Street level lifestyle

Tree-lined avenues, well-maintained medians, inviting welcome features, they are the resonating images of suburban tranquility in Calgary, and it all starts on the drawing boards.

Land developers not only plan the amenities and assemble a trusted and reliable the builder group to create a family-friendly community that fits the times, but the vision is not complete without paying attention to the streetscape.

Key in determining how the community’s streets will appear are the architectural controls that developers use to determine the lasting look of the community, creating individual homes that bring a cohesive look throughout. No one house feels out of place, but each home can still be unique and personalized for the homeowner.
Experts say having these architectural controls also help protect and enhance property values of the community. Having these guidelines in a community ensures that there is a cohesive look throughout the neighbourhood, without being repetitive or looking cookie cutter.

We spoke to a few of Calgary’s most recognizable community developers who have some experience in bringing about notable streetscapes worth checking out.

Apex Developments

The developers of such standout communities like Carrington South in the north, Creekstone in the south, and the up-and-coming Silver Spruce also in the south, crafts streetscapes to keep the community beautiful and inviting.

“It gives the homeowners a sense of pride to be a part of our great communities,” says Apex’s Development Coordinator, Michelle Wilken. “Being part of a community with a beautifully designed streetscape is important, the architecture of the houses, and landscaping are important to create the look and feel of a community and provides such a welcoming feel.”

For their new Silver Spruce in the southwest, Wilken says it was important for Apex to establish a sense of continuity with the streetscape of the neighbouring established neighbourhood of Silverado. “The streetscape plan for Silver Spruce was designed with the existing Silverado Community in mind, we have incorporated the pathways in place within the community added in our parks and beautiful landscaping that we are confident all future residents will love.”

Their young community of Creekstone has also been well-regarded for the thought put into its street design and call to mind the area’s rich past. “In Creekstone we knew that we wanted to incorporate the entrance feature that was originally the entrance to the Isbister family homestead, and the perfect spot was right at the entrance to the Park right in the center of the community.”

Find out more about their communities at apexland.com.

Dream

A timeless quality is ever-present in Dream’s communities, friendly-front porches, abundant greenery, and captivating architecture. But their streetscape design goes deeper than that. “It’s one thing to have a beautiful, charming, and architecturally diverse street, it’s another thing to also consider how each home improves the lives of its residents and how a well thought out streetscape can offer opportunities to connect with neighbours and strengthen the community fabric,” says Jennifer McDonald, Dream’s Marketing Manager.

Dream’s communities of Vista Crossing in Crossfield, north of Calgary, Montrose in High River to the south, and Alpine Park in the city’s southwest, all have tremendous curb appeal.

“Having pride of ownership as you drive through your neighbourhood, down your street, and walking up to your front door has a ripple effect that elevates the community. And having architectural controls in place set a standard of detail to ensure the community, every streetscape, and every home, has considered its residents. Architectural details fulfill the vision of the community and benefit you in the long run by adding long-term value in your house.”

Each of Dream’s communities have their own distinguishing streetscapes: Vista Crossing embraces a small-town timeless, architectural style; Montrose uses the backdrop of the surrounding prairies and Rockies to establish its look; and Alpine Park offers a unique blend of Calgary’s natural and architectural history, forming a timeless yet evolutionary composition that is distinctly Calgarian.

Trees are a big part of Dream’s streetscapes, and the developer hosts a Tree Program in all its communities that offers every homeowner a selection of trees (or sometimes shrubs) that complement the architecture and are authentic to Alberta’s climate to ensure longevity of growth. “These trees also complement those planted throughout our communities, and together help create an urban forest that will be enjoyed for decades to come.”

Find out more about their communities at dream.ca.

Genstar

Genstar is one of Calgary’s most established developers with 70 years of experience building throughout Canada and the United States. They have six ongoing developments in Calgary, including Rangeview, in the southeast which just held its grand opening last month. Creating impeccable streetscapes is just as important as it was when they built their first community.

“A well thought out streetscape can set you apart from other communities and become your unique selling proposition,” says Genstar Development Manager, Travis Putnam. “We at Genstar strive to keep our streetscape strong in our communities through architectural controls, mixing in front porches to create an active streetscape form and ensuring the front yards are landscaped and have trees planted.”

He points to their community of Walden in the southeast where thoughtful planning brought their vision to life.
Putnam underscores the importance of trees in creating beautiful streetscapes. “Some of my favourite communities in Calgary are the old neighbourhoods with large willow trees that canopy over the streets, such as past Genstar communities like Willow Park and Lake Bonavista. We envisioned this look and feel in our newest community of Rangeview by planting trees all along the boulevard and median on the main streets to create the same feel.”

He also feels that entrance features are important to set the tone for the community, and that they embody the brand of the community. Their entrance feature in Rangeview sets a high bar, as it is now a focal point in their very young community, especially at night when it’s all lit up.

Find out more about Genstar and its communities at genstar.com.

Qualico Communities

Qualico Communities is one of the most prolific developers in the Calgary region, they have eight ongoing community developments now, at least three more to launch soon, to go with the nearly 30 that they have completed in the region. With their 70-year experience, the developer certainly knows how to create communities with family-friendly, design-oriented streetscapes.

“We love main community entry ways with medians filled with boulevard trees, and streetlights. We also like to have homes set back from the street to have the extra green of a front yard, or a functional parking space in the case of front garage homes,” says Marketing Manager, Emily Smith. “Not to mention, good architectural controls with quality products and cohesive colours brings everything together to make a streetscape really stand out.”
She says one of her favourite entryways is in their Dawson’s Landing community in Chestermere just east of Calgary. “There are trees and gorgeous streetlights in the median, but also trees on the adjacent sides of the streets, creating a really bright and green entry.”

She also cites Harmony which has won Community of the Year six times already, and which they develop in partnership with Bordeaux Developments. “It has an amazing entry into the community with a really wide entry median and custom art entry that is not only beautiful in the day but lights up and literally glows at night!”
Trees add a calming presence and are abundant in all Qualico communities, she says. “Trees are extremely important for creating that fulsome look. We have boulevard trees throughout our communities and do provide the opportunity for new residents to order two trees per single family home after possession to add additional greenery to their lot.”

Smith says a well-designed streetscape gives residents pride in their community. “A community with beautiful streetscapes becomes a place where people want to live, which makes it not only positive while they live there but makes their home a safer investment over time.”

Find out more about Qualico Communities ongoing developments at qualicocommunitiescalgary.com.