Calgary SSP Development Listing

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by SebC

If Telus ever decides they're done with the Clearnet commercials... just buy four back-to-back slots and run the Telus Sky video.

I wasn't immediately in love with it but now I can't stop staring at it. It's a lot taller than I expected.

Is this the video you're referring too?
http://telussky.com/video.php



I think they stole shots from a tourism Calgary spot. That girl in the green running through downtown then across the Peace Bridge is pretty familiar.

Found it before I finish this post.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBrX1Mxyi2M

Though I'd imagine they had permission (obviously) since it's good for the tourism board of Calgary to be apart of is.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Is this the video you're referring too?
http://telussky.com/video.php

Yeah, that's the one. I've pretty much been looping it all day.

[SeoulFire]

Originally Posted by SebC

If you want to achieve low transit times, you need density. An office tower is denser than an office block. Particularly if that block has a big parking lot.

lol. You just can't help yourself can you?

[SebC]

Originally Posted by SeoulFire

lol. You just can't help yourself can you?

It's a bit like whack-a-mole.

[Arsenal14]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

I think they stole shots from a tourism Calgary spot. That girl in the green running through downtown then across the Peace Bridge is pretty familiar.
...
Though I'd imagine they had permission (obviously) since it's good for the tourism board of Calgary to be apart of is.

As I recall the video from the tourism board has licensing terms that allow it to be used pretty freely in anything that promotes Calgary. You'll see the footage (especially the girl running across the Peace Bridge) popping up quite frequently I suspect.

[ranchlandsselling]

Originally Posted by _Q_

In downtown, your coffee break means checking out a cool coffee shop a couple of blocks away or going for a walk to a park somewhere near by. Your lunch break means going out to almost any restaurant you can imagine or finding a food truck in the area. You have the option of either going with your co-workers, or meeting up with some friends that work somewhere else in the area. In the burbs, generally offices are farther apart, so it's not as likely that you know anyone close to your office. In downtown, you can go shopping at The Core during your breaks, or run some errands like getting your dry cleaning done. Maybe you enjoy driving to work, but taking the train is actually not that bad.

Wow - sounds like a lot of wasted time to me.
I run to starbucks maybe once a day as it's in my building and don't have the time to wander to "cool coffee shops" or we make it in the office. My lunch break consists of eating lunch at my desk that I either packed at home or walking to subway or some other like place (marcellos or submission) as I'd rather have something quick and get some work done then sit down and waste 60 minutes and spend $20+. I've never eaten at a food truck. My commute is about 20 - 30 minutes depending on the day, I'm not a woman so I don't go shopping to the mall on my breaks or at lunch and my dry cleaning gets done in the suburbs because it's much cheaper than downtown or walking through +15's with my laundry.

The idea of working downtown is much different than the reality. Maybe I'm different from the norm but to me the majority of people wandering around all these restaurants or coffee shops are the sales people who spend 90% of their time doing that. I'm wouldn't be surprised if the majority are much like me.

[mykalberta]

I know 7 IOL employees from my soccer team and their views are quite mixed.

2 who were hired within the last 3 years from other companies who live in Aspen woods area said they will give it a few months to see how it is but likely bolt.

5 who were hired straight out of University and have been with IOL ever since, 3 live in the SW or SE and on the East side of 14th Street and said they will stay. 2 who live in Beltline/Mission arent sure. They like walking to work and dont want to drive but they also like travelling to different Exxon sites around the world and having the option of transferring to Virginia or Ontario or wherever.

As someone who is a closet urban planner I dont like their move to QP. But you have to admit when you look at it from a cost perspective its not even remotely close. The rental rates downtown are completely off the rails and owning their own complex allows them to control costs and not be at the wimms of a company like Brookfield.

Salary/benefits is almost always the deciding factor for 99% of employees. Yes if 2 companies offer the same then maybe someone will choose the one in dt rather than QP, but I think that number is low.

[Maccalus]

Originally Posted by _Q_

That's essentially it right there. In the burbs you go to work to just stare at your computer for 8 or 9 hours a day. Your coffee break consists of getting up, grabbing a Van Houte coffee from the kitchen and then reading the Calgary Herald website for 15 minutes. Your lunch break means going with a couple of co-workers to some dive restaurant or Tim Horton's. Your commute means sitting in traffic for what seems like eternity.

