Thirteen years ago this month, the General Hospital was demolished by implosion and left a huge hole in one of Calgary’s oldest inner-city neighbourhoods, Bridgeland. For those of you that didn’t live here in 1998, it’s worth watching on YouTube – quite a sight! Try http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y4zCNv00OQ for the footage.
In place of the hospital that had served Calgary since 1910, the city approved a mixed-use development. That’s a fancy term for condos, office and retail in one building. From 2004 to 2006, several buildings were completed on the land with a large green space, playground and community centre on the south edge of the development.
If you haven’t been to Bridgeland lately (or ever), take Edmonton Trail to 1 Ave NE and turn east. This community has turned into a functional, walkable and fun district with amenities to suit the inner-city lifestyle. From Starbucks (of course) to Heartland Cafe (my fave), you can get your java fix. Main Dish provides gourmet to-go meals. Yoga studios, chiropractic offices, banks, corner stores, great Italian restaurants and more complete the main drag of 1 Ave, but a short walk up Edmonton Trail will also get you to neighbourhood favourites Diner Deluxe or Over Easy for brunch.
Today’s feature is on a series of properties. The condos that house main floor retail space are beautiful, new, environmentally friendly buildings with a wide range of sizes and prices. In a nod to the neighbourhood’s Italian heritage, these attractive buildings have names such as Pontefino and Bella Cita.
One-bedroom units are available from 500-850 square feet and range from about $250,000-$300,000. All units contain in-suite laundry and underground parking. Two-bedroom units start in the low $300,000’s and range up to about $400K for the single-level condo style. Some buildings are concrete, some have in-floor heat and all provide great access to the nearby amenities and are a 10-minute walk (or 2-minute C-Train ride from nearby Zoo Station) to downtown Calgary.
Another fun option is the incredible live/work townhomes in a building called The Olive. These 3-storey units are zoned for office space so you can (legally) run a business out of the main floor. Signage is allowed on front doors. The top two levels feature gorgeous living space with two bedrooms and nicely appointed kitchens and bathrooms. Also included are roof-top patios and two parking stalls. The price range for these townhomes is about $700-750K and there is currently one on the market. They don’t come up often!
Great value, great lifestyle and so many options from which to choose. Call or email me if you’d like to find out more or book an appointment to view.
