Groves of Varsity | 40M, 40M, 25M, 25M, 15m | 12fl, 12fl, 8fl, 8fl, 6fl | UC/proposed

Chadillaccc · #1 Posted **Dec 5, 2013, 9:53 PM**

I figured this development deserves its own thread as it is a pretty big deal for the expansion of urbanity and highrise density in this city.

Development website here: http://www.grovesofvarsity.com/grove...5.html?id=home

http://vimeo.com/48875550

http://www.grovesofvarsity.com/grove...index5c2a.html

Towers 1, 2, and 3 under construction!

by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

Calgarian · #2 Posted **Dec 5, 2013, 11:49 PM**

Varsity has great density and is the right use for that area, too bad it's so ugly though. Statesman (the developer) really does have a hard on for that fake history BS, though this is a lot better than building 1 at Riverside Quays (now SoBow)

Chadillaccc · #3 Posted **Dec 6, 2013, 12:01 AM**

I see what you mean. I'll give it one thing though, at least there's no stucco, there's tons of real brick, and the top 3 floors are curtainwall. I actually like it.

Calgarian · #4 Posted **Dec 6, 2013, 12:08 AM**

Yeah and it's not that brutal orange brick either.

Tropics · #5 Posted **Dec 6, 2013, 11:40 PM**

Looks like a hospital/medical center.

Chadillaccc · #6 Posted **Dec 6, 2013, 11:46 PM**

The 4th building will be a seniors residence I'm sure providing some of their medical needs. The fifth building (the shortest) will be part office, so perhaps it will have a doctors or dentists office in it. That's about as close as it gets to medical centre though.

TallBob · #7 Posted **Dec 7, 2013, 7:27 AM**

Please, stay away from too much brown and orange!!! Please!

Chadillaccc · #8 Posted **Dec 12, 2013, 7:00 PM**

It looks like they are already starting foundation pouring for tower 4 in the complex. I just noticed today a concrete pour ongoing in the far back end of the site which I hadn't noticed any activity going on in. It looks like there was an excavator down there too, it looked to be 20 feet deep or so, so maybe they were installing the base for a 3rd crane at the site. If so, wow, I never expected this development to get fully built out this quick. Just for reference, tower 4 is the seniors residence, and it looks to be about 8 storeys total.

jsbertram · #9 Posted **Dec 14, 2013, 1:10 AM**

The site plan on their website:

link : http://www.grovesofvarsity.com/grove...cation-map.jpg

I was at first confused about the site (remembering when it was the old Crowchild Inn), and then realised the "Crowchild Square" site west of it isn't part of this development.

So it appears the buildings along Crowchild are being completed first, followed by the buildings closer to the 53rd St / Varsity Dr intersection.

Bigtime · #10 Posted **Dec 18, 2013, 2:30 PM**

I drive by this almost every Sunday as we go up to my parents place for dinner. Tower one seemed like it was taking forever and then all of a sudden you have two more starting to go.

Not a fan of the look, but the density it is bringing nice and close to the LRT station is nice to see.

tdurden5573 · #11 Posted **Dec 18, 2013, 11:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I drive by this almost every Sunday as we go up to my parents place for dinner. Tower one seemed like it was taking forever and then all of a sudden you have two more starting to go.

Not a fan of the look, but the density it is bringing nice and close to the LRT station is nice to see.

There have been major delays on this project, I suspect 3-6 months behind schedule. Original possession dates for tower 1 were this month. Im sure this weather doesnt help, every morning there is a team out there trying to shovel and air-spray the snow from within the rebar forms.

That being said I do like the development, its the right size and scale for the area and mixes well with the existing community. 53rd street is already a bit of a disaster with traffic on the crowchild overpass so I suspect the city will have to make two lanes coming into varsity (currently there is only 1 and it backs up during peak times).

The original plan included crowchild square and the church. It was a huge development that was much too big considering the road access.

What I would like to see is higher density at Dalhousie station. With 4 roads in and out, grocery store and restaurants, that area is ripe for a few mid-rises above the existing buildings (specifically the strip from Earls to Husky).

As Chadillaccc mentioned, the buildings should start to look nicer once the final glazing is installed, it currently looks a bit 70s.

