East Village Master Plan Executive Summary the Newest Oldest Coolest Warmest Neighbourhood in Town

east village master plan executive summary The newest oldest coolest warmest neighbourhood in town

East Village is a big piece of downtown Calgary – 120 acres sandwiched east and west between 3rd Street SE (back of city hall, Bow Valley College and the YWCA) and the Fort Calgary lands all the way up to the Elbow River. The southern border of East Village is 9th Avenue SE, and its northern edge is the Bow River.

East Village sits on the eastern edge of downtown Calgary, but not so long ago, East Village was downtown in its entirety. Calgary was founded here in 1875; East Village streets were home to blacksmiths and newspapers and hotels and copshops and big shots and workers and dreamers.

Today, East Village is home to very few buildings but lots of very big ideas about how it can be a key part of downtown once more.

The most livable urban areas in the world inspired our master planners – Broad- way Malyan – to transform East Village into an urban village: a place of consid- table of contents erable density with many different kinds of residences – apartments, condos and townhomes – but no single family homes on large lots. It will have a “mixed use” character, meaning that a single building can house both residences and A VISION FOR EAST VILLAGE businesses, which is key to creating life on the street day and night. 4-9

East Village will be designed first for people and will also accommodate cars. BACKGROUND Public transit is already in place. Streets are laid out so that our neighbours and 10-11 residents will be able to walk from one place to another safely and easily. MASTER PLAN APPROACH And our urban village will offer spectacular public meeting areas which will 12-13 Inspire our youth and honour arts and culture. SITE ANALYSIS With the urban village principle as a guide, Broadway Malyan created our mas- 14-15 ter plan. This master plan provides a vision for how East Village will become an urban village, and how it will look in 2020. TARGET MARKET STUDIES 16-17 Frankly, you’re not going to believe your eyes. And when East Village gets built, you’re not going to believe your nose, ears or taste buds, either. The urban vil- URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES lage that East Village will become is another kind of Calgary – it looks different 18-21 and it feels different. You’ll walk around and it’ll look good, smell great and taste delicious because there’ll be intriguing places to eat, fabulous window shopping STRATEGIC LAYERS OF THE MASTER PLAN to do, new places to work and live, interesting people to watch and friends to 22-23 visit. It’ll be a living and breathing place. URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES Welcome to East Village – the newest, oldest, coolest, warmest 24-25 neighbourhood in town. The place where Calgary comes together at last. ILLUSTRATIVE MASTER PLAN 26-27

KEY CORRIDORS Chris Ollenberger 28-29 President & Ceo Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (cmlc) THE RIFF 30-31

2 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 East Village’s Gateway area will create a new sense of arrival to downtown Calgary. a vision for east village

The idea of regenerating East Village as an Urban Village was the fruit of a thoughtful visioning process, involving planners and the public, that began in earnest prior to 2003. It was the first successful step forward for the area since the development of the flyovers and LRT in the 1970s.

For decades, East Village has been shunned by the city centre and known for marginal uses that have tainted public perceptions of the area – despite the fact that the site is located on a desirable stretch of riverfront with strategic road and LRT connections, is adjacent to business, civic and cultural centres, and overlooks one of the city’s largest urban open spaces.

As the idea of an Urban Village took hold, CMLC began to articulate the key characteristics of the place, both the facts – the built environment, the attributes of its landscape – and the feelings, the over- arching way “EV” will be perceived. Together, these differentiating characteristics, both real and perceived, make up the East Village vision and its ‘sense of place’. They tell us what EV will be like long before the foundations are poured on the first new building. And as the project progresses, developers, the media and the public can refer back to the vision to understand what makes East Village, East Village.

4 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 The RiverWalk will provide engaging new public spaces along the Bow River and features a proposed boutique hotel on the plaza.

An artist’s conceptual rendering of East Village from above 9th Avenue looking north towards the Bow River. the facts The facts are these: East Village sits on the edge of the city centre and at a junction of politi- East Village will grow into its surroundings, informing the redevelopment of the adjoining Rail cal, educational and business activity. It forms a transition between the high rise towers of the Town site south of 9th Avenue SE. The spirit of East Village will also extend outwards along the existing business core, the mixed-use Beltline district and the natural environment of the river- river edge to St. Patrick’s Island, renewing the urban parkland as part of this benchmark revital- front, St. Patricks Island and the parkland of Fort Calgary. East Village seeks to bind together ization plan. the city core, its nature and people, by means of a new community with human scale development and a vibrant creative culture - an urban habitat that borrows from the best examples of East Village will be a model for future development, providing an irresistible opportunity international city-building. to live, work and play in a single location, and offering a long-awaited setting for cultural exuberance, entertainment, activity and adventure. In the East Village vision, it is a place centred on innovation, exemplified by its architecture and streetscape quality. It captures the imagination of creative professionals and attracts small specialist organizations and businesses. It is also a magnet for visitors, who are attracted by its colorful, vibrant small-scale attractions and relaxed atmosphere.

6 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 The EVE (East the feeling Village Experience) Block is designed to offer a cinema, fitness centre and The physical characteristics of a renewed East Village paint a vivid picture of a neighbourhood a variety of retail shops virtually reborn. But our attachment to places are made emotionally rather than logically, and around a unique glass- part of the visioning process was held to articulate how Calgarians would connect to the neigh- covered plaza. bourhood on an emotional level. The intangible elements that make up the ‘feel’ of East Village – the other, equally important half of an understanding of its sense of place – were first articulated in 2008 and presented in the premier issue of EVE, East Village Experience magazine. They appear here in an abridged form.

