Calgary Openings, Closings, and Developments

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I've missed Open Sesame so much since Covid started. I also like Smugglers, but OS was great for a weekend lunch. Really quick, super tasty and kind of fun.

There's lot of Asian fusion type foods around but I don't know where else to go in Calgary for that 60s/70s restaurant food and interior vibe like Smugglers aside from Nick's on Crowchild? I loved going into the Smuggler's time machine.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Unbelievable that this was approved at that location. I wonder if any YYC planning folks know the history behind it? I also think if the greenline goes ahead over the Bow that development is slated to be bought out and levelled.

I don't know what involvement, if any, they had in the approvals process - but an influential Alderman lived in that complex. Pretty sure they had by-law enforcing every ordinance down to the decibel turning it into a giant no-fun zone.

[RoadGame]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

Bolero was probably my favourite churrascaria, if only for their grilled pineapple.

That pineapple was heavenly.

[timun]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Unbelievable that this was approved at that location. I wonder if any YYC planning folks know the history behind it? I also think if the greenline goes ahead over the Bow that development is slated to be bought out and levelled.

Building a Grandville Island-inspired market there had been tossed around since the mid-'80s, and residential was always part of the plan. This was the direct control zone bylaw, as amended in '93: https://www.calgary.ca/content/dam/w...93/1993z33.pdf

Note that one of the development guidelines was:

f. Objectionable conditions

No use or operation shall cause any conditions which, in the opinion of the Approving Authority, may be objectionable within any area accessible to the general public because of:

Noise
Odour
Earthborn vibrations
Structureborne vibrations
Heat, or
High brightness light source

[KTrain]

All these Starbucks closing was announced in mid-January.

Starbucks says its plan to close up to 300 coffee shops across Canada will be complete by the end of March.

The Seattle-based coffeehouse and roastery chain announced the acceleration of its five-year “transformation strategy” last year as it responded to changes in consumer habits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement on Tuesday, the company says some of its locations closed last fall and it expects to complete its planned store closures by the end of its second quarter.

The restructuring includes adding new drive thru locations, the expansion of delivery and a pilot of curbside pick-up only coffee shops.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7571716/s...tore-closures/

[Hack&Lube]

I didn't realize that the Staples and Jysk (formerly Ikea?) in the NE has closed. Both spaces together will re-open as a Centre for Newcomers (Immigrants/Refugees). I'm surprised to see big box stores/brands shut down as well.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...gary-1.5925529

[DownInFlames]

I'm not surprised Staples stores are closing down. Their customer service sucks and their stores are so utilitarian.

I've never shopped at Jysk. Isn't it a wannabe Ikea?

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

I'm not surprised Staples stores are closing down. Their customer service sucks and their stores are so utilitarian.

I've never shopped at Jysk. Isn't it a wannabe Ikea?

Jysk is a discount Ikea, it's good for bargain basement furniture and home items and an alternative when you are tired of all the Ikea things that everybody else already has. Layout is like Bed Bath & Beyond and Home Outfitters (also closed) but with more in-house branded furniture.

It was a staple for decades, having the Northgate store in the NE as well as the one in Deerfoot Meadows. Always found some good deals there that looked okay.

[Mull]

Originally Posted by timun

Building a Grandville Island-inspired market there had been tossed around since the mid-'80s, and residential was always part of the plan. This was the direct control zone bylaw, as amended in '93: https://www.calgary.ca/content/dam/w...93/1993z33.pdf

Note that one of the development guidelines was:

f. Objectionable conditions

No use or operation shall cause any conditions which, in the opinion of the Approving Authority, may be objectionable within any area accessible to the general public because of:

Noise
Odour
Earthborn vibrations
Structureborne vibrations
Heat, or
High brightness light source

What are the thoughts of an outdoor set up like Granville in Calgary's climate?

I am sure there is a bunch of reasons this would work here?

[SeeGeeWhy]

They should've built Mawson's proposal at Eau Claire. How crazy would it be to have that in our city at that spot? Gorgeous...

"Unfortunately, Mawson’s plan was very expensive. In 1914 it would have cost at least $10 million dollars to create Mawson’s vision for the City, a huge amount when you realize that one of Calgary’s largest supermarkets made only $420 a day. Calgary was run by hard-headed businessmen who believed it was city council’s job to make it easy for businesses to make money and Mawson’s very costly plan failed to convince them that it would make the city more money. Then there was the problem of Calgary’s severe financial difficulties. In 1914 , after years of poorly managed budgets and heavy overspending, the city council was struggling to find enough money to even run the city for a year, let alone to completely remake it. The money needed for Mawson’s vision was impossible to come up with and the beginning of World War I in August made money even harder to find.

Nevertheless, although Mawson’s plan was never implemented in Calgary, parts of the city do show his influence. The location of Mewata armouries, for instance, is exactly where Mawson wanted it. He thought putting it at Mewata Park instead of at the mouth of the Elbow would create an impressive view for the end of 11St. SW. He also thought it should be near the park instead of in it to preserve what little park space Calgary had. Not so surprisingly, modern Calgary is in many ways the city Thomas Mawson predicted it would become if his plan was rejected."

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by SeeGeeWhy

They should've built Mawson's proposal at Eau Claire. How crazy would it be to have that in our city at that spot? Gorgeous...

