River Grande Estates

http://rivergrandeestates.com is the management firm's web site for the development, with a log-on required for in-house communication and access to documents.

Three buildings in a single condo corporation surrounding one very nice garden with pond, footbridge and gazebo, all built in 1999 and 2000 adjacent to Lindsay Park and the Talisman sports centre.

The neighbourhood is only accessed from the south off 26th Avenue, so there is no through traffic whatsoever. The three-phase project occupies an entire city block. Built to a higher standard than average, these homes all have nine-foot-high ceilings, in-floor heating, rounded wall corners, some ceiling arches, natural gas fireplaces and balcony hookups for barbecues. The three lobbies are secured two-storey walkways through to the courtyard garden, while the building exteriors have brick cladding and decorative dormers and gables with oversized balconies. There's titled indoor parking for every suite, some getting two stalls, and lots of indoor guest parking in separated enclosures for each building. Some top-floor suites have skylights and enormous roof-top decks where the buildings step back. This is modern frame construction with engineered floor joists and gypcrete overlay, plus carpet with underlay or floating hardwood floors and six-inch exterior walls. Hallways to suites are extra wide and well decorated. Amenities include extra storage, library rooms, home-theatre rooms, social room with kitchen and a business office. These buildings have a European feel both from the street and within the courtyard. 'Well done.

2320 Erlton Street SW (Phase 1):
The west-facing building is the smallest of the three, housing 47 suites and 56 parking stalls, several of which are oversized or in two-car arrangements, some with private enclosures. Corner suites here measure up to 1,690 sq. ft with two balconies each, and there are four loft suites of up to 1,410 sq. ft, with 290 feet of that being on the upper level, making for grand spaces with two-storey walls of windows over the living areas. There are a few one-bedroom suites of 775 sq. ft, but most are two-bedroom homes of at least 1,000.

59 on 22nd Avenue SW (Phase 2):
The north and east-facing L-shaped building of five floors houses 83 suites, the smallest of which is 689 sq. ft, although this one's a rarity. Most suites are well over 1,000-squar-foot two-bedroom homes, and the largest is a fifth-floor palace of 2,314 sq. ft with a downtown view and a roof-top deck. Five suites enjoy a virtually circular sun room in the building's turret at the south-most corner overlooking and courtyard. Five other suites enjoy a half-circle bay window on the building's north-east corner. One suite spans two levels on the fourth and fifth floors, totalling 1,410 sq. ft. There is room for 92 cars in titled parking stalls, with 26 of those in double-car spaces for 13 suite owners, some of them separately enclosed for added security.

60 on 24th Avenue SW (Phase 3):
The east and south-facing L-shaped building of five floors houses 77 suites, one of which is a two-storey home of 1,431 sq. ft. Most suites are spacious two-bedroom places, with only a few smaller suites in between. There is parkade space for 110 vehicles of residents, plus ample indoor visitor parking, secured and separated from resident parking. Some of the titled parking stalls for owners are extra wide, and 13 are double-car spaces that can accommodate private enclosures within the parkade. As in building two, there is a corner turret so that five suites enjoy a virtually circular sun room, and another corner has a projecting bay window corner that also rises five floors. Two fifth-floor suites have roof-top patios in addition to their balconies, and the larger of these homes sprawls across 2,325 sq. ft PLUS the outdoor space. 'Must be nice.