Calgary Heritage Initiative forums

newsposter · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 1812

A Sept 13 2009 Herald article by Nancy Tousley noted that the project for the 100 block of 7th Avenue SW (see page 1 of this thread) may have an arts component:

Excerpt and link to full story below:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/State+Arts/1988809/story.html

...Stride and MaVA have each answered the Calgary Arts Development Authority's call for expressions of interest in participating in the development of the 100 block of 7th Avenue S. W. Neil Richardson, of the Heritage Property Corporation, who worked with Theatre Junction on the renovation of the Grand Theatre, owns the heritage buildings on the block, excluding the parking lot and Palomino Club at the east end and Central United Church and the Bible building on the west end.

The deadline for proposals closes Sept. 25. Cultural projects deemed best suited to the 7th Avenue site will be identified by late September, says Karen Ball, CADA'S director of community investment, who has been working with Richardson for the past year to put the site to cultural use.

"He would like to preserve the heritage fabric of the street and create something out of what is agreed to be one of the worst blocks in downtown Calgary," says Ball. "We saw a real advantage to creating cultural density on that block. It's very poorly situated for a street that's so unpleasant to walk down. It's a tourist corridor and near the Convention Centre, it's a connector for commerce and retail."

Richardson's plans for the block include building an articulated parking garage in the back alley, to produce revenue for the redevelopment project, Ball says...

Chris E · Joined: 07 Oct 2005 Posts: 212 Location: Calgary

Document released about Seventh Avenue Autopark Inc, the holding company which would run the robotic parking facility.

http://corporate.heritageproperty.ca/Portals/0/hwf_video/Seventh%20Avenue%20Autopark%20Inc.pdf

newsposter · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 1812

An article on Neil Richardson's 7th Avenue project in the November 2009 issue of The Calgary Journal, published by Mount Royal University:

http://www.calgaryjournalonline.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=712:out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new-on-seventh-avenue&catid=36:infocus&Itemid=55

More on this posted above and on previous page...

Admin · Site Admin Joined: 05 May 2004 Posts: 104

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2010/08/23/15117186.html

Fully-automated parkade eyed for 7 Ave. S.W.
By BILL KAUFMANN, CALGARY SUN

Robot valet parking could be the ticket to revitalizing an intimidating stretch of downtown, says a prominent developer.

A parkade that would accept vehicles into an entry chamber, then automatically whisk them into the stalls of an eight-level parkade would help finance the restoration of six historic buildings into an arts and culture hub, said Neil Richardson, president of Heritage Property Corp. (HPC).

The properties — some as old as a century — occupy the south side of 7 Ave. S.W. between 1 St. and Centre St. and contain pawn shops, convenience stores and fast food joints in a block many pedestrians now avoid, said Richardson.

“It’s a not-so desireable place to be walking,” he said.

But a fully-automated parkade would be a revenue-earner that would supply an economic anchor to the project that would attract Calgarians, he said.

Rest of the article: http://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2010/08/23/15117186.html

Also:

From Global TV, August 24:
http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/Developer+robo+parkade+could+help+save+heritage+buildings/3437987/story.html

From CBC, August 19:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2010/08/19/calgary-automated-parkade-investment-heritage-restoration.html

newsposter · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 1812

A new website for the parking-saves-heritage project proposed for the 100 block of 7th Avenue: http://seventhavenueautopark.com

Also see the rest of the thread above ^

newsposter · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 1812

Land Use Amendment proposal to accommodate this project goes to Calgary Planning Commission January 20 2011. If it passes, it will move on to a public hearing of City Council probably in March.

Here is a link to the item:

http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/BU/dba/calgary_planning_commission/agenda/2011/loc2010_0083.pdf

newsposter · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 1812

Centre City blog posting all about "Stephen Avenue's Little Sister" - Feb 2, 2011.

http://www.centrecitytalk.com/my_weblog/2011/02/stephen-avenues-little-sister.html#tp

(CLICK TO VIEW LARGER VERSION)

NOTE: if using Internet Explorer, once you click to view the large version, once it's done loading position your mouse over the image, and a orange square should appear in the bottom right corner, click that square to show the image full size, Internet Explorer by default shrinks images to fit the screen.

newsposter · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 1812

**New Date and Time**

There will be an event about this project at 3 pm on March 10 at Art Central...

newsposter · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 1812

Two stories in the Sunday herald on this stretch of 7th Avenue. In spite of the glum headline, the real story is that things are looking up. See above.

Hope waning on 7th Ave.
Prime location is falling apart while the city waits for 'The Perfect Project.'
By Tom Babin, Calgary Herald February 20, 2011

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Hope+waning/4316593/story.html#ixzz1EWKTzR6e

Changing our ways and respecting the past
By David Finch, Calgary Herald February 20, 2011

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Changing+ways+respecting+past/4316596/story.html#ixzz1EWKppSdV

7thAveAutopark · Joined: 21 Feb 2011 Posts: 2

**New date and time**
Everyone interested in Calgary's history is welcome to come to Art Central (NW corner of Centre Street and 7th Avenue SW) March 10 at 3 p.m. to learn more about the plan to revitalize the 100-block of 7th Ave SW. There will be two videos and a news conference, plus some appetizers afterwards. Neil Richardson, the man behind the project, will be there. Also, please follow us on Twitter at @7thAveAutopark.

newsposter · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 1812

note this has been re-scheduled to March 10 ^

7thAveAutopark · Joined: 21 Feb 2011 Posts: 2

Neil Richardson, president Seventh Avenue Autopark Inc., is inviting anyone who's interested in learning about Calgary's history to attend an open house March 10th from 3-6 p.m. at Art Central, 100 7th Ave SW. The event will showcase a project to renovate seven historic buildings in the 100-block of 7th Avenue SW as part of a larger plan to build an automated parkade. Arts and cultural groups would be given the first chance to make the buildings their headquarters. Richardson will speak, as will Terry Rock of Calgary Arts Development Authority and there will be plenty of informational brochures and photos.
To learn more about the project, please visit:
http://www.seventhavenueautopark.com/Home.html

newsposter · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 1812

Fast Forward article

Calgary’s neglected downtown block
Property developer promises arts groups first dibs on spaces

Published March 17, 2011 by Trevor Scott Howell in News

http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/news-views/news/calgarys-neglected-downtown-block-7166/

newsposter · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 1812

A great video of this project from Heritage Property Corporation. Here is the youtube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHbUQ4NIuOc&feature=share

newsposter · Joined: 06 Nov 2005 Posts: 1812

Haven't heard much news on this project lately... In January, the High Performance Rodeo, DI Singers and Mustard Seed drama club collaborated on a live "radio play", the The Eviction of the Stuart Block, inspired by a tour of one of the buildings.

Homeless build show from century-old building
By Stephen Hunt
Calgary Herald
January 4, 2012

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/Homeless+build+show+from+century+building/5947665/story.html#ixzz1qF6hvN9p