A local developer has been chosen to develop the next perpetually affordable home ownership project for Canmore Community Housing Corporation.
A local developer has been chosen to develop the next perpetually affordable home ownership project for Canmore Community Housing Corporation.
Distinctive Homes, a Canmore-based builder and developer, was announced last week as being the successful applicant to go through a request for proposal process with CCHC.
CCHC managing director Dougal Forteath said the process to choose a partner to develop the old daycare lands, or Larch Park area, began in September last year with a process to determine who was qualified to undertake and interested in the project.
The process involved an expression of interest during which eight companies competed, a request for proposal process during which three shortlisted companies continued and after a board decision to choose one, a contract negotiation process.
The evaluation involved a subcommittee made up of CCHC board members, town of Canmore staff and two members of the surrounding neighbourhood and resulted in selection of the local developer, which is working in partnership with Marshall Tittemore Architects on the project. The total cost of the project is currently estimated at $16.3 million.
“I would say the evaluation process determined the submission from Distinctive Homes and Marshall Tittemore Architects best suited our criteria and complemented an existing neighbourhoods character,” Forteath said. “We are also pleased with the price points that we consider to be a foundation of this proposal.
“First and foremost, the board wanted to ensure the development that proceeded best met the needs of the community and complements the community's character. The fact that it is a local developer simply adds value to that decision, as it will also create local jobs.”
The process to develop the land has not been without objection by residents of the surrounding neighbourhoods, as many see the property as vital green space and refer to it as Larch Park.
The one hectare piece of land, which was recently sold to CCHC by the Town of Canmore for $1.3 million, is located at the corner of 17th Street and 11th Avenue. It formed part of a piece of municipal reserve property, but was subdivided from it and zoned as a direct control district by council for the purpose of developing affordable housing.
The proposed development for the site includes 49 units that would be made up of a mix of townhouses (17), stacked townhouses (24) and duplexes (eight). Forteath said the mix of units is targeted towards families in the community.
It includes 12 two-bedroom units ranging from 980 to 1,114 square feet and 37 three-bedroom units ranging from 1,303 to 1,440 in square feet. Prices start at $280,000 for the two bedrooms and $370,000 for three bedrooms.
A development permit is still required and Forteath said CCHC and Distinctive are hosting an open house next Thursday (June 22) from 6-8 p.m. at St. Michael's Anglican Church Hall. He said layouts of the units, price ranges, and information about CCHC's perpetually affordable housing program will be available for anyone in the community interested in learning more.
“The open house isn't just for those interested in pursuing an application for perpetually affordable housing, it is for all residents of the community,” he said.
Distinctive Homes builder Bob Kocian sat on CCHC's board of directors, but stepped down from that role before the process began to seek interested companies for the project.
Another employee from Distinctive was also on the board of CCHC, but after moving from the community gave notice they were leaving the board and were not involved in the selection process.
The overall project is also being supported by a council debenture borrowing bylaw to provide a construction loan guarantee for a portion of the funds needed by CCHC to undertake the project.
The bylaw received first reading in April and third reading more recently. However, it is subject to a legal challenge by a local resident.
Jan Tafel served the municipality with notice of a judicial review she is requesting take place by a judge from the Court of Queen's Bench on the borrowing bylaw.
General manager of municipal infrastructure Michael Fark said it is too soon to speak to how the legal challenge might affect the project, as the municipality does not intend to take out a loan, only guarantee one, for purposes of construction.
“At this point I would prefer not to comment on that because we just received this last night,” Fark said. “We have not had an opportunity to discuss it with legal counsel.”
The approved bylaw guarantees a maximum of 35 per cent, or not more than $5.7 million, of the construction financing being taken by CCHC to construct the project.
The judicial review application is set for July 12 at the Court of Queen's Bench in Calgary.
