Varsity Towers

Built as rental towers in 1978, these three buildings with a single address were condo-converted and high-end renovated in 2000-01 by Cathy and Don Niefer, who had already built the Point on the Bow and Eau Claire Lookout towers in Eau Claire neighbourhood. The Neifers targetted well-off empty-nesters with a resort-style development at Varsity Towers, and a high-end approach to maintenance and services continues today, meaning condo contributions are higher than average, but they pay for all the amenities and also for electricity used inside every suite.

The amenities include around-the-clock security, an indoor pool with skylights, hot tubs, a gym with steam rooms, a library, a business centre, games room, crafts room and guest suites. In the various gardens are seating areas, fountains, and a putting green. There are barbecues available for all residents on great roof-top patios atop all three buildings, and from here--as from many suites--are great views west and south to the Rocky Mountains. The three towers have nice lobbies, highlighted with huge aquariums. The parking is largely indoors and heated, with storage lockers for many suites, but there is also extra outdoor parking, so that many suites have both an indoor and an outdoor stall.

There are 175 suites at Varsity Towers in the three buildings of similar layouts. The main lobby, security desk and recreation facilities are in the north-most building facing Varsity Drive, while the south-most building fronts onto Valiant Drive. There's a driveway along the east side of the property, giving access to the 50 or more assigned outdoor parking stalls. The indoor parking and storage extends under virtually the entire property and has a car-wash bay. All parking stalls--whether indoor or outside--and all lockers, are assigned common property, surveyed and numbered on the Condo Plan so their assignments will be permanent and assured.

Two items are of note on the Condo Plan. First, every suite's exterior windows and doors are the suite owner's responsiblity to maintain and replace, should that ever be necessary. Second, unit factors were allocated to each suite, "...based on the potential value of the unit." While I see that unit factors largely are in proportion to the size of each suite, the UF can vary up to 25 or perhaps 30%, so the upper-floor and best view suites are likely paying higher condo contributions to that extent. This is either fair, if you support the concept of progressive taxation, or unfair, if you're a flat-tax-thinking person.

The renovations done in these buildings were nicely high-end in a selection of neutral tones. Because the towers dated from 1978, though, the new Board of owners who had bought in soon decided to upgrade the rather slow original elevators and to replace some water-pipe systems, which every building needs as it approaches its 30th birthday. Suite range from large to larger; up to 2,646 square feet, but many two-bedroom homes are in the 900 to 1,250 square-foot range.

Varsity Towers is not a low-cost place to live, but it offers the floor areas, sense of community, amenities, views, security and north-west location that those who can afford it certainly enjoy. If your kids have all left home and you've sold the rambling north-west paid-off house for a bag of cash, this development should be on your to-consider list. I have on file all original marketing materials, floor plans and the Condo Plan.