Quote:
Originally Posted by bizaro86
What specific development do you think is getting stifled in downtown Calgary? Tons of empty office space right now, and condo development is likely to remain in the beltline/east village...
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I said generally for a reason, but if you want a specific example I'll point to the surface lots between 9 ave and the CP tracks. While it may not be the preferred kind of development, we at least see some automotive services, office space, Staples, and a gentleman's establishment on the western side of this strip (where surface parking would be less viable based on proximity - ie. cheaper rates). These places employ people and create at least a little bit of human movement throughout the day.
Or look across the tracks at 10th which has a decent little retail stretch despite the same inherent drawbacks of backing onto heavy-rail. 10 ave from 4th-8th has been generally under-utilized (MEC+old Alberta Boot+a few small commercial buildings), but we've finally seen some towers go up recently. It turns out a bottle-depot is a more desirable neighbour than a waste-land of parking lots.
If you can turn a tidy profit with parking and billboards, it dramatically decreases any incentive to build something with more societal benefits.
The other point that deserves a thesis in itself is the fact that the city is a direct competitor in the parking market - all citizens/taxpayers are essentially shareholders of Calgary Parking Authority. We harm our own business interests with ever-increasing parking supply - and more importantly our control over a powerful lever (parking supply/rates) to influence behaviour.
To be fair, it would be hard to exert much change over those lots since they've been exactly the same since about 1970 - probably including the abysmal sidewalks (looks like railway ops/unpaved parking before that). But it's also a cautionary tale of why we should be very very careful about approving 'temporary' surface parking.