The building looks okay from a distance. It looks really cheap and tacky up close when you can see the materials. One thing I didn't notice in the renderings until I saw it in person is that it's going to have a solid blank wall lining 16th Ave, which is going to be rather dreary. On the other hand, the building "faces" the alleyway that runs through the middle of the block. I've often thought that the only way Motel Village will become an actual urban neighbourhood is if the (currently unpaved) alleyway becomes an actual street, and buildings are redeveloped to face the alley. This building, along with the realignment of all the roads in the area are moving the neighbourhood in the right direction. Unfortunately the current plan on the books still calls for the rest of the alleyway to remain an alley and for buildings to continue to front the Crowchild to the west, and the LRT tracks to the east. Neither of which are amenable to creating a vibrant neighbourhood. Imagine if all of the restaurants and amenities currently in Motel Village all faced the central alleyway. It would be one of the most vibrant streets in the city.
Re: Richard White. I respect the guy, even though I rarely agree with him. He seems to really love the city and has put a lot of effort into public service, particularly within the arts sector. I admire his optimism, which must be difficult to maintain given the sorry state of the arts in this city and the lack of support among political leaders. That said, he's not an architectural critic. He's an urban booster. One cannot play both roles. You can't let a strong sense of civic pride compromise your criticism. He's been called Calgary's "Jane Jacobs", but Jacobs almost never said anything good about Toronto or New York. It's not that she didn't love those cities. She just saw her primary job as holding the 'powers that be' to account (public and private sector). This city could use an actual architectural critic. Of course, to have that, we'd also need a proper newspaper.
