New Calgary downtown neighbourhoods

[ssiguy2]

I'm aware of 17th, Sunnyside, and Inglewood but I'm interested in any new shopping/bohemian areas up and coming in Calgary.
I'm not talking malls just interesting downtown/inner city areas that are developing in Calgary.
Does anybody know if there are any new areas evolving in Calgary?

[Boris550]

New areas eh? So I guess Marda Loop would be off your list. I'm also guessing you included Kensington when you said Sunnyside.

Of areas on the rise... well there's the Bridges (former General Hospital site) which has is mixed retail/condos. I think 1st St SW will be pretty cool in a few years with all the construction there. Same goes for Victoria Park with the 1st Arriva tower under construction and Skytower sold out, as well as the Stampede Expansion coming in a few years. 4th St SW is also pretty good.

[ssiguy2]

Marda Loop?

[Boris550]

Marda Loop is pretty cool. Josh would know more (I've only driven through myself lol). The community is named after a streetcar line that once ran through there.

I have edited out an "eh?" I didn't realize that I had put two of them into that last message. :P

[Daver]

Agreed 4th street S.W. will grow quickly and of course there is Stephen ave.

[Boris550]

I left out Stephen Ave because at least in my mind it is fairly well established by now.

EDIT: Oh, how about the Currie Barracks site adjacent to Garrison Woods? I've heard that the redevelopment will be pretty cool when it's finished.

[Boris550]

Thinking about older neighborhoods for a second, how about Inglewood? It's an old, old area of town, so it's nothing new, except there is the National condos going up which should add some more residents (and density) to the area. Inglewood has a totally different feel from the rest of the city, during a saturday afternoon in July it feels very urban and almost hippie-ish (probably because of that car with the beads all over it).

Inglewood's history is fascinating itself. A lot of Calgarians don't seem to know that it was the city's original downtown! That was because the NWMP wouldn't let the settlers build on the west side of the Elbow River (where Fort Calgary is located), so they built on the east side. I haven't put any effort into finding out when downtown shifted west across the Elbow though.

[ssiguy2]

I've been to Ingelwood, ya it is neat.
Where is MardaLoop and GarisonWoods?

[ssiguy2]

BTW, is there anything NORTH of downtown/ EdmontonTrail?

[Boris550]

Marda Loop and Garrison Woods are pretty cool areas, they are just a little far away from downtown.

Now assuming I got this map correctly...
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/6571/calgarymardagarrison5be.jpg

They both kinda look like ordinary burbs from above, but if you go there you would see that there is some new condo construction going on and that there is retail as well. Marda Loop is particularly interesting because it is an old streetcar suburb. Garrison Woods particularly turned out nicely, and you would see more clearly that there are a ton of townhouses and such.

The only upcoming area I can think of North of the Bow is the Bridges, but I haven't yet gone up there and seen what it's like. I have seen from pictures and from driving past on Memorial that is has a ton of new condos and new retail. One of the guys on SSP currently lives there.

[ssiguy2]

Thanks Boris550, that helps.
BTW, what is that purple line?

[Boris550]

Thanks Boris550, that helps.
BTW, what is that purple line?

I have no idea. I'll check Google Earth...

Haha, it's supposed to be railroads, although it is way, way off. :lol:

You can actually see on that map how far off it is.

[walli]

The only upcoming area I can think of North of the Bow is the Bridges, but I haven't yet gone up there and seen what it's like. I have seen from pictures and from driving past on Memorial that is has a ton of new condos and new retail.

