A proposed redevelopment of Calgary Co-op’s shopping centre in Oakridge will go back under the microscope before city council will decide whether to give the grocer the land use designation it needs to redevelop the property as a mixed-use residential and commercial development.
Council gave the application to change the land use designation from commercial to multi-use first reading late Monday night. However, it withheld second and third readings — required to grant the change — so administration and area Coun. Jeromy Farkas can work with Co-op to adjust the plans for the project in response to concerns from some members of council.
Calgary Co-op director of real estate and development Tony Argento said the public consultations it had already undertaken had delayed the project a year and had cost an additional $1 million in consulting fees.
“A year and a half ago we came to the conclusion the most economic and profitable investment for Calgary Co-op would have been just to renovate our stores and leave the sites in the state they have been for the past 40-plus years,” Argento said. “Pending the outcome of today’s hearing, this may become Co-op’s only viable option as we’ve run out of time in terms of the condition of our stores.”
When asked if Co-op executive management would be OK with council only giving approval for first reading of the land use amendment, Argento couldn’t say whether it would pass muster with the board.
“My direction is we can live with what the decision is and we’ll have to regroup from our end.”
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READ MORE: Calgary city council could decide on Co-op redevelopment projects Monday
Some members of city council were critical of the proposed project, feeling it was underwhelming given its proximity to the future bus rapid transit (BRT) development along 24 Street S.W.
“This is a total shame,” said Coun. Evan Wooley. “It’s a shame that you had to spend $2 million. But had you started with your best foot forward, we wouldn’t have had to slog this through like we have.”
“To hear the lack of vision we’ve had today and all of these frustrations, I firmly ask the question — should we just let them renovate the Co-ops that they had, and let the people that are really great at building [multi-use developments] build … and come through with a business plan that they know how to do this.”
But others felt any further delays in granting Co-op the land use designation wouldn’t give the organization certainty about the project.
“These people have been working on it for four years,” said Coun. Peter Demong. “You’re basically telling someone to wait yet another year — oh trust me, it’s not coming back anytime sooner, I’ve been watching this for a few years now — and I’d be extremely surprised to see that happen.”
“We are spending so much time trying to create perfection that we’re chasing away potential business.”
Farkas said it was clear to him after hearing feedback from the community, the project just isn’t where it needs to be.
“Obviously we can’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” he said. “Rather than throw out the baby with the bathwater, we take stock of what we’ve got to find some incremental improvements and come back in a couple weeks time so we can see how we can have it improved.”
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Coun. Joe Magliocca was incensed by what had transpired in council chambers and questioned whether the exercise would dissuade prospective investors from opening businesses in the city.
“Whoever’s watching, do they really want to go through all of this to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into Calgary and go through this council? No, I don’t think so.”
The Oakridge project is one of four proposed sites Calgary Co-op is looking to overhaul as mixed-use developments.
Plans for Co-op’s Dalhousie location were on the Agenda for Monday’s council meeting, but will now likely be heard on Tuesday.