In downtown, your coffee break means checking out a cool coffee shop a couple of blocks away or going for a walk to a park somewhere near by. Your lunch break means going out to almost any restaurant you can imagine or finding a food truck in the area. You have the option of either going with your co-workers, or meeting up with some friends that work somewhere else in the area. In the burbs, generally offices are farther apart, so it's not as likely that you know anyone close to your office. In downtown, you can go shopping at The Core during your breaks, or run some errands like getting your dry cleaning done. Maybe you enjoy driving to work, but taking the train is actually not that bad.

I work in an industrial park office/manufacturing facility (Near 16th ave and Barlow NE). Many of the items you list can still be done in many of the industrial parks in Calgary. Since you most likely have access to a car, I have dozens of restaurants within a 5 min. drive, 2 malls within a 5 min. drive and plenty of dry cleaners, grocery stores and other places to run errands close by.

Even with the access to the restaurants, I am not in the CP 1% and can't afford to eat out everyday. Most of my friends do not work downtown and so meeting with them for lunch is not always an option.

Working in the industrial park offers one large advantage that working downtown cannot provide (for my line of work). I am able to take a walk on the factory floor on a daily basis to see the projects I design come to life. Working downtown, most people are lucky if they are able to do that once a month.

Even though my commute distance is large (Auburn Bay to 16th ave/Barlow), my actual commute time isn't bad. It takes me approx. 30 min to work and 45-50 min. home. I would take transit if it was a viable option as I like taking transit, but I don't have time for an hour and a half each way (plus the 3 transfers would suck). I bought there fully knowing this situation.

At my work there are people who far prefer downtown and people who far prefer the industrial parks/suburbs. There are definite advantages and disadvantages to both.

[_Q_]

To Maccalus and ranchlandsselling. I understand that working downtown isn't for everyone. Lots of people like the "flexibility" of driving their car around, which is cool.

I just went through the reasons why I enjoyed working downtown and why I hate working in an industrial park. Maybe all the stuff to do downtown is technically wasted time or lost productivity, but I like to feel as though I'm appreciated and I don't have to be at my desk for 9 hours straight without a break. As for going to starbucks or making your own coffee at work, again, that's cool if you enjoy that. At downtown offices you usually have the option to drink any one of those two, as well as endless other options. Most of them are probably about a 10 minute walk from your desk, so you're not losing that much time.

What I was saying earlier, is downtown offices offer you much more than just going to work, sitting in front of a computer, try to be productive and then go home sort of lifestyle.

Another factor that people don't put too much emphasis on is working downtown is much healthier than in an office park. The parking and then walking to the train station, then standing on the train for 10 or 15 minutes, then walking to your office, running up and down the stairs a few times per day for lunch and a few breaks. Then repeat all that for your commute back home is actually a pretty decent work out. I gained approximately 10 pounds over the last year simply because I sit in my car, drive to the front of my office, walk up one floor and then sit on my ass all day long.

As for a 30 minute commute to work and then 50 minutes back being alright. Sit down and calculate it. That's almost a full working day you're losing per week just on sitting in your car in traffic. Or to put a monetary value on it, take your hourly wage and calculate how much dollar value you are wasting on sitting in your car every day. It's a waste of time.

[ranchlandsselling]

Originally Posted by _Q_

To Maccalus and ranchlandsselling. I understand that working downtown isn't for everyone. Lots of people like the "flexibility" of driving their car around, which is cool.

I just went through the reasons why I enjoyed working downtown and why I hate working in an industrial park. Maybe all the stuff to do downtown is technically wasted time or lost productivity, but I like to feel as though I'm appreciated and I don't have to be at my desk for 9 hours straight without a break. As for going to starbucks or making your own coffee at work, again, that's cool if you enjoy that. At downtown offices you usually have the option to drink any one of those two, as well as endless other options. Most of them are probably about a 10 minute walk from your desk, so you're not losing that much time.

What I was saying earlier, is downtown offices offer you much more than just going to work, sitting in front of a computer, try to be productive and then go home sort of lifestyle.

Another factor that people don't put too much emphasis on is working downtown is much healthier than in an office park. The parking and then walking to the train station, then standing on the train for 10 or 15 minutes, then walking to your office, running up and down the stairs a few times per day for lunch and a few breaks. Then repeat all that for your commute back home is actually a pretty decent work out. I gained approximately 10 pounds over the last year simply because I sit in my car, drive to the front of my office, walk up one floor and then sit on my ass all day long.

As for a 30 minute commute to work and then 50 minutes back being alright. Sit down and calculate it. That's almost a full working day you're losing per week just on sitting in your car in traffic. Or to put a monetary value on it, take your hourly wage and calculate how much dollar value you are wasting on sitting in your car every day. It's a waste of time.

