Eau-Claire Market Re-Development

[Spring2008]

Maybe they're serious this time? Who knows

Four of the buildings would be residential (townhouses, condos and rental units) and one would be an office building — or potentially a hotel/office building.

Harvard wants to more than double Eau Claire's existing population.

Jeff Till, the architect designing the new Eau Claire vision for Harvard, recently told city council that having more people living in the area will ensure there's a built-in population for a grocery store and other services during evening hours and weekends.


During the day, the office workers will help support the restaurants, cafes and other businesses.

Till wants to link the new site with downtown towers through a Plus 15 connection, and a link to the proposed Green Line C-Train station on Second Street S.W.

His plan also takes on some of the problems with the previous Eau Claire site.


(Artist rendering/Harvard Developments Inc.)
"Today, the Eau Claire Market turns its back on the plaza. There's a roadway between pedestrians and the plaza. This design embraces the plaza with permeability to allow people to flow directly between the plaza and the retail and restaurants of the new development, without any roadway in between," said Till.

Major redesigns of neighbourhoods can work. They can build new communities. Think about the land at the old military base which was turned into the Garrison Woods neighbourhood.


(Artist rendering/Harvard Developments Inc.)
Harvard hopes to put shovel into soil at Eau Claire by the end of this year. The latest effort in a 130 year attempt to make best use of prime Calgary real estate.

"We think that in the future, people will be saying things on the street like "meet me at Eau Claire" or "I live at Eau Claire", really changing the way the public and the whole city feels about Eau Claire" said Till.

http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/canada/c...plan-1.3464885

[Bad Grizzly]

It would be nice to see this project start, but with the economy in the tank, it ain't gonna happen this year.

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by Bad Grizzly

It would be nice to see this project start, but with the economy in the tank, it ain't gonna happen this year.

This is your opinion, not a fact. The 7 tower site is supposed to start early 2016 too. These projects are critical to turning Eau-Claire from the backwater it is to a big draw that it should be given the prime location.

[People.talking]

So has the re-development been approved yet?

[MichaelS]

Originally Posted by People.talking

So has the re-development been approved yet?

The land use has been tabled by council, after receiving first reading. This occured on December 7, 2015. Minutes to the meeting can be found here:
http://agendaminutes.calgary.ca/sire...octype=MINUTES

Even after land use is approved (3rd reading), they still need to submit a development permit for review.

From the minutes:
ADOPT, AS AMENDED, Moved by Councillor Farrell, Seconded by Councillor Keating, that with respect to Report CPC2015-163 the following Recommendations 1,2,3,4,6 and 7 be adopted:

That Council:

1. File Calgary Planning Commission Recommendations contained in CPC2015-163.

2. Give first reading to Bylaw 35P2015.

3. Give first reading to Bylaw 158D2015.

4. Withhold second and third readings of Bylaws 35P3015 and 158D2015 and direct Administration:

a. to return to council with proposed amendments that include:

i. Rules that are consistent with the 1P2007 land use bylaw;

ii. Establish clear rules to allow for the proposed amount of conventional office while ensuring no loss to historically permitted/required residential amounts; and

iii. Review and evaluate the potential for public amenities that could reduce or mitigate the impacts of increased shadowing on Eau Claire Plaza.

b. tie phase 1 of DC Site 1 to plans and include a relaxation power to the development authority for minor variances.

6. To explore integration of the future Green Line LRT into the proposed project and work with the developer to establish mutual assurances regarding and commitments to integrate the development with a future station should Council advance an alignment at this location.

7. To review the current real estate agreements with the Applicant (Harvard Developments) (such as the agreement of purchase and sale, option to purchase, option to repurchase, easement and remedial action agreement and any other relevant agreements) to consider what kind of amendments to such agreements would be required in conjunction with the proposed change in land use and report back through Land and Asset Strategy Committee

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by People.talking

So has the re-development been approved yet?

Appears as though they've been applying for land-use amendment for almost 5 years now. Either they don't know what they're doing or the system is flawed.

[RyLucky]

Originally Posted by Spring2008

Appears as though they've been applying for land-use amendment for almost 5 years now. Either they don't know what they're doing or the system is flawed.

First they wanted it amended for more office, and now they want to undo that and amend for more residential - is that right?

[christmas]

Does anybody know when the new public hearing for this project is?

[TallBob]

D.o.a.!

