More than 1,600 people have signed an online petition against several proposed developments in Inglewood.

Organizers of the petition on Change.org fear that if buildings go ahead that are taller than the existing 20-metre height restrictions, it will turn Ninth Avenue S.E. into "another bland, commercial wind tunnel."

They fear these new projects will threaten the heritage character of the neighbourhood, alter the vitality of its main street and even chase away future film projects.

L.J. Robertson — director of inner city planning and heritage with the Inglewood Community Association — said several groups came together to take a stand against the growing developer interest in larger scale area re-developments.

RNDSQR is proposing to build a 12-storey mixed-use residential complex at the northeast corner of Ninth Avenue and 12th Street S.E. that would incorporate the historic Bank of Commerce block. The site has been home to used car dealerships for decades. (RNDSQR)

"We felt that it was time to take on the movement as a whole and not only speak as a community, but speak for what we hope are many Calgarians that don't necessarily live in Inglewood but really value and love what we have," Robertson said.

"If these things are built, the neighbourhood will change forever."

Projects in the works

The online petition does mention three developments proposed for the neighbourhood.

Hungerford Properties is behind a residential project at Ninth Avenue and Eighth​​​​​​ Street S.E. A change in land use for the building — which will be 50 metres tall — was approved by council last month.

Landstar proposes to build a mixed-use residential complex, Louis on 9th, at Ninth Avenue and 11th Street S.E. (Hive Developments)

The 11-storey building would replace the two-storey cinderblock building at Eighth Street that's currently home to Fair's Fair Books.

Two other projects along Ninth Avenue, one proposed by RNDSQR and one by Landstar, have not yet gone to the planning commission.

RNDSQR plans to build a 12-storey, mixed-use residential complex at the corner of Ninth Avenue and 12th Street S.E. — currently a used car lot — that would incorporate the historic Bank of Commerce block.

Landstar wants to put a mixed-use residential complex, called Louis on 9th, at Ninth Avenue and 11th Street S.E., replacing a strip mall and a two-storey building that housed an appliance store until recently.

The Inglewood Business Improvement Area (BIA) is not taking a position on the petition against new developments.

Hungerford Properties is proposing to build an 11-storey, mixed-use development in the 900 block of Ninth Avenue S.E. The shaded structure in the foreground is the now-completed Avli on Atlantic condo building. (Hungerford Properties)

But it also has concerns about larger-scale developments in the community, which is known for its heritage buildings and eclectic collection of shops and businesses.

Dan Allard with Cold Garden Beverage Company and BIA vice-chair, said its mandate is to attract people to Inglewood.

He points to several new buildings that have opened in the past couple of years which have added to the vitality of the area.

New developments need to fit

But Allard said those new projects fit in with what he calls the human scale and village feel of the main street.

"The developers are interested in us because it's an attractive high street. Now, these projects propose to destroy the very reason they're interested in us in the first place," he said.

"So our job as a BIA is to protect the attraction of Inglewood."

He said that a decade ago, the BIA had 90 members. Today, that number is more than 220 and rising.

The area's city councillor acknowledges these developments are a big change for the community.

Gian-Carlo Carra said he supported the Hungerford proposal because he feels there needs to be a higher population base along Ninth Avenue to support a complete community, including schools and a grocery store.

Market dictates change

He said a century ago, the market dictated the building heights that were constructed in Inglewood but times have changed.

Dan Allard, vice-chair of the Inglewood Business Improvement Area, says the BIA's mandate is to attract people to Inglewood. (Scott Dippel/CBC)

"They were built that way because that's what the economics of the day called for," he said.

"What we're seeing now is that if you want to build market rate housing that's going to be built at a level of quality, to support the ongoing heritage character of the community, you have to build to a certain scale."

Re-development isn't about knocking down heritage buildings which is part of what makes Inglewood special, he added.

"We're talking about adding sensitively-located buildings that will become heritage buildings a hundred years from now."