Quote:
Originally Posted by CalgaryAlex
If they can't even get Westbrook redevelopment rolling by now, I wonder how much success they will have with some of these SE Line stations.
It would be nice if they could point the CMLC in the TOD direction, after their success in the EV.
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I would think it helps that Westbrook is substantially nicer place to live than all the south stations. The West line has certain advantages for TOD that the S, NW and NE (and future SE) don't have nearly as easily:
- Most connected to downtown physically and culturally - highest percentage of downtown workers, high-transit usage along corridor.
- In-fills have set massive precedent in west Calgary for redevelopment, highlighting attractiveness of the communities as well as strong developer response. It's not a case of trying to convince people that Anderson's sea of parking will eventually be an urban oasis surrounded by train tracks, highways and parking lots.
- No Macleod Trail, Crowchild Trail or 36th Street to destroy any hope of a nice place to live. Sure with a few thousand condo units and 10 or 20 year build plans it's possible to forget these huge roads. But 17th Ave, 33rd and 37th have nowhere near the same drawbacks to live next to/on right now.
I can see it being a success very quickly compared to other lines' TOD plans. A big difference is Westbrook is adding a huge amount of density to existing communities with population, services, demand for services and things to do within smaller distances. There isn't another site like it in the city - all other TODs are boxed in by highways or separated from the communities in enormous ways.