[Spring2008]

I think we'll be right up there with Van/TO as the best skylines in Canada if these two projects get going. Keep in mind Anthem still has about 5 or 6 buildings u/c just to the east at Parkside.

Timing ‘perfect’ for redevelopment of Calgary’s Eau Claire Market Mall
SHARON CROWTHER
CALGARY — Contributed to The Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Apr. 08, 2016 2:12PM EDT
Last updated Friday, Apr. 08, 2016 2:12PM EDT
0 Comments

In a city known for endless urban sprawl, Calgary’s core has always struggled to support an urban community. Past five o’clock, the heart of downtown west of Centre Street is a ghost town despite being just minutes from vibrant communities such as Kensington, Inglewood and the city’s network of busy riverside pathways.

But a $1-billion redevelopment of the city’s historic Eau Claire Market Mall and the development of surface parking lots immediately to the west of the Mall – both slated for mixed-use urban villages and both hoping to break soil this year – could change that.

With a collective inventory of 2,100 residential units, 650,000 square feet of office space, 420,000 square feet of retail and entertainment, a supermarket and two hotels; the developments will change the face and skyline of the city’s core.

“Calgary is the opposite to Vancouver in that it has lots of people working in it’s core but it struggles to hold a critical mass after working hours,” explains Rosanne Hill, Managing Director of Harvard Developments, the company behind the Market Mall redevelopment. “Our intention is to create a new downtown community with residential units to house the critical mass that will eat, shop, work and be entertained there.”

Harvard Developments has owned the 2.1-million-square-foot site for nearly a decade. It’s redevelopment was slated for 2008, but plans were shelved in the midst of the global recession.

“The timing wasn’t right,” says Ms. Hill. “With a project of this scale, timing is important.”

Now, with Alberta’s building sector feeling the impact of a depressed oil and gas industry and the infill around the site being “gradually elevated” by other new residential developments, Ms. Hill believes “the timing is perfect.”

Harvard Developments is also hoping Eau Claire will be one of the first stops on the new Green Line LRT; the exact location of which will determine whether or not they add a number of town houses to phase two of the project.

The incumbent Eau Claire Market Mall itself isn’t particularly old; the $43-million building opened in 1993 and it was hoped it would herald in a new era for the city’s downtown core – Calgary’s very own Granville Island. Sadly, the planning, architecture and design of the mall fell short of it’s lofty mission.

“There’s no doubt that the site has a mottled history,” agrees Ms. Hill. “It didn’t work and Calgarians turned their backs on it. But the city’s a very different place now and we think it’s ready to become what it could be.”


The Eau Claire project with its residential units, office and retail space, supermarket and hotels is expected to change the face of the Calgary’s core.
Chris Hardwicke from O2 Planning and Design, a Calgary firm that is designing neighbouring parking lot development, West Eau Claire, believes antiquated winter city planning contributed to the failure of the original Market Mall development.

“Winter city planning is pretty out-dated; the last study undertaken on plus 15’s was back in 1986,” he explains. “That’s not to say plus 15’s don’t have their place, the original development certainly should have had one, but you need to utilize and interact with outdoor space, too. You can’t just internalize everything.

“I’d even argue that Calgary isn’t a true winter city: The climate can be temperate here because of chinooks and the large amount of sunshine. You have to consider that in urban planning.”

He continues: “Eau Claire Mall was built using old-school winter city design: it’s isolated from it’s surroundings by huge parking lots, it faces away from the public plaza and has a lot of dead space around it’s edges. The overall effect is very uninviting. It’s poor urbanism.”

“The traditional winter city approach is certainly one of the reasons Eau Claire Market Mall didn’t work” agrees Ms. Hill, “and we’ve considered that in the redevelopment. The new site will be internally connected to downtown with a plus 15, but also externally connected to it via outdoor spaces, pedestrianized routes and the existing public plaza.

“We’ve taken care to minimize shadowing on the public plaza,” Ms. Hill continues, “because we have a vested interest in ensuring it’s inviting all year round.”

West Eau Claire will also embrace new-school winter city planning with it’s own public plaza, which will be at the heart of the development.

“Eau Claire West will be a welcoming and civic-minded neighbourhood,” says James Midwinter, executive vice-president at GWL Realty Advisors who are developing the site. “It will provide a pedestrian-friendly connection between the downtown business hub and the outdoor amenities of the Bow River trail system and a large public plaza, designed to accommodate a variety of events and activities inviting social interaction.”

