New condos, retail proposed for 10th Street N.W.

Residents of Hillhurst-Sunnyside have mixed feeling about a proposed plan to redevelop part of the east side of 10th Street northwest.  

The eight-storey building to replace the Ant Hill and Lido Cafe properties would have retail shops, residential units, a 20-unit boutique hotel and underground parking.  

"A lot of 10th street really does need a bit of upgrading," said area resident Tamara Lee. She said a boutique hotel would be good for the neighbourhood.

Danny Levinson also said he likes the proposed development, which Battistella Developments plans to build in cooperation with The Dobbin Group.

"It was nice at one point to have what looks like an old prairie town in the middle of Calgary but it needs an upgrade," he said.

But resident Sharon Copeland said she doesn't believe the proposal reflects the wishes of many people in the community.

"10th street needs change but I'm not sure it needs a blast of modernization," she said.

The city owns the building that once housed Ant Hill Fabrics.

"The whole neighborhood is being gentrified by big business development and, yeah, they're taking away the charm, because charm is character and age and it's not about shiny new things," said another critic, Donna Clarke.

Tavis Ford said the proposal is being pushed through without adequate public consultation and transparency.

"The way it was handled by the alderman's office, by Battistella and by City Hall – it stinks," he said.

If the project is approved by city council, construction will begin in about a year.