Development meant to complement university
Land adjacent to Children’s Hospital will see first houses ready by 2018
With 6,000 residential units on 80 hectares, the University District is designed to produce a symbiotic success between the university campus and its vibrant new neighbour, says the developer.
In a site tour for the media on Thursday, the developer painted an optimistic picture of a community tucked inside lands just west of campus and to the north and south of the Alberta Children’s Hospital. It will offer high- density residential options beside a 50- year- old campus that’s always been surrounded by single- family housing.
“Why not benefit from a community, a district that’s already here, that’s already alive, but also offer the people that work at the university, at the Children’s Hospital or the research campus some more housing options,” said James Robertson, president and CEO of the West Campus Development Trust.
“We want to create a community for Calgarians at all stages of their lives, where they can live with their families, work here, or take a short commute downtown, but also enjoy the retail spaces or the recreational opportunities that already exist on campus.”
Murray Fox, board chairman with the trust, added that the project’s retail spaces will include more opportunities for students to enjoy restaurants, coffee shops and even pub- style live entertainment and public theatre.
At the same time, the new residential community that comes with the University District will benefit from services on campus, from student theatre to Olympic recreational facilities, gyms and pools.
“This is a daytime campus, where essentially most of the students, even the ones staying in residence, will leave campus for outings at night.
“We want to create a more dynamic community where students can come into the new district.
“And at the same time, the new community here will use all that’s offered at the university.”
The West Campus Development Trust was created by the U of C to oversee the project through a public- private development model that will maximize the return on the land for the benefit of the university.
The partnerships began in 1995 when the province transferred the West Campus lands to the University of Calgary. In 2010, U of C officials decided the lands were not required for future academic facilities and instead would use them for a new urban community. All profits will go back to support future university initiatives.
U of C president Elizabeth Cannon, who delivered the school’s community report to students and faculty this week, said the University District will enhance the university’s reputation as an internationally- renowned campus and attract key faculty, researchers and students.
“It all starts here, and it’s very exciting,” said Cannon, who also sits on the board for the West Campus Development Trust.
“This is a huge responsibility for the University of Calgary and I want to state clearly that these are very precious lands. They’re precious to Calgarians, to the university and to the surrounding community, and we know that through this initiative, we will be developing what I know will be a truly fabulous community.”
Although the project will be built through several phases over two decades, Robertson estimates the first 400 townhouses and condos will be available by 2018.
While townhouses will be built as ground- level units, condos will be built in six towers ranging from 12 to 16 storeys high.
Many will benefit from the spectacular hilltop view of Canada Olympic Park, the Bow Valley Corridor and the Rocky Mountains to the west.
In areas directly adjacent to the Children’s Hospital, developers will create a commercial office space hub, buffering the 24/ 7 operations of a hospital from a residential community they say can still offer quiet nights and evenings.
Retail uses along a “main street” closer to the university campus will include a grocery store, coffee shops, restaurants, pubs and daycare for young families.
Existing open fields on campus will also convert into a central park and playgrounds for children.
The development project was approved by city council last year, with no opposition at the public hearing.