Car-free condo with LEGO model a hit in East Village

By Wayne Karl
September 17, 2015

Car-free condos are a popular choice in Calgary, if the recent launch of N3 Condo by Toronto’s Metropia and Calgary’s Knightsbridge Homes is any indication. The 15-storey, 167-unit building in the revitalized East Village is 90 per cent sold less than a week after launch.

“Calgarians have enthusiastically responded to the affordable breakthrough of N3, looking at our project as a long term and secure investment," says Metropia President Howard Sokolowski. "We’ve sold 90 per cent of the 167 units in less than one week and expect a final sell out soon, all happening despite the challenging oil patch economy. And when they’re gone, they’re gone.”

Named N3 to reflect the project vision – ‘New Attitude, New Living, New Vision’ – the development pioneered new ground in Calgary’s multi-family development space with parking for bicycles, Sokolowski says. "Our vision includes social open spaces for entertaining and hosting, Wi-Fi connectivity throughout and fully-furnished units. Additionally, to support the marketing platform of – No car, No parking, No problem – each buyer receives a $500 credit to Car2Go and an urban bicycle.”

Averaging $260,000, the price points and the unique development concept attracted buyers in the 20- to 35-year age bracket.

In a unique spin to help launch N3, the companies commissioned the largest LEGO building replica in Canada for the condo's scale model. Standing more than seven ft. tall with a footprint of six-by-six-ft., the 1/24-scale model took more than 600 man-hours to complete over 12 weeks.

“We are extremely excited about N3,” says Michael Brown, president and CEO, Calgary Municipal Land Corp. (CMLC). “The East Village master plan vision places enormous emphasis on the pedestrian experience. You can see this focus demonstrated across the neighbourhood with pedestrian-only streets, pedestrian bridges, wide sidewalks and public parks designed for resting and visiting. East Village is a neighbourhood for all ages, designed to bring residents together at the street level day and night.”

Metropia President Howard Sokolowski (second from left), Knightsbridge President Joe Starkman (third from right) and PMA Brethour’s President Andrew Brethour (second from right) with the Metropia and Knightsbridge team. Photo: Brian Buchsdruecker, Bookstrucker Photography


N3’s location along the LRT line makes the site easily accessible to young, urban explorers working in the downtown core and students attending classes at Bow Valley College or the University of Calgary’s downtown campus. Just 270 steps separate the N3 site in East Village from the City Hall LRT Station.

“Our project recognizes that Gen Y real estate buyers do not value car-ownership in the same way as previous generations. Since the site is considered a Transit Oriented Development project, given its proximity to the LRT– the service is free within the downtown – and contains no parking spaces, a more attractive price point can be extended to the buyer, says Sokolowski.

“We started registering interest in the project when we received our development permit,” says Knightsbridge President Joe Starkman. “We submitted the completed permit package to the City on June 6, with an understanding that it would be the first project of its kind in Calgary and would require 100 per cent relaxation of the land-use bylaw as it relates to residential parking allowances.“

Metropia and Knightsbridge Homes are no strangers to designing and marketing residential condominiums for Gen Y buyers. University City – a mixed-use project of 705 condo units in Calgary’s northwest community of Brentwood – has four residential towers and only 24 units remain unsold. For its project in East Village, Knightsbridge will design a pedestrian mews system on either side of the St. Louis Hotel, a heritage building which is slated for retail and commercial uses in the future, to allow easy connections to the neighbourhood’s amenities.

Imagined as a mixed-use, amenity-rich master-planned neighbourhood in the downtown core, East Village will be home to more than 11,000 residents upon completion in 2027. With local amenities such as RiverWalk, St. Patrick’s Island Park, New Central Library, National Music Centre and an urban shopping centre, East Village has become a highly desirable neighbourhood in Calgary’s downtown core.

Photos by Brian Buchsdruecker, Bookstrucker Photography

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About Wayne Karl

Wayne Karl is an award-winning writer and editor with experience in real estate and business. Wayne explores the basics – such as economic fundamentals – you need to examine when buying property. wayne.karl@nexthome.ca

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