Quote:
Originally Posted by RWin
I agree with you there. Variety makes things interesting. It gives more than one segment of the population (as in not only the wealthy) more choice.
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I think a part of this is the ideas around the corridor plans and alternative nodes to the centre city. The big section that is lacking in Calgary is so few transition zones: it's either the burbs or it's downtown with skyscrapers.
If we want to get serious on offering choice, the inner suburbs need to open up to a variety of choices and options. Some are already (see Marda Loop / Altadore etc.) but largely driven by the high-end market and caps redevelopment at only 2-3X the density of the previous built form. Neighbourhoods that are inner, but resistant to change, create this barrier. Hell, it took Sunnyside and Hillhurst 40 years of being the desirable inner city location before even the current condo and density boom broke through the resistance. Many neighbourhoods are still holding strong against development pressures, forcing their properties ever higher and pricing out many people that aren't in the same demographic and socioeconomic tranche.
There neighbourhoods need to start allowing mid-rises at key spots, 5-15 storey buildings should follow the corridors all the way out into the SFH burbs. This is the only way to get truly mixed neighbourhoods, the Beltline will not be a place for 3 bedroom houses ever again, nor should it.
It takes a lot of neighbourhoods being willing to see much more change than they are willing to see currently, on a much wider swathe of the inner city. A Drake-sized tower should not be out of place in Brentwood, Westbrook, 17th or 17 Ave SW as it would be on 17th Ave SE, 16 Ave N, Centre, Macleod, Elbow etc.
Allow the zoning, encourage much more that the duplex density in key areas and let the development happen.