Urban Living: Test drive before you buy!
For many empty nesters considering downsizing and moving into a condo (especially a high-rise) it’s a tough decision. Where will I store all my stuff? Will it be a hassle to have to use an elevator every time I want to go anywhere? Do I want a balcony? Will it be noisy? Will I use the gym and other amenities? For this reason I often suggest people rent an apartment in their desired neighbourhood before they buy i.e., test drive before you buy.
If you are looking to rent before you buy Boardwalk established in Calgary in 1984, offers 30,000 rental suites in four provinces in Canada would be a great place to start your search.
One of the great things about high-rise living is the view – the higher you, are the better the view. Also, the higher you are, the quieter it is as you are away from the street noise. Currently three new residential towers in Calgary’s City Centre that offer spectacular views – Eleven, TELUS Sky and West Village Towers – each is over 40 storeys tall.
Depending on the location you choose you can have views of the Bow River, the Rockies, Stampede Park (think fireworks), downtown skyline, and expansive city views. In many cases you get two or three of these views.
West Village Towers residences offer spectacular views of the downtown.
Telus Sky also offers great city and mountain views.
Eleven
Eleven is strategically located on the northwest corner of 11th Ave and 11th St SW. Not only is it literally across the street from the Midtown Co-op grocery store, but also easy walking distance to 17th Ave shops and restaurants, the LRT on 7th Avenue, the Bow River pathway and Shaw Millennium Park and easy access to 8th and 12th Ave SW cycle track.
Eleven offers 21 different floor plans - from studios as small as 482 square feet to 1,468 square foot 3-bedroom homes – and prices ranging from $1,150 to $3,500 per month. The amenities include a larger outdoor lounge with picnic / BBQ area and community garden on 3rd floor rooftop of the commercial platform at the base of the tower. Also on the 3rd floor is an indoor lounge/media room and state-of-art fitness room with space for barre and yoga studio.
The second floor houses a shared workspace with a small kitchenette - ideal for small meetings or a workspace where you can spread out your stuff and/or meet up with others working from home.
FYI: A unique feature of this building is the outdoor dog run and pet grooming room that includes a washing station. And with several available commercial spaces along 11th Avenue, there will hopefully become a café, florist, restaurant, or perhaps home décor store coming soon.
TELUS Sky
TELUS Sky is the tallest of the three buildings with homes on the 52nd floor (although they weren’t available when I visited in March). It boasts direct access to the +15 walkway and to the 1st St SW LRT station (trains heading west and northwest) – something no other residential tower offers. You are within easy walking distance to the restaurants along Stephen Avenue, and shopping at Hudson’s Bay, Simons and The Core. It’s an easy walk to Art Commons for theatre and concerts or perhaps a weekend matinee. It is a 10-minute walk to the Real Canadian Superstore in East Village or in less than 5 minutes you can shop for groceries in Chinatown.
Telus Sky’s access to the +15 walkway
TELUS Sky offers only one-bedroom (one balcony) and two-bedroom (two balconies), with leases as short as 3 months for a furnished home – perfect for that test drive. Or, stay for a weekend as Premiere Suites offers studios (from $120/night), 1 bedroom at ($130/night) and 2-bedroom (at $165/night).
The homes are well designed to maximize the use the space, the only glitch being there are stairs to the balcony, which I was told is the result of the building’s unique façade design. Parking is available at $150/month in the public underground parkade, which means visitors will have to pay for parking.
There is a gym on the third floor that looks out to the downtown core’s Manhattan-like urban landscape, but no outdoor space. A Deville Café at street level is accessable without going outside. And yes, the building is pet friendly – albeit small pets only.
FYI: I was told the building has the fastest elevators in Western Canada. I liked the fact the elevators were bright and spacious with high ceilings.
Telus Sky is just a block away from Stephen Avenue shops and restaurants.
Perfect view of Stampede Fireworks.
Your home office…
Your gym…
West Village Towers
West Village Towers (WVT) is located across the street from Mewata Armoury on the corner of 9th Ave and 11th St. SW. One tower is complete and available to move in today; the second tower is complete and will be available to rent soon. FYI: A third tower is planned that will face onto 8th Ave.
For WVT, the big draw is access to Shaw Millennium Park - to shoot some hoops, play beach volleyball, or work on your skating and biking skills. You also have front row seats to the various music festivals in the park. The LRT is just around the corner going in all directions and the Midtown Co-op is just two short blocks away.
This is the view of Millennium Park and Bow River from the gym located on the penthouse floor of West Village Towers.
What makes WVT unique is the 90,000 square feet of commercial space at its base, some of which hopefully will become home to an urban grocery store. Unfortunately, there will be no access to the commercial spaces from the inside so you will have to go outside to visit them.
Another unique feature is the penthouse where all the amenities are located on the same level. You can host a sit-down dinner for you and 20+ friends in its fully equipped kitchen that offers spectacular views looking west to the mountains and Bow River valley.
Or you can invite a few friends over to play vintage arcade games in the lounge or watch the game. The fully equipped gym has amazing views of the Bow River and Shaw Millennium Park. When you are riding the bikes, it is almost like you are flying.
WVT Towers offers 1, 2 and 3-bedroom homes ranging in size from 637 to 1,326 square feet. Rents range from $1595 to $2,696 with parking being $175/month/stall. I was pleased to hear several families with children have already moved into the building.
FYI: WVT not only has a concierge during the day but 24-hour security and the entire first floor of the parkade is for visitors. Just phone in to register as a visitor’s licence plate and they can park safely underground for free.
This could be your new dining or party room.
Homes on the south side have great views of the mountains. Note that is the Calgary Co-op’s Midtown grocery store in the foreground.
Last Word
Collectively, these three buildings add 1,300+ new homes that will add an estimated 2,500 people to City Centre population which now exceeds 80,000 people. As well, each of the buildings has a unique architectural design - the elegant Eleven designed by Vancouver’s Ramsey Worden Architects; the bizarre looking TELUS Sky designed by BIG, a world-renowned architectural firm from Copenhagen and the bold West Village Towers designed by NORR’s Calgary and Dubai offices with architect Yahya Jan leading the team.
Yes, the options for urban living in Calgary just keeps getting better every year. So before you buy, you might want to rent first as a test drive.
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