New purpose-built development proposed near Sunnyside CTrain station in Kensington

A new, purpose-built development could be coming to Calgary’s Kensington community.

JEMM Properties has proposed a rental apartment building at at 1001 3rd Avenue NW and 335 9A Street NW, across the street from the Kensington Safeway grocery store.

The building would be bordered to the north by the Safeway, to the east by 9A Street and the CTrain Line, to the west by a public laneway, and to the south by the Annex-Minto Sales Centre, according to JEMM’s website.

This proposed site is close to the two busy areas of 10th Street NW and Kensington Road NW, and nearby the Sunnyside CTrain Station, Riley Park, and the Bow River, along with many other community amenities.

Potential future site of Kensington 9A (JEMM Properties)

“Already a vibrant inner-city neighbourhood, the proposed development will further solidify Kensington as one of Calgary’s most complete communities,” reads JEMM’s website.

Given this location, says JEMM, the project has an opportunity to enable transit-oriented development, which would fulfill the vision of the Hillhurst-Sunnyside Area Redevelopment Plan.

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In addition to being extremely transit-friendly, the aim is to create a pedestrian-oriented design. Plus, the subject site is also close to the 9A Street NW bike lane.

This would help provide easy connections to Calgary’s broader network of pathways, including the Bow River pathway, Peace Bridge, and downtown bike routes.

Potential future site of Kensington 9A (JEMM Properties)

JEMM says that increasing housing density in this area will encourage transit ridership and utilization of walking paths and cycling routes to access employment and community amenities, which will “reduce the number of cars on our streets and ultimately the environmental footprint.”

The Development Vision for the proposed site was formed through consideration of the rich context and history of the site. As 3rd Avenue and 9A Street are very different in both scale and pedestrian experiences, the design must respond to the interface requirements accordingly.

JEMM will do this by implementing setbacks, podiums, balconies, and detailing elements for a one-of-a-kind cohesive design. Brick, wood-look metal, fibre cement panels, and custom metal guardrails are some of the materials being considered for the building.

Rendering of Kensington 9A (JEMM Properties)

Community benefit is also a factor, to add increased density and value to the redevelopment.

Current ideas to add to the community benefit of the building include a public art mural on the apartment’s south side, an art piece commemorating the historic significance of the site, and a contribution to the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association Amenity Fund.

Rendering of Kensington 9A (JEMM Properties)

The development vision was crafted in January 2022, and a land-use application was submitted in March.

This spring, there will be a public consultation, and the application will be circulated for a downtown residential response. From there, the proposal will be put in front of the Calgary Planning Commission, and there will be a City Council Public Hearing about the project in fall 2022.