Plans to restore a row of crumbling heritage buildings and erect a 14-storey mechanized parkade above would directly violate the downtown parking policy, officials warned Calgary Planning Commission on Thursday.

Heritage developer Neil Richardson’s proposal would revive the ramshackle row of mostly century-old retail buildings at Seventh Avenue, opposite the 1st Street S.W. LRT platform. But rather than fund the conversion of those storefront units into space for arts groups by building an office tower above, he’s proposed a European-style automated parking structure — to Richardson, a safer economic bet.

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