Loving the YYC inner-city lifestyle

The best way to describe Calgary’s inner-city lifestyle is cool. Living in a new home in a well-established community with plentiful of amenities around is the goal for many homebuyers – and that means all of them and not just families.

There is a lot to love about living in Calgary’s inner-city. The commute to work downtown is much shorter compared to the new suburbs, there are plenty of established amenities already ready to be enjoyed, and of course there is the prestige of living in a made-for-you home.

Building new infill homes in the inner-city has become more popular, as more young families rediscover the charms of living in an already established neighbourhood. But that demographic is expanding these days as more opportunities open up for comfortable, affordable living in these communities close to the downtown.

Recent City of Calgary community profiles reveal that there are more Calgarians under the age of 14 living in inner-city communities. Calgary’s total is at about 19 percent of that age group, but in Altadore it is at 20 percent, in West Hillhurst it is at 17 percent, and in Hillhurst it is at 15 percent. That means more young families are moving to these neighbourhoods, and more are coming in.

Realtor Cody Battershill, a top-ranking realtor at Remax, says homebuyers look to infill homes in the inner-city for their proximity to business districts, the downtown and the urban lifestyle it offers, as well as all the other abundant, nearby amenities.

“They also typically have in-community schools serving elementary students, great for growing families,” he tells Calgary New Home + Condo Guide.

Infill lifestyle

Battershill says new custom-built, attached, or detached infill homes are the most common housing option in the inner-city communities.

“In recent years, there has been a major focus on semi-attached and attached properties, triplexes and fourplexes etc. to make the most use of land parcels. Gold Homes Ltd. is just one of many exceptional custom inner-city builders,” he says.
It’s not just single-family homes that are rising in popularity in the inner-city, as multi-families from townhomes and apartment condos are readily available as well.

Sarina Homes, and RNDSQR have established themselves as some of the most active inner-city multi-family developers. Battistella Developments has made a name by only developing th eir singular apartment condo developments exclusively in inner-city communities. Trico Homes, one of Calgary’s most prominent homebuilders, usually have their line of homes in the suburbs has found success in their Brooklyn Townhomes in Altadore.

“Marda Loop/South Calgary has always been a very desirable place to live because of its centralized location. This is a community that will only continue to appreciate over time, thanks to the (City’s) investment into revitalizing the area, as well as the development of amenities for every need,” says Trico Homes Director of Marketing, Glenda Schwartz.

Historic legacy

One of the most exciting developments in Calgary’s inner-city is Currie. Although not exactly an infill community, it is at that nexus where urban meets suburban – at the midpoint where urban sensibilities meet suburban ease.

Opportunities abound to find a comfortable, meaningful, and well-connected lifestyle in Currie. This 200-acre community developed by Canada Lands Corporation (CLC) repurposes a historic military base in the heart of Calgary into a modern, environmentally friendly, amenity-rich enclave designed to meet the needs of today’s homebuyers.

Located on the southern end of Crowchild Trail, Currie has become a haven for buyers that crave the freedom of living in a well-established area surrounded by amenities affording a balanced work-play lifestyle.

“We have an evolving master-plan that takes into consideration all the needs of our residents,” says Mary Thymaras, Director, Real Estate at CLC. And that demographic of residents is expanding as Currie begins to offer a more varied range of new home options.

Luxurious, single-family homes – both laned and front-attached garage models – are readily available from Crystal Creek Homes, Empire Custom Homes, and Dominium, while multi-family homes are from Rohit Group (apartment condos), and soon from Anthem (townhomes). Statesman offers senior assisted- and independent-living suites.

“Our single-family homes can all have secondary suites, whether a basement development or a nanny suite over the detached garage, so owners have the all the opportunity to realize all the potentials of their home,” she says.

Also in the horizon is an affordable housing development from Horizon Housing which will also have a rental component. Thymaras says she is particularly excited about Pattern Plus coming in to offer bungalow villas. “There is so much demand for single-level single-family homes and we are happy to have this available in Currie,” she says.

But what current residents already cherish about Currie is the connected, engaging, and tranquil public spaces already offered. There are numerous parks and trails that wind along the community, highlighted in January and February by their Light Up the Night event that honours its past not just as a former military base but also its connection to Calgary’s indigenous history.

“Developing our parks – like the new Airport Park and our Bark Park off-leash area – has been quite beneficial to our residents (currently about 700 households) but to the greater community as well,” she adds.

The growing commercial and retail areas continue to grow as well, providing the community a dynamic energy. “Having five schools in the community itself makes this ideal for families who can work, learn, play and live all within the community.”

What are the most popular infill communities in Calgary?

By Cody Battershill

• Altadore’s popularity stems from the fact that it has excellent access to all the amenities you could hope for. Whether it’s the Elbow River parks and pathways, the countless businesses of the Marda Loop District, or highway access to other city destinations as well as the mountains to the west, its location makes life as convenient as it gets. Also, it isn’t too far from the downtown area, making it a choice destination for many urban professionals and executives.

• Hillhurst and West Hillhurst are also extremely popular. With the Kensington District nearby, there is a familiar pattern when it comes to which are the best infill communities. Bridgeland, with its amenity streetscape of 1st Avenue NE and proximity to downtown, is another highly sought-after inner-city community.

• Mission, Capitol Hill, Stanley Park, and many other inner-city communities also have exceptional access to outdoor parks and greenspaces. Infill buyers often gravitate towards such areas because of the convenient access to outdoor leisure and recreation. Meanwhile, areas like Bowness or Parkdale may be preferred amongst workers at the Foothills Hospital.