As Canada's fastest growing metropolis, Calgary is seeing a highrise construction boom. Earlier this week we looked at projects going up in the Downtown Commercial Core and Eau Claire, and today we are shifting our focus to the East Village and Downtown West End.

Rendering of the future East Village, image courtesy of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation

East Village

Immediately east of the financial district, the East Village is undergoing a dramatic transformation after a few decades of decay, with several luxury condominium towers currently under construction. In 2014, there were 2,705 residents in the neighbourhood.

Evolution: These 33- and 19-storey condominium towers will be among the first to be completed in the East Village, a rapidly-urbanizing neighbourhood just east of Downtown. The 203 units of phase 1 will bring a welcome influx of residents to the previously deteriorating area. Developed by Bosa Properties, this project benefits from a desirable location, steps away from both the river and the financial district.

Evolution in Calgary, image courtesy of Bosa Properties

FIRST Condos: Located on the next block, this sold-out development comes from Fram Building Group and Slokker Real Estate Group. At 18 storeys, it will offer impressive views Downtown while blending in with the planned built form of the neighbourhood. Scheduled for completion this year, it will house 196 units and wrap around the corner of 5th Street SE and 6th Avenue SE.

FIRST Condos in Calgary, image courtesy of Fram Building Group and Slokker Real Estate Group

Verve: Also developed by Fram and Slokker, this 25-storey tower features curated interiors designed by Cecconi Simone, in line with the Village's high-end image. One block south of its peer FIRST Condos, Verve will rise at the corner of 5th Street SE and 7th Avenue SE by 2017, adding another 192 units within walking distance of the newly renovated Bow River Pathway. 

Verve in Calgary, image courtesy of Fram Building Group and Slokker Real Estate Group

Downtown West End

The Downtown West End is bounded to the north by the Bow River, to the east by 9th Street W, to the south by the CPR Tracks and to the west by 14th Street W. Mostly constituted of highrise residential buildings, the neighbourhood had a population of 2,322 in 2012.

Vogue Condominiums: A noteworthy project along 6th Avenue, Vogue will bring a distinctive Art-Deco feeling to the area with a design inspired from the 1930s. A remarkable lobby marked by the red letter V will probably become a notable element of Calgary's Downtown West End, while the stone covering the first floors of the tower will add some warmth to the area. Developed by LaCaille Group, the 34-floor building will be completed by 2017.

Vogue Condominiums in Calgary, image courtesy of LaCaille Group

Avenue West End: Just north on 5th Avenue SW and steps away from the Bow Trail, James Cheng has designed two residential glass towers, which are currently under construction. At 25 and 18 storeys, they will replace what was until recently a parking lot, spanning from 10th Street SW to 9 Street SW. The towers will share a podium and are scheduled for completion in 2016.

Avenue West End in Calgary, image courtesy of James Cheng

We will be back next week with another story about the development of Calgary's downtown neighbourhoods. Meanwhile, additional information and renderings about the projects featured in this article can be found in our dataBase files, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment at the bottom of this page.