The City of Calgary web-page actually has quite a bit of information on The Bridges. Visit:
http://content.calgary.ca/CCA/City+Hall/Business+Units/Corporate+Properties+and+Buildings/The+Bridges+Development/The+Bridges+Development.htm

It's quite significant - 37 acres with over 1500 units. Objective is to create an urban village feel. There is a lot more than just residential units! Also, I think it is a great location

Here are some drawings:

http://content.calgary.ca/NR/rdonlyres/emvsytfmhwdhwp5ea2v4fki6gidjr4bhr5peckijbtxja7mmvycrwyk6zhkz56nvepldvdwyxyhv7qnytrmfi7ajd6h/Bridges_Site_Rendering_3D_700.gif

http://content.calgary.ca/NR/rdonlyres/emna4q52kt37nc7lxapq454f7bpj6cokynhgjmuh6dbqql7vx4wt7hbjwrkhpdmdlckycas32n2op42xxaecfw2tvma/Bridges_master_plan_final_crop_700.gif

http://content.calgary.ca/NR/rdonlyres/e6xod3hto4rbafvje57jsfzz4bd3bc5jyemntxaroqpa7qxc5u5jfr6p6zpxdyhbiie7ez75o7rrso4v3jwec6jpvcd/Phasing-Plan_Ph2-rev_700.gif

[josh white]

Calgary's cool neighborhoods are more of less concentrated surrounding downtown. There aren;t many neighborhoods worth noting outside the inner city.

Bridges and all of Bridgeland in fact will be a very cool neighborhood when that development is finished.Te first phase is more or less complete nad the second phase with condos of 8-12 floors will add about 715 units more. THe second phase is in the bidding process right now for developers. From what I heard most of the same developers that built in the first phase bid for lots in the second phase. It is right by the LRT, has a realy good public realm, shops and open space. Not to mention what will be the best view of the new EnCana tower when it is built.

Marda loop is a really cool, yuppie innercity neighborhood. With Garrison Woods having been built it has aded a lot of people to the neighborhood, which has given a big boost to the retail strip.

This is the only picture I have of Marda Loop, during their annual street festival called Marda Gras

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/joshwhit/IMG_0007.jpg

For course, 17th is great, 1st street is really up and coming, and Kensington is really to most complete urban/bohemian community.

But one to check (as mentioned) out near 17th in a neighborhood called mission is 4th street. really cool neighborhood, good restaurants and shops. nice housing, and the best street festival in Calgary called Lilac Festival. over 100 000 people in one day.

here are some pics.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/joshwhit/Mission/IMG_0024.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/joshwhit/Mission/IMG_0224.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/joshwhit/Mission/IMG_0179.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/joshwhit/Mission/IMG_0166.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/joshwhit/Mission/IMG_0185.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/joshwhit/Mission/IMG_0150.jpg

[josh white]

Also, you may have heard about the East Village Area Redevelopment. THis land immediately to the East of the CBD is on prime land but is basically vacant except for a few condo and apartment buildings and the homeless facilities.

The Area Redevelpment plan has som really sound planning, and will become a very interesting and vibrant downtown neighborhood in the future. If only they would finally start construction. I believe all the approvals of the plans are now in place, including the Tax Incremental Financing Scheme to for the massive upgrades the land needs before development.

Here is the plan.

Part I (http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/planning/pdf/east_village_arp/8027_east_village_arp_part1o2.pdf)

Part II (http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/planning/pdf/east_village_arp/8027_east_village_arp_part2of2.pdf)

[Boris550]

Also, you may have heard about the East Village Area Redevelopment. THis land immediately to the East of the CBD is on prime land but is basically vacant except for a few condo and apartment buildings and the homeless facilities.

The Area Redevelpment plan has som really sound planning, and will become a very interesting and vibrant downtown neighborhood in the future. If only they would finally start construction. I believe all the approvals of the plans are now in place, including the Tax Incremental Financing Scheme to for the massive upgrades the land needs before development.

Here is the plan.

Part I (http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/planning/pdf/east_village_arp/8027_east_village_arp_part1o2.pdf)

Part II (http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/planning/pdf/east_village_arp/8027_east_village_arp_part2of2.pdf)

Heh, I remember going over the ARP with ProudlyCanadian. It is quite detailed and well worth the read.

But yeah, how much longer can it possibly take to start construction? They must have announced the idea of using a TIF almost a year and a half ago.