Calgary Condo Talk

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

Do you know where exactly?

Sales trailer on 1st sw, actual project 18th ave and centre street, directly southwest of Strategic's project on 17th.

[CalgaryAlex]

Originally Posted by Spring2008

Sales trailer on 1st sw, actual project 18th ave and centre street, directly southwest of Strategic's project on 17th.

With 47 units, I assume this is only taking up the empty lot, and not extending north to 17th Ave. I'd love for that Economy Glass building to disappear.

[DizzyEdge]

Maybe where the McHugh and adjacent house was recently?

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

Maybe where the McHugh and adjacent house was recently?

Yeah I think so, and no frontage onto 17th. Economy glass is staying though massive public realm improvements along 17th ave with a focus on east of 2nd st sw starts next yr, so should attract more development in the area.

[CanmoreGuy]

I am trying to get hold of a floorplan for Xenex (built by Bucci in 2008) - for one bedroom unit facing west - the apartment numbers for this one end in '04' now but not sure what they were marketed as - Bucci tend to go for letters. Does anyone have the marketing materials for Xenex at all? Very much appreciate if anyone can help.

[Spring2008]

Park Point tower 1 supposed to start construction in September.

Duke over 30% sold opening weekend. Scollen House about that too but been on the market for a couple months. Could use a couple hundred more low-rise and mid-rises across the inner-city.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Avi-Urban/249526358442203

[Design-mind]

Originally Posted by Spring2008

Park Point tower 1 supposed to start construction in September.

Duke over 30% sold opening weekend. Scollen House about that too but been on the market for a couple months. Could use a couple hundred more low-rise and mid-rises across the inner-city.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Avi-Urban/249526358442203

I would be surprised by a September start, but I do hope it is true.

Calgary really lacks a mid-rise neighbourhood. I would loved to see more of this in Calgary, instead we go from single family dwellings to hi-rise towers. Mission is the only area where we see a bit of this.

[MasterG]

Originally Posted by Design-mind

I would be surprised by a September start, but I do hope it is true.

Calgary really lacks a mid-rise neighbourhood. I would loved to see more of this in Calgary, instead we go from single family dwellings to hi-rise towers. Mission is the only area where we see a bit of this.

I agree. Hopefully along all the underdeveloped major corridors will be the route of new mid-rise neighbourhoods. Some of the recent infills along Centre, 17th Avenue west of Crowchild are a good start. We just need to do it 10 or 100x over, at the current pace it's a drop in the bucket.

It seems a big challenge to do more than the occasionally block in Calgary. Even areas like Marda Loop / Bankview didn't quite hit the right mix of density, designs, retail etc. to make truly a new mid-rise district like a Mission, not to discount their incredible progress from even a decade ago. Perhaps as they evolve further they will start to turn the corner into something more urban and mid-rise.

With resistance to mid-rises even in neighbourhoods with precedent for height and density - Sunnyside/Hillhurst, Inglewood, Mission - it seems like it would be next to impossible to convert existing low-rise inner-city straight to mid-rise without 30 years of infill/duplex replacement in between to ease people into it.

I wonder if there is any hope at all for huge swaths of the city to develop new nodes? The north-east in particular has almost nothing to work with it all for any new mid-rise or higher density districts.

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by Design-mind

I would be surprised by a September start, but I do hope it is true.

Calgary really lacks a mid-rise neighbourhood. I would loved to see more of this in Calgary, instead we go from single family dwellings to hi-rise towers. Mission is the only area where we see a bit of this.

Sales lady told me sept, they have it on their pricing sheet too. Not sure though, these things do get pushed back depending on sales and the developer.

I think Kensington/Mission/Bridgeland are good low-rise/mid-rise hoods. Need more density though. Will be good if we keep getting about 5 largish projects in each hood on the go at once, they'll all nicely evolve into big city pocket neighborhoods. Could use more main street streetfront midrises in each too.

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by Design-mind

I would be surprised by a September start, but I do hope it is true.

Calgary really lacks a mid-rise neighbourhood. I would loved to see more of this in Calgary, instead we go from single family dwellings to hi-rise towers. Mission is the only area where we see a bit of this.

Mission and Kensington are decent low/mid-rise neighborhoods, but could use a few more midrise buildings. Inglewood and Bridgeland are gaining traction and are not far behind. Marda Loop is also emerging nicely.

What I'm really liking these days is all the low/mid rise projects that are either u/c or proposed for corridors, like Centre Street N, etc... This is the one area that Calgary really lacks for IMO.

[Bassic Lab]

Originally Posted by MasterG

I agree. Hopefully along all the underdeveloped major corridors will be the route of new mid-rise neighbourhoods. Some of the recent infills along Centre, 17th Avenue west of Crowchild are a good start. We just need to do it 10 or 100x over, at the current pace it's a drop in the bucket.

It seems a big challenge to do more than the occasionally block in Calgary. Even areas like Marda Loop / Bankview didn't quite hit the right mix of density, designs, retail etc. to make truly a new mid-rise district like a Mission, not to discount their incredible progress from even a decade ago. Perhaps as they evolve further they will start to turn the corner into something more urban and mid-rise.

With resistance to mid-rises even in neighbourhoods with precedent for height and density - Sunnyside/Hillhurst, Inglewood, Mission - it seems like it would be next to impossible to convert existing low-rise inner-city straight to mid-rise without 30 years of infill/duplex replacement in between to ease people into it.

I wonder if there is any hope at all for huge swaths of the city to develop new nodes? The north-east in particular has almost nothing to work with it all for any new mid-rise or higher density districts.

