bear the weight until retail catches up. 8th St W happens to perfectly connect Calgary's two greatest assets (the Bow River and the interesting part of 17th Ave) as well as a dozen quasi-interesting areas.

As for 8th AVE, Penny Lane was a bit of a loss, but there are still a few interesting items west of 5th St that could grow in stature over time with a bit of love: Verns, the Globe, Barron Building, Ceili's, Century Gardens, Dicken's, Mewata, and Millenium Park. I'd like to see 8th Ave west of 4th St painted like Argyle Street in Halifax, or perhaps one of those canopies of a thousand umbrellas (if we can stop chinooks from blowing them away). Maybe there's some extra green paint from all those bike lane projects...

I wonder if anyone has a coherent vision for the area. What is the CMLC responsible for these days? I can't get their site to load. I wonder of any of this is considered close enough to the West Village to fall under their purview.

 

[Surrealplaces]

I would love to see the UofC have a couple more buildings along 8th ave west. I would much prefer a new UofC building at the old Stampede Pontiac site instead of those three residential towers, or at least another UofC building directly south of the existing one.

 

[Surrealplaces]

Calgary really needs 1-2 streets and 1-2 avenues that are interesting to walk on from one end of downtown to the other. Currently, I always feel a bit at a loss as to where to direct visitors who want a nice urban stroll. Which ever ave I recommend, I always have to be specific about the cross street and give them 1-2 suggestions for food or entertainment to get them started.

Yeah, it tough to find a good stroll right in the heart of downtown. Stephen Ave is where I usually tell people to go. 8th street is good for vibrancy at all hours, but not really interesting for out of towners. Once the underpass is done, and Mark on 10th is done wit move-ins, it might become more interesting. Especially when the Royal is complete.... I could see that help spur more business along 8th street.

 

[Oddball]

Yeah, it tough to find a good stroll right in the heart of downtown. Stephen Ave is where I usually tell people to go. 8th street is good for vibrancy at all hours, but not really interesting for out of towners. Once the underpass is done, and Mark on 10th is done wit move-ins, it might become more interesting. Especially when the Royal is complete.... I could see that help spur more business along 8th street.

Ever since Europe I have found myself walking considerably more. Nothing tops the river pathway right now.

8th avenue is easily the best street right in the downtown core, but it's a shame that there aren't any good streets that link the two. 3rd is probably the best, but it's quite sterile. 17th has undergone a renaissance of late, but again there isn't a really good Cross street. 1st street SW probably does the best job of overcoming the CPR tracks, but fizzles out at the end because 17th itself isn't much of a destination east of 4th street.

8th street has always had a bit of something. Beer Revolution/Brewsters is there. The hiking stores on and near 10th & 8th street usually have a tonne of action. The new school board building isn't bad. There isn't anything coherent going on though. I hope you're right about the Royal adding some addtional life. Maybe someone will make a push to develop the scummy little strip mall with the Mac's. The biggest problem will always be the Safeway parking lot though.

 

[Surrealplaces]

I wish Safeway could redevelop the lot into an urban format grocery store. I don't care if there is a highrise on top, just having some extra retail and a few residntial suites above would be awesome.

 

[Surrealplaces]

Src: i46.photobucket.com/albums/f106/msydenham

 

[maestro]

looking good

 

[Habanero]

Looks awesome. I can't wait to see more of the glazing.

 

[Surrealplaces]

 

[AJX]

This is shaping up to be an outstanding building.