Calgary Water Cooler Talk Thread

[DizzyEdge]

Another very interesting thing (to me), is that house a couple lots to the west, which has the entire backyard filled with an extension

https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.0382891,-114.0614531,53m/data=!3m1!1e3

Has had that since it was built 100 years ago

[CalgaryAlex]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

What, you don't like my crack shack?

Haha, well it certainly has character. I'm sorry to say that you have a large repair bill coming up since the recent hail storms blew the roof shingles apart and sprayed them all over the sidewalk.

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

What's crazy is as recent as 2012 that house was still occupied.

That is crazy. What's interesting is that I see more people sleeping rough or passed out in the Discount Car Rentals garage area to the left of it than in the yard behind the fence.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by CalgaryAlex

Anyone know why this horrible building still stands? It's a complete eyesore and would be better as an empty/fenced-off lot.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.038176,-1...w%3D25.161211%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656

Originally Posted by UofC.engineer

Looks like one of the few remaining houses when that area was all residential. I agree, it's a piece of shit but I'd rather see the elbow river and stampede casinos get torn down.

Someone has to buy up that entire block, tear it all down save for the historic apartments on 15th, get a density bonus for historic preservation and build tons of condos there. It is such an eyesore.

[CalgaryAlex]

Originally Posted by fusili

Someone has to buy up that entire block, tear it all down save for the historic apartments on 15th, get a density bonus for historic preservation and build tons of condos there. It is such an eyesore.

That whole block is trash (other than, as you say, the apartment building on 15th). Body shop, car rental place, parking lots, the fenced-off stamp building. Ugh, I hate that block so much.

Edit: I'd also love for the Empire Shisha place to be demolished and replaced with something that integrates with and gets eyes on the little park that sits on the Elbow (which also needs a lot of help). I walk down 1st St SE every day and it's depressing each and every time.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by CalgaryAlex

Haha, well it certainly has character. I'm sorry to say that you have a large repair bill coming up since the recent hail storms blew the roof shingles apart and sprayed them all over the sidewalk.

That's called a sun roof, bro. Saves me on candles so I can weight out ma crack.

[DizzyEdge]

So since I'm a nerd, I checked out the other houses



The house just to the left of the Colgrove Apartments which was built with a 2 story extension right to the alley, was owned and occupied by Mr Colgrove who built the brick apartments,
for a couple of years before and after the apartments were built. So I'm not sure if he used it as offices for the build or what, but after he moved out it was occupied by 2 people
for a while, one in the front and one in the back attachment. By 1920 that had turned into 4 suites, then 6 by 1925, then 7 after 1930, and by then it had been named the "Lyndell Apartments.

The house to the left of that one from 1910 until the late 30s was the "Salvation Army Citadel Officer's Quarters". It is a mirror image to the Colgrove house so maybe Colgrove built it too.
By 1940 it had been turned into 4 suites and named the Donna Lew apartments.

[CalgaryAlex]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

So since I'm a nerd, I checked out the other houses



The house just to the left of the Colgrove Apartments which was built with a 2 story extension right to the alley, was owned and occupied by Mr Colgrove who built the brick apartments,
for a couple of years before and after the apartments were built. So I'm not sure if he used it as offices for the build or what, but after he moved out it was occupied by 2 people
for a while, one in the front and one in the back attachment. By 1920 that had turned into 4 suites, then 6 by 1925, then 7 after 1930, and by then it had been named the "Lyndell Apartments.

The house to the left of that one from 1910 until the late 30s was the "Salvation Army Citadel Officer's Quarters". It is a mirror image to the Colgrove house so maybe Colgrove built it too.
By 1940 it had been turned into 4 suites and named the Donna Lew apartments.

Interesting, thanks for looking up the information and sharing it!

[Aegis]

I'm going to Chicago for a week. Staying in Evanston, north of Chicago. Other than the usual tourist hotspots, can anyone recommend any cool off-the-beaten-track sites or restaurants to see in Chicago or area? Architecture related stuff as well.