"Unfortunately, Mawson’s plan was very expensive. In 1914 it would have cost at least $10 million dollars to create Mawson’s vision for the City, a huge amount when you realize that one of Calgary’s largest supermarkets made only $420 a day. Calgary was run by hard-headed businessmen who believed it was city council’s job to make it easy for businesses to make money and Mawson’s very costly plan failed to convince them that it would make the city more money. Then there was the problem of Calgary’s severe financial difficulties. In 1914 , after years of poorly managed budgets and heavy overspending, the city council was struggling to find enough money to even run the city for a year, let alone to completely remake it. The money needed for Mawson’s vision was impossible to come up with and the beginning of World War I in August made money even harder to find.

Nevertheless, although Mawson’s plan was never implemented in Calgary, parts of the city do show his influence. The location of Mewata armouries, for instance, is exactly where Mawson wanted it. He thought putting it at Mewata Park instead of at the mouth of the Elbow would create an impressive view for the end of 11St. SW. He also thought it should be near the park instead of in it to preserve what little park space Calgary had. Not so surprisingly, modern Calgary is in many ways the city Thomas Mawson predicted it would become if his plan was rejected."

This would be a very different place if Mawson got to build his Vienna on the Bow. A lot of these planned Utopian cities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries never worked out the way the designers intended however.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I didn't realize that the Staples and Jysk (formerly Ikea?) in the NE has closed. Both spaces together will re-open as a Centre for Newcomers (Immigrants/Refugees). I'm surprised to see big box stores/brands shut down as well.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...gary-1.5925529

The Jysk moved into the old Best Buy in Sunridge after Best Buy moved into the old Future Shop.

There's a Staples on 32nd and another in East Hills, so the area is still pretty well served. I was always surprised they had 2 so close together in the first place.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by getbak

The Jysk moved into the old Best Buy in Sunridge after Best Buy moved into the old Future Shop.

There's a Staples on 32nd and another in East Hills, so the area is still pretty well served. I was always surprised they had 2 so close together in the first place.

I'm surprised that Staples has survived at all. It feels like they should have been destroyed by competition from Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Amazon many years ago.

[jayswin]

Keep in mind Staples make a lot in office orders straight from their warehouses, plus a lot of sales to offices through smaller companies ordering online or buying in store.


Never underestimate 100's of receptionists and other employees in a fast paced business environment being told to make sure we have one hundred of X asap.

[#-3]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Keep in mind Staples make a lot in office orders straight from their warehouses, plus a lot of sales to offices through smaller companies ordering online or buying in store.


Never underestimate 100's of receptionists and other employees in a fast paced business environment being told to make sure we have one hundred of X asap.

Staples will die within about 15 minutes of Amazon dipping it's toe into business to business credit terms. It's also have very dangerous proposition for a bunch of small industrial supply distributors.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by #-3

Staples will die within about 15 minutes of Amazon dipping it's toe into business to business credit terms. It's also have very dangerous proposition for a bunch of small industrial supply distributors.

Amazon already has done that. It's called Amazon Business and they are net 30 days at the moment and I have had a few sales guys pushing it on us. Combine that with them being a tech company, they already have APIs/Integrations with a lot of ERP and accounting systems out of the box.

I already moved all our department's purchasing to Amazon even before this happened just because of the speed of delivery and ease of returns.

[Bigtime]

Regading the Eau Claire Y, this came up on twitter yesterday:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1364648994249482241

As I understand this anyone that may want that site to redevelop can't go any higher than what the Y is at now. Which would most likely hugely reduce the value of the land. Perhaps not even making it worth a developers time.

[Mull]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Regading the Eau Claire Y, this came up on twitter yesterday:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1364648994249482241

As I understand this anyone that may want that site to redevelop can't go any higher than what the Y is at now. Which would most likely hugely reduce the value of the land. Perhaps not even making it worth a developers time.

This is super interesting.
I know Calgary had bow river shadow height bylaws, but I didn't know we also had air rights, like New York City.

I thought in a place like the Downtown Y, the river shadow bylaw would be the governing restriction on height anyway? Its so close to the river.

[Bigtime]

The river shadow bylaw would definitely be in play, but you could still build taller than what the Y is at. Eau Claire Estates just to the west has a tower about 24 storeys.

[Mull]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

The river shadow bylaw would definitely be in play, but you could still build taller than what the Y is at. Eau Claire Estates just to the west has a tower about 24 storeys.

Anyone have a handy link to a City bylaw on this?

I have the shadow bylaw below, but have never seen the air rights one (or the bylaw saying parcels can trade/sell rights)

East Village portion of Shadow bylaw:

https://www.calgary.ca/content/dam/w...law-1p2007.pdf

The following sunlight protection areas must not be placed in greater
shadow by a development as measured on September 21, at the
times and locations indicated for each area, than were already
existing or approved on the date the development permit was
applied for:
(a) The Riverbank as measured 20.0 metres wide throughout
abutting the top of the south bank of the Bow River, from 10:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Mountain Daylight Time; and
(b) Fort Calgary as measured from the road right of way abutting
6 Street SE to 40.0 metres into the park from 10:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time and as measured from the
road right of way abutting 9 Avenue SE to 20.0 metres into the
park from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time.