[Cowtown]

That is the question

There is has been some talk over whether duplexes are good or not. Personally, I think they're a good option for inner city housing, bit mainly on non-arterial residential streets. Corridor streets shouldn't have any duplexes IMO.

 

[potatopizzafan]

I live in a four-plex and its great, but my neighbors are all wonderful which is essential. Our building also has great party walls so I never hear my neighbors

Its a happy medium between a large condo building and a single family home. I could never afford to live where I am in a SFH, and i didn't want to live in a condo. I have some outdoor space, don't have to deal with elevators etc.., condo fee's are low, and any major repairs to the building are split 4-ways. The four owners are essentially the "condo board"

 

[Surrealplaces]

Duplexes, 4plexes and townhomes all offer the option of being on the ground floor, which is a must for some people. My father for example refused to live anywhere that wasn't on the ground floor, but he wanted to be in the inner city, and a townhome was the best option. Duplexes are much the same, albeit they are usually more expensive than a townhome, but same idea.

I agree 100% about not having duplexes on arterial roads. It should be avoided if possible, and instead have townhomes, or low rise multi family.

 

[Mountain Man]

I live in an old townhouse (1980) and I barely hear my neighbours at all. Outside space is different, you hear every word people say if you have a window open. You get used to it and it's no big deal as long as they aren't crazy lol.

 

[Silence&Motion]

I live in a duplex and like it a lot. However, I'm glad to see that there is increasingly more mid-rise buildings and townhouses put into the mix. Duplexes are not really sufficient to add density to the inner-city, since household sizes are much smaller than they used to be. Replacing one older bungalow that used to house 4-5 student roommates with much more expensive duplex units that house professional-class empty-nesters is not actually increasing density.

 

[Beltline_B]

I kinda wish single family homes never existed except in the odd rich neighborhood or in non urban areas. A situation you often see in Europe.

Duplexes offer the same living experience as a single-family homes and if duplexes were the standard instead of Single family homes Past numbers of people could still have that single-family home lifestyle, but our cities would have a very good density level. Throw in some smaller medium and larger multi family projects and you have very much a European style density.

 

[potatopizzafan]

I kinda wish single family homes never existed except in the odd rich neighborhood or in non urban areas. A situation you often see in Europe.

Duplexes offer the same living experience as a single-family homes and if duplexes were the standard instead of Single family homes Past numbers of people could still have that single-family home lifestyle, but our cities would have a very good density level. Throw in some smaller medium and larger multi family projects and you have very much a European style density.

Agreed, especially in the new neighborhoods where there's barely enough room to walk between the houses, what's the point of that side yard? just connect all the houses. It would save so much space and energy, especially in Calgary's climate, by eliminating 2 of 4 exterior walls.

 

[Urban Outdoorsman]

I think broadly Calgary's inner city neighborhoods are on the right track. In certain places like west hillhurst the single family home is nearly extinct. Duplexes have taken over and I certainly prefer them over the single family. I think the only major problem with the infill duplexes is affordability. Row housing and apartments help, but are still quite expensive in the inner city.

 

[Surrealplaces]

That's just it. In most cases these days the space between new houses is wasted space. Nobody ever does much with them because the spaces are too small.

Agreed, especially in the new neighborhoods where there's barely enough room to walk between the houses, what's the point of that side yard? just connect all the houses. It would save so much space and energy, especially in Calgary's climate, by eliminating 2 of 4 exterior walls.

Very true. Mount Pleasant and Tuxedo are much the same way, with duplexes taking over and becoming the majority. Other neighborhoods like Capitol Hill and Killarney are moving that direction also. Throw in some 3-6 unit projects on corners, as well as some smaller multi family builds and the neighborhood gets some decent decent. I'd like to see inner city neighborhoods that are on a grid pattern be fashioned after Hillhurst/Sunnyside.

I think broadly Calgary's inner city neighborhoods are on the right track. In certain places like west hillhurst the single family home is nearly extinct. Duplexes have taken over and I certainly prefer them over the single family. I think the only major problem with the infill duplexes is affordability. Row housing and apartments help, but are still quite expensive in the inner city.

 

[The Familia]

Not everyone wants to live in a dense neighbourhood or share walls with someone else. I would never live in a duplex, condo, townhome, etc. I love my single family detached house with front and backyard. I like my space and privacy. There needs to be a mix of all housing options with the most dense areas in the inner city and then thinning out the further you go from the core.

 

[Silence&Motion]

Not everyone wants to live in a dense neighbourhood or share walls with someone else. I would never live in a duplex, condo, townhome, etc. I love my single family detached house with front and backyard. I like my space and privacy. There needs to be a mix of all housing options with the most dense areas in the inner city and then thinning out the further you go from the core.

Good thing you have about 60% of all of the housing units in Calgary to choose from (occupying 80-90% of all residential land)!

We could literally ban all SFHs for the next couple decades and we'd still probably have way more SFHs than any other type of housing unit.

 

[Cowtown]

I live in a duplex and like it a lot. However, I'm glad to see that there is increasingly more mid-rise buildings and townhouses put into the mix. Duplexes are not really sufficient to add density to the inner-city, since household sizes are much smaller than they used to be. Replacing one older bungalow that used to house 4-5 student roommates with much more expensive duplex units that house professional-class empty-nesters is not actually increasing density.

Duplexes are a great solution for those who want to live in an inner city neighborhood, and still get the single family home feel. I find that duplexes have the same feel as a SFH, there's really not much difference. Not a huge density boost, but a good compromise to adding density and offering the SFH experience.

Around the inner city these days, the hot new trend is the 4-6 unit builds. I am seeing them literally everywhere now, almost as many of those being built as duplexes. I've never lived in one of those types of units, but I bet that you still get a a lot of that single family home feel. Between duplexes, 4-6 unit builds, and small 3-5 storey multi family builds, you can increase density, while creating a great mix, and it's not a very invasive increase to density.

 

[haltcatchfire]

Technically duplex means a two dwelling development with one above the other. Side by side with a separate titled subdivided lot plan are semi-detached.

 

[Habanero]

Duplexes are a good option. I've lived in duplexes a couple of different times and to me personally, it didn't feel any different than a single family home. The first duplex I lived in was older and didn't have the best sound protection, so you could hear the neighbors a fair bit. Never had that problem with the newer second one.

 

[Askbingcode]