Info please! Old Calgary Herald Building at 7th AVE and 1st Street being demolished

[MrMastodonFarm]

How did that building become that..sometimes I just wonder wtf Calgary does with older buildings...

[Barnes]

All cities go through a period of not appreciating what they had. unfortunatly, Calgary didn't have very much to begin with.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by morgin

If this building ever had any heritage value, it is long gone through terrible renovation and marble recladding.

What in the...

How was that an upgrade?

[stampsx2]

Calgary has done the best job out of any city in making our downtown appealing to investors and shoppers. Five story buildings worked a hundred years ago but not anymore.

All that heritage buildings do is become derelict or run down bars that barely pay any property taxes. They end up increasing crime and lowering the demand for downtown investment weather commercial or residential.

Look at all the cities that are desperate to revitalize downtown. They try to build arena's and stadiums downtown with little success. New Jersey for example.

The only city in Western Canada that has a successful downtown full of heritage buildings is Victoria. Heritage buildings need investment to work but rarely get it.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

Calgary has done the best job out of any city in making our downtown appealing to investors and shoppers. Five story buildings worked a hundred years ago but not anymore.

All that heritage buildings do is become derelict or run down bars that barely pay any property taxes. They end up increasing crime and lowering the demand for downtown investment weather commercial or residential.

Look at all the cities that are desperate to revitalize downtown. They try to build arena's and stadiums downtown with little success. New Jersey for example.

The only city in Western Canada that has a successful downtown full of heritage buildings is Victoria. Heritage buildings need investment to work but rarely get it.

Yeah look at all the derelict buildings on Stephen Ave who pay pennies on the dollar in rent.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Yeah look at all the derelict buildings on Stephen Ave who pay pennies on the dollar in rent.

Ya, and dont get me started on that ugly "Europe" place, its just in shambles now, full of old buildings just begging to be torn down. They wouldn't be in such debt if the Germans had done more bombing on their downtown areas back in the 40s.

I for one, blame the parasitic "downtowners"

[Barnes]

I was in Chicago last week and it was nothing but corner slingin' and hustlin' from one art deco building to another. I literally ran past the Tribune and Wrigley to Trump.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

Calgary has done the best job out of any city in making our downtown appealing to investors and shoppers. Five story buildings worked a hundred years ago but not anymore.

All that heritage buildings do is become derelict or run down bars that barely pay any property taxes. They end up increasing crime and lowering the demand for downtown investment weather commercial or residential.

Look at all the cities that are desperate to revitalize downtown. They try to build arena's and stadiums downtown with little success. New Jersey for example.

The only city in Western Canada that has a successful downtown full of heritage buildings is Victoria. Heritage buildings need investment to work but rarely get it.

Yeah, that derelict Lougheed Building, derelict old city hall, derelict Stephen Ave, derelict North West Travellers Building, etc.

Get rid of them all!

[topfiverecords]

history! blagh! get rid of it! more 50 storey brown glass boxes!!

[CGYNHL]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

Whatever they build, it will only be a 20 minute commute from airdrie.

Hopefully you will be able to see it from Airdrie!

[SebC]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

Calgary has done the best job out of any city in making our downtown appealing to investors and shoppers.

That certainly explains why Chinook has significantly longer opening hours than the Core, and why CrossIron Mills exists.

[TorqueDog]

On a similar note (with regards to heritage buildings), what's happening with the 7th Avenue Autopark? The project that was going to restore the south side of the 100 block of 7th Avenue SW while also building an automated parkade.

[The Yen Man]

It's really too bad Calgary has shadowing bylaws and height restrictions on buildings. I wish they would build a couple of 100 story buildings here, they are pretty impressive to look at. It makes me a bit sad to think what the Bow could have been if they had been allowed to build up to the rumoured 80+ stories.

[Muffins]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

It's really too bad Calgary has shadowing bylaws and height restrictions on buildings. I wish they would build a couple of 100 story buildings here, they are pretty impressive to look at. It makes me a bit sad to think what the Bow could have been if they had been allowed to build up to the rumoured 80+ stories.

I could be wrong about this, but I think there are also issues with the ground that prevent them from making really tall buildings.

[Bigtime]

Nah, there are a few sites in Calgary that could easily accommodate a 100 floor building, I think a lot of the parking lots along 9th avenue would be candidates. I've also never heard of the ground playing a role in not being able to build tall.

It can be done here, we just need the economics of going so tall to make sense. Which can be really hard right now since there are still a lot of available lots in the CBD to build on first. When that space starts to become scarce is when we can see the best chance of going supertall.

However I'd love for someone to just go ego and build Canada's first supertall here soon.

[JD]

Originally Posted by Muffins

I could be wrong about this, but I think there are also issues with the ground that prevent them from making really tall buildings.

I'm no structural engineer, but I would think if they can build 'em on top of the unconsolidated sands of the Emirati desert, they can build them here.

Although the problem may exist in the north of downtown closer to the river where floodplain sediment is more prevalent. Even then, if you dig 20 to 30 m down, you're probably getting into some solid rock.

[stampsx2]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Yeah, that derelict Lougheed Building, derelict old city hall, derelict Stephen Ave, derelict North West Travellers Building, etc.

Get rid of them all!

Don't forget the Cecil and all those lovely gems along East Hastings. I think the asking price starts at five million for a one bedroom suite.

You can also go to a nice run down bar under a hotel in Edmonton or Winnipeg where the band playing has that "who booked us here?" look in their eye. I can name a few for you if you like.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

Don't forget the Cecil and all those lovely gems along East Hastings. I think the asking price starts at five million for a one bedroom suite.

You can also go to a nice run down bar under a hotel in Edmonton or Winnipeg where the band playing has that "who booked us here?" look in their eye. I can name a few for you if you like.

So instead of refurbishing, re-adapting, or incorporating them into a new structure we should just get rid of them because it did not work out in a few areas and most likely due to neglect?

[MacDaddy77]

Originally Posted by Addick

So instead of refurbishing, re-adapting, or incorporating them into a new structure we should just get rid of them because it did not work out in a few areas and most likely due to neglect?

yes!! 21st century, get on board

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by MacDaddy77

yes!! 21st century, get on board

Xanatos had the right idea: