Brewery Districts: Edmonton vs Calgary
On a recent trip to Edmonton, I was excited to discover they have begun to develop a Brewery District at the old Molson Brewery site at 104 Avenue and 121 Street. However, upon further exploration, I was left scratching my head, wondering why they would allow a suburban power centre (multiple, stand alone buildings far away from the sidewalk with a big surface parking lot in front) at the west end of their City Centre.
Unfortunately all of the main buildings in Edmonton's Brewery District area separated from the street by a major surface parking lot, making it less pedestrian friendly. It is more like a suburban power centre design with several independent low-rise buildings each with there own surface parking lot.
Missed Opportunity
In this prime urban location, one would expect the stores to line the sidewalk with all parking underground (only 66% of the parking is underground) and mid-rise (8 to 15-storeys) retail, residential and office above. Instead, the site is dominated by a big surface parking lot with low-rise buildings far away from the sidewalk.
There is absolutely no connectivity to the neighbouring Oliver community, a feature contrary to good urban development. And although plans call for a direct link to the future 120th Street LRT Station, that still doesn’t excuse the lack of connectivity to Oliver.
Sure, they have used brick to link to the old brewery, incorporated some internal sidewalks and added some patios, but the result is most definitely a car-oriented development - in my opinion, a missed opportunity.
Is Edmonton so desperate for downtown development they felt they had to approve this suburban project in their City Centre?
City Market in Edmonton's Brewery District is a full-scale grocery store that meets the diversity residents' needs.
Impressed!
On the flip side, there was one element of Edmonton’s Brewery District that I most was impressed with, Loblaws' City Market with Winners store directly above.
The City Market, at approximately 40,000 square feet (yes, I eye-balled it) is a full-size grocery store, not a boutique store dominated by high-priced organic produce and specialty products. The selection was great as were the prices; there was even a bin at the entrance with free bananas for kids! Never seen that before!
The City Market concept is what Loblaws has planned as part of the mega full-block development in Calgary’s East Village, development which will also include two residential towers (500 condos within 40- and 23-storey towers) and 188,000 square feet of street and second floor retail space, all branded as 5th & THIRD. Now that is good urban development i.e. diversity of uses and density.
Loblaws City Market concept borrows liberally from Whole Foods as an urban grocery store. It will be a welcome addition to Calgary's East Village.
Arris condos above a retail podium at street level and second floor in Caglary's East Village is under construction which will include a Loblaws City Market.
Sharp Edge
How big is 188,000 square feet, you ask? A little bigger than Eau Claire Market. With Loblaws City Market and Shoppers Drug Mart as Arris’ retail anchors, East Villagers, by the end of 2018, will have their everyday needs met within easy walking distance. This is essential to making East Village a postcard for North American 21st century urban villages.
The name “Arris” refers to a sharp edge formed by the meeting of two flat or curved surfaces. At this point, RioCan (retail developers) and EmbassyBOSA (residential developer) have integrated, as best as possible, best practices in urban design as possible into Arris.
And, while the Arris name was originally in reference to the architecture, it could also reflect the sharp edge where retail and residential uses meet the sharp edge between success and failure.
Calgary’s Fledgling Brewery District
Calgary Brewery buildings have lots of character, but are in very poor shape and don't lend themselves to repurposing.
In the spring of 2015, I toured the Calgary Brewery & Malting Company historic site (Calgary’s potential brewery district in Inglewood) with Eileen Stan, Development Manager with M2i Development Corporation, the company who currently owns this site which has been vacant since 1994.
This is arguably one of the most complex redevelopment projects in Canada today given the 20+ buildings and various states of their decay. The site also has the largest collection of sandstone buildings in the city outside of Stephen Avenue, creating some interesting preservation challenges and opportunities.
While Calgary’s current economic downturn has put any major redevelopment of Calgary’s Brewery District on ice (pun intended) for the time being, I am glad there is no hint of creating a power centre development like Edmonton’s Brewery District.
Patience and strategic development is M2i Development Corporation’s mantra when it comes to developing this historic gem. Fortunate for Calgary.
This building is slated to be phase 1 of the site's redevelopment when the time is right.
The Calgary Brewery site is well treed, which is usual for an industrial site and is both a challenge and an opportunity.
Eroding sandstone foundations are a huge problem at the Calgary Brewery & Malting site.
Last Word
They say, “Good things come to s/he who waits!” I sure hope that is the case with the Calgary Brewery & Malting site.
And, I anxiously await seeing East Village’s City Market and the 3rd & Fifth retail complex.
Note: An edited version of this blog appeared in the Calgary Herald's on November 26th, 2016 titled "Brewery Controversy: Redevelopment hit and misses.
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