NEW ZEALAND EXPAT FINDS THE RIGHT FIT
Apollo in Greenwich offers thoughtful design and excellent location close to mountains
After hitching her cash flow and time to a 2,200-square-foot singlefamily home in Deer Ridge while raising a brood of animal lovelies — two border collie crosses along with a couple of cuddly feline friends — Allison Sullivan is now looking to downsize into a no-maintenance condominium.
“Having recently lost the dogs, I’m just rattling around in this big house,” she said. “And having this big backyard was great for them, but now that they are gone, I just stare at the yard and think: ‘I have to mow this, again?’”
She found the ideal solution at Apollo in the community of Greenwich in Calgary’s northwest, purchasing a one-bedroom home with all of the bells and whistles.
For Sullivan, Apollo represents everything she values — beautiful and thoughtful design and an excellent location within proximity of the mountains and nature, all situated in a small, friendly community with a walkable villagetype feel.
Her decision to purchase at Apollo was based on what she calls a “gut feeling,” the same kind of feeling that urged her forward to make the move from her native New Zealand to Calgary 16 years ago without knowing a soul.
“You know how sometimes you think about doing something that is a little bit scary and when you do a gut check the gut is good with it. That’s how it was. There was no second guessing,” she said.
For Sullivan, an accountant working in Calgary ’s core, location was a big consideration.
“I’m essentially moving from one corner of the city to the other, but the move will allow me to do so much more,” she says.
Located adjacent to WinSport at Canada Olympic Park and nestled along the Bow River with the historical villages of Bowness and Montgomery a stone’s throw away, Greenwich is a 59-acre mixed-use community that will be home to roughly 1,000 multi-family units and approximately 150,000 square feet of both retail and office space.
The Calgary Farmers’ Market West will anchor the community.
Architecture will be inspired by the Federal-style and Modern Warehouse architecture seen in New York’s Greenwich Village.
And the Apollo really plays to that vibe.
A collection of 128, one- and two-bedroom homes, ranging from 557 to 1,247 square feet, the Apollo is configured in three four-storey buildings arranged around a series of beautifully landscaped green spaces with bench seating, a gazebo and a pond.
“Apollo really has great site influence,” said Doug Mazurek, president of Cove Properties, the builder behind Apollo, noting that the project overlooks an environmental reserve as well as Canada Olympic Park. “We’ve added to it with an elaborate plaza with a covered gazebo and trellis in the landscape design.”
Weathered brick exteriors channel hip New York City artists in these smaller boutique-style buildings, each with 40 to 48 homes. Interiors are open concept with infloor heating, quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances.
“The unit that I bought is 557 square feet, so that is certainly a downsize,” said Sullivan with a laugh.
But she expects that it will be easy to maintain.
“For what I need, it is perfect. I’m really into more-is-less living right now. I am really only living on the main floor and even that is too big,” said Sullivan, who is a big fan of the tiny house movement.
The storage locker and bike storage included in the price will be helpful.
From her deck in the Tribeca plan, which spans the entire length of her condo, Sullivan overlooks Canada Olympic Park.
It’s a nod to the lifestyle she loves. She’s an adventure seeker who enjoys the outdoors and even better if there is a sporting component to it from mountain biking and snowboarding (she has six boards) to riding her motorcycle. But her greatest enjoyment comes from travel, exploring the world and often combining her love of sports into adventure-type holidays.
And the lock-and-leave lifestyle at Apollo fits the bill, allowing Sullivan the freedom to live the life of her dreams. Greenwich is literally on the doorstep of the mountains. Cutting close to 45 minutes from Sullivan’s trek to Nakiska from her current home in Deer Ridge.
“I swore I never would move into a condo, but life goes through stages and life changes. Moving into a
For what I need, it is perfect. I’m really into more-is-less living right now. I am really only living on the main floor and even that is too big.
condo will free up some money for retirement and “I will be able to have that lock-and-leave lifestyle. I’ll have no mortgage, a chunk of money in the bank and the ability to travel whenever I want,” she said.
And for Sullivan, the timing is perfect. Expected possessions are in February 2020.
“That will give me next summer to work on my house and put it on the market. It works out really well.”