[CorporateWhore]

Chicago is pretty amazing for architecture. I haven't had the chance to explore the outer reaches, but there is are some really cool buildings in downtown. Either way the Architectural Boat tour is a definite must for anyone even remotely interested.

This might also help:
https://duranvirginia.wordpress.com/2013...miss-in-chicago-if-you-are-an-architect/

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by Aegis

I'm going to Chicago for a week. Staying in Evanston, north of Chicago. Other than the usual tourist hotspots, can anyone recommend any cool off-the-beaten-track sites or restaurants to see in Chicago or area? Architecture related stuff as well.

The Bahá'í House of Worship one town north. The Illinois Institute of Technology (Armoury Institute) south of downtown Chicago to see the best concentration of international style buildings anywhere. Try Chicago mix popcorn. If you are into sports at all, try to catch a game at Wrigley.

[flipstah]

Oil is dipping and no fresh jobs as there's no new projects announced.

Time to switch sectors as the novelty of "funenployment" is wearing thin.

[Aegis]

Thanks for the Chicago suggestions!

[DizzyEdge]

Thought this was interesting, considering moves to ban vape devices

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/18/us-health-britain-ecigarettes-idUSKCN0QN2AC20150818

E-cigarettes are 95 percent less harmful than tobacco: UK study

Electronic cigarettes are around 95 percent less harmful than tobacco and should be promoted as a tool to help smokers quit, a study by an agency of Britain's Department of Health said on Wednesday.

E-cigarettes, tobacco-free devices people use to inhale nicotine-laced vapor, have surged in popularity on both sides of the Atlantic but health organizations have so far been wary of advocating them as a safer alternative to tobacco and governments from California to India have tried to introduce bills to regulate their use more strictly.

"E-cigarettes are not completely risk free but when compared to smoking, evidence shows they carry just a fraction of the harm," said Professor Kevin Fenton from Public Health England, which carried out the study.

More at

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/18/us-health-britain-ecigarettes-idUSKCN0QN2AC20150818

[bulliver]

Figured one of you guys might know...drove by Banff on Hwy 1 the other day. There are two tower cranes right in the Banff townsite. Anyone know what the project is? Also appears to be a significant expansion at the LaFarge plant on Lac des Arcs?

[Bigtime]

The Exshaw Plant at Lac des Arcs has had some huge expansion work done, I was wondering exactly what it all was. There is that funky looking dome structure too.

[Barnes]

It's a Contact machine.

[mersar]

Originally Posted by bulliver

Figured one of you guys might know...drove by Banff on Hwy 1 the other day. There are two tower cranes right in the Banff townsite. Anyone know what the project is? Also appears to be a significant expansion at the LaFarge plant on Lac des Arcs?

Two hotels I believe, the cranes are across the street from each other if I recall correctly from when I was in Banff last Monday. One being "the moose" as it was called in the Crag and Canyon back in 2013:


Source

And yes, theres a significant expansion at LaFarge too. I think there were two tower cranes there. And I noticed the dome as well, I was curious what it was too.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by bulliver

Figured one of you guys might know...drove by Banff on Hwy 1 the other day. There are two tower cranes right in the Banff townsite. Anyone know what the project is? Also appears to be a significant expansion at the LaFarge plant on Lac des Arcs?

Probably "The Moose" construction site:
http://www.thecragandcanyon.ca/2013/06/04/172-room-hotel-going-up-on-banff-avenue

https://goo.gl/maps/JtYeB

In Exshaw they are adding a new Kiln. I haven't figured out what the dome is for, I've got a few friends working there, I'll ask when I see them next.

[MalcolmTucker]

A rendering of the new kiln line planned for the Exshaw cement plant. Construction of the footings and foundations is set to begin this fall [2012]. Rocky Mountain Outlook

[Fuzz]

I don't see the dome in the rendering, so maybe it is temporary. It does look tent like...