East Village has an ‘Off the Grid’ Energy: Human. Alternative. Creative.

It will take every kind of energy – and every ounce of ingenuity – to raise up East Village. The effort to reboot this city neighbourhood will leave no rock unturned and no idea unconsidered, making East Village a bold, unprecedented experiment in the future of city life, an urban labo- ratory not only for Calgary and Alberta, but also for Canada. In the capital city of conventional resources, where fossil fuels are king, East Village will be a model of sustainability, embracing innovation, contemporary values, culture and arts. What fuels us is possibility; what keeps us going is a ‘what if’, firing on all cylinders, gushing out of the ground. You heard it here first: East Village is the next boom.

East Village is Confluence and Connection: Rivers meet here. Minds meet here. Calgary meets here.

The urban village that is East Village is Calgary for all. It is the ‘there there’ of the city, taking the sprawl out and drawing all kinds of people in toward the junction of the Bow and Elbow East Village’s rivers. With an unrivaled range of amenities within comfortable walking distance, East Village is Parkside area will truly urban, a must-be-experienced destination for locals and visitors alike. On land considered offer a mix of multi- choice for 3,000 years, East Village is an intersection where possibilities run deep: the flow- family housing ing together of ambition and curiosity, art, creative intellect and counter-culture opinion will bordering the Fort combine to define the future of the city, while the stories of the past will be recounted afresh. Calgary parkland. In events and programming, housing and shopping experiences, East Village will make far-flung Calgarians neighbours, providing the street corners where they bump into one another and the places where they will share common interests. As they live, work and play here, get to know one another and deepen ties, the attachment to East Village evolves, becoming emotional and irresistible. All rivers lead here. To the magnetic east.

East Village is a Living Downtown Waterfront: Live near it. Dream by it. Float on it.

The river touches Calgary in many places, but it is in East Village that the riverfront will truly touch Calgarians, the neighbourhood that helps them realize that they live in a true riverfront city. Day and night, winter and summer, the Bow riverfront – its waters forever clear and inviting – is a resident of East Village, eager to get acquainted: Villagers will walk and bike it on their way to and from work, make reservations at the restaurants on its banks – the better to enjoy wide decks near its murmuring waters – and raft down it on weekends. In winter, it will be a stage of icy allure and multiple attractions. A park that is part of every day, it will also become part of any night, with lighting that makes it securely inviting and artistically intriguing. And in its innovative landscaping, it makes beauty of the brown months, creatively mixing grasses with historical roots in the area with modern places to sit, contemplate and recharge by the current.

8 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 9 background

To realize the vision, both the practical and the poetic aspects of it, the Calgary Municipal Land Corpora- tion was struck. CMLC is organized and operated as an independent development company. It has a 20- year time-frame within which to return borrowed revenue derived from new private urban development. It funds its annual costs by diverting future tax earnings from the forecasted redevelopment of the overall Rivers District. As such, CMLC is under pressure to rapidly restore the brownfield to productive re-use to prove its accountability.

CMLC’s Approach to Regeneration CMLC has the City of Calgary’s mandate to prepare East Village for redevelopment, broadly following Preparation of the Master Plan the street pattern inferred in the Area Redevelopment Plan. In Autumn 2008, CMLC organized an international competition to appoint an urban design practice to provide advice on the master plan for the redevelopment of the area. The master plan would build on the CMLC’s strength is in: objectives and principles set out in the East Village ARP, respect the established street grid and provide • Land ownership - it owns or controls over 50% of the developable land in East Village, the framework for the regeneration and development of East Village into a vibrant mixed-use creative city • Influence - it has strong relationships with City Hall and the development community, quarter – a fully integrated project and a high quality opportunity for residents, business owners, property • Co-ordination - it works with third parties on and off site to deliver a product that will benefit owners and developers alike. the whole city. The teams presented their submissions in December. CMLC’s Board unanimously awarded the project to Forging Ahead Broadway Malyan for its innovative and contemporary approach to the area’s regeneration. CMLC has made substantial progress in upgrading the area’s infrastructure by: • Improving the quality of discharge into the Bow River by introducing a storm-water quality Between January and June 2009, CMLC and their consultant team have been working to integrate the improvement system at Fort Calgary, master plan with parallel initiatives and ongoing work including: • Flood-plain raising, • Renewing the streetscape with a new and consistent palette of trees, paving materials and street • Studies to determine the market sectors that will drive the redevelopment of East Village furniture components, • Retail and leisure strategies • Designing and constructing RiverWalk, • RiverWalk proposals developed by a broad team of experts • Developing new play and amenity facilities for local residents. • Infrastructure work • The 4th Street underpass • Urban brand and identity concepts for East Village.

The master plan is summarized in the following pages.

10 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 11 master plan approach

The master plan shown in this document represents CMLC’s approach to the revitalization of East Village. It respects and reflects the many other studies and known constraints and opportunities for this part of Calgary and provides a framework to achieve the objectives set out in the East Village ARP.

In its aim to transform an area of poor development quality into a prosperous mixed-use sustainable community in Calgary’s downtown, the master plan identifies a strong pattern of uses, activities and built form for each part of the site, and yet leaves room for individual expression as the community evolves.

The plan incorporates a range of parcels which are equally capable of being delivered in small steps or as a single rolling development project undertaken through a mixed use development consortium. The plan is designed to deliver best value – both in terms of regeneration benefits to satisfy the needs of future residents and visitors and in financial returns to development and investor partners rebuilding the area.

