19th Street NW: Niche 21st century transformations
There are several 20th century, community main streets and commercial hubs in Calgary’s inner-city communities currently undergoing a 21st century transformation. Perhaps the best known are Marda Loop’s 33rd Avenue, Britannia Plaza along Elbow Drive and Bridgeland’s 1st Avenue NE. However, there are several lesser known niche mixed-use (commercial and residential) developments happening places like 19th Street NW, in West Hillhurst.
Dairy Lane is one of Calgary’s oldest restaurants. It is a popular breakfast spot.
Made By Marcus has become centre ice for 19th Street NW (photo credit: Mike Morrison)
19th Street transformation project under construction.
19th Street old and new.
West Hillhurst’s Hidden Gem
19th Street NW has been West Hillhurst’s (formerly Grand Trunk) main street for 75 years. The Grand Trunk / West Hillhurst “Harvest Memories” book says it once had three hardware stores, a convenience store, drug store, cleaners, garage and gas station. The oldest commercial business still operating is Dairy Lane which opened in 1950 as the Dairy Lane Milk Bar, serving homestyle meals and milkshakes. It is rumoured to be the oldest restaurant in Calgary today. And, yes, it still serves old fashion milkshakes.
It is also walking and cycling distance to downtown, SAIT, University of Calgary and Foothills Medical Centre. The 21st century transformation of 19th Street NW started with the 55-home Savoy condo building completed in 2015 at the corner of 19th and Kensington Road, with retail spaces along 19th Street. It replaced a dozen or so dilapidated tiny cottage homes that were well past their best before date.
West Hillhurst is an attractive place to live as it offers easy access to downtown, SAIT, Alberta University of the Arts, as well as having Queen Elizabeth School, that offers grades K to 12. It has great access to the Bow River Pathways and West Hillhurst Recreation Centre.
Today 19th Street is home to a popular Made by Marcus ice cream shop (it is even busy in the winter) and Vintage Caffeine, with more shops coming soon.
West Hillhurst and 19th Street are a hidden gem. (Full Disclosure: I live in West Hillhurst).
West Hillhurst Recreation Centre is located at the northern end of 19th Street NW. Queen Elizabeth School is the brick building in the middl, with downtown in the background. (photo credit: Ross Aitken)
New Developments
The 21st century transformation of 19th Street NW started with the 55-home Savoy condo building by Truman Homes, completed in 2015 at the corner of 19th and Kensington Road, with retail spaces along 19th Street. It replaced a dozen or so dilapidated tiny cottage homes that were well past their best before date.
Then Truman Homes tackled the controversial Legion site development on Kensington Road at 18th Street NW. Phase One was the demolishing of the old single-storey Legion building and moving the Legion into the contemporary new mixed-use four-story building with the popular 1918 Tap And Table restaurant at the street level (half a block from 19th Street) on the west end of the site in 2017.
Phase Two was an eight-storey condo building with more retail at the street. Due to economic and market conditions Phase Two did not proceed as planned and the site is for sale.
In 2018, the West 19th commercial building opened, creating a home for Penny + Fausta an upscale boutique pharmacy and boutique.
Today, a new four story mixed-use building is nearing completion at the corner of 19th Street and 1st Avenue NW, with commercial space on the street level and residential above.
Currently under construction is Eagle Crest Construction’s “19+2”, five-storey mixed-use development at the corner of 19th St and 2nd Ave NW (hence the name 19+2). Designed by Calgary’s FAAS Architecture, it will be the largest building on 19th Street NW adding more retail space at street level, with 51 residences above.
New Penny + Fausta commercial building
New mixed-use building with cafe and hair salon on main floor with residences above.
City Should Say “No!”
However not everyone is happy with the new developments along and near 19th Street NW, many see them as too much density. Innurskape Porjekts has applied for a land-use change to allow for a new multi-storey residential building which if approved would convert a much loved Lilac-lined dirt pathway that links 19th St to 18a St, into a formal urban pedestrian link with benches, as well as allow access to the underground parking from 18a St, rather than from 19th St. From a 19th St NW main street, pedestrian-friendly, urban design perspective the laneway development makes sense, but from a community perspective this is a no go.
Sometimes the City must say “No!” to developers.
This charming lane has been used for 50+ years as a connection from Queen Elizabeth School to 19th Street. A proposed new development would use the lane to access parking at the back of the new building.
Last Word
Calgary developers are always looking for niche markets, in off the beaten path places to provide new inner-city homes in all shapes and sizes. A healthy city provides a diversity of housing options, in diverse communities, not only near downtown or at the edge of the city, but next to schools, shops and parks in older inner-city communities across the city.
In fact over the past three years developers have built 5,134 new homes in the 36 communities outside the City Centre aka Calgary’s inner-city. This includes 1,181 new single family homes, 357 townhomes, 3,363 multifamily and 233 lane and secondary suites. Calgary’s developers leave opportunity unturned.
Note: An edited version of this blog was published in the Calgary Herald’s New Homes + Condos section on June 19, 2012 titled, “Main Streets Undergoing 21st Century Change.”
If you like this blog, you will like these links:
West Hillhurst: Portrait Of My Neighbourhood
Calgary History: Grand Trunk Cottage School