West Village Concept Plan - Page 9

fusili · #**161** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 10:29 PM**

Updated brochure for the West Village:

Link

Aegis · #**162** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 10:44 PM**

So, what exactly is that status of this project?

Is it largely just conceptual in terms of the specific projects that would make up the redevelopment, whereas the redevelopment itself is a "green light"? or.. is the entire thing just a dream at this stage? (Just at the marketing stage, compared with East Village, which actually has infrastructure u/c)

Wooster · #**163** Posted **Mar 19, 2010, 10:58 PM**

I would say it must be at a very early conceptual stage. East Village took several years to get the ARP, business plan, CMLC, CRL levy and other components in place before it even broke ground on any infrastructure. West Village requires significantly more upgrades that even the East Village does.

Besides, I think the City should focus on East Village and Beltline upgrades and allow more residential growth to happen in other parts of downtown before they get going on West Village. There's only so much high density multi-family housing demand to go around - no need to canibalize other efforts. In the longer term though, it's a great place for redevelopment and extension of the river park system.

mersar · #**164** Posted **Apr 6, 2010, 7:50 PM**

Quote:

West Village Open House April 15, 2010

April 06, 2010 07:31 AM Category: Business Services
West Village Open House April 15, 2010

The City of Calgary will host an Open House to discuss the draft Area Redevelopment Plan for “West Village”, a 51-hectare, riverfront area in the Sunalta community west of downtown.

The public is invited to review long-term plans to transform the area into a mixed-use inner city community that will embody the principles of social, environmental and economic sustainability.

Thursday, April 15, 2010
Sacred Heart School Gym (1312 - 15 St. SW)
5 p.m. – 8 p.m. (drop in anytime)

For more information please visit www.calgary.ca/westvillage or call 3-1-1.

http://newsroom.calgary.ca/pr/calgar...age_rss=156318

O-tacular · #**165** Posted **Apr 6, 2010, 10:10 PM**

I can't help but be reminded of the last EV proposal that featured canals and the like when I see this. It's not that I'm against dreaming big, but this is all so pie in the sky right now, especially since EV is just starting. I'd love to compare these amazing looking conceptual renderings to the final product for both EV and WV. Not to be too pessimistic, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are far less interesting looking in the end. This is afterall the city that loves to water things down and go the good ol' utilitarian route.

fusili · #**166** Posted **Apr 6, 2010, 10:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I can't help but be reminded of the last EV proposal that featured canals and the like when I see this. It's not that I'm against dreaming big, but this is all so pie in the sky right now, especially since EV is just starting. I'd love to compare these amazing looking conceptual renderings to the final product for both EV and WV. Not to be too pessimistic, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are far less interesting looking in the end. This is afterall the city that loves to water things down and go the good ol' utilitarian route.

Calgary- the city that always disappoints.

Our official motto "Why build it right when we can build it cheap!"

fusili · #**167** Posted **Apr 6, 2010, 10:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mersar

http://newsroom.calgary.ca/pr/calgar...age_rss=156318

And of course, the page contains a dead link. Man, the City of Calgary is so amateur sometimes.

fusili · #**168** Posted **Apr 6, 2010, 10:40 PM**

I just want to put my two cents in and say that this whole plan hinges on how well the 8th Avenue/9th Avenue and 14th Street interchange issue is dealt with. If those issues cannot be resolved, this project will fail. IMHO, either 8th should be buried, or it has to have several signalized intersections crossing it through the area. Any other solution will make people living there feel like they are in the middle of a freeway.

frinkprof · #**169** Posted **Apr 6, 2010, 10:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fusili

And of course, the page contains a dead link. Man, the City of Calgary is so amateur sometimes.

Yeah, the City site is difficult to navigate and perform searches on. Old, completed projects still have pages, current project pages see infrequent and late updates, things disappear and reappear somewhere else, etc.

Anyway, obviously the land bridge will be a significant piece of infrastructure, so I look forward to that. Same with the river crossing. I just really hope that the City doesn't fumble this one as far as PR goes.

TETT2 · #**170** Posted **Apr 7, 2010, 4:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fusili

I just want to put my two cents in and say that this whole plan hinges on how well the 8th Avenue/9th Avenue and 14th Street interchange issue is dealt with. If those issues cannot be resolved, this project will fail. IMHO, either 8th should be buried, or it has to have several signalized intersections crossing it through the area. Any other solution will make people living there feel like they are in the middle of a freeway.

I agree, it could become a cluster...

What about street cars or trams from there? I know there is WLRT, but what about a tram/streetcar to the belt line? any thoughts?

fusili · #**171** Posted **Apr 7, 2010, 5:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TETT2

I agree, it could become a cluster...

What about street cars or trams from there? I know there is WLRT, but what about a tram/streetcar to the belt line? any thoughts?

Crossing the CPR and 9th Avenue with a Tram/Streetcar would be completely unfeasible, so it would have to go via 14th street. The whole area is in pretty close proximity to Sunalta station, so I don't see how a streetcar would improve things much.