Moving forward, the plan will be further developed as a series of development briefs covering each parcel with flexible site-specific design guidelines. Thereafter, it is envisaged that private sector organizations will come forward to develop the area in phases. This process of redevelopment is expected to last for 10-15 years during which time the area’s population is likely to grow from its present 2,050 inhabitants up to 11,500 residents who will mix with visitors to its shops, leisure attractions and employment centres.

Focussing on PlaceMaking Safety By Design The master plan is shaped around the concept The master plan seeks to avoid the occurrence of of “livability” – the key ingredients of successful secluded public spaces to ensure people feel safe contemporary urban neighbourhoods. CMLC’s and comfortable at all times in East Village. The pro- approach to Placemaking includes the following posals feature aligned facades that directly address essential components: hierarchy of streets and spaces which efficiently distribute traffic across and through the master plan. • Sustainable community development Spaces have been defined and enclosed by positive • Promoting environmental, economic and social uses with extended sightlines from the apartments Deliverability has also been a key driver. It is crucial Mixed-Uses and New Links responsibility as the future urban model and commercial uses lining the streets at ground that the proposals for each phase, character area The master plan seeks to create a cluster of mixed • Integration with context to encourage access from level and above. Experience has shown this to be a and parcel are robust, flexible and defendable prior use activity, with music venues, shops, bars/lounges, surrounding areas successful model in dealing with petty street crime, to being brought forward for redevelopment and a cinema and nearby specialty retail outlets in a • Land use flexibility to encourage development in allowing the public realm to be under the watchful operation. The master plan will be delivered parcel- range of formats to create a vibrant hub where changing market conditions, eyes of both the resident and visiting populations, by-parcel through a carefully phased series of indi- people can browse, meet, relax and take in the atmo- • A rich mix of uses, building types, and potential thereby discouraging anti-social behaviour. The plan vidual projects, each planned in negotiation with the sphere of East Village. Such a cluster is not new to tenure arrangements, has been drafted in unison with CMLC’s streetscape relevant private stakeholders, including developers, Calgary; current examples include Stephen Avenue, • Clear spatial enclosure and streetscape definition, proposals which specify high illumination levels civic institutions and potential future tenants. Kensington and 17th Avenue SE. However, the master • Strong identity with an architectural attitude, along public thoroughfares, and pedestrian facilities plan for East Village provides a framework for it to • Permeable, dense form interwoven with public uses that reflect the needs of people of all ages and abili- New Building Styles and New Character become a distinctive new neighbourhood in the city. to animate the ground floor, ties. The residential streets have been designed to The East Village master plan ideas have been devel- The East Village hub is linked by the city grid and • Mitigated traffic impact and high quality public slow traffic speeds to minimize conflict with pedes- oped by CMLC and its master planning team led by a new pedestrian diagonal route referred to as The transport, trians. Broadway Malyan and appointed experts, including Riff that leads to the Bow River edge and is brought • Scale built form that respects the local geography, engineers, planners and market strategists. All sup- to life with new paths, spaces, cafes and restaurants • A range of streetscapes and urban spaces varying A Flexible Master Plan port the development of the basic building typolo- that celebrate the city’s interface with the river and in character and function, Market conditions are presently in a state of flux and gies set out in the ARP to characterize the redevel- the historic park at Fort Calgary. • Creativity and ethical tolerance to promote com- it is crucial to develop concepts that can adapt to opment of East village, giving it recognizable form pact urban living, coexistence and diverse cultural evolving market conditions. It is important to find and a contemporary feel that sits at ease with the activity, gaps in the city’s current offer that resonate with the retained historical buildings. The master plan illus- • Staged implementation, building identity and value context of East Village: Calgary is characterized by trates how building typologies can bring a domestic at each step. its high rise apartments and low density residential scale of development to the city centre and offer suburban development, but between these extremes Calgarians new opportunities for urban living – there is little in the city representing the traditional namely, residential accommodation integrated with scale and density that is found in most successful commercial, retail, food & beverage, leisure and com- developments, and in cities as diverse as New York, munity uses to activate the streetscape and revital- Boston, London, Paris, Barcelona, Vancouver and ize the city centre day and night. Toronto.

12 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 13

URBAN REGENERATION EAST VILLAGE, CALGARY 13 2. Existing Buildings 3. Downtown Edge

Four historic buildings dating from around the turn The buildings on the west side of 3rd Street presently of the century are to be retained and refurbished define the east edge of Calgary’s downtown. The to accommodate new uses. More recent buildings scale of transition is made more apparent by the stark would also generally be retained, and accompanied mirror glass facade of City Hall, and continued by the by adjacent new development. Refer to the annotated redeveloped Bow Valley College and new residential photograph left: (*please note: this is not a complete list) riverside development. 2a Seniors’ apartments - parcels ideally intensified; 2b Seniors’ apartments, shop & club - in active use; The plots framing the east side of 3rd Street comprise 2c St Louis Hotel - to be refurbished; surface car parking, a multi-storey parkade or low 2d Hillier/ King Eddy - to be refurbished; buildings unlikely to remain. Present massing suggests 2e Salvation Army - in active use; the scale of buildings on the east side could closely 3 2f 6th Street residential apartments - in active use; match the west side to strengthen the character of 2g 2g Drop-In Centre - in active use. the road corridor and optimize development density 2e 2h Simmons Building - refurbished (offices), future pub. reflecting the site’s proximity to city centre amenities. 2d 2c 2b 1 2a 4 2h

