Hon Towers/Guardian ('first of two)

After the receivership of John Torode's various condo projects in Victoria neighbourhood (also called Victoria Park on the MLS and Victoria Crossing by the local business association) due to the market downturn in 2008-9, Nicholas Hon of Jager Homes bought the westerly balance of the city block that houses the completed Arriva tower (433 Eleventh Avenue, SE). See my Condo Directory page about Arriva.

Mr. Hon told The Calgary Herald in March of 2010 that he plans to build out the block in a few years with two Hon Towers, with suites of smaller floor areas and more affordable than the existing luxury-class Arriva tower. In 2011 plans were grinding their way through city hall for two 42-storey residential towers with, indeed, smaller suites and more of them, requiring additional above-grade parking in addition to the in-ground garage left behind by the Torode development. The first tower will be known as The Guardian. Each of these identical towers is to have 316 suites plus a few townhouses for a total of 642 homes. The podium will also house retail space, several levels of offices and a large sixth-floor recreation centre. The podium and the north-west tower would constitute phase one at Hon Towers.