Reclaiming and redeveloping this former industrial site is consistent with The City of Calgary’s long-range growth objectives, relating specifically to policies including:

• Eleven Principles for Sustainability
• Transit Oriented Design Guidelines
• Triple Bottom Line Policy
• imagineCALGARY: Long Range Sustainability Plan for Calgary
• The Transit Friendly Design Guide
• The draft Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy

While addressing Calgary’s increasing challenge of obtaining developable land, these goals support the creation of sustainable, diverse, cohesive, livable, walkable and complete communities that provide residential, recreational, cultural and employment opportunities for a wide selection of people. The Ramsay Exchange plan also incorporates many of the attributes of the LEED for Neighbourhood Redevelopment Rating System (Pilot Version).

The Torode development concept for Ramsay Exchange includes:

• Retention of the Dominion Bridge and “Blue Whale” buildings for adaptive reuse
• A creative set of mixed-uses including residential, office and retail space in a variety of built forms
• Public and open space areas
• A major traffic spine running east/west through the site, directs traffic away  from the adjacent community and accesses major parking banks
• A major entry/gateway that directs vehicular traffic through the arterial spine, but also establishes connectivity to the Elbow River and other pedestrian ways
• Connectivity to the Ramsay community from the north through maintenance of the community’s historical block structure
• Direct input and ongoing consultation with Ramsay Community Association