TETT2 · #**172** Posted **Apr 7, 2010, 11:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fusili

Crossing the CPR and 9th Avenue with a Tram/Streetcar would be completely unfeasible, so it would have to go via 14th street. The whole area is in pretty close proximity to Sunalta station, so I don't see how a streetcar would improve things much.

What I meant was east-west traveling. So yes, at some point crossing 14 St... That's where I thought the beltline was....

fusili · #**173** Posted **Apr 8, 2010, 2:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TETT2

What I meant was east-west traveling. So yes, at some point crossing 14 St... That's where I thought the beltline was....

The boundaries of the Beltline are the tracks, 14th street, 17th Avenue (more or less) and the Elbow river. So going east from West Village will take you into Downtown West and then into downtown and going south from West Village will take you into Sunalta. Beltline is kiddy corner from the site. The only way to realistically cross into the Beltline would be under the tracks at 14th street.

mr.steevo · #**174** Posted **Apr 17, 2010, 3:52 PM**

Hi,

Did anyone go to the Open House April 15th? I was meaning to but renovations got in the way. was there anything of interest?

s.

mr.steevo · #**175** Posted **Apr 20, 2010, 5:27 PM**

Quote:

Calgary's new plan for its inner-city West Village take cues from western Europe, with features inspired by Rome and Barcelona, as well as London's most famous traffic-control device.

The ambitious, long-range redevelopment plan for the area across 11th Street S.W. from downtown aims to reinvent a commuter raceway accented by car dealerships into a popular and pedestrian-friendly district that's home to thousands of urban denizens -- all while keeping traffic flowing in and out of the core.

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/ca...#ixzz0lf82ouxY

frinkprof · #**176** Posted **Apr 20, 2010, 5:42 PM**

Here's the draft ARP:

http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/...illage_arp.pdf

frinkprof · #**177** Posted **Apr 20, 2010, 11:53 PM**

Here's a blog entry from Paula Arab about the possibility of an urban farmers' market in the west village:

http://communities.canada.com/CALGAR....aspx?sub=True

mr.steevo · #**178** Posted **Apr 21, 2010, 2:51 AM**

Hi,

I scanned through the West Village ARP Draft. It seems like a pretty well thought out proposal that makes a lot of sense. I could see this plan leap ahead of the East Village development if the powers that be aren't careful.

Points that stood out for me:

Pumphouse Precinct -

Building heights range from 4 to 10 storeys with approximately 14 storey buildings permitted in locations signifying entranceways to important destinations.

Stand-alone retail buildings should not be permitted.

Promenade Precinct -

Large scale retail/commercial establishments (e.g. larger than 1,900 square metres) should be discouraged except for uses such as supermarkets, pharmacies and other similar uses which provide various daily goods and services for residents.

Commercial uses that do not generate significant pedestrian activity, such as financial institutions, may also locate on the ground floor provided store frontages do not exceed 12 metres. The remainder of the commercial area should locate on the second floor, basement or wrapped behind adjacent retail units.

General Policies -

The area between the maximum building setback and the property line should be occupied by building entryways, outdoor seating areas for
restaurants, seasonal display, bicycle parking, street furniture, public art and residential front porches or yards

Individual storefronts that are greater than 30 metres in width should provide multiple entrances at the street level, which may include incorporating separate individual retail units that have entrances oriented to the street. -

Of course there is the eco friendly lip service that may or may not follow through.

It seems that someone has put thought into what "works" and disapproves of what doesn't work in cities. We have all walked along a city block that is nothing but a wall of emptiness because one large business occupies the entire block. This draft looks like it has been influence by people who know design and understand how painful some features of all cities can be to live in.

If nothing else I am encouraged.

s.

DarkKeyo · #**179** Posted **Apr 21, 2010, 5:25 AM**

I've been wondering this since I first heard of these redevelopment plans, but... What will the Greyhound depot do? The car dealerships are a waste of space, but that's a pretty major bus terminal, and as far as I know a lot of their head offices. Other than the fact that its blocking redevlopable lands, it's in a fairly good spot, close to downtown, in 3 years just a 5 minute C-train ride away, which is convenient since a lot of people who use Greyhound use public transit to get there.

Overall I like the plans though, particularly the land use, and agree with most of what mr. steevo just said; although having 6th and 9th run through so many traffic lights and having the access to 14th from those be a roundabout and a side road is going to make traffic very.... interesting...

mersar · #**180** Posted **Apr 21, 2010, 5:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkKeyo

I've been wondering this since I first heard of these redevelopment plans, but... What will the Greyhound depot do? The car dealerships are a waste of space, but that's a pretty major bus terminal, and as far as I know a lot of their head offices. Other than the fact that its blocking redevlopable lands, it's in a fairly good spot, close to downtown, in 3 years just a 5 minute C-train ride away, which is convenient since a lot of people who use Greyhound use public transit to get there.

I believe Greyhound has moved a lot of their offices out of that building. There was a 'for lease' sign up on the one wall a while ago indicating there was 15,000 square feet available. But the point is still valid, replacing the bus terminal in the core (pretty likely a major requirement to be central for the main terminal) could be costly.