Owners in new East Village complex to get bikes, not parking spots

A Calgary developer is seeking approval to build a 300-unit condo complex in the East Village that will not include parking spots for privately-owned vehicles.

However, residents will receive an urban bicycle and a $500 credit towards the car-sharing service Car2Go.

Called N3, the project by Knightsbridge Homes will be located on two parcels of land on Eighth Avenue S.E. near the St. Louis Hotel. The site is close to the LRT line and is intended to be pedestrian-friendly.

Keeps the price down

According to the developer, N3 stands for "New Attitude, New Living, New Vision."  The marketing plan also says N3 can refer to "No Car, No Parking, No Problem." 

Knightsbridge says building the complex without vehicle parking spots will reduce the price of the units, making them more attractive to young people. The units are expected to sell for around $225,000.

If approval is granted, this would be the first time the city has completely relaxed its land use bylaws to permit the construction of a residential complex without parking. 

The head of Calgary's Municipal Land Corporation, Michael Brown, said the N3 project fits the vision of the East Village revitalization.

“The East Village master plan vision places enormous emphasis on the pedestrian experience." he said. "You can see this focus demonstrated across the neighbourhood with pedestrian-only streets, pedestrian bridges, wide sidewalks and public parks designed for resting and visiting."