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Campus Suites of Toronto is proposing to build a 28 storey residential tower in Calgary's Motel Village. The 328-unit building designed by ARK Inc. will be targeting students as well as employees of the nearby Foothills Medical Centre, and will feature furnished suite rentals based primarily around one-year leases.
Everything from location to amenities has been designed to work well with students. The location is only a stone's throw away from the Banff Trail LRT station, which in turn is only one stop away from the University of Calgary, and only two stops away from SAIT. The commute to school should be relatively speedy — residents will benefit from a short LRT ride to the core, which hosts the UofC downtown campus and Bow Valley College. Both equipped with grocery stores, North Hill Mall is only a stop away, and Brentwood Mall two stops away. Sandwiched between the University and SAIT, the location is within walking distance of the two campuses.
As far as amenities go, the building will offer fitness facilities, lounge spaces, and 8,300 square feet of restaurant space. There will also be 23,000 square feet of medical office space. The design is patterned after other successful Campus Suites projects where the focus is on creating an environment specifically for students.
While the proposal has had some opposition — something which is typical of new developments in established neighbourhoods — it has also had its fair share of support. The Banff Trail Development Committee is fully supportive of the plans, positioning the project as an asset to the area's future growth. Opponents of the project have expressed concerns about increased vehicular traffic, but given the transportation choices of students, who are heavy transit users, the development isn't expected to exacerbate congestion in the area. The building will also replace a motel, whose customers typically arrive by vehicle.
The project has had community consultations and is currently going through the usual approval process with the City. Campus Suites is anticipating a construction start in early 2018. We will be following this project as it evolves. To keep up to date or join in on discussion of this development, check out our Forum related discussion thread.
