Heritage Issues

[M II A II R II K]

Thread to talk about heritage issues.

[Bigtime]

Not really an issue but an interesting bit of news:

City to dig up historic tracks
Streetcar rails to make way for 16th Ave. revamp

By James Jeffrey, Calgary Herald April 9, 2009 3:02 AM

The railway for an electric streetcar system that began in Calgary 100 years ago is finally going to be dug up.

The city had a population of 30,0000 when the Calgary Electric Railway began with 25 kilometres of track and 12 streetcars. The rails for the Crescent Heights line became part of the roadbed for 16th Avenue N. when it was first paved.

In the 1940s, the transit system was modernized and the streetcars were phased out, with the last regular streetcar run in 1950.

The streetcars were replaced by buses and electric trolleys, deemed to be more flexible for a growing city.

The last streetcar was restored and moved to Heritage Park, where it still operates today.

Now, the only evidence of the Crescent Heights railway exists in the form of cracks in the road between 9th and 4th streets N. W., and 1st Street N. E. and Centre Street.

"As (the railway) gets compacted under the pavement, it creates these thin cracks," said David Danchuk, city transportation spokesman.

He said some of the 1.2 kilometres of rail will be preserved, given to Heritage Park or interested museums.

The removal is part of the city's $80-million plan to improve 16th Avenue N.,which is being widened to six lanes.

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
Link

[Wooster]

I hope someday that we do return to having a streetcar system. Toronto was smart to keep theirs, it is really paying off.

[mersar]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Not really an issue but an interesting bit of news:

City to dig up historic tracks

And a lot of track and ties there were. I drove eastbound through there today and its a solid pile of wooden ties (which aside from being chewed up from getting them out actually looked to be in pretty good condition after being buried for 50 years) for several blocks.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by mersar

And a lot of track and ties there were. I drove eastbound through there today and its a solid pile of wooden ties (which aside from being chewed up from getting them out actually looked to be in pretty good condition after being buried for 50 years) for several blocks.

They might have been buried for more than 50 yrs, as it was about 50 yrs ago when the tracks stopped being used but who knows how long the last laid ties had been under the pavement before then.

[DizzyEdge]

Buildings currently at risk in Calgary:

Tigerstedt Block, 1930s: This block has a Land Use amendmend application against it to rezone for demolition and redevelopment. This one of the few (outside of Currie Barracks) 1930's buildings left in Calgary, they're much more rare than 1912 era buildings, and it's one of only possibly two 1930's 'strip malls' that I know of.

Link to more info: http://calgaryheritage.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=605


(Credit: Calgary Heritage Initiative society)



Planetarium: Although the building itself is not necessarily at risk, the WLRT threatens to take out the parkade, which may not seem that bad but the top of the parkade also serves as the grand staircase/entrance to the site. Heritage planners are in discussions with Transportation but I don't believe they're having much luck.

Link to more info: http://calgaryheritage.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=494


(Credit: Digistardomes.org)



Cecil Hotel: There has been a re-evaluation done and it has been classified as a "City Wide Resource". Interior is pretty much gutted other than the upstairs main hallway, but exterior is much more salvageable.

Link to more info: http://www.calgaryheritage.org/phpbb...pic.php?p=1471


(Credit: Metro News)



Old CBE Headquarters: This building, as well as the Workers Comp office across the street (former Catholic School board HQ), and the Family of Man sculptures have all been recently added to the city's heritage inventory. Most at risk is the old brutalist CBE hq as it's perhaps hard to love for the general public.

No link yet, coming soon.


(Credit: Calgary Heritage Initiative society)

[Stang]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

Old CBE Headquarters: This building, as well as the Workers Comp office across the street (former Catholic School board HQ), and the Family of Man sculptures have all been recently added to the city's heritage inventory. Most at risk is the old brutalist CBE hq as it's perhaps hard to love for the general public.

Haha! "Hard to love" is sooo true. Especially from street level. Interesting, nonetheless.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

(Credit: Digistardomes.org)

I think this shot especially shows that the 'parkade' of the Planetarium is really an important architectural element of the building, or at least more than just a parking garage.

[MalcolmTucker]

I had thought family of man was being moved to the new CBE headquarters.

That way, when the old one is sold off, you still have half a block to build a new tower, and get to repurpose the headquarters as part of the lower levels. I could see retail uses, the buildings conference centre, and a health club ala Bankers Hall Club (take advantage of all the new residential going in).

It is so interesting that the CBE HQ was part of the first east downtown revitalization effort, maybe one of Calgary's only examples of full scale 'urban renewal'.

