New Condos in Victoria Park

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by SanFranFlamesFan

I think it's probably starting to happen since it's not just talk anymore. Sasso and Chocolate are up, Vetro and Arriva are well out of the ground, and plans are developing for many more - Colours, Nuera, Keynote, More Arriva. I think the area will start picking up soon.

I am personally a Sasso owner. I was planning on living there until I was offered a job I couldn't refuse in Silicon Valley. Now I rent it out executively, which says something. I actually convinced the executive rental company to rent in the Sasso building, and now they have a bunch of units in there.

I think the problem with the East Village is the infrastructure. I've heard that developers are waiting for the city to upgrade all the underground pipes which are extremely old. It isn't cost effective for a developer to do it, so I think that's why it's sitting empty.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I think the problem with the East Village is the infrastructure. I've heard that developers are waiting for the city to upgrade all the underground pipes which are extremely old. It isn't cost effective for a developer to do it, so I think that's why it's sitting empty.

East village has a ton of problems that have to be sorted out still. Any type of development there will require an infrastructure overhaul because of poor access to the area. It's fully enclosed by the rail's to the south, the bow to the north, the elbow to the east and downtown to the west. Access management is a nightmare in that area.

Another big issue is all the heritage sites in that area. Which is making development a nightmare.

Here's some info in two reports on the city's website.

http://www.calgary.ca/portal/server....Village%20.htm

[I-Hate-Hulse]

There are always tradeoffs to be had in neighborhoods and Vic Park is no exception. On one hand you'd have a 10 minute walk to Banker's Hall, be right next to the Dome and Ctrain, and have easy access by road to all quadrants of the city. One the other hand, you will have to put up with some of the undesirables of downtown.

I lived on 15th and Center from 2002 to 2006 and can attest to the transformation the area has gone through. I'd recommend that whatever building you move into, you take a hard look at security. Look for:

- cameras throughout all the common areas and parkade. Make figuring out how they got in that much easier.
- a computerized key fob entry system, so lost fobs in the wrong hands can be deactivated immediately.
- a good proactive Board.
- a higher end building.

The Sasso buildings were finished to an Edmonton spec which was higher than the Calgary market's at the time. Not sure how their security is. I think they're probably the best new condos in the area, I didn't think much of Chocolate's faux-hipster designs and crap finishings.

While it's no picnic, It's not that bad in the area, especially the Sasso/Vetro sites which are more isolated from the stroll on Center and 15th/14th Aves. As a guy you don't think twice about it. There were a wide variety of attitudes from women in the building towards the street - some were intimidated, while some didn't flinch and walked home late at night.

I might not have kids in the area but for the quality of life of not having to commute 1.5 hours a day by car or 2 with the masses on the C-Train - I'll take it.

[Foxy]

Originally Posted by Shazam

If that damned poultry rendering plant ever gets blown up, Inglewood/Ramsay will be the hottest area in town.

I'm still wondering when Bowness will start being razed over.

As a resident of Ramsay, I think it's really funny when people complain about that "damned poultry rendering plant" in Ramsay, when it's only been there for 40 years. It's not like they moved in over night and set up shop. They are well within the bylaws and they don't seem to be interested in moving anytime soon.

It's kind of like when people complain about noisy airplanes when they move into the new areas that are directly on the flight path to Calgary International. Perhaps people should do some research before they purchase their properties.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Foxy

As a resident of Ramsay, I think it's really funny when people complain about that "damned poultry rendering plant" in Ramsay, when it's only been there for 40 years. It's not like they moved in over night and set up shop. They are well within the bylaws and they don't seem to be interested in moving anytime soon.

I am not talking about how long they have been there or whether they are following laws or not. The reality is that economic growth and community revitalization within the Inglewood/Ramsay area is being limited by the plant.

I do recall some Ramsay residents pressuring the company and city hall to get the plant closed last year.

East village has a ton of problems that have to be sorted out still. Any type of development there will require an infrastructure overhaul because of poor access to the area. It's fully enclosed by the rail's to the south, the bow to the north, the elbow to the east and downtown to the west. Access management is a nightmare in that area.

East Village is easy to get to via Blackfoot.

[Foxy]

Originally Posted by Shazam

I am not talking about how long they have been there or whether they are following laws or not. The reality is that economic growth and community revitalization within the Inglewood/Ramsay area is being limited by the plant.

I do recall some Ramsay residents pressuring the company and city hall to get the plant closed last year.

East Village is easy to get to via Blackfoot.

They pressured Lillydale to move and failed miserably.

