Development plan submitted that would revitalize Northland Village Mall

Developers appear to have some big plans for Northland Village Mall, among them Calgary’s first-ever, much talked about Whole Foods Market.

It’s not a done deal yet and the application would still have to be approving by the Planning Committee and City Council, but Ward 7 Councillor Druh Farrell is excited about the prospect of revitalizing the aging piece of property.

“The potential for Northland Village Mall, that whole piece of property, turning it into something more urban, more transit-oriented, right on the LRT line there isn’t a stop there but there is certainly the potential for a walk-on, walk-off stop and that was incorporated in the original LRT plan,” she said.

“It’s not just about the Whole Foods although it’s always fun to have some new grocery shopping opportunities to come to Calgary, it’s a comprehensive plan, it’s still in the planning phases, it still needs to come to council but it’s looking at the potential of this underutilized mall, this aging mall and turning it into something more contemporary, more urban and a better use of land, right by the LRT,” said Farrell.

It still needs to come to council for a land-use change and a development permit, which will include the opportunity for public consultation.

“But the idea of transforming these tired, old shopping malls into something more vibrant, more urban, more transit supportive, makes a lot of sense.”

The mall has lots of space including parking lot at the front and back, says the inner-city councillor.

“There are a number of things we’ll have to look at during the planning process, does the transportation work, how will it be phased, can they add a transit stop, an LRT stop at that location?”

Farrell stopped short of discussing any kind of a timeline, telling 660News much of it now is in the hands of the developer and property owners.

“But we anticipated this, well over a decade ago, probably 20 years ago,” she said. “There was a goal that some of these aging shopping malls that were underused would transform into something more dense and that’s in our strategic plan, so we’re starting to see these long-term goals realized, it’s a good thing.”

American-based grocer Whole Foods announced earlier this year, that it plans to open it’s first Calgary location in the summer of 2017.

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