I have to wonder what our city would look like if all the renewal had happend during the Beau Arts period rather than in brutalist modernism (if our city had been 60 years older).

[mersar]

I know there were some discussions about moving the Family of Man, the issue mostly ran into ownership (the City, not CBE, owns it), and the estimated cost to relocate them, which I believe someone pegged at around somewhere north of a couple hundred thousand.

[lineman]

I hope the old CBE doesn't go. It's brutal at it's finest around here and reminds me of the Boston city hall.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by lineman

I hope the old CBE doesn't go. It's brutal at it's finest around here and reminds me of the Boston city hall.

I'd like both it and the Worker's comp building to stay, the fact that two brutalist style buildings are across the street from each other is pretty cool:

[outoftheice]

There has been some talk in the construction thread about a new office development being built on the Herald Block. There's apparently a building on the site from 1912 that would need to be removed before construction could take place. Does anybody have a photo of what this building looks like? Is it a historically significant building and if so, why hasn't there been more outrage expressed that another piece of Calgary's history will be torn down to make way for an office tower? Could the fascade of the existing historical building be incorporated into the office tower somehow? Does the city have anything in it's power to encourage this to be done? (Density bonus, tax relief, etc...)

[mersar]

The historic building is the Herald Block itself, though what state the original facade is in is a something that none of us knows. They building was reclad in the 60's with the current white granite exterior.

CHI has some info on their site, here are some pictures I've borrowed from there as well:

the original look and below the current look:

[kap384]

Hopefully there will be a requirement by the city to carefully investigate the condition of the original facade. It would be great to incorporate into a new building (a la Bankers Hall/Hollinsworth building), if it was salvageable.

[outoftheice]

Thanks for the photos Mersar! I agree that if the orginal facade can be saved, it would be great to incorporate into any new tower being built there. However I don't think the building with it's current appearance would be a huge loss. Cheers!

[mr.steevo]

Hi,

I just bought a 1913 house that I intend to "restore".

(Funny. People say restore when they speak of older houses but I never see the original toilets, wiring, or kitchens in these houses. Anyway...)

I intend on putting in upgraded plumbing, electrical, and insulation but I would like to have some direction on the most appropriate way of going about this. Will it qualify for Heritage status? Can I get renovation grants (not including the ecoEnergy grant and reno tax rebate)? How do I obtain the history of the house. The land title is pretty thin on details.

Any input and direction is greatly appreciated!

s.

[kap384]

Spending some time at the Glenbow searching records might be useful in sorting out the history of the lot. Was going to do that awhile ago for some friends houses in Inglewood.

Any pictures of yours?

[Zilla]

(CLICK TO VIEW LARGER VERSION)

The Calgary Heritage Initiative Society invites you to a free presentation and discussion with heritage developer Neil Richardson of Heritage Property Corporation on the storied past and hopeful future of a row of long-neglected historic buildings in the 100 block of 7th Avenue SW.
7 - 9 pm, Thursday May 14 at the Richmond-Knob Hill Community Hall, 2433 - 26 Avenue SW (link to map below). Refreshments will be provided. RSVP to info@calgaryheritage.org

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heritage Property Corp. has plans to revitalize a heritage streetscape of six buildings on the south side of 7th Avenue SW, including the original Calgary Stock Exchange, the Canadian Bible Society building and others. A key part of this project is the construction behind the buildings of an automated car park straight out of the Jetsons - a project unique to Calgary that helps to solve two problems: downtown parking and heritage preservation!

Neil's team is responsible for the recent renaissance of the Lougheed Building at 1st St and 6th Ave SW. Other successful projects including the NW Travellers Building and the Lorraine Apartments in Calgary, the Canmore Hotel, Bradley’s Saddlery Building in High River, and the MacKay Place in Millarville. The Snowden Refinery Building in SE Ramsay is another recent purchase.

You won't want to miss this opportunty to hear about Neil's plans. A great opportunity to meet members of the Calgary Heritage Initiative Society and others who believe that heritage preservation is vital to Calgary's character.

Link to a map to Richmond-Knob Hill CA. It is on bus route 6.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sourc...2&z=14&iwloc=A

[frinkprof]

^Cool, and good to see CHIS involved in the buildings above.

There was a segment on Breakfast Television on CityTV this morning with Neil Richardson giving information and a small tour of the Lorraine Building on 12th Avenue. It was built in 1913, was once the residence of a former mayor of Calgary, and was almost lost to a fire in 1998. Interesting stuff.