2a 2f

The site at East Village is layered with diverse con- SITE ANALYSIS straints and opportunities. It accommodates historic buildings, dense infrastructure networks and “diffi- 4. RiverWalk Public Realm cult to integrate” land uses within a sensitive riverine COMPLEXITY landscape context. Over 50% of the site is controlled The Bow River is a spectacular and ever-changing CMLC is undertaking streetscape and utility by CMLC and the remaining parcels are generally in asset that appears under-utilised in this area at improvements to make the entire development of East OF THE SITE present. The lack of development at East Village and Village deliverable. The works will raise the streets diverse private ownerships. Site planning is governed high relative level of unsavory or illegal uses can make and plots above the flood plain and will be finished by land use bylaws each with individual massing con- the foot path and cycle route feel unsafe despite the using a selected palette of materials and components cepts, broadly following the 2005 ARP. The site offers area’s unique appeal and potential. that will characterize East Village and complement CMLC is radically improving the RiverWalk, initially surrounding uses like RiverWalk. scope for the additional, mixed-use urban model cur- from Centre Street to Fort Calgary and thereafter rently missing from the city’s structure. to the west bank of the Elbow River. This will raise These improvements will yield new parcels of awareness of East Village development opportunities developable land near the LRT and highway flyovers and will be accompanied by improved open space and will connect East Village with Stampede via a new This section identifies many of the key factors the management and riverfront cafes. It is anticipated that underpass link beneath the rail lines. master plan has addressed. the same approach will lead to the improvement of St Patrick’s Island and the link to Memorial Drive LRT Other opportunity areas include two neighbourhood station via a new foot/cycle bridge over the Bow. piazzas and the creation of a heritage quarter at 8th Ave.

1. LRT

Calgary’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) system services the city centre and reaches out to the suburbs. Its success has prompted an ongoing programme of improvements including: • Network extensions • A new station stop on the south side of 9th Avenue at Rail Town • Platform upgrades to accommodate 4-coach trains

Track geometries prohibit a station stop at East Village and the line cuts through the streetscape which inhibits cross movement. The lines converge at 3rd Street/ 7th Avenue and the nearest stops are at City Hall and Memorial Drive.

14 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 15 TARGET MARKET STUDIES To capture these future residents, East Village needs to capitalize on its natural strengths (such as the river front) and to develop new strengths by Roland Berger through the implementation of the master plan. East Village must cultivate a diverse but vibrant street culture that passionately pursues a broad spectrum of points of view and forms of expression. In retail To help determine the market for East Village and develop a profile of its potential residents, Roland URBAN EXPLORER: STUDENT Berger Strategy Consultants undertook a Marketing Strategy Development project. The group’s study, this means boutique shops that emphasize unique style. commissioned prior to the master plan, was designed in part to answer these key questions: Who will first call East Village home? What will these people want – and how will East Village provide it? Restaurants and bars should aspire to innovation, providing new culinary experiences for their patrons. Entertainment should range Roland Berger looked at the future East Village residents to supply the answers: from cafes to dance clubs, art galleries to athletic clubs. Living accommodations should be aesthetically and environmentally minded. Future East Village Residents types of opportunities that a city has to offer. These The message for future residents is that: “East Village is built around For future East Village Residents, the goal is to opportunities include: atmosphere, culture, natural you... the way you live, work and play.” East Village is being built from create a virtuous circle – identify what types of landscape and educational landscape. Individuals the ground up, with the needs of the residents in mind. Calgarians would likely live in East Village and what were grouped based on similar likes (green) and they want from an urban community – and then dislikes (red). define what East Village can offer to attract those individuals. Ultimately, there should be a strong fit Through this process, RB identified three between the types of Calgarians interested in East fundamental segments that make up the city’s Village and the “idea” of East Village as expressed current and likely future population: in the master plan.

Roland Berger surveyed nearly 2,000 Calgarians to understand their core values and living needs. Each individual was assessed based on their interest in the SINGLE COUPLE FAMILY

1. Resourceful Rationalists 2. Foundation Builders 3. Urban Explorers Thrifty, practical, and security- Calgary’s diligent and ambitious The passionate, thrill-seeking, en- minded Calgarians planners of the future vironmentally conscious of Calgary.

Interested in: Interested in: Interested in: affordability • proximity to partner/ sound business environment leisure and cultural activities family • attending public events • • excellent schools • modern discount shopping•green spaces infrastructure • proximity to family Less interested in: • reasonable cost of living cost of living • family orientation • Less interested in: modern infrastructure • business modern infrastructure • quality of Less interested in: environment • educational The end result, as envisioned in the master plan, will educational institutions leisure • cultural activities landscape offer five key elements, which are important to Urban Explorers and unique in Calgary:

• A new way of living – modern and ecologically-friendly housing Of these core segments, Urban Explorers best Urban Explorers live life for its passions – sports, • A diverse and tolerant community with a sense of place matched East Village’s planned identity and offer. romance, friends, cuisine, art, entertainment. They • A walkable community – built for pedestrians, with the ability to Urban Explorers can be students, younger or older value diversity in people and variety in the activities walk to the office and come home for lunch singles, couples and even families – what unites to which they devote their time. Urban Explorers • 24/7 entertainment, cultural and dining options them is a preference for vibrant urban surroundings care about the planet and the other people with PROFESSIONAL • Access to the outdoors – integrated biking, rafting and jogging. over suburban living and an interest in culture, whom they share it. The younger among them are events, restaurants, boutique shopping and the other often athletic and involved in creative pursuits, love In order to deliver on these promises, East Village will need to use stimulations of city life. travel and crave novelty and new places. Couples its master plan to help coordinate the involvement of a variety of are active and socially sophisticated and take skilled developers, setting a direction that meets the needs of the advantage of all the cultural stimulations of city life, target residents. from restaurants to gallery openings. East Village families are equally aware and active in city life and determined to share its rich culture and social life with their offspring.

