East Village

[CanadianLiberal]

Does anyone know if their has been any progress, on the East Village?

I have not seen any construction work in the area.

Thanks in advance.

[mersar]

If you are referring to the East Village in Calgary, don't expect any construction any time soon.

They may have passed the TIF and related debt bylaws, but like the Bridges it will take considerable time between the start of anything and when you start seeing construction there (The Bridges was something like 6 years between the start of planning and first building being completed).

I'd personally anticipate that its going to be mid to late 2007 before we have definite word on any single project that may go there, likely the first to get the nod will be the Urban Campus (which is also dependent on funding from the Province). There is tons of prep work that I believe needs to be done even before that though, so I wouldn't count on seeing a shovel in the ground for actual construction before mid 2008 at the absolute earliest.

[CanadianLiberal]

So does that mean the project is still on the city's agenda?

I heard it died a few years ago, and now I am hearing about about the project again.

[Boris2k7]

It pops up every now and then. The last time was because of the passing of the TIF, as Mersar mentioned. The entire project has probably been around for 20 years probably... can't see how a few more could kill it. Really wish we would see some kind of aggressive push from the City though...

[Wooster]

Yeah, projects as large and complex as this one (socially, financially, politically etc.) take a long time. The failed attempts of the past are making it imperative that they do it correctly this time. They have spent a lot of time securing the financing they need, creating the social and physical plans, setting up the administrative structure etc. All that said, the organizing seems to almost be done now and work should begin soon from what I hear.

This land is very important, it is therefore really important they do it right. Personally, I think it will be great. The City this time seems to be doing the right things that will make a large scale urban development successful.

[Distill3d]

Originally Posted by CanadianLiberal

So does that mean the project is still on the city's agenda?

I heard it died a few years ago, and now I am hearing about about the project again.

I'm currently childless and unmarried. To put it nicely for you, i will have grandchildern and be married for 50 years before the planned development of the East Village goes anywhere if that tells you anything.

[Doug]

No amount of government intervention will jump start East Village. There are far more desirable sites throughout the inner city (ex. Eau Claire, Victoria Park, Westend, Louise Crossing etc.) with far fewer issues (above floodplain, not cutoff by a monolithic government building, fewer conflicts with institutional land use) that will be developed first. Even after those fill up, I can't see East Village succeeding unless some of the public housing and homeless shelters are moved and it proceeds as a master planned, high density community like Concord Pacific Place.

[polishavenger]

Originally Posted by Doug

No amount of government intervention will jump start East Village. There are far more desirable sites throughout the inner city (ex. Eau Claire, Victoria Park, Westend, Louise Crossing etc.) with far fewer issues (above floodplain, not cutoff by a monolithic government building, fewer conflicts with institutional land use) that will be developed first. Even after those fill up, I can't see East Village succeeding unless some of the public housing and homeless shelters are moved and it proceeds as a master planned, high density community like Concord Pacific Place.

I disagree completely. I believe once you see some shovels in the ground working on the infrastructure of the East Village people will begin lining up for reservations in the comming condo buildings. The plans of the east village that have been developed are extremely attractive and no other part of town has the potential for the level of vitality that can happen in the east village. If you are concerned that people will shun the area due to the homeless shelters, just look to Victoria Park, the level of interest in Riverfront Pointe, and Arriva. All proof that people see the potential and are willing to take the plunge.

[newflyer]

Seeing that the East Village is a transition area .. it will take some serious investment by the city to attract any large scale private investment into the area. Its not like there are lines of people who want to live next to the St.Louis... except perhaps the crackheads.

[unibrain]

There was some development going on in the East Village earlier this fall... I had some co-workers tell me that they wernt allowed to park in some of the lots, because barricades went up. I originally thought that was the kickstart to demolition, but after a couple months, some of the barriers came down, and people were able to park again.

work on the east Village needs to get started. I dont normally support empty lots, but I'll make an exception here. Having worked in the City for a few years now, and seeing first hand the type of activity there, it's a haven for bad news right now. I think the culdesac needs to be closed off, and a parimeter fance should be erected to get the criminal activity off the lots. There are litterally drug deals that go on behind, in front, and on the sides of those buildings.

I feel for the people that live in the Orange Lofts. There was so much hope when that building was built, but when the East Village stalled, they were stranded in the water. So close, yet so far away.

All it takes is just one major development, and it will kickstart the rest. These types of developments usually rely heavily on public buildings, given the nature of situation. Nobody wants to build in the "zone" between the Sally Anne and Drop-in Centre without knowing what type of other developments will go in for support.

I say start by building a new Police HQ right next to the Sally Anne, backed by the new Urban Campus, and new Apartment Condos and retail shoppes with curbside-metered parking on the CP lands. This city is seriously short on apartments now that everyone is condominiumizing existing apartments. If people arnt willing to purchase property in the East Village, there are tonnes of people willing to rent. The area simply needs a connection of people, businesses and positive streetlife. New city facilities and administration buildings wouldnt be out of the question either. Given the proximity to City Hall, and it would also free up office space elsewhere in the core.

[Wooster]

^ 'apartments' are not a tenure type, they are a building/unit type. Apartments are apartments whether they are condominiums or rentals. Condominiums and rentals are tenure types. These tenure types can come in any kind of unit: single-family, semi-detached or apartments.

[polishavenger]

Rental construction makes not sense with the cost of construction in Calgary, unless its luxury rentals, and Im not sure about the market for that. So unless the city builds some subsidized housing, I dont see any new rentals comming online any time soon.