MOD EDIT: Please note, this is a continuation of a discussion from another thread. The current version of the CalgaryNEXT proposal can be found here: http://calgarynext.com/
Here's my extremely crude ideal new arena and environs situation. Microsoft Paint FTW!
The concept is to place it in a location that's accessible to every LRT line and three different stations, including Stampede/Vic Park, City Hall Station as well as the new Green Line (light green represents logical pedestrian routes. Paths toward the arena from LRT (as well as major parking) would lead you past a district of ground floor retail (including bars and restaurants represented in Red). Olympic Way becomes the main spine of activity (pedestrian only south of 12th), with the entrance, including plaza centred on 4th Street and 12th Avenue. Surrounding Residential and hotels with ground floor retail support it as a destination district.
Railtown Plan (Remington - straddling the CPR Tracks and Green Line LRT)
Youth Campus Plan
Stampede Trail (Olympic Way Concept)
__________________
Trust the snake.
Last edited by Bunk; 01-04-2016 at 11:49 AM.
The Following 38 Users Say Thank You to Bunk For This Useful Post:
I've never seen Flash Walken shows so much affection for another poster. I'm used to his hardline contempt for everyone's opinions, so his love for Bunk really stands out.
The Following User Says Thank You to jayswin For This Useful Post:
I've been working on one too, will post whenever I get the chance to finish. That'll probably take as long as Ken King announcing we'll get a new arena though. Great concepts Bunk!
I've lived in Calgary, Columbus, and now DC (among other cities) and I think that the Flames picked the wrong location. I've experienced two of the model stadiums for changing a neighbourhood for the better.
Arena District - Columbus
Nationwide Insurance (Nationwide Real Estate) purchased the old and dilapidated state pen site. A block away from Columbus' version of Macleod Trail, High Street, the arena district sits on the north edge of downtown. Its success comes largely from the fact that it helped bridge the gap between downtown and the OSU campus. The area of High Street between south campus and north downtown was a dilapidated and unsafe area that killed pedestrian and commercial traffic. Nationwide Arena, the re-emergence of the Short North, and the Cap (http://philadelphia2050.blogspot.com...sway-caps.html) have all worked together to make High Street a pedestrian and commercially active road from campus through to downtown. The location and a plan for new urbanism in Columbus are the critical factors that lead to the Arena District's success.
The Flames have not selected a location that fits this model.
Verizon Center - DC
Even more impressive, to me at least, is Verizon Center. Built entirely with private funds, MCI Center springboarded the revitalization of Gallery Place in DC. The area had been unsafe and dead to commercial activity beyond office work and misdirected tourists. Verizon Center is built on top of Gallery Place metro, which is serviced by three lines, including the critical red line. Its location was critical in that many office workers were in the area, but left for home immediately after work. The introduction of Verizon Center spurred bars and restaurants to come to the neighbourhood. It is now one of the busiest all-hours areas of the city.
The location was one with thousands of workers and multiple metro stops, but nothing for them to do after work. Again, not a location that the Flames have picked.
Beyond locations, one other aspect unifies these two arenas: they are built at street level with no set back from the sidewalk. They integrate into the street as any other building and have commercial rental space on the street level.
In comparison, the Flames have picked a questionable site and have proposed a design that creates a non-integrated, offset monolith. I highly doubt it would successfully revitalize the location.
The Following 28 Users Say Thank You to tripin_billie For This Useful Post:
I've lived in Calgary, Columbus, and now DC (among other cities) and I think that the Flames picked the wrong location. I've experienced two of the model stadiums for changing a neighbourhood for the better.
Arena District - Columbus
Nationwide Insurance (Nationwide Real Estate) purchased the old and dilapidated state pen site. A block away from Columbus' version of Macleod Trail, High Street, the arena district sits on the north edge of downtown. Its success comes largely from the fact that it helped bridge the gap between downtown and the OSU campus. The area of High Street between south campus and north downtown was a dilapidated and unsafe area that killed pedestrian and commercial traffic. Nationwide Arena, the re-emergence of the Short North, and the Cap (http://philadelphia2050.blogspot.com...sway-caps.html) have all worked together to make High Street a pedestrian and commercially active road from campus through to downtown. The location and a plan for new urbanism in Columbus are the critical factors that lead to the Arena District's success.
The Flames have not selected a location that fits this model.
Verizon Center - DC
Even more impressive, to me at least, is Verizon Center. Built entirely with private funds, MCI Center springboarded the revitalization of Gallery Place in DC. The area had been unsafe and dead to commercial activity beyond office work and misdirected tourists. Verizon Center is built on top of Gallery Place metro, which is serviced by three lines, including the critical red line. Its location was critical in that many office workers were in the area, but left for home immediately after work. The introduction of Verizon Center spurred bars and restaurants to come to the neighbourhood. It is now one of the busiest all-hours areas of the city.
The location was one with thousands of workers and multiple metro stops, but nothing for them to do after work. Again, not a location that the Flames have picked.
Beyond locations, one other aspect unifies these two arenas: they are built at street level with no set back from the sidewalk. They integrate into the street as any other building and have commercial rental space on the street level.
In comparison, the Flames have picked a questionable site and have proposed a design that creates a non-integrated, offset monolith. I highly doubt it would successfully revitalize the location.
Great post. Kind of highlights Bunk's location (which is the one I think I mentioned earlier in the thread) as the best. Three LRT lines (Green, E/W and N/S) all converge around here, and if the rest of the stampede ground development goes ahead that place will connect the river, east village and beltline nicely. That's a design I can really get behind.
The biggest difference is that remington owns that land and the flames aren't going to get it for free.
This who debacle has really turned me away from our owners and the organization - which sort of hurts me way more than it should considering they are simply a sports team.
The video with the guy from Dragons Den really was one of my last straws. Seemed like strong manipulation.
/meaningless rant.
The Following User Says Thank You to Kavvy For This Useful Post:
This who debacle has really turned me away from our owners and the organization - which sort of hurts me way more than it should considering they are simply a sports team.
The video with the guy from Dragons Den really was one of my last straws. Seemed like strong manipulation.
/meaningless rant.
What are you talking about? They pitched this on dragon's den?
Great post. Kind of highlights Bunk's location (which is the one I think I mentioned earlier in the thread) as the best. Three LRT lines (Green, E/W and N/S) all converge around here, and if the rest of the stampede ground development goes ahead that place will connect the river, east village and beltline nicely. That's a design I can really get behind.
The biggest difference is that remington owns that land and the flames aren't going to get it for free.
The above is on Stampede Park, not Remington, although that would be an option too.
__________________
Trust the snake.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bunk For This Useful Post:
I can't speak to Nationwide arena, but Verizon is a good one for sure. I don't think the WV precludes a similar effect though, as there really is no sense as to what the project would look like, if the football stadium/fieldhouse is removed. Same with Bunk's proposal. That could be a good location, but the train stations would still involve a decent hike and it obviously doesn't include the football stadium.
I don't have a major issue disaggregating the project, but it is comparing apples and oranges for sure.
__________________
From HFBoard oiler fan, in analyzing MacT's management:
O.K. there has been a lot of talk on whether or not MacTavish has actually done a good job for us, most fans on this board are very basic in their analysis and I feel would change their opinion entirely if the team was successful.
Last edited by Fighting Banana Slug; 01-04-2016 at 04:24 PM.
CalgaryNEXT Discussion pt. 2
