The Blues Can faces closure to make way for condo project

The owner of Calgary live-music venue The Blues Can says he expects the Inglewood bar will be home to its last twangy song this fall.

The site faces a proposed development Blues by Battistella which outlines a mixed-use, four-storey housing complex.Theapplication is being reviewed by the city but has not been finalized.

Greg Smith, The Blues Can owner, said the bar will likely be in its current location until the fall, but he doesn't know what the future holds after that.

"We will run just as we always have, right until the bitter end, literally. I'd love to see music playing as the walls are coming down," Smith said on the Calgary Eyeopener.

Smith said they host around 11 shows a week. Since the announcement was posted on the bar's social media, Smith said they've been inundated with questions and support.

"How long? And when? And what's going on? And how long do we have? And musicians concerned about their gigs and future gigs that aren't even booked," he said.

"Everybody wants to sort of have a last hurrah at The Blues Can."

Smith said there have been conversations about potentially opening another location, but nothing is firm yet.

LISTEN |The Blues Can in Inglewood may soon sing its last song. We talk to the owner:

Calgary Eyeopener9:01The Blues Can redevelopment

Rob Skeet, president of the Music Mile Society of Calgary, said The Blues Can is an anchor on the city's Music Mile.

The Music Milerefers to the stretch of live music venues mostly along Ninth Avenue S.E., from the King Eddy at the west end to The Blues Can at the other end.

"As far as I know, there's nothing else in the city that holds that home-of-the-blues kind of scenario anymore. So it's going to be a significant loss," Skeetsaid.

The application from Battistella Developments is being reviewed by the city. Battistella did not respond to CBC's request for comment.

Its proposal to the city outlines a planto build 30 units, and have asection for retail.

Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra, who represents the Inglewood area, said Battistella has put forward a solid development proposal at a time when housing is needed in the city.

"I think we're in a housing crisis, and a single-storey industrial building from a previous age has done some heavy lifting as a great cultural venue," said the Ward 9 councillor.

"But it's a culturally rich neighborhood and other cultural venues will rise and fall and continue that legacy. And it's great that we're getting the reinvestment along the street that we so desperately need, especially considering the housing crisis we're facing."

He said he hopes the proposed housing will add more vibrancy to the neighbourhood.

The City of Calgary says the land use amendment application and development permit application were submitted in early January.

A city spokesperson said the typical timeline for these applications is approximately four to sixmonths, depending on the findings of the review and the applicant's response to the review.

Once the review process is completed, city administration will make a recommendation on the proposal to the Calgary Planning Commission.

A public hearing will be held for the land use amendment application, and city council will make a decision on the proposed land use amendment.