Better with age

Jul 13, 2018Jul 23, 2018 Geoff Geddes Leave a comment

Calgary’s century homes are still turning heads

If you’re lucky enough to live to 100, you’ll probably slow down a bit. But many of Calgary’s 100-year-old homes are still going strong and drawing plenty of attention.

“These are homes that have stood the test of time,” said Karen Paul, director of communications for the Calgary Heritage Initiative Society (CHI), a grassroots, member-based organization dedicated to the preservation, and productive use and interpretation, of buildings and sites of historic and architectural interest in Calgary. “They offer a level of craftsmanship, character, uniqueness and aesthetic beauty that is hard to find in modern homes.”

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Diverse design

Mar 30, 2018Apr 2, 2018 Andrea Cox Leave a comment

New meets old in eclectic, inner-city Bankview

As one meanders along the narrow and hilly streets of Bankview, it’s hard not to be struck by the eclectic nature of the streetscape. Century-old, Craftsman-style homes sit alongside 1960s-era, four-storey, walk-up apartment buildings, and swanky new duplexes and infills. Adding softness to the landscape, fifty-foot-tall trees pepper the greenspaces, arching across the boulevards and creating a canopy of enchantment. Steps away, coffee shops, pubs and the boutique shops on 17th Avenue S.W. thrum with the beat of the bustling city.

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Bookworm buyer

Feb 2, 2018Jan 30, 2018 Andrea Cox Leave a comment

Brooke Barrett found the right home for her lifestyle, beside her “own private little library,” in Marda Loop

After renting a small condo in a boutique building in Bankview for six years, Brooke Barrett was ready to take the plunge into homeownership. As a lawyer, she works long hours and wanted to find a maintenance-free home, close to a bevy of walkable amenities, including a library. Staying in the inner-city was also top of mind. She checked out townhomes and condos in Kensington and West Hillhurst, and considered the East Village, but in the end, she decided to make Marda Loop home, purchasing a new condo in the heart of the action on 33rd Avenue.

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Living architecture

Oct 13, 2017Oct 11, 2017 Andrea Cox Leave a comment

Green roofs add a touch of nature to the concrete jungle

Great thinkers have always known that nature is essential to the human spirit. Perhaps that is why more and more architects, designers and builders are choosing to create green retreats in their designs, including rooftops that allow the eye to drink in nature’s beauty.

“There are just so many benefits to green roofs,” said Kerry Ross, one of Canada’s leading green roof experts and the first accredited green roof professional in the country. She spearheaded a number of “living architecture” projects, including the eco-roof at the University of Calgary Research Park and the green roof initiative at Calgary City Hall.

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Putting down roots

Oct 6, 2017Oct 5, 2017 Andrea Cox Leave a comment

GROW condo in Bankview conjures memories of home for Christopher Stephanou

There is much to be said for the convenience and upbeat vibe of the inner-city lifestyle. Walkability, connectivity and short commute times are just a few of the pluses. When you add on the sustainable amenities that promote a sense of community and communal living, the attractiveness soars even further. That’s why 30-year-old Christopher Stephanou jumped at the chance to purchase a one-bedroom condominium at GROW, a 20-unit, multi-family project located in the heart of Bankview.

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