Centre Street & 16th Ave

JEMM has an exciting vision for the redevelopment of this landmark location. A Land Use Application is underway and community input is welcome.

This project is currently open for public comments.
Please review the information provided here and share your comments at the bottom of this page.

Benefits of the Location

JEMM’s proposed development will position the 16 Ave and Centre St N intersection as the heart of the North Hill communities, an important transit node in the City of Calgary, and a vibrant and active retail destination for residents and visitors alike.

Access and Mobility

JEMM is committed to progressive Transit Oriented Developments that contribute density and vibrancy surrounding transit stations. By encouraging active modes of transportation, like walking and biking, JEMM hopes to reduce the amount of cars on our streets and our environmental footprint.

The site’s ideal location provides convenient access to community amenities and many forms of transportation:

Proximity to shops and services, including schools, groceries, health and fitness facilities, and restaurants.
Proximity to existing and proposed mass transit infrastructure, including the MAX Orange BRT and the future Green Line LRT.
Well connected by active modes, thanks to being located just 180m from the 2 St bike route,
1.5km from the Bow River Pathway, and less 2km from downtown Calgary.

Development Vision

JEMM’s vision for this 16 Avenue NW site is to create a landmark mixed-use, retail and multi-residential development that reflects best practice in sustainable city building and catalyzes the redevelopment of 16 Avenue NW into a true neighbourhood main street, as envisioned in Calgary’s Municipal Development Plan.

Place density closest to the transit node, creating a landmark that communicates the station as a regional destination

Lower tower to the west to mitigate impacts on adjacent properties

5-storey podium creates a consistent urban street wall

2-tower format creates a sleeker, less imposing built form than a slab building

New community gathering area at the corner of 1 St + 16 Ave

Active ground floor uses to transform 16 Ave into a vibrant, walkable corridor

Wide sidewalk along 16 Ave to improve connections to transit and create a buffer between pedestrians and the street

Transforming 16 Avenue NW

Central to JEMM’s vision for this site is to create a development that turns this part of 16 Avenue NW into a safe, active, and inviting streetscape. Introducing a high-quality public realm ensures a development that creates opportunities to support local business, strengthen community ties, and build a sense of place.

Before

After

Community Benefit

JEMM is pleased to incorporate the following public realm improvements for the benefit of the entire community into the development:

A 9.5m wide sidewalk with active frontage along 16 Avenue, providing 3m clear passage, double row of trees, and a ~3m frontage zone
A 10.9m wide west-facing public space (curb to building face) with active retail frontage

Proposed Land Use Changes

As the first step in the process, a land use amendment (rezoning) application has been submitted to the City. To best address the context of the site and JEMM’s progressive vision, a Direct Control (DC) based on the Mixed Use – Active Frontage (MU-2) district is being proposed

Existing Land Use:

Commercial - Corridor 1 C-COR1

Height: Maximum building height ranging from 46m on the east of the site to 28m on the west of the site

Density: Maximum density of 6.0 FAR

Proposed Land Use:

Direct Control based on MU-2 DC (MU-2)

Height: Maximum building height of 100m (approximately 30 storeys)

Density: Maximum density of 10.0 FAR (10 x site area)

Parking: Remove residential parking requirement and establish requirements for visitor parking and retail parking

PARKING: Why remove residential parking minimums from the zoning?

By removing the residential parking requirements from the zoning, JEMM can focus on providing the most appropriate amount of parking based on their market research, anticipated tenant profiles, and site context. The cost savings from not providing more parking than necessary are passed directly to tenants in the form of lower rents.
This approach to parking is perfectly suited to this site, given its proximity to existing and proposed mass transit, designated Main Streets, and the downtown core. It also reflects current trends in urban living and the opportunity to showcase a sustainable and economically viable approach to development.

Shadow Study

The shadow analysis shows the proposed development with a 5-storey podium and two residential towers ranging from 17- to 30-storeys, above. As illustrated in the images below, the proposed development would have minimal impact on the surrounding properties.

Balmoral School: Active play areas have some shadowing in the mid-morning, but by lunchtime, shadows are gone

Process Timeline

Have Your Say!

Please provide your comments below to be submitted to the City of Calgary

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Or you can reach the project team at:

Brian Horton
Principal, O2 Planning + Design
brian.horton@o2design.com

To ask questions or share your feedback directly with the City of Calgary planner assigned to this file, please contact:

Jordan Furness
Senior Planner, City of Calgary
Jordan.furness@calgary.ca