Chartreuce Lofts (or "Chartreuse")

Now these are COOL! Eleven large loft townhouse-style homes and one baby were built here in 2001 by Calgary's home-grown Battistella Developments, moving on after that to build Orange Lofts, Chocolate and Colours, each an increasingly large-scale development. You can even see the design thinking evolve as you view these buildings. (The colour and liqueur are spelled "chartreuse" with an "s". Perhaps the "c" was more distinctive.)

Set amid the industrial and warehouse buildings of Inglewood bordering the Alyth Industrial area, these two and three-level homes reflect an industrial design. Nine suites are three-level plans ranging from 1,356 through 1,430 square feet, with one clocking in at 1,945 square feet. There are three homes of only two levels, as these are atop the 12 titled-property parking stalls, so lose the basement, but they still offer two-storey window walls in their loft designs, and floor areas of either 945 or 1,146 square feet.

Although there's metal-clad industry across the isolated piece of Seventeenth Avenue S.E., the condominium's triangle of land abuts city park and playground on the north side, giving open views and plenty of light to every home. The 12 suites are grouped into three buildings, making for many corner-set suites and several that receive light from three directions. The development's zoning and Bylaws allow for home-occupation businesses, and there's plenty of parking along Seventeenth Avenue, although I'd petition the City to put in curbs and pave it.

Exterior windows and doors in these dramatic homes are common property for maintenance and eventual replacement. The Condo Plan allocates unit factors in proportion to the size of each suite. I have the Condo Plan on file.