Lillydale isn't the problem in Ramsay as I see it. Where do you draw the line? Are you going to get rid of the concrete plant? What about the contaminated land at the old Shell building, adjacent to the tracks on 11 St? What about the train tracks? Should we tear down the old Calgary Brewery?

Ramsay was a district where people lived where they worked, and had been long neglected by the city. Now that the yuppies and that sort have discovered that there are some cool older homes in that area, suddenly these businesses that have been there since the beginning are getting the squeeze. I didn't see anyone trying to close down the Burns plant when it was still operating, complete with feedlot and rendering all those years ago. Now that Ramsay can be considered trendy, we don't want those businesses in our back yard.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Foxy

They pressured Lillydale to move and failed miserably.

Lillydale isn't the problem in Ramsay as I see it. Where do you draw the line? Are you going to get rid of the concrete plant? What about the contaminated land at the old Shell building, adjacent to the tracks on 11 St? What about the train tracks? Should we tear down the old Calgary Brewery?

None of those things make a stench so holy it can melt the hairs inside your nose.

Ramsay was a district where people lived where they worked, and had been long neglected by the city. Now that the yuppies and that sort have discovered that there are some cool older homes in that area, suddenly these businesses that have been there since the beginning are getting the squeeze. I didn't see anyone trying to close down the Burns plant when it was still operating, complete with feedlot and rendering all those years ago. Now that Ramsay can be considered trendy, we don't want those businesses in our back yard.

Judging from the amount of shuttered buildings and unused land there, I'd say it hasn't been an area where people live where they work for quite a while.

I used to work in Inglewood. I didn't really appreciate the drug deals going down behind our building and the crack head hookers stumbling around the front. And the time someone decided to poop by our front door.

If it takes a poultry rendering plant moving to improve living and working conditions down there, then very well.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Foxy

Now that the yuppies and that sort have discovered that there are some cool older homes in that area, suddenly these businesses that have been there since the beginning are getting the squeeze.

I'm not familiar with this situation, but doesn't "the squeeze" come with a lot of money for these businesses? They won't just get kicked out.

[Foxy]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

I'm not familiar with this situation, but doesn't "the squeeze" come with a lot of money for these businesses? They won't just get kicked out.

Fron what I know about the Lillydale situation, the city offered to do a land swap with them for somewhere quite a bit out of the innercity. One of the arguments that Lillydale had was a lot of their workforce relies on city transit to get to their jobs. Where they are located now, they are on the route 24 (Ogden) line, which is accessible to a lot of people as you can catch it downtown. Their argument is, particularly in the labour shortage, that if they move to a location that isn't as accessible by bus, they would be losing a lot of their workers. Sometimes it's more than just the pure dollars and cents.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Foxy

Fron what I know about the Lillydale situation, the city offered to do a land swap with them for somewhere quite a bit out of the innercity. One of the arguments that Lillydale had was a lot of their workforce relies on city transit to get to their jobs. Where they are located now, they are on the route 24 (Ogden) line, which is accessible to a lot of people as you can catch it downtown. Their argument is, particularly in the labour shortage, that if they move to a location that isn't as accessible by bus, they would be losing a lot of their workers. Sometimes it's more than just the pure dollars and cents.

Well you got me there.

[Foxy]

Originally Posted by fotze

Well if the city had rules on the release of odours, maybe the chicken plant wouldn't be so bad.

Also, good thing they are deciding to keep that contaminated shell site you mentioned, there's some history we should deffinately hold on to.

Sorry, the point I was trying to make is that the chicken plant, in the grande scheme of things, isn't the only or even the biggest problem for Ramsay. Clean up on the old Shell site isn't even in any kind of planning as far as I know.

I guess what I'm trying to say is the NIMBY's in Ramsay and Inglewood will never be happy. As you said, if the city had rules on the release of odours, maybe the chicken plant wouldn't be so bad. Sure, get rid of the chicken plant, but Ramsay and Inglewood are so close to the businesses in Ogden that create these unpleasant odours, I just have to wonder where we draw the line. On any given day in my back yard I can smell the Alberta Distillery, Fleishman's Yeast, Iko (shingle manufacturer), and on really good days, the smell coming from the Bonnybrook Treatment Plant, just to name a few. But I knew those businesses were there long before I moved into the neighbourhood, and that's what you get when living there. If they can't live with it, maybe Ramsay isn't the right neighbourhood for them.

[Shazam]

And nothing is as bad as the poulty plant. As for poor ol' Lilydale, if they cared about their workers so much they'd have their own private buses if they moved somewhere else. Also, Calgary Transit does have more than one bus route that services from downtown, so I'm sure they could work something out with the workers. And of course it's all about dollars and cents. Lilydale doesn't want to build a new plant somewhere. That would cost them money.

