Grocery retailers the ideal anchor for residential projects
Grocery stores have played a huge role in shaping Calgary for the past 75 years. In the 1950s, they were integrated into neighbourhood main streets, then later in the 20th century they became anchors for outdoor shopping centres (e.g. North Hill and later Glenmore Landing) and for indoor malls (Market Mall still has one).
In the early 21st century, they became anchors for suburban “power centres,” where each retailer has their own pad randomly placed in a sea of surface parking that discourages any walking from store to store.
Indeed, grocery stores have also evolved to meet the changing market. They are no longer just about food, they are a florist, a cafe and a pharmacy — a one-stop-shop for most of your everyday needs.
SUBURBAN GROCERY ANCHORS
I have been advocating for decades that power centres should include residential, ideally above the retailers, but to no avail until recently. New suburban neighbourhood retail hubs by Royop Developments in Nolan Hill and Carrington Green in northwest Calgary have been designed with residential buildings next to the grocery stores, and other everyday amenities from recreation to retail to medical offices, creating a very walkable lifestyle.
The Shops at Carrington Green is anchored by a No Frills grocery store and The Jovie Apartment block (182 purpose-built rentals), all next to the Rotary Mattamy Greenway and a nature reserve.
The hub also includes office space for doctors, dentists and other professional services, as well as restaurants, retail and recreational businesses, enhancing walkability.
NEW GROCERY STORES IN ESTABLISHED COMMUNITIES
Calgary's older communities are also seeing new grocery stores anchoring residential development. Royop's Munro project is a joint partnership with Calgary Co-op to integrate a full 40,000-square-foot new grocery store with 189 new homes above along 16th Avenue N.E. in Winston Park. It is expected to open in 2025.
Marda Loop is also getting a new Calgary Co-op grocery store (in partnership with Truman Homes) that will anchor the transformation of an entire block into an urban living hub, adding up to 500 new homes by 2027.
There is also the Northland Village Mall that is being retrofitted to become more a “village” and less a “mall” by adding residential with easy walking distance to amenities including the Walmart that is grocery store, pharmacy, clothing and car repair.
And then there is Riocan's proposal to redevelop the Glenmore Landing shopping centre, keeping the Safeway but surrounding it with residential development.
GROCERY STORES ANCHOR INNER CITY REDEVELOPMENT
The Midtown Calgary Co-op store opened on 11th Avenue and 11th Street in 2004, with a residential tower just across the parking lot. Since then, several new residential towers have been built within walking distance.
In 2007, The Keynote project in Victoria Park incorporated a Sunterra grocery store as part of the three-tower project — two residential towers, one office tower. It has been the catalyst for the construction of numerous residential towers nearby.
In the Beltline, BOSA Development incorporated an Urban Fare grocery store into its 34-storey The Royal condominium tower with 223 new homes back in 2018.
University District's main street (University Avenue) was initiated with the construction of a Save-on-foods grocery store at street level with residential above in 2020. Today, there are three blocks of retail, restaurants and recreation outlets along University Avenue N.W. with residential above them. It is a bit like the traditional 1950s and `60s main street model where the shop keepers lived above their stores, but with a modern twist.
In East Village, Superstore also opened in 2020 with one large rental tower above it. A second condo tower was completed in late 2023. Calgary Municipal Land Corp.'s promise of an East Village grocery store was the incentive for the construction of the numerous residential buildings.
Look for an urban grocery store to be added to the third phase of Cidex's West Village Towers in Downtown West and possibly to Truman Homes' Frontier residential project on the old Kensington Legion site in West Hillhurst.
LAST WORD
The days of the old mid-century pedestrian-oriented main streets with mom and pop shops are gone. The new urban model is more of a hub, with a grocery store as the anchor and a few restaurants, recreational and medical offices.