Mr. Midwinter believes the collective efforts and timing of both developments will transform Calgary’s core.

“Creating a multidimensional, vibrant and exciting community is dependent on a large number of people living and working in the area,” he explains. “Both developments upon completion will be home to several thousand people who will bring to life an area that hasn’t thrived in the past due to the relatively small number of people living there.”


Birds-eye view of the Eau Claire redevelopment project
Maggie Schofield, executive director of the Downtown Association, says downtown businesses are eager for the redevelopment to commence. “It’s been on the books for a long time and it could be a great stimulus for downtown.”

Likewise, residential developers such as La Caille who currently have two towers in the Eau Claire neighbourhood and one under construction are keen to see the area’s resident numbers increase.

“Density in Eau Claire isn’t at a tipping point yet, but the developments on the horizon could get us there,” says marketing manager Vicky Livaditis. “There are pockets of micro-communities appearing but we need to join the dots, there needs to be a focal point.”

Ms. Livaditis says the timing is “a little out” for these projects to help sell the remaining units in La Caille’s Vogue condo tower which is due for completion in a year’s time, “but you never know, they’re pretty exciting developments and people will want to live close by.”

Could the collective draw of Eau Claire Market Mall and West Eau Claire help the area finally fulfill it’s promise?

“I think it has the potential to be our Lonsdale Quay rather than Granville Island,” says Ms Schofield thoughtfully, “which would certainly be a big improvement.”

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/newr...te=1&p=7376549

[H.E.Pennypacker]

Glad to see that Harvard is still keen on proceeding with the development despite the economy .. That was a concern of mine.

[christmas]

So I guess this one is finally going to break ground this year!

[People.talking]

Originally Posted by christmas

So I guess this one is finally going to break ground this year!

I sure hope so!

[MichaelS]

Originally Posted by christmas

So I guess this one is finally going to break ground this year!

Pretty ambitious. They don't have their land use approved yet, and haven't even submitted a development permit.

[WhipperSnapper]

Things like dates or a developer's enthusiasm should always be taken be taken with a grain of salt.

[McMurph]

I'm not optimistic. Although I love the proposal, there seems to be a whole lot of needless posturing on the part of the developers. I'm getting a bad feeling both from how its being played in the media and from friend who is a tenant in the current mall. Does anyone with connections in the city know if this development has become a bit adversarial?

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by MichaelS

Pretty ambitious. They don't have their land use approved yet, and haven't even submitted a development permit.

Where can I find this info, the new interactive map says Development permit info coming soon?
https://developmentmap.calgary.ca/#map

I've always been a bit skeptical of the market redevelopment given Harvard's primarily an office tower developer in Sask. IIRC the city has a unexplainably terrible option to repurchase the site back from the developer in a couple more years at something like 5 times what they paid for it, so I'm sure at this point they're in no rush to develop.

The GWL site is prob a go though - they recently started the two tower AB boot site and didn't they submit a BP a few months back? These guys have got money behind them, more info on AB Boots.
http://www.silverbirchhotels.com/new...ot-site-hotel/

[Policy Wonk]

I just can't see this happening in the next five years, there is zero demand for the office and retail space and way too much condo inventory hitting the market in the core and periphery.

[Spring2008]

Most asset classes are doing well aside from office at the moment. The other side of the coin is there's been very little rental purpose new builds here over the last few decades, the % of growth within established areas has grown significantly, younger generations are increasingly opting to rent due to unaffordable housing in many large cities. The two sites are ideal - waterfront access and proximity to over 50million square feet of office space. These will likely both be phased with absorption period over 5 plus years. I know some American cities are really economically outperforming Cdn cities but Seattle alone has 20,000 rental units under construction at the moment - unbelievable.

Originally Posted by Policy Wonk

I just can't see this happening in the next five years, there is zero demand for the office and retail space and way too much condo inventory hitting the market in the core and periphery.

[Policy Wonk]

A lot of these new purpose built rentals in the US are doing little for affordability as they're targeted to transient professionals rather than the over-educated and under-employed urban millennial. Further purpose built rental housing anywhere is in direct competition with investor owned condos for the same tenants.

I have a hard time believing that a modern day Bromely Square is going to pop up in this "ideal" location.