CASOLA KOPPE ARCHITECTS FUSE OLD AND NEW
Heritage home surrounded by modern residential development in Bankview
Built more than 120 years ago in the rich style of a well-to-do ranch property, the classy, redbrick Nimmons Residence was at that time on the edge of Calgary. It can still be admired — just a little way up the 14th Street hill south of 17th Avenue S.W. in what is now the Bankview neighbourhood.
The house and land were purchased by Brava Development, which decided to keep the three-storey residence and surround it with a new residential property, fusing old-world heritage with modern architecture and design.
Pioneer William Nimmons purchased the extensive piece of land from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1882, and besides his ranching business he operated a quarry and brickworks on the west end of his acreage in the area where the former children's hospital was built.
Keeping the Queen Anne revival-style house turned out to be an expensive proposition, but Brava is pleased with the design by Calgary's Casola Koppe Architects that has married the preserved grand home within a six-storey, 84-rental-unit development that helps revitalize the area.
Project designer Talicia
Wagner says a challenge was constructing the necessary underground parking garage for Nimmons Court that meant moving the original house twice to excavate and build the two-level parking structure. But today, the house is settled on its permanent position a little higher than it was, giving great views of the downtown, while construction continues on the apartment block.
Set back on the hill five metres from the sidewalk by stepped landscaping and a new period picket fence, it is being refurbished inside and out as prestigious office space complete with grand balconies.
Nimmons Court wraps around the house on the north and west sides, offering one- and two-bedroom apartments that will be ready for occupancy by late spring of next year.
Hans Koppe, principal along with Tony Casola of Casola Koppe Architects, says the firm was delighted to be given the opportunity to design and work out the challenges of the project.
Currently, the firm is involved with another dramatic mixeduse residential and commercial complex by Bucci Developments in Bridgeland.
Working with the European design architect, Casola Koppe has facilitated the design and sought approvals at the local level for two 13-storey residential towers clad in shimmering stainless steel. Dominion towers above a stand-alone 9,300-square-foot retail building on the corner of Mcdougall Road and 9th Street S.E. An ideal spot for a restaurant, it has space for a large wraparound street-level patio with access to a rooftop patio/garden. John Moss, senior vice-president at CBRE who is responsible with his team for the retail leasing, says a reputable Calgary restaurant has conditionally signed for the space, and a lease has also been secured as a larger location for Mari Bakeshop that was hugely successful in East Village.
Conveniently located just two blocks from an LRT station, Dominion sports a 2,200-squarefoot fully equipped fitness centre, a resident's lounge, a co-working space and business centre, chef-inspired community kitchen and even a pet spa.
Working together for the past 17 years, Casola and Koppe have successfully completed numerous commercial, retail, industrial and institutional projects while leveraging the experience of their
team to become leaders in the multi-family residential sector.
They have completed the design of a two-building complex in Springbank Hill that will offer 200 multi-family units, and are busy with a 125-unit, six-storey residence in Marda Loop.
NOTES
On Saturday, a shop opens at the corner of 5th Avenue and
1st Street S.E. where you won't find a price tag. Good Neighbour is Calgary's first pay-what-youwant thrift store and community pantry. It is being launched in the building that formerly housed a Salvation Army thrift store
by the same energetic group of young ladies who opened the Calgary Community Fridge on Centre Street N. Customers will be asked to donate whatever they can afford for items of clothing, non-perishable food, books and plants, with proceeds used to purchase more food for the Calgary Community Fridge. The landlord donated the space and a legion of volunteers worked on the renovations — a fine example of caring by Calgarians.