16 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 17 URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES KEY DRIVERS

Respecting Creating Character Mixed Uses A Flexible 8 KEY URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES: Context & Identity & Diversity Urban Structure

East Village Master Designing forms and Using placemaking Fostering a sense A mixed-use master • RESPECTING CONTEXT Plan is founded on features that sit sym- principles and work- of community by plan for a new • CREATING CHARACTER & IDENTITY 8 Key Urban Design pathetically with the ing with the existing promoting street community should • MIXED-USES & DIVERSITY Principles that re- site’s topography fabric and elements activity through the be robust enough flect the key urban and heritage while of East Village to creation of a self- to clearly define • FLEXIBILITY regeneration ideas championing the promote the area sustaining, mixed- streeetscapes and • QUALITY PUBLIC REALM developed during development as a as a culturally di- use urban village. indicate the spatial the master planning downtown exemplar. Public art will become part of an integrated public realm strategy to verse, vibrant urban East Village will be a limitations of the • ARCHITECTURAL INNOVATION create interest and improve legibility. process, the aspira- Cloud Gate sculpture, Millennium Park, Chicago lifestyle model for balanced mix of uses development, yet • EASE OF MOVEMENT (INCLUDING tions of CMLC, the • The built form Calgary. and demograph- be flexible enough COMFORT IN COLD CONDITIONS) area’s wider policy should scale down ics distributed as a to accommodate context and the Area towards Fort Calgary • The Cantos Na- series of distinctive a range of suitable • SUSTAINABILITY Redevelopment Plan and Bow River to tional Music Centre clusters with access uses so that the plan (ARP). provide a cohesive, at the King Eddy, to public transport can be realized in attractive frame for with its powerful de- and local employ- fluctuating market the open spaces sign and purpose, is ment. Clusters will conditions. without dominating the kind of proposal include: them. that will transform • Respective parcel the character of East • Residential areas envelopes can there- • The scale of de- Village. of varying densities, fore organize the velopment should size, type and afford- phasing and delivery strengthen the ap- Creating high quality, civic spaces for public events. • Landscape and ability in response process and define Federation Sq, Melbourne. proach gateways and architectural features to the demands of a setbacks, height and urban corridors. The should draw atten- diverse population massing, yet floor to exit points from the tion and activity to to encourage mixed ceiling heights can street grid should key nodes and civic tenure. be designed to suit intersect with Riv- spaces to reinforce economic conditions. erWalk, St Patrick’s the vision and master • City-wide leisure Island and Fort plan. and cultural destina- • This also means Calgary. tions which charac- that a building • Artists and art terize the area and constructed initially • The retained installations assist in draw people into for one use can be historic buildings shaping the area’s East Village from the adapted in later

Fort Calgary is located on the east side of East Village. should be adapted to identity; CMLC plans wider urban catch- years without the accommodate new to drive a year-round ment. This could need for demolition. uses, to regain their events programme include museums, sense of place and of music, art, dance, galleries or music function. theatre and cinema. venues as well as a mix of outdoor spaces for performance activities,

• Community Servic- es, including strategi- cally positioned local shops, health care, civic and educational facilities woven into a East Village benefits from the close proximity to the CBD core. The streetscape hierarchy of paths and roads, avenues and boulevards, punctuated by squares and spaces brings legibility to framework of public the neighbourhood. spaces to collectively form a series of community cores.

18 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 19 URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES KEY DRIVERS

Quality Architectural Ease Sustainability Public Realm Innovation Of Movement

Creating a cohesive, An architecture that • Certain locations The East Village • Each avenue and The East Village legible, attractive is socially, economi- within the master master plan is de- street should have master plan is an network of connect- cally culturally and plan demand signed to integrate a parallel alignment, opportunity to inter- ed streetscapes and environmentally special treatment to the city grid with its consistent set-back pret and apply new open spaces with responsive and has “landmark” particular river edge setting and street width and emerging green individual character. the ability to change vistas. Exceptional with extended ser- commensurate with technologies. to future needs. architecture needs vice proposals to link its capacity and to be understood on the site with down- function within • A key aim of the • East Village its own merits and town, Stampede Park the hierarchy. master plan is to provides an should be sited to and Beltline areas. Broader streets create a compact, opportunity take full advantage will accommodate self-contained com- to reinterpret of the increased cost • The master plan will heavier traffic flows munity of residents The master plan’s objective is to deliver a high quality public realm architectural of construction. A bus network will improve access to, from and within East Village. promote walkable to be characterized that has the option with a variety of experiences. styles to address accessible routes for by larger format to live in close proxi- current local socio- • East Village has its new residents. commercial mity to business economic, cultural been subject to Active frontages and frontages. and employment in and environmental extensive planning efficient direct links Conversely, narrow the downtown core, issues. The aim is to policy review. The will draw people from pedestrian streets while providing good create a diversity of area’s specific Land the city’s downtown will accommodate access to the city’s architectural styles use Bylaws and Area to East Village. This fine grain frontage amenities via public at varying levels of Redevelopment will include improved activity. transport. Buildings cost, scale, mass Plan ensure key connections to the will be encouraged and density in order principles and LRT and bus stops to attain LEED, Built to provide choice, design qualities are and new links across Green or similar interest and variety. respected, including the Bow River to standards, while in mitigation against Cycling and walking will be encouraged throughout East Village. Bridgeland. The the master plan the Imaginative spaces, regardless of their size, can provide an escape • As a priority, shadow impact. master plan expands community overall is from the busy urban environment. new architectural Future architectural upon the hierarchy being assessed for solutions will aim to solutions must of routes and spaces LEEDS ND. provide a range of comply with the outlined in the East • The Enmax District new housing options bylaws and ARP as Village ARP. These Energy Centre can to attract future well as respect the will connect with the be used to pro- residents to settle in design guidance Plus15 system with vide the district East Village. As part contained within this the emphasis on with an efficient of the sustainability document. bringing people back and economical strategy, innovative down to street level, source of heating. architectural to provide a potential Photo Voltaic and solutions that Sustainability is central to the ethos of the Master Plan, featuring range of covered or roof mounted maximise resource environmentally friendly approaches to land use, transport, energy enclosed spaces for micro-generating Innovative and exciting buildings can define character of the area and use and recycling through sustainable methods of transportation, accompanied by quality public realm encourage activities around it. efficiency and recycling etc. use in all seasons. technologies are manage the climate developing rapidly to will be encouraged. supplement energy and hot water. Buildings can include atria that allow solar gain to cool buildings through stack effect ventilation. Where possible the plan will encourage orien- tating buildings to optimize solar gain, and possibly even to Exciting buildings will punctuate the master plan to project new use the melt waters character, draw footfall and extend the area’s capacity. of the Bow River for cooling purposes.