I agree with everything you said in your first post - just don't think it's actually what happens. It sounds all nice and wonderful but what I think the reality is, is that most people do what I described. I love my job and my employer (jesus, did I just say that). I drive to work have parking in my building and put in 7-9 hours daily depending on my work needs. My employer wouldn't flinch if I wandered off for coffee a bunch and took hour lunches at Earls, 522, The Met, Belgo, etc. The reality for me is it's a waste of time and money.

It's like owning a vacation property. Sounds all nice and wonderful but in the end you barely use it or get to do all the fun things that you bought it for because you're too busy dealing with the day to day items.

[Sluggo]

Originally Posted by _Q_

Your lunch break means going with a couple of co-workers to some dive restaurant or Tim Horton's.

Not quite there will be a cafeteria... You cant half-ass replicate a collage campus without a cafeteria.

[_Q_]

Originally Posted by sluggo

not quite there will be a cafeteria... You cant half-ass replicate a prison without a cafeteria.

fyp

[Maccalus]

Originally Posted by _Q_

As for a 30 minute commute to work and then 50 minutes back being alright. Sit down and calculate it. That's almost a full working day you're losing per week just on sitting in your car in traffic. Or to put a monetary value on it, take your hourly wage and calculate how much dollar value you are wasting on sitting in your car every day. It's a waste of time.

My commute downtown would be approx. the same if not longer. I did not like the communities that were closer to where I work when I was looking for my house (marlbourgh area, lol) and where I live is close to friends and family. I am a 5-10 min drive (10-20 min bike ride) from my parents and my girlfriends parents and the vast majority of my friends. I will gladly sacrifice the commute time for the other benefits of the community I live in.

It is the sad truth that for someone starting out, the price of real estate pushes people to the periphery of the city to make it affordable without maxing out your borrowing potential or downsizing to an apartment style condo.

Also the people who walk or take transit into downtown also just as routinely underestimate their commute as the people from Airdrie. "Its only a 10 min. bus ride" often doesn't take into account the 10 min wait at the bus stop and the 5 min walk at each side of the trip.

[Maccalus]

Originally Posted by _Q_

Another factor that people don't put too much emphasis on is working downtown is much healthier than in an office park. The parking and then walking to the train station, then standing on the train for 10 or 15 minutes, then walking to your office, running up and down the stairs a few times per day for lunch and a few breaks. Then repeat all that for your commute back home is actually a pretty decent work out. I gained approximately 10 pounds over the last year simply because I sit in my car, drive to the front of my office, walk up one floor and then sit on my ass all day long.

There is definitely more potential for walking around a downtown based job. I am not denying that. My argument is that about 90% of the "benefits" of working downtown also exists outside of downtown in many of the office parks or suburb office locations for the average employee.

I personally don't have a large preference to either lifestyle at this time in my life. It just happens that my job is in an industrial area.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Salary/benefits is almost always the deciding factor for 99% of employees. Yes if 2 companies offer the same then maybe someone will choose the one in dt rather than QP, but I think that number is low.

Sweet, I am the 1%!

[Bigtime]

So right from the Foster + Partners website here is what The Bow could have been like before the shadowing restrictions and floor plate size increase.

It looks to be about 70 floors or so, and would probably be in the 900's for height, maybe even breaking the 1000' mark.

Damn.

Originally Posted by Colin

Just took a look at the Foster website and now that the Bow is complete, it looks like they have a lot of interesting info and facts about the building. It also has a great video about the making of the Bow. Really amazing to see all the hardwork and time that has been put in place to build such an iconic building.

Also interesting to note is that they posted pictures of the development of the Bow during the early phases.













Source: http://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/the-bow/

[MrMastodonFarm]

All that's missing is the Eye of Sauron in the middle.

Too bad on the missed height though, if it was that tall SebC would stop making fat jokes I think.

[SebC]

I had read about an "original" roofline for the Bow, but didn't realize it had publically accessible drawings! That version actually looks like it has a height and width are somewhat proportionate to each other (i.e. it's not a fat fatty). It's too bad they didn't keep some kind of shape to the roof when they failed to get their shadow bylaw exemption.

Skyline already needs some height to the east side of The Bow though. With The Bow being that tall it would need it even more than it currently does.

Also: that version of Bow South is pretty cool. The current version... I think I might prefer that it just be a park or left for a bigger development.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Too bad on the missed height though, if it was that tall SebC would stop making fat jokes I think.

Jokes?

[You Need a Thneed]

Not sure if I like the batman ears on that design.