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CBBarnett said:
Eh - the design and orientation of this project was really poor. They really did nothing to design in any of that “walking”, it was a pure car-oriented building with massive parking and no pedestrian thoughtful designs anywhere within or around it.

The parcel could do a lot better than what was proposed to make actual walking more likely and enjoyable. Close enough on a map to transit isn’t the same thing as designed to be actually walkable.
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Yes but Council approves land use, not design. If Council did have concerns around walkability, etc they could have approved the land use but directed that the DP go to Planning Commission for review.
 
/\Nice! If you check out the DP drawings for the Sony site, it turns out that their increase in density is due to them planning a second tower of similar size to the first (which seems to still be moving ahead with more or less its original design). They appear to have a land use amendment application on the site to transfer density from the Riviera Apartments on 9 St SW to this site to allow for the second tower. So eventually 2, ~25 storey towers there which will bring some nice density to the area.
 
MichaelS said:
The City has done an update to its development map.
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It seems to be missing dates for the public comment periods. On the old map, for example, Central Taps Marda Loop said the city would be accepting comments until August 1st. I can't find that in the new details page. Same with the Sentinel (Aug 1), Viscount Bennett site (Aug 8), etc.

One thing it does still have is meeting dates. It still says, for example, that there is a public hearing for Blues by Batistella on Sep 10.
 
Not sure if this has been discussed yet but the City of Calgary's Development Map now has a 3D feature. It is awesome.

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KrisYYC said:
Apologies if this has been discussed already but does anybody know anything about this potential redevelopment of Heritage Plaza (the plaza with London Drugs) on the corner of Heritage Dr and Macleod Tr?

If you click on the shadow study they have a very rudimentary rendering.

View attachment 515145
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I just noticed on DMAP that the land use re-designation for this site was approved. It'll be interesting to see if anything goes forward from here.
 
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Interesting map of the number of highrises going up across NA.

As a highrise fan, Im a bit dissapointed to see Calgary lagging behind cities like Ottawa, London and Hamilton who have smaller populations, but at the same time its nice to know we're building more than big cities like LA or San Fran.

Has anyone really got to the bottom as to why highrise starts have drastically slowed down in Calgary, even with the high rental demand? Higher interest rates and building costs still have other cities building away towers.
 
gsunnyg said:
As a highrise fan, Im a bit dissapointed to see Calgary lagging behind cities like Ottawa, London and Hamilton who have smaller populations.
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SFHs, semi detached and townhomes are very expensive in those cities, and they don’t build many of those, leaving mostly apartment units. I don’t know the ratio of high-rise concrete apartments compared to low rise wood frame apartments but they definitely have a much higher ratio of apartment units than we do, and it probably influences the amount high rises.

I’m a high-rise building fan also, but TBH I’d prefer to see more low rise builds and row homes, etc. than high-rise towers. Most of those high rises towers built in London, Ottawa, etc are boring suburban high rises that aren’t really adding to the urban fabric.

What I found most interesting about those numbers, is the amount of high-rises being built in places like Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas, etc.
 
I get the sense it is like water building up behind a dam - once the conditions are right it will burst in Calgary (at least I hope so) 🤞🏼
 
gsunnyg said:
View attachment 583789
Interesting map of the number of highrises going up across NA.

As a highrise fan, Im a bit dissapointed to see Calgary lagging behind cities like Ottawa, London and Hamilton who have smaller populations, but at the same time its nice to know we're building more than big cities like LA or San Fran.

Has anyone really got to the bottom as to why highrise starts have drastically slowed down in Calgary, even with the high rental demand? Higher interest rates and building costs still have other cities building away towers.
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Interesting if all multi family construction numbers were included. Calgary definitely would be up there then. Per/capita would probably be at the top. Our suburban builds are incredible
 
Highrise starts have cratered in Toronto * to the benefit of Hamilton. London pumps out a few high rises every year for as long as I can remember. That's all I know about London. Ottawa's boom appears to be expanding in 2024. Ottawa's largest employer is the federal government and the federal government is ballooning. That might have something to do with their resilience

My feelings are that quality continues to deteriorate as developers try to produce some semblance of affordability that comparing high rise construction counts is just not big enough anymore. It's also possible to deliver a 300 unit, 6 storey mid rise in under a year. (not that it happens) It's not possible with a 300 unit, 30 storey high rise.

*The urbantoronto.ca crane count has dropped from 360 at the start of the year to 310 now.
 
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