20 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 21 STRATEGIC Layers of the master plan

The East Village master plan is structured around a 6th Avenue to reflect its importance as a key East number of strategic layers, which together inform Village/downtown corridor link. Layer One - Key Edges The site’s edges have been evaluated on the basis the composition of each character area and parcel. Bow River (‘blue’ edge) N of their opportunities and constraints, the qualities The master plan comprises six character areas, which The river edge parcels in the north east part of the they represent and the connectivity they offer. This have been evaluated in further detail in the pages development lining RiverWalk are recognized to be of evaluation helps to establish the following: that follow. high recreational value. Development constraints and • The north and east sides are characterized by soft, landscape and extended views, which offer visual opportunities have been established and reflected in St Patricks’s Island and recreational amenities to the future develop- The parcels in the north west portion of the the massing and mix of uses along the waterfront. ment of East Village. development form a revitalized gateway to East Downtown • The west side is an urban edge, presenting struc- Village and Calgary’s downtown. A community The opportunities and attributes of the park edge on (urban tured views of the cluster of towers, while providing building of unique architectural form is proposed the east side have been acknowledged. The design edge) East Village proximity and links to the amenities of Calgary’s to transform the area by the fly-overs, creating an takes advantage of the visual amenity of Fort Calgary downtown core. Site • The south edge is currently an empty, imperme- opportunity on what is currently derelict land. and its surrounding parkland. Fort able strip of railway land. Future development op- Calgary portunities encapsulated in the Rail Town proposals. The importance of transition parcels of the west The central part of the site will be the core of East (green edge) By 2011, the completed 4th Street underpass will side has been recognized. The master plan takes Village, with the EVE Block at the heart of the connect East Village with the Beltline and Stam- the existing massing and density into account by new neighbourhood. The uses and qualities of pede Park districts to permeate this edge and draw crowds of visitors to East Village. providing the western area with appropriate heights EVE Block are explained in the following pages of Impermeable Edge and mix of uses, while modeling the elevations on the document. Layer Two - Overall Development Massing The green and open eastern edge of Fort Calgary is N in marked contrast with the high density, towering form of the downtown core. Similarly, the Bow River edge will (in the longer-term future) sit in contrast with the towering forms proposed for the Rail Town project. East Village performs the role of an archi- St Patricks’s tectural bridge between these polarized conditions. Island A sliding scale in height transition will see East Vil- Downtown Scaling down lage accommodate a range of building typologies (urban from high-rise towers and ribbon blocks to four- storey townhouses that reconcile the city edge with The edge) its natural setting. Scaling down Gateway

River’s Edge

Downtown THE CROSS- Layer Three - Key Corridors & the Grid ING The base of a successful master plan is connectivity Transition N and ability to merge with the existing urban frame- works of the surrounding areas. The East Village Zone master plan connects with the existing grain of the (Downtown Key route city and creates a new framework, which should in- Core to East fluence connectivity to the south of the site. The Riff Parkside to/from Airport St Patricks’s has been introduced to give East Village a unique Village) Fort Island experience and character, while improving permeability and legibility. CMLC has also constructed Calgary The Riff Riverfront Avenue, the RiverWalk and the 4th Street Connector.

4th Street

Gateway Street 3rd 4th Street 5th Street

9th Avenue

22 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 23 RIVERWALK

The river and nature experience of Calgary - a new pedestrian promenade and cycle route along the KEY CORRIDORS Bow River edge, connecting Prince’s Island Park to the Stampede grounds - linking the key open spaces and parks as a chain of events. Key corridors integrate East Village with its urban and natural setting. Each corridor has its unique characterizing features that underpin the master plan’s placemaking strategy.

Primary and secondary movement corridors are identified as part of the hierarchy of circulation THE RIFF infrastructure and public realm. An informal pedestrian connector- a corridor which cuts through the The diagram below highlights where paths and roads grid at an angle - a range of different spaces and buildings - a shortcut form the edges and gateways into East Village and through East Village - a diverse range where key spaces should be located, characterizing of venues and amenities. the main pedestrian routes that permeate the site. The Riff is a potential arts expo route, a trail of contemporary sculpture, produced by the creative residents of East Village.

