Calgary’s first new urban form-based code has been

Calgary’s first new urban form-based code has been drafted to direct redevelopment of an 83-acre area between downtown and Fort Calgary, a historical park. About 9,000 new residents plus commercial uses and possibly a college campus are planned to be added to East Village, a 17-block redevelopment area, according to Geoff Dyer of Civic Design Group, the principal authors of the plan. East Village is envisioned as a downtown core area with high-rise buildings and an FAR (floor area ratio) of 5 to 7. The block and street structure is mostly in place for East Village. The land currently includes a couple of low-rise industrial buildings, two homeless shelters, and two “tower in the park” type residential buildings — all expected to be retained. The plan calls for streets to be narrowed and streetscapes newly detailed, two small squares to be added, and a street fronting the Bow River to be built. The walking paths of Fort Calgary will connect directly to the streets. The area has been subject to at least four previously failed redevelopment plans going back to the 1970s. The plan and the code still require approval from the city council.