CALGARY- Eclectic Eau Claire Market is about to undergo a major transformation, but despite high praise about its architecture not everyone is happy with the plan.
Harvard Developments released plans for a 2.5 million square foot development that would replace the current structure. It includes 550,000 square feet of retail space as well as condos, a hotel and grocery store.
“We wanted the flow between the buildings and the river to have a natural progression,” says Rosanne Hill Blaisdell from Harvard Developments, of the design. “We also wanted maximum sunlight, maximum views from all the buildings.”
However, concern is growing about plans for a huge office tower. The Eau Claire Community Association complains that there isn’t supposed to be any office space in the area, and is worried it will hurt the vitality of the area.
“We like the development, we like 90 per cent of it except the office tower,” explains community association president Paul Denaeghal. “If we could get some compromise on that in terms of partial office, partial residential like they have in other major cities in the world, that could be a good thing.”
Harvard Developments says it wants to build an iconic project that the city can be proud of. They hope to start building next year, with the entire project being completed in a decade.
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