RiverWalk RiverWalk River Corridor 5TH STREET NEIGHBOURHOOD CORRIDOR

River Approach Direct route to the river from 9th Pebble Space Avenue - an experience of both the St Patrick’s Island urban and residential East Village. A Downtown Junction distinctive residential square provides a community hub. 5th Street will be the primary link for visitors arriving at 3rd Street Civic Corridor 4th Street the future high speed train and LRT stations.

5th Street Neighbourhood Corridor Bridge City Square Village Mews 6TH STREET 6th Avenue PARK CORRIDOR

A green edge to East Village - Park Gates transition from urban to park edge, Rail Junction fronted by homes of the highest 7th Avenue LRT + Bus Transport Corridor Cross Roads quality. The edge features communal

Leisure Space gardens, park space and distinctive Community Square Residential Mews gateways leading visitors to Fort

6th Street Calgary. The corridor is anchored by Mews Corridor Park Corridor landmark buildings on the river and at Civic Crossing 8th Avenue Rail Town. Stephen Avenue

Station Street 8th Avenue

9th Avenue Gateway Corridor 4TH STREET LEISURE CORRIDOR

The central axis of East Village - facing 4th Street Gateway Station Square East Gateway Station Front strips of active frontages, diverse Rail Transport Corridor Future High Speed Rail 4th Street Underpass venues and events - a “Greenwich Village Manhattan” look and feel. The Diagram: Overall Character of corridors within East Village master plan. Pebble building anchors the north end at the riverside, an iconic landmark building dedicated to flexible uses - a glowing landmark forming the gateway to Calgary and East Village.

24 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE RIFF Culture Leisure Retail Community Fort Calgary St. Patrick’s Regional Square Park Island Destination - Zoo

PRINCIPLES

CONCEPTS AND KEY PRINCIPLES • Pedestrian Priority • High quality public realm Legibility • Partially internalized space (EVE) East Village will be designed as a “legible” place and the area’s different character areas. Delivered • Mix of uses, facilities, grain and scales of development allowing people to move and navigate easily as a quality public realm feature, it connects types • Showcase of sustainable architecture • Connecting East Village’s key piazza spaces through varied and vibrant urban spaces. The of activities and uses within East Village and • Anchored by prime developments at each end and at introduction of visual markers (landmark buildings, beyond. The massing of the overall master plan each node squares and public art) and the creation of has undergone a number of variations, yet each of gateways help define individual areas and help the variations carried a set of defining principles, Diagram: Key Routes - indicative massing Diagram: Key Features - indicative massing residents and visitors to make their way through which provide The Riff’s urban character. The route the neighbourhood. lends itself to an urban mews style of shared use thoroughfare, in line with the ARP’s preference to One of the key features defining East Village and break the grid and make more use of the alleys and improving legibility is The Riff - a key corridor narrow routes between key streets. crossing the grid plan connecting each corridor

Connection to Pedestrian route Connection Buildings along EVE - Small retail units Anonymous Urban Layout East Village Approach: The Crossing The Riff to the mews & 8th Avenue - a key heart of facilitating residential A potentially anonymous and Introducing The Riff, vistas and focal building to residential street connecting space The Riff neighbourhood illegible ‘gridded’ street layout. improve the way-finding and overall legibility. Diagram: Key Public Spaces - indicative massing Diagram: Green Networks - indicative massing

1 2 3 1. Barcelona The Tore Agbar landmark tower creates a .key point of orientation within the Diagonal. 2. Madrid’s Urban Grain creates a patchwork of urban forms articulated by green arteries and avenues. 3. London Oxford Street, Central Point and Marble Arch; Examples of the focal building and Monument becoming the navigational tool. The design of The Riff will increase permeability and improve overall navigation through the East Village master plan. Linear out- Public Transitional The Crossroads Green Fort Calgary - door space at space - space - residential semi-private City Park the heart of at the heart 5th Street square courtyards The Crossing of The Riff square and EVE

26 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 27 The Gateway Comprising a mix of opportunity sites seen on approach to the City from the URBAN DESIGN North, Gateway is intended to create a new arrival experience featuring The master plan identifies seven character Linked by a high quality public realm, new architectural forms that present a forward-looking image of East Village GUIDELINES areas of contrasting identity, shaped by their they create a distinctive urban village and the City. The area will be brought architectural and landscape qualities and the that respects and enhances its historical, to life by its residential, cultural, retail range of uses accommodated. physical and social context. and community uses. A select group CHARACTER AREAS of larger-scale retail uses, integrated into more modern mixed-use formats, may be considered for high exposure The intimate public realm potentially created location along the west side of 4th by curved forms of the EVE Block create Street. attractive and unique covered spaces.

The Crossing Remnant historic buildings form RiverWalk the core of this institutional and (potentially) residential block offering a mix of leisure, educational and cultural uses. The National Music Centre at the King Eddy will characterize the area with 24/7 activity. Across 4th Street, the EVE Block straddles The Riff, possibly as a glazed atrium space leading visitors to high quality leisure – niche retail with cafes, bars and restaurants overlooking the public squares on 4th and 5th streets. Residential apartments The node on The Riff would potentially offer above overlook communal courtyard a unique covered performance space at different levels for a variety of uses. gardens.

