Shawnee Park sales open
The transformation of Shawnee Park has begun.
Coming up on two years after purchasing the controversial 53- hectare former Shaw- Nee Slopes Golf Course from the previous developer, Cardel Homes has started development construction, opened a sales centre, and sold three of the initial 17 single-family lots in the southwest community.
“We released 17 Phase 1 lots on February 28 from the sales centre located in our head office on Quarry Park Boulevard and sold three that first day,” says Mike Selinger, Calgary regional president for Cardel. “The prospect base for Shawnee Park is currently more than 2,000, so we’re pleased with the response.”
Those first-phase homes account for just one per cent of the estimated 1,700 residences planned for the area within the existing community of Shawnee Slopes running alongside Fish Creek Park that, Selinger adds, could be completed in 2021. In addition to the front-attached garage homes, the overall development of Shawnee Park will see detached homes, as well as apartments, town houses, semi-detached homes and a planned neighbourhood mixed-use component.
The completion of development construction projected for August will be followed by construction of the first homes. Single-family homes, showing off Rustic, Shingle, and Prairie architectural styles, will be on south-facing backyard lots measuring 40 to 42 feet wide on Shawnee Park Drive and within walking distance of Fish Creek Park and the Fish Creek-Lacombe LRT station.
Starting in the $670,000 range, prices include landscaping, irrigation, fenced lot, and GST.
Cardel also plans to submit for its second phase development permit this spring, says Selinger. “And if all goes well, we’ll target the next sales release for September,” he adds.
One challenge Cardel, its development manager Genstar Development Co., and the Shawnee-Evergreen Community Association are working together to resolve is the issue of trees.
“The challenge in meeting the demand and releasing the project to market has been managing the tree preservation bylaw requirement subsequent to the September 2014 storm, which damaged many of the trees,” says Selinger.
Patrick Briscoe, development manager for Genstar says the company is excited to be part of a unique project like Shawnee Park.
A longtime land developer with strong working history with Cardel, this is the first time Genstar has taken on the role of development manager. He, too, says there have been some challenges in moving the community ahead and much time has been spent in the past year working on approvals.
“By not being a typical greenfield development, we are noticing some areas needing extra analysis and design as well as increased involvement with the community,” he says.
“Although the project design is taking a more thorough approach, we have created a good relationship with the community association and are working to keep them informed.”
In addition to the construction of first-phase homes, Briscoe adds that servicing will begin on the east part of the site that will include 26 acres (11 hectares) of multi-family housing and the mixed-use land.
“The multi-family area is exciting because the approximately 1,000 units will be close to the LRT station,” Briscoe says. Looking further ahead, the partnership hopes to construct and release the second phase of single-detached homes by late this year.