I would like to know how the city was able to pull it off in the past. What was the process that transformed the southern quarter of Windsor Park into a nearly solid district of four to five story apartments over the course of a couple of years? Replicating that could really change the city.

[Riise]

Originally Posted by MasterG

I agree. Hopefully along all the underdeveloped major corridors will be the route of new mid-rise neighbourhoods. Some of the recent infills along Centre, 17th Avenue west of Crowchild are a good start. We just need to do it 10 or 100x over, at the current pace it's a drop in the bucket.

Instead of being edges where the houses turn their back to the street, arterial roads in the suburbs that cut between different communities should start off as low/mid-rise corridors that act as joints. The Parkways in NYC show that you can have roads that move traffic and contribute to city-life.

[Spring2008]

Originally Posted by Surrealplaces

Mission and Kensington are decent low/mid-rise neighborhoods, but could use a few more midrise buildings. Inglewood and Bridgeland are gaining traction and are not far behind. Marda Loop is also emerging nicely.

What I'm really liking these days is all the low/mid rise projects that are either u/c or proposed for corridors, like Centre Street N, etc... This is the one area that Calgary really lacks for IMO.

I think Marda Loop is prime for a lot more retail. The amount of high end infill to the north and south of the strip is unprecedented here.

For another midrise district maybe Railtown in the future? Would make a nice transition into Inglewood.

[Surrealplaces]

Originally Posted by Spring2008

I think Marda Loop is prime for a lot more retail. The amount of high end infill to the north and south of the strip is unprecedented here.

For another midrise district maybe Railtown in the future? Would make a nice transition into Inglewood.

Marda Loop is definitely prime. Right now there are a few low rise developments which will help boost things there. The McKinley Burkhart Odeon, Glas house (or whatever it's called), The Alexander, and there is one right as you go into Garrison Woods.. It would be nice to see a couple more projects on the scale of Treo which is more of a mid rise.

I believe these are all u/c at the moment

The Alexander by Render Central, on Flickr

Infinity by Render Central, on Flickr

Odeon (Marda Loop) by Render Central, on Flickr

Garrison Woods by Render Central, on Flickr

Living Glass by Render Central, on Flickr



There's also this funky little one. I don't believe it is u/c yet.

Marda Loop by Render Central, on Flickr

[CanmoreGuy]

Dear all - I think this is relevant to this forum! I am just starting out on buying a few rental properties in Calgary and as I work long hours, I need to get a rental agent to organise and manage it all for me. But I can't yet find any decent ones who will take me on!

I have been turned down by the two recommendations I had - Residential Leasing Group have their books full at present, and Power Properties don't take on furnished properties.

I've been warned against Emerald.

Hope Street, Amhurst and Unison are all possibilities, but thought I'd throw this out to the forum, in case anyone has any words of wisdom or recommendations. I'd rather take recommendations than just use Google and cross my fingers....!

I'm planning to trust a lot of property value to whoever I go with, so I want to get it right! Any help appreciated! Cheers all!

[suburbia]

Originally Posted by CalgaryAlex

I'd love for that Economy Glass building to disappear.

Fully agree with this. In fact, I'd like all of the condos with economy glass to disappear.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by CanmoreGuy

Dear all - I think this is relevant to this forum! I am just starting out on buying a few rental properties in Calgary and as I work long hours, I need to get a rental agent to organise and manage it all for me. But I can't yet find any decent ones who will take me on!

I have been turned down by the two recommendations I had - Residential Leasing Group have their books full at present, and Power Properties don't take on furnished properties.

I've been warned against Emerald.

Hope Street, Amhurst and Unison are all possibilities, but thought I'd throw this out to the forum, in case anyone has any words of wisdom or recommendations. I'd rather take recommendations than just use Google and cross my fingers....!

I'm planning to trust a lot of property value to whoever I go with, so I want to get it right! Any help appreciated! Cheers all!

http://www.ohotelsuitesmanagement.com/

[suburbia]

This will be interesting to you if you are considering a condo.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2108816/downtown-edmonton-condo-owners-on-the-hook-for-2-3m-repair/

People living in a downtown condo building have been hit with a massive repair bill. Each of the condo owners is expected to pay an average of $45,000 for repairs on the Oliver Gardens building, located at 101 Avenue and 117 Street.
<>
Owners were given two options: pay the full amount by Sept. 1 or partake in a loan acquired by the condo corporation.

“I did the math on the loan. If I pay that extra $397 every month for 20 years, it actually turns out to be closer to $95,000,” said Lane.
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“Unfortunately, the Condominium Property Act sets out the ability for the board to make that determination that a special assessment has to be done. And they’ve received the notice, and there’s really no recourse for them,” said Masson.

[lubicon]

It's no different than those owning a house. Something needs to be fixed you have to pay for it.

[speedog]

Originally Posted by lubicon

It's no different than those owning a house. Something needs to be fixed you have to pay for it.

No, I'd say it's somewhat different - as a SFH owner, I am keenly aware of everything that might need attention in my home but as a condo owner, I do not necessarily believe that I may have the knowledge necessary to determine if the parkade has issues or some other thing like a boiler, etc.. Yes, there should be a responsible board in place with regularly scheduled inspections that can be reported on but when I look at the Edmonton example suburbia just provided, I can 100% safely say that I've never had an unexpected maintenance bill due within a month or less that might equate to maybe 10-15% of my property's value and in fact, I haven't ever had anything remotely close to what these Edmonton people are facing in the 19 years that I've owned and lived in my current home.