New communities spur growth in the southeast

Traffic reporters often refer to it as the “deep south” when talking about southeast Calgary, perhaps in jest and also because of its perceived distance from the downtown. Still, it keeps getting deeper by the day, as more new communities sprout up.

And even if they are a little further from the city core, these communities east of the Bow River and on either side of the southern portion of Stoney Trail and Deerfoot Trail can boast some of the best lifestyle balance anywhere.

More importantly, these new communities mean continued affordability, as the southeast remains one of the best residential sectors where new homes remain a lot more attainable. The establish amenities available, the improving accessibility and closeness to nature and recreational opportunities make this one of the best places to live in Calgary that promises a true work-life balance.

“The Southeast quadrant of Calgary is one of the fastest growing segments of the city,” says Peter Jensen, Senior Development Manager for Genesis Land Development Corp., the developer of one of the newest communities in the southeast, Logan Landing.
As communities like Cranston, Copperfield, Auburn Bay, and New Brighton have been built out, and Legacy, Seton, and Mahogany continue to expand, more new southeast communities are being introduced like Logan Landing, Hotchkiss, Rangeview (two of them), and coming up soon, Sora.

Like many new communities in the southeast, Logan Landing is close to major roads, employment centres, recreational and health facilities, and services. It doesn’t matter if you’re close to downtown or not. “Most of anyone’s daily needs can be met with a short drive, bike ride or walk,” Jensen says. “Logan Landing especially, will offer the most breathtaking views and rare proximity to the southern-most tip of the Bow River through Calgary.”

Southern advances

Genesis Land Development is the developer of Logan Landing, a master-planned community with access to the Bow River, and over 140 acres of open space, breathtaking valley and mountain views, traversing pathways, and established amenities. “The proximity to the Seton Commercial Core, the South Health Campus hospital, YMCA and a high school offer abundance of educational, employment and recreation opportunities,” Jensen says.

“People should be excited by Logan Landing because it brings this special piece of nature along the Bow River to all Calgarians, not just residents. We purposefully will make public the most scenic and valuable viewpoints overlooking the escarpment, which is above the southern-most tip of the Bow River. We envision people from all four quadrants travelling here for special-occasion photos and destinations, enjoying the look-off points, patios, restaurants, and neighbourhood activity centre,” he adds.

Logan Landing is just one of the many new communities launched in the last few years, among them are Rangeview by Section23, Rangeview by Genstar, Wolf Willow by WestCreek Developments, and Hotchkiss by developed jointly by Hopewell Residential and Qualico Communities. And even more are coming.

Lifestyle design

Innovative community designs can in fact be seen in all the new neighbourhoods in the southeast. Section23’s Rangeview builds on the historic farming tradition of the area with its farm-to-table concept, Hotchkiss enhances its closeness to nature with its wetlands, while Wolf Willow by WestCreek Developments leans on its scenic riverside location to bring in wholesome parks and pathways.

Urban appeal is not too far away either, as Brookfield Residentials Seton remains a beacon for achieving world-class, work-life balance lifestyle with its blend of residential and commercial nodes. Its vision was to create a new downtown in the south and it has largely succeeded, enhanced by its twin gems: the South Health Campus hospital, and the massive Brookfield Residential YMCA.

Logan Landing

The new Genesis Land community just broke ground earlier this year, but it already holds the promise of an unmatched lifestyle.
“This is a new kind of suburb, Jensen says. “It is compact and complete, where people can live, work and play, with a density of 8.5 units per acre, significantly closer to our inner-city densities, such as Garrison Woods, which is 10.4 units per acre.”

Logan Landing is scaled to pedestrians and designed with environmental sustainability at its core, he adds. “We piloted the city’s new climate policies in our outline plan and will build smarter homes with the latest energy-efficient technologies, and support renewable-energy infrastructure such as solar panels and electrical vehicle charging stations.

“It’s new-build communities like Logan Landing that will help the City of Calgary meet net-zero goals and decarbonization ambitions,” he says. Stay tuned for announcements on the builder group and when showhomes are expected to open. Find out more at genesisland.com.

Explore

No doubt that growth will continue throughout the southeast, but why do people love living here so much? The rich number of amenities that are readily available would be a big part of that, and so would the easy accessibility to any part of town now that the ring road is almost finished.

The natural wonders of Fish Creek Provincial Park can be easily accessed from these southeast neighbourhoods.

Fish Creek Park covers much of the southern breadth of the city, encompassing 1,348 hectares stretching some 20 kilometres from the T’suu Tina Reserve at 37th Street to the Bow River’s banks in the east and dividing established and newer suburbs that have sprung up beside it.

Running along shallow, winding Fish Creek, the park is a labyrinth of walking, cycling and equestrian paths (around 80 km in total), peppered by groves of mature trees and open meadows.

Today the park attracts more than 3 million visitors a year, from naturalists to history buffs, nature photographers, hikers, walkers, cyclists, and picnicking families, according to the Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park, the non-profit organization that helps run the park. “Calgarians and tourists alike come to enjoy the many opportunities offered by this natural area in the midst of Calgary’s dynamic urban environment.”

Dine and shop

Seton is the epicentre of commercial, retail, recreation, and dining in the southeast. Its urban district will have 1 million square-feet of retail space that has already blossomed into a multitude of offerings, from the Superstore to the Cineplex VIP Theatre – the first ever in Alberta.

Also in Seton are the Tommyfield Gastro Pub, Boston Pizza, TiNi Vietnamese Restaurant, to name but a few, that can satisfy foodie cravings for sure.

Mahogany Village Market continues to grow adding more establishments to a roster that already includes Sobeys, Tim Horton’s, Cobs Bread, ATB Financial, Dairy Queen, Kinjo Sushi & Grill, The Canadian Brewhouse, and State & Main.

The massive Township Shopping Centre in Legacy is also shaping up fast as a major source for shopping and entertainment and services, providing a much-needed amenity to service the new communities in the area and beyond.

Life in the southeast certainly has its perks, and residents take pride in its “deep south” character.