Urban gardeners are getting a new place to grow in Bankview
People moving to a new innercity multi-family development in Bankview will be able to make good use of their trowels, cultivators and gardening gloves.
One of the uncommon features planned for the aptly named Grow by home builder Rndsqr is a rooftop garden. Pre-construction sales are now available at the development, made up of 20 residential units — 14 condos, three lofts, and three townhomes.
At press time, four were sold. Prices on these homes start from the $290,000s, before GST, and they’re being sold from a presentation centre at 4034 16th St. S.W. It’s open every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
Each homeowner will have a designated plot in the aforementioned garden, where the vision was for residents to grow their own vegetables, Rndsqr president and co-founder Alkarim Devani says.
Other than when used for patios, rooftops aren’t typically designed with an additional function.
With the garden, however, “I think it’s creating that dynamic idea of, let’s use spaces that aren’t traditionally being used to do something different,” Devani says. “Vancouver has pretty great examples of some rooftop gardens.”
At the Grow development, YYC Growers will be a part of that. Rndsqr has entered a partnership with the collective of Calgary-area farmers, allowing them to use a second separate garden on the roof of Grow for vegetables that will be sold at farmers markets, Devani says.
“In return for donating that plot, they would help all of the individual unit (the owners at Grow) learn about urban gardening, and help them through their gardening season,” Devani says.
The rooftop will include a barbecue area, as well.
Even before construction, Grow has impressed. Grow and Village, both by Rndsqr and with Modern Office of Design and Architecture as their architect, were recognized as innovators at the Mayor’s Urban Design Awards last year.
Arrive at Bowness, developed by Attainable Homes Calgary Corp. and Partners Development Group, with Hindle Architects as its architect, was honoured in the same category.
Grow will be located at a site that previously belonged to three single-family homes. These homes have been demolished and shovels are in the ground for the new building.
“I like Bankview as a neighbourhood. I think it’s got a really good mix … probably one of the most interesting, eclectic mixes of any inner-city community,” Devani says. “We like Bankview for its proximity, as well. It’s super close to the new Sunalta station, so great proximity in terms of movement, and then really close to Marda Loop and all the amenities out there.
“We felt it was a really strong location that continues to get stronger as time progresses.”
Homes at Grow will range from 515 square feet, which is for a onebedroom condo, to a 1,350-squarefoot, three-bedroom townhome.
While the townhomes are gradeorientated, so are some one-bedroom condos. Devani says that was done with accessibility in mind.
“Unit layout is a massive thing for us … you work really hard at making sure they flow and are organized correctly,” Devani says. “Natural light is always important to us — how we maximize that natural light in each unit. We really provide this canvas for people to come in and paint their lifestyle.”
Possessions on homes at this development are expected to be available in spring 2019.