CALGARY - The west-end gateway to downtown Calgary along 9th Avenue will undergo a massive transformation in the years to come as two major residential projects are planned to revitalize the area.

The Herald has learned that the WAM Development Group is in the initial stages of planning and development for a huge residential condo project, on the site of the current home of the Metro Ford dealership, which will include 1,800 luxury residential suites in four towers located above 150,000 square feet of grade-related retail uses.

WAM declined to comment on the project.

Reg Pattemore, owner of Metro Ford, said the family-owned dealership has been operating on that site, at the corner of 10th Street and 9th Avenue S.W., since 1970.

“We are presently looking to relocate,” said Pattemore. “Our time frame is when we can find commercially-zoned land which is a bit of a challenge.”

West Village Towers is another residential condo tower development planned nearby by Wexford Development Corporation and Cidex Developments, which will include three towers, totalling 575 units with 90,000 square feet of ground floor retail and second level office space, according to Wexford’s website.

The project, at 1110 9th Avenue S.W., has applied for a development permit “and development is expected to commence in late 2014,” said the website.

Wexford and Cidex both declined comment when contacted on Friday.

Ian Meredith, consultant with residential advisory services with the Altus Group, said large available land parcels in the western end of downtown make that area attractive for developers.

“The west end leaves a lot to be desired as it currently sits. It’s a total ghost town for most hours during the day. But with the LRT coming in that west leg expansion and the station just basically being a block north . . . that certainly increases the attractiveness of that particular area. And that LRT station has caused some increase in retail development in that surrounding area as well. Step by step the area is becoming more attractive,” he said.

“The beauty of that high-density stuff is that it really just perpetuates on itself in terms of that high-density development. The one or two will really just help support further retail concentration for the retail development in the area. And that’s really what it needs . . . There are residents down in that area but no street level interaction. It’s just really bland right now and not a super desirable place to be. So it really needs that kickstart and hopefully one of these projects will do that.”

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