MasterG · #12 Posted **Dec 19, 2013, 12:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdurden5573

There have been major delays on this project, I suspect 3-6 months behind schedule. Original possession dates for tower 1 were this month. Im sure this weather doesnt help, every morning there is a team out there trying to shovel and air-spray the snow from within the rebar forms.

That being said I do like the development, its the right size and scale for the area and mixes well with the existing community. 53rd street is already a bit of a disaster with traffic on the crowchild overpass so I suspect the city will have to make two lanes coming into varsity (currently there is only 1 and it backs up during peak times).

The original plan included crowchild square and the church. It was a huge development that was much too big considering the road access.

What I would like to see is higher density at Dalhousie station. With 4 roads in and out, grocery store and restaurants, that area is ripe for a few mid-rises above the existing buildings (specifically the strip from Earls to Husky).

As Chadillaccc mentioned, the buildings should start to look nicer once the final glazing is installed, it currently looks a bit 70s.

A horribly ugly, but excellent development. Does all the right things but looks like a pile of garbage. I wonder what architects/developer think when they design something like this? Do they know the building is ugly?

Full Mountain · #13 Posted **Dec 19, 2013, 3:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdurden5573

There have been major delays on this project, I suspect 3-6 months behind schedule. Original possession dates for tower 1 were this month. Im sure this weather doesnt help, every morning there is a team out there trying to shovel and air-spray the snow from within the rebar forms.

That being said I do like the development, its the right size and scale for the area and mixes well with the existing community. 53rd street is already a bit of a disaster with traffic on the crowchild overpass so I suspect the city will have to make two lanes coming into varsity (currently there is only 1 and it backs up during peak times).

The original plan included crowchild square and the church. It was a huge development that was much too big considering the road access.

What I would like to see is higher density at Dalhousie station. With 4 roads in and out, grocery store and restaurants, that area is ripe for a few mid-rises above the existing buildings (specifically the strip from Earls to Husky).

As Chadillaccc mentioned, the buildings should start to look nicer once the final glazing is installed, it currently looks a bit 70s.

Interesting tidbit that most may not know is that the church once proposed a seniors building in their parking lot (East side by the townhomes) but got shot down by the city over parking issues

tdurden5573 · #14 Posted **Dec 19, 2013, 4:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterG

A horribly ugly, but excellent development. Does all the right things but looks like a pile of garbage. I wonder what architects/developer think when they design something like this? Do they know the building is ugly?

Statesman knows their market, its a seniors complex and a mature luxury condo development, so this is as stylish as it gets. I also think they tried to appease the residents around there who were no wanting a University City looking tower going in.

I agree completely though, its not the most attractive looking building at the moment.

jsbertram · #15 Posted **Dec 19, 2013, 10:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdurden5573

Statesman knows their market, its a seniors complex and a mature luxury condo development, so this is as stylish as it gets. I also think they tried to appease the residents around there who were no wanting a University City looking tower going in.

I agree completely though, its not the most attractive looking building at the moment.

Looking at the other properties listed on their website, Statesman seems to know their market is "Retirement Condo to Nursing Home".
It appears the fourth building on the site will be for seniors who need daily nursing care, but not enough to need a long-term hospital bed.

Chadillaccc · #16 Posted **Jan 8, 2014, 7:54 AM**

Tower 2 moving with haste! Almost topped out!

IMG_20140107_100226 by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

Chadillaccc · #17 Posted **Jan 15, 2014, 7:20 PM**

Tower 2 is beginning pouring the floor of the 8th and final habitable floor this week.

After that, tower 3 should rocket right up. That area is going to be quite dense I think. I look forward to the Dalhousie strip-mall area to be developed with towers in the future.

Deepstar · #18 Posted **Jan 16, 2014, 6:21 PM**

Thanks for all these updates Chadillac! It;s amazing that Tower II is almost topped out and Tower I is still screwing around with cladding.

Chadillaccc · #19 Posted **Feb 6, 2014, 12:09 AM**

Tower II is now topped out, and it looks like the entire ground level of Tower III is ready to go. All of the re-bar is at the surface. Tower 4 looks to be almost at the surface too.

Varsity by Chadillaccc, on Flickr

Deepstar · #20 Posted **Feb 6, 2014, 5:28 PM**

Making good progress on Tower II, Tower I is taking a long time.