Hey, all I'm saying is that Inglewood/Ramsay has major issues with deterioration - housing, social, economic. A major problem is that stench from the plant. Nothing is as bad as that plant. Nothing. This isn't even my opinion. Rotting guts are just really, really bad.

Clean up on the old Shell site isn't even in any kind of planning as far as I know.

If you are referring to the Petro-Canada site, go here and read page 54:

http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/...lewood_arp.pdf

[Foxy]

Originally Posted by Shazam

And nothing is as bad as the poulty plant. As for poor ol' Lilydale, if they cared about their workers so much they'd have their own private buses if they moved somewhere else. Also, Calgary Transit does have more than one bus route that services from downtown, so I'm sure they could work something out with the workers. And of course it's all about dollars and cents. Lilydale doesn't want to build a new plant somewhere. That would cost them money.

Hey, all I'm saying is that Inglewood/Ramsay has major issues with deterioration - housing, social, economic. A major problem is that stench from the plant. Nothing is as bad as that plant. Nothing. This isn't even my opinion. Rotting guts are just really, really bad.

If you are referring to the Petro-Canada site, go here and read page 54:

http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/...lewood_arp.pdf

Why would Lillydale go through the expense of building a new facility when the city has given them approval all this time to stay where they are? If people want to be upset at someone, it should be the city for granting them granfathered zoning permission.

I get it, guts are really, really bad. But if you see the plant is there, and it's obvious that this plant isn't brand new, don't be surprised when you smell guts shortly after moving into you're funky old house. That's all I'm saying.

I wasn't speaking about the Petro-Canada site that is located next to the Bird Sanctuary. I am speaking of the old Shell site west of the brewery, which I understand is contaminated as well. I could be wrong about that though but some of the stories that I've heard from some of the old timers that are still around, I wouldn't be surprised if it was.

I think we're just going to have to agree to disagree.

[Bunk]

Victoria Park is experiencing the most change of any community in Calgary.

Check out this forum's thread to look at all the development going on. It is very useful.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=117681

You'll notice on the development map the massive concentration of new projects in Victoria Park. It will be unrecognizable in 5 years.

A really interesting project will be what is called 'Railtown' by Remington development. the same developer that is doing 'Quarry Park' in the SE.
They own a massive amount of land that stradles the CPR tracks between Stampede Park and 9th Avenue.

It is the area outlined in red below. They are burying the electic lines, tearing down the wall and getting rid of the CPR rail yards. The Victoria bus barns will also be subject to redevelopment in the next few years when that facility moves. It will be developed like the Bridges by the City. Overall, when the developer approached the community regarding this project they said in total it would be several thousand condo units, retail, parks etc on the same scale as East Village. Also on about the same development scale as Concord Pacific on the old expo lands in Vancouver.

[Barnes]

Wow Railtown very cool. Under ground C-Train station and the main station for the high speed rail link to Edmonton with some towers and commercial development built around. Too bad I'll be retiring around the same time as this development gets started if it does.

Josh do you see condo prices in the beltline ever coming down to $300 a square foot for new development?

[Bunk]

It is possible they will be in that ballpark. Resales in Chocolate right now are often less than $350 a sq ft.

The concept master plan will be released in the spring with a plan going to the City in the fall. One of the biggest single downtown developments in Calgary's history.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by josh white

It is possible they will be in that ballpark. Resales in Chocolate right now are often less than $350 a sq ft.

The concept master plan will be released in the spring with a plan going to the City in the fall. One of the biggest single downtown developments in Calgary's history.

Here's to hoping. I wish a developer would design a building to fit somewhere between a POV and Arriva.

[Burninator]

Floor plans for condos were realeased today.

Now I'm a total rookie when it comes to this stuff. But roughly what would you experts guess the price to be for the typical condo in this building $350 sqft. or around $500 sqft?

[Claeren]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Floor plans for condos were realeased today.

Now I'm a total rookie when it comes to this stuff. But roughly what would you experts guess the price to be for the typical condo in this building $350 sqft. or around $500 sqft?

Which one?

Nuera?

I would guess around $450 for the smallest units and then dropping to $380-$420/sq-ft for the bigger ones, but that is just a guess.


Claeren.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by josh white

It is possible they will be in that ballpark. Resales in Chocolate right now are often less than $350 a sq ft.

While I'm sure the lull in the market has much to do with that, Battistella's decision to put polished concrete floors (too bad if you want carpet or hardwood) and cabinetry so spartan that IKEA far exceeds them for quality may be turning away buyers who suddenly have a lot more to choose from.