The Great Canadian Skyline Thread! II

[Doug]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

Downtown Calgary has a disproportionately low amount of residential compared to similarly sized cities and even cities much smaller than itself. You don't believe the CBD needs changing?... Sure. Whatever. I, personally, am fine with districts not holding strong to being too exclusionary and 'purist'; sure a business district is mainly for businesses, but it's silly to think there is no possibility for at least a modest residential market.

Regardless, the downtown will benefit when it eventually develops a decent stock of residential sites. It's getting there.

Only if the Beltline is not considered downtown. Treating it separately is like saying downtown Toronto is only Bay Street. The distinction between downtown and the Beltline will likely disappear as 10th ave fills in.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Surrealplaces

I agree, downtown Calgary has a higher than normal proportion of commercial to residential, and it would be nice to see some more residential mixed in, but in the end does it really matter? All that should matter is that you have vibrant neighborhoods and streets in the central area of a city.

Of course it matters It's an opportunity for private developers to make a profit; it's an opportunity for the city to expand its tax base without sprawling; it's an opportunity for downtown retailers to grow with the increased residential clientele presence.

The CBD isn't the only area on which I'm focused. The whole beltline, I would like to see infilled with more residential options.

[DrJoe]

On this topic being discussed I don't find Toronto's financial district to be all that dead after hours. I wouldn't call it bustling or anything but you still find a lot of people travelling too and from different locations.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

Of course it matters It's an opportunity for private developers to make a profit; it's an opportunity for the city to expand its tax base without sprawling; it's an opportunity for downtown retailers to grow with the increased residential clientele presence.

The CBD isn't the only area on which I'm focused. The whole beltline, I would like to see infilled with more residential options.

There are at least a dozen residential projects u/c in the Beltline (ex. Alura, Keynote2, Aura, Calla, Mark, 663 10th Ave) with many more proposed. The Beltline is south of downtown. The areas to the north (Kensington), northeast (Bridgeland) and east (East Village, Inglewood) are also in the midst of residential booms.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Doug

There are at least a dozen residential projects u/c in the Beltline (ex. Alura, Keynote2, Aura, Calla, Mark, 663 10th Ave) with many more proposed. The Beltline is south of downtown. The areas to the north (Kensington), northeast (Bridgeland) and east (East Village, Inglewood) are also in the midst of residential booms.

I know. Let's see this boom see some prevalence in the CBD.

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by DrJoe

On this topic being discussed I don't find Toronto's financial district to be all that dead after hours. I wouldn't call it bustling or anything but you still find a lot of people travelling too and from different locations.

In Toronto's case, the CBD is surrounded on 3 sides by vibrant commercial neighbourhoods, and on 4 sides by dense residential neighbourhoods. As in most cities, there isn't much in the way of after-hours attractions there, but due to its geographic circumstances you're always guaranteed a certain amount of through traffic.

[DrJoe]

Yes certainly. Just found it odd comparisons between Toronto's CBD were being made when like I said it isn't bustling on off hours but still has a good amount of foot traffic.

[bulliver]

[kw5150]

Calgary is great. I wouldnt live in any other city of a million people in Canada or the USA. The is a great urban appeal to Calgary, especially for the size of the city.


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Originally Posted by RyeJay

Downtown Calgary has a disproportionately low amount of residential compared to similarly sized cities and even cities much smaller than itself. You don't believe the CBD needs changing?... Sure. Whatever. I, personally, am fine with districts not holding strong to being too exclusionary and 'purist'; sure a business district is mainly for businesses, but it's silly to think there is no possibility for at least a modest residential market.

Regardless, the downtown will benefit when it eventually develops a decent stock of residential sites. It's getting there.

[kw5150]

What more do you want to see than the pic I posted above? The Beltline is like Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg and Ottawa combined. It really is it's own city. Ok, maybe not all of those cities combined, but it is a huge dense area. Im glad it developed with so many 7 - 10 story buildings, it is nice and sunny.

Originally Posted by RyeJay

Of course it matters It's an opportunity for private developers to make a profit; it's an opportunity for the city to expand its tax base without sprawling; it's an opportunity for downtown retailers to grow with the increased residential clientele presence.

The CBD isn't the only area on which I'm focused. The whole beltline, I would like to see infilled with more residential options.

[Martin Mtl]

Happy New Year everyone.


By Amir deepblue on Flickr

[Surrealplaces]

Hey, I agree 100% that cities should develop their cores and control sprawl, I just don't think it's important that an 8 block by 6 block area of office buildings in the core needs to be vibrant. As long ass adjacent neighborhoods like Kensington, EV, Beltline, Mission, etc are vibrant...it's all good.

Calgary's evolving into a San Francisco model, where you have a financial district that's mostly office buildings clumped in one area but surrounded by vibrant neighborhoods like Filmore, SOMA, North Beach, Chinatown, etc..

That said, I'm not opposed to more residential in the CBD. Eau Claire has an opportunity for much more residential.

I've started a thread in the Calgary section on this topic so as not to flood this thread.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=5955495#post5955495

Originally Posted by RyeJay

Of course it matters It's an opportunity for private developers to make a profit; it's an opportunity for the city to expand its tax base without sprawling; it's an opportunity for downtown retailers to grow with the increased residential clientele presence.

The CBD isn't the only area on which I'm focused. The whole beltline, I would like to see infilled with more residential options.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by Surrealplaces

I don't know if there are any chains downtown that Castlegar doesn't have, but if on Stephen Ave, and looking for good but fast food try Falafel King. It's fast food, but tasty and healthy.

Thanks ya im familiar with falafel king from my time in downtown Vancouver. Youre right it is good food. And ya our downtown only has a subway but uptown is where many of the big names congregate. And its only a seven ten minute drive from downtown.

[Coldrsx]

New Years Eve in Downtown Edmonton - notice Epcor Tower's lights.


(http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/edmonton/7761802.bin)


(http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/edmonton/7761811.bin?size=620x400s)

[Calgarian]

I never knew Epcor's spire lights changed colour, very cool!

[Coldrsx]

^they are LED... typically blue but often related to a special day (red/white canada day etc.).

There are LEDs on each balcony all the way up... but rarely on.

[bulliver]

More Edmonton

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by kw5150

The Beltline is like Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg and Ottawa combined.

what? no it isn't.

[Martin Mtl]

Winter Evening by Svet@Montrea on Flickr

[kw5150]

whoops!