General Rating for this project

  • Great

    Votes: 2 3.2%

  • Very Good

    Votes: 4 6.3%

  • Good

    Votes: 28 44.4%

  • So So

    Votes: 7 11.1%

  • Not Very Good

    Votes: 10 15.9%

  • Terrible

    Votes: 12 19.0%
  • Total voters
    63
Silence&Motion said:
This project flew under my radar until I saw it now. My dream for "motel village" is for the centre laneway to be converted into a real street, with all new development fronting the centre rather than fronting the Crowchild or the LRT tracks. It doesn't really make sense to call this place a "village" if the buildings are basically turned away each other.
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That is certainly the plan, according to the Banff Trail Station ARP:
http://www.calgary.ca/PDA/pd/Documents/arp-asp/arp/banff-trail-station-arp.pdf

Figure 8b on page 21 shows the future road network to be built. The challenge is, there is no ROW, and as subdivision of these parcels may not occur, it will involve working with the land owners/developers to come to an agreement for a sale/swap/donation to create this street network. This was a big challenge with the land use application to the east of this project, encompassing the two motels and the old Red Lobster (not the McDonalds though) I think, which has resulted in the application being tabled by Council unfortunately. It is tough to create these ARP visions, unless you have a pot of money set aside to buy the land you need. Developers in this area aren't too keen on just donating what is pretty valuable land.
 
MichaelS said:
That is certainly the plan, according to the Banff Trail Station ARP
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link! Though it looks like the plan is more to keep 24 st and Banff Trail as the main streets, and just break up the block with a couple East-West avenues. I was talking about turning the middle laneway into the main street, and encouraging new development to face the laneway. 24 st and Banff Trail are lost causes in my view, since they are bordered by the Crowchild/LRT tracks. I doubt they can ever become attractive main streets.
 
Renderings. Fairly basic design, but the pluses for this one are in how it'll be used.

4-Pedestrian View C3.jpg
2017.05.16 Aerial view.jpg
 

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Much wisdom in the location, less so in the design. Normally, I'm pretty happy to see anything tall get built, but this looks like a very unfortunate throwback to the 70s-80s glass boxes that litter downtown.
 
Bland design, but good usage, and really good for students given the location. so these will be rentals I presume?
 
If it's like there are other projects in Toronto and Montreal, it'll be furnished suites rental.
The design is definitely ho-hum, but this is very good for the student housing market. Also the location is excellent for students.
Always_Biking said:
Bland design, but good usage, and really good for students given the location. so these will be rentals I presume?
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Hmmm, very uninspired design, but in the grand scheme of things not too bad for that location. I have a feeling this is one of those where the final product will be better than the rendering.
 
Just build it said:
Hmmm, very uninspired design, but in the grand scheme of things not too bad for that location. I have a feeling this is one of those where the final product will be better than the rendering.
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Privately funded student residences are the lowest of the lows in architecture. I wouldn't count on the final product looking better. A glass box would be exceptional. Spandrel glass would be an upgrade. The white in the rendering is probably some cheap metal cladding.

It's very likely to be an architectural bomb and a wayfinding landmark. Doesn't make the best combo. Wish it was more midrise.
 
Yeah I wouldn't expect too much design-wise, but overall I'm happy to see this going ahead.
maestro said:
Privately funded student residences are the lowest of the lows in architecture. I wouldn't count on the final product looking better. A glass box would be exceptional. Spandrel glass would be an upgrade. The white in the rendering is probably some cheap metal cladding.

It's very likely to be an architectural bomb and a wayfinding landmark. Doesn't make the best combo. Wish it was more midrise.
Click to expand...
 
Surreaplaces' description of it looking like the Hat but without balconies is unfortunately accurate.

So the design isn't earth shattering, there are some positives with this project. More student housing options I s always a good thing, and from a transit and pedestrian perspective this is very good.
 
ARK is involved in a project in Toronto, the Quad Student Community and master-plan. The base of this proposed development
has some similarities to the bar buildings they depict in some of the renders. They are essentially boxes that kind of just land on site.
The tower portion actually boggles the mind. I'm all for student residences, and as mentioned by Beltline_b
the location is great. I'm actually almost convinced that this isn't a design specifically for this site. I worry that it was actually recycled.
At best, I'm hoping that it is a place holder. The parking stalls at the back are huge by the way. Anyway, I'll still hope for a good project.
 
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