Quote:
Originally Posted by Eapiwo
I appreciate your thoughts on how architecture changes over time. I always think it'll be ironic if the architecture from this era becomes revered in 50, 60 years and we were here fighting to make buildings look like they're from a past era. I think it's okay for buildings from our time to have their own look. The uniqueness in this current era of architecture can't be seen until it's over.
That said, the Mark is okay. I'm not sure that every building needs multi-uses, though generally multi-use is a good thing. With the context of the current housing crisis, I appreciate that these student housing buildings are juggernauts that provide homes for 500 people in the blink of an eye. I'm still impressed that there's demand for new student housing as UofA attendance on its main campus has been holding steady at about 30-33k for the last decade since these buildings started popping up. If they keep popping up and selling out, then clearly there's demand for them. I suspect that the Gateway Diner apartments will be student oriented as well.
I'd love to see some apartments downtown come up that are marketed for the non-student market. I think we are still comically low in supply for that market.
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Catching up after a while and going back to this one about The Mark. Just to set the record straight, the neighborhood was negotiating with the developers, asking to preserve the old corner bar facade as a retail space (I think it was the Green Dolphin back in the day - by Joessler no less) and 6-8 stories. Then after a few months the developers bailed completely and just went with what they could build with the existing zoning - that's why only 4 stories on 10th St. They didn't want to wait through the PAD process, just wanted fast money.
In my opinion it was a lost opportunity - no street-level retail, open garage, and surrounded by a prison fence.
I'll post about the TUSD lot next - hoping we don't get a repeat of The Mark