University District: Creating A Unique Urban Village From Nothing!
Recently I had lunch with James Robertson, CEO and President of the University of Calgary Properties Group to get his insights as to how his team has created University District from basically nothing. Yes, “nothing” might be a bit of a stretch, but not much, as the UCPG team has transformed an orphan piece of land on the west side of the University of Calgary campus from grassland to an award-wining urban village in just over a decade without any public funding.
Save On Foods anchors University District’s Main Street.
University District pond and one of the parks with Market Mall in the background.
Background Info
The West Campus Development Trust (the company is now referred to as University of Calgary Properties Group UCPG) was created in 2012 and Robertson was hired as their first and only CEO/President.
And without any government funding, unlike the City of Calgary’s funding of East Village and the Bridges, or the Federal government’s Canada Lands funding of Currie, he created a team that has not only created a master plan, but the infrastructure (roads, sidewalks, water/sewer, parks and ponds) to support a new inner-city community of about 15,000 people.
Keys to Success
When I asked Robertson “Why has your project has been so successful?” he quickly responded “location, location, location.” Adding, “We are perfectly located next to three major employment centres (UofC, Children’s Hospital and Foothills Medical Centre), as well as being next to Market Mall and having easy access to Shaganappi Trail.”
When further asked “What have you learned?” he quickly responded “Community engagement is market research. One of the keys to our success is we listened to what the community wanted and tried our best to give it to them.”
I was surprised to hear the land leases attached to each development (another unique feature of the development is that the University of Calgary has retained ownership of the land) have not been a barrier to attracting developers or condo buyers.
Unique Housing
To date, over 1,500 of the planned 6,500 homes have been built. Another 500 or so are currently under construction. Most of the current development has been low-rise buildings, i.e. less than 8 storeys, which facilitated quick construction and occupancy. However, there are six residential sites that could have residential towers up to 16 storeys in the future. The goal is to have 50% condos, 30% rentals, 15% retirement and 5% special (includes hotels). While the average home is currently in the $500,000 range, low-cost housing is part of future plans.
One of the unique housing features of University District is Cambridge Manor a 240 assisted living home complex with a +30 link to Maple a +55 residential building. The Manor has a registered nurse available 24/7, with on-site pharmacy, podiatry, physiotherapy and visiting physician and Red Seal Chef-prepared meals and snacks. Other amenities include a library, fitness room, beauty salon and outdoor courtyard. There is also a specialized memory care area offering a safe and secure community for seniors living with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Curated Main Street
The University District has done an amazing job creating a main street from scratch along University Avenue. It is anchored by a Save-On-Foods grocery store that is nicely integrated into the streetscape at the base of a mixed-use six storey residential building. Staples anchors another block, with a Cineplex above. Future anchors for the main street include an Alt Hotel (opens in summer ’23) and a Shoppers Drug Mart.
The main street shops, hand-picked by the UCPG team, ensure the everyday needs of residents are met. There is a baker (CobsBread), breakfast spot (OEB), café (Monogram), fitness studios (YYC Cycle and Orange Theory Fitness), pub (Canadian Brewhouse), wine shop (Market Wines), pet store (Pet Planet), bank (Scotiabank) and just for fun - a Village Ice Cream shop and a place to celebrate special occasions (Borough Bar + Grill).
When completed, the main street will be four blocks long with about 40+ tenants. One of the unique decisions made by UCPG was to retain ownership of the commercial spaces along the main street which means they can continue to pick and choose the tenants to ensure there will always be a synergy with everyday needs of a diverse community.
Another unique feature is the nearby Children’s Hospital which operates 24/7 creates a need for retail hours beyond the usual hours. As a result, there is a 24/7 daycare, and soon, a 24-hour McDonalds with a walk-up window – how unique is that!
Dog Park Priority
One of the first things the UCPG team built was a dog park. Anybody who knows anything about urban development, knows the dog park is the new community meeting place. But not many include it as one of their first initiatives. A playing field, inclusive playground and skate park were also built early to attract families.
University Central Park with ice rink installed, in the background are residential buildings as well as the Cineplex anchored, commercial building.
Recently its 3-acre multi-use Central Park was completed with patios surrounding it.
It has already hosted several events including a Night Market and while I was there huge rolls of coils (the size of hay bales) were being installed over the grass to create an ice rink.
The coils will be removed in the spring so residents can enjoy the grass, rather than creating a concrete plaza. The park is equipped with fire pits, picnic tables, spaces for concerts and a summer water feature.
When fully complete, University District will have 8 parks, and 12 km of pathways with 40 acres dedicated for public use.
Criticism
One of the biggest criticisms of the development has been the lack of dedicated bike lanes.
When asked why there are none, Robertson responded “Designing a community like University District is a balancing act between competing demands and municipal standards. We wanted to keep University Ave tight and compact to ensure a very strong pedestrian environment and slower traffic patterns, but also were required to provide roadway lane widths suitable for buses…something had to give. As a result, we identified bike paths in a combination of regional pathways and on street routes. We recognize that it might not be the most desirable result for everyone but it was the best balance we could achieve.”
My personal pet peeve is the architecture is too conservative. I was hoping the design guidelines would have encouraged more colourful and playful architecture to create a unique sense of place inspired by the Alberta Children’s Hospital. But that’s just me, I’ll get over it.
Last Word
In May of this year, the Canadian Home Builders’ Association named University District as Canada’s best growing community, beating out 800 entries.
The new moniker for University District is “A New Heart In the Northwest.” Only time will tell if that happens.
Kudos to the University of Calgary Properties Group development team who have done an amazing job in such a short time converting orphan land into a vibrant, family-oriented urban village.
In early 2023, they will announce their plans for converting the University of Calgary’s under-utilized business park next to the Brentwood LRT Station into the University Innovation Quarter.
If you like this blog, you will like these links:
Calgary’s University District: A Plan Comes Together
The University of Calgary : On the cusp of something great?
University of Calgary’s Public Art Gets No Respect!