Savanna leads the way for more growth in northeast
The rectangular park at the centre of Savanna Common features playground equipment, a pergola and benches, along with wide expanses of green grass. Across the street around the perimeter of the park are the first homes of the new neighbourhood of Savanna in Saddle Ridge at various construction stages — there are show homes, occupied homes, and some that are being framed or having their foundations poured.
At the park on Tuesday, Genstar Development Co. held a grand opening celebration to mark the new community, which will grow to be home to 7,300 residents.
The fact its first phase of 255 lots is sold out marks economic confi- dence in Calgary, says developer Genstar. “Despite the headwinds that Calgary has been facing, Genstar’s Savanna represents an important investment in our city’s economy,” Marcello Chiacchia, vice-president Calgary communities for Genstar, said to the crowd of builders, partners and politicians gathered at the event.
So far, $175 million has been invested in Savanna, with another $800 million in anticipated future investment to the completion of the development.
Ward 3 Coun. Jim Stevenson said he was pleased to see the growth first-hand.
“It’s been exciting since the day that they sent me the email and said that the purchase was done, because I’d been working to get Oscar to free up this land for development for a number of years,” he said.
Retired construction contractor Oscar Fech, formerly a regular spectator at city council meetings, sold Genstar the land for $75.5 million in 2012, a parcel of 129 hectares to the east of Metis Trail, south of the future Airport Trail and next to Saddle Ridge.
Opening Savanna also pushes forward the need for development on Metis Trail, said Stevenson, as well as Airport Trail along the northern perimeter of the community. Which means the City needs to get the overpasses to the airport built. As a part of the deal to put in the airport tunnel, the City agreed not to open Airport Trail east of 36th Street un- til two overpasses — at Airport and Barlow trails, and Airport Trail and 19th Street N.E. — are built.
“That’s a $50-million ticket. We’ve been working with the province and with the (federal government) to get this money,” said Stevenson. “We’re trying to get this to happen because this would allow us to open it right through, which would be great for this development and all the developments around here.”
Genstar has 16 actively selling communities as well as upcoming communities across Canada. In Calgary, it is developing Savanna in the northeast, Carrington in the northwest, Walden in the southeast and is partnered with Cardel Homes to bring on Shawnee Park in the southwest.
Building homes in Savanna are the well-known companies of Arcuri Homes, Cardel Homes, Excel Homes and Homes by Avi. The community is offering a range of home styles, from large multi-generational homes to those with smaller footprints for first-time buyers.