River’s Edge YWCA This waterfront promenade of high quality pubs, cafes and restaurants St Patrick’s overlooking the Bow River has uses designed to animate the plazas The and spaces of RiverWalk. Speciality Island commercial uses such as recreational Gateway River’s Edge equipment rental and service shops would help to tie East Village to the RiverWalk network.

Parkside This quarter features finer grain BVC residential and community uses Local stores on 5th Street and potential workshops on The Riff will define the COLLEGE permeated by pedestrian paths. 5th Parkside character. Street Square incorporates The Riff pedestrian route which, together with the Mews, serves to emphasize domestic character: overlooking balconies, irregular set-backs, raised gardens and concealed parking. Taller apartment blocks on the south side overlook 9th Avenue and feature larger scale flexible frontages designed in response to the proposed Rail Town scheme, which includes a retail hub, CITY HALL The Crossing Parkside Fort Calgary LRT and High Speed Rail station. RiverWalk This first stage of a high quality EVE Block could feature a glazed atrium as continuous waterfront park promenade a defining feature for The Crossing, taking is designed to accommodate the visitor through the different uses and pedestrians, cyclists, kiosks and spaces, providing winter comfort and an performance spaces. activity focus.

St. Patrick’s Island Here, recreational open space is upgraded to become a fitting setting for a new calendar of summer events. Improvements include new planting and landscape treatments, a distinctive cafe, new pedestrian bridge and a variety of waterside treatments.

Fort Calgary Heritage parkland green space containing a replica of the original fort, Public Art, ‘accidental spaces’ and well Diagram: East Village Character Areas. barracks building and museum, and designed street furniture could inform the interpretative facilities. character of the squares and spaces.

28 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 29 The East Village master plan is supported by the urban design ILLUSTRATIVE strategies outlined in Urban Design Guidelines section of this document. These set up a strategic framework including strategies for building heights, densities, land uses and public MASTER PLAN realm. The ARP has guided the preparation of the master plan in relation to connections, urban structure, vistas/landmarks and the public open space network.

01 RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS (Parcel A)

VER 02 02 RIVERWALK

03 PEBBLES – FLEXIBLE SHOWCASE / COMMUNITY SPACE (Parcels B)

04 CECIL HOTEL, FUTURE REDEVELOPMENT PARCEL (Parcel B)

4th AVENUE FLY-O 05 RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS, LIVE / WORK, LARGER SCALE RETAIL (Parcel C&D) 01 06 the crossing - MIX OF VENUES, INSTITUTIONS, OFFICES (Parcel E)

07 CANTOS NATIONAL MUSIC CENTRE (Parcel E)

03 08 37 RESIDENTIAL STUDIOS OVER CULTURAL USES ON 9TH AV. & RETAIL (Parcel L) RIVERFRONT AVENUE 4th AVENUE SE 09 EVE BLOCK – LOCAL CINEMA, ACTIVE LEISURE, APARTMENTS (Parcel K) 03 24 10 RESIDENTIAL BLOCK, RETAIL AND COMMERCIAL USES (Parcel J) 25 02 VER 04 11 CELEBRATION SQUARE (4TH STREET SQUARE)

12 LRT NE LINE 5th AVENUE FLY-O 26 29 15 13 WORKSHOPS / FLEXIBLE USES (Parcel F) 03 13 5th AVENUE SE 4th STREET SE 14 RIVERSIDE HOTEL, RESIDENTIAL TOWER & APARTMENTS, F&B (Parcel G)

WATER STREET 17 16 23 15 RIVERSIDE APARTMENTS & CAFE/ RESTAURANT (Parcel G) CONFLUENCE WAY 28 12 27 16 SIMMONS BUILDING/ RIVERSIDE PUB (Parcel M) 05 17 WATERFRONT MARKET KIOSK (Parcel M) 18 14 18 BOUTIQUE HOTEL, RESTAURANT & APARTMENTS (Parcel N) 3rd STREET SE STREET 3rd 19 6th AVENUE SE MEWS RESIDENTIAL APARTMENTS & TOWNHOUSES (Parcel Q & R)

20 COMMUNITY SQUARE (5TH STREET SQUARE) 22 21 VILLAGE COURT APARTMENTS (Parcel S) 05 19 11 10 22 COMMUNITY GARDENS 5th STREET SE 5th STREET 23 ST PATRICK’S ISLAND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE (By Competition) 24 7th AVENUE SE POSSIBLE FUTURE WEIR POOL 25 ST PATRICK’S LAKE

20 26 LAKESIDE CAFÉ (Parcel T) 19 19

09 27 AMPHITHEATRE

4th STREET SE 4th STREET THE RIFF 28 06 30 FESTIVAL SPACE CITY HALL 29 BRIDGELAND LINK 8th AVENUE SE 30 FORT CALGARY 21

31 NEW CITY PARKADE (FUTURE) 6th STREET SE STREET 6th

08 32 DISTRICT ENERGY CENTRE

07 36 33 4TH STREET CONNECTOR 21 34 FUTURE HIGH SPEED RAIL/ SE LRT STATION

9th AVENUE SE 35 RAIL TOWN MIXED USE OFFICE/ RETAIL/ RESIDENTIAL (By Others)

31 36 EXISTING BUILDING - SALVATION ARMY 32 35 37 MEMORIAL DRIVE LRT STATION

33 34

0m 25m 50m Drawing: Illustrative Master Plan

30 EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY EAST VILLAGE MASTER PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 31 CMLC 610 Fifth Avenue S.E. Calgary Alberta Canada T2G 0G1

Telephone: 403-718-0300 Facsimile: 403-718-0500