UNIVERSITY DISTRICT WILL MAKE THE GRADE FOR WALKABLE LIVING
From retail to recreation, it offers ‘everything at your fingertips’
When Brenda Field saw the plan for a mixed-use community taking shape in an established end of northwest Calgary, she was struck by its uncommon connections — particularly the ones reached on foot.
“I spend quite a bit of time on the road, so I think it would be nice to be able to park the car and go for a walk,” Field says.
She bought a home at University District by West Campus Development Trust. Earmarked for 300,000 square feet of retail across nine blocks, and 1.5 million square feet of office space, it’s master-planned to be a highly walkable community.
Beyond the amenities on-site, the community is surrounded by the University of Calgary’s main campus, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Foothills Medical Centre and McMahon Stadium. It’s also a quick drive to Market Mall.
“I’ve driven down and walked the site,” says Field, surgical territory sales manager for Labtician Ophthalmics, a Canadian company that provides specialty products to ophthalmologists. “I pull in when I’m back in town to see where everything is and I honestly feel like this is my happy place. It just feels right.”
The move will see her leave a condo in the Hamptons, an older neighbourhood on Calgary’s northwest end where Field has lived for two decades.
“I got thinking, 20 years in one place — as nice as the Hamptons is,” says Field, adding from her condo development, “I can’t walk to a coffee shop, I can’t walk to go have a meal.”
Conversely, with the plan for University District, “It’s everything at your fingertips,” she says.
One of the first amenities announced by West Campus Development Trust is a Save- On-Foods. The 38,000-square-foot grocery store and pharmacy will be part of the retail space on the street level of a future mixed-use building by Gracorp Capital Advisors Ltd. Above the retail space will be 288 residential rental units.
“When we started the vision, we talked about a complete community and a place where people can truly live,” says James Robertson, president and CEO of West Campus Development Trust. “They can work, reside here and recreate here.
“To do that, we wanted to offer that at the beginning and not at the end,” he adds. “This isn’t a place where you … eventually do these things. We wanted to offer those things right out of the gate.”
The Save- On-Foods and the rest of the community’s first stage of retail development is expected to be operational in late 2019 or early 2020.
As the developer looks into the other businesses for University District, Robertson says, “we’re trying to take care of those dayto-day needs.”
“It’s been a really busy year at University District,” Robert- son adds. “We’ve completed the servicing on Phases 2 and 3, so we’ve opened a handful of more development sites.”
This includes construction on important roads for the community, which have since re-opened.
Earlier this year, West Campus Development Trust and the Brenda Strafford Foundation announced that University District will get a 202-unit, 217,000-square-foot seniors residence. The development called Cambridge Manor is expected to open in 2020.
For new home opportunities, there are two developments in the opening phase of University District. The Ivy, by Brookfield Residential, is composed of 127 townhomes, and Noble, by Truman Homes, offers 100 condos across two buildings and 36 executive brownstones.
Noble is 83 per cent sold and its starting price is $325,000 before GST. The remaining homes range from 610 to 2,264 square feet.
The Ivy is 40 per cent sold, with remaining floor plans ranging from 1,185 to 1,979 square feet, and a starting price of $493,000, including GST.
Field bought her place at the Ivy. Before deciding on a new home, she mulled over the idea of hiring for a renovation and staying put.
“It made sense to put money into this property,” Field says of her townhome at the Ivy. “I think I’m better off as a new owner in a new subdivision where I’ll see increased revenue going forward.”
She chose the Ivy’s 1,979-squarefoot Laurel floor plan, which has a two-car attached garage. Field says the large garage is ideal for storing her “toys,” including golf clubs, skis and a bicycle.
“Currently I have a single-car garage and it’s tight,” Field says. “I only have one vehicle, but having the double-car garage just gives that extra space to be able to have additional storage without taking precious space inside your condo.”
For the home itself, Field was impressed by the size and frequency of windows, adding: “It’s going to be open and bright.”
“There is a lot of outdoor entertaining space, but the space inside is very well laid out as well,” she says. “The bedrooms are a beauti- ful size, the high-end appliances, luxury finishes.”
Field, who used to work for a home builder in Calgary, says during the selections process, “I felt I was getting the white glove treatment I would have offered a luxury or custom ( home) buyer … and I was buying a townhouse.”
Both Truman and Brookfield have a sales presence and show suites displayed at the 3,000- square- foot University District discovery centre on 4410 University Ave. N.W. It’s been busy, averaging about 75 groups each week.
“We are honoured and humbled by the response we’ve gotten from the marketplace,” Roberston says. “We feel we definitely hit the mark
on making sure we’re connecting with the people looking for this lifestyle.”