South Health Campus anchors diverse southeast-Calgary communities

Right now, it takes Michael John Suva 30 to 45 minutes on public transit to commute from his home in Shawnessy to his job as a nursing attendant at Calgary's South Health Campus (SHC), the city's newest hospital, located in the deep southeast.

"It's not close enough," said Suva.

Reducing power consumption is easier than you think

What if we told you that with a few simple changes, you could cut your household electricity consumption in half? It's possible, and Ron Kube is living proof.

Kube recently installed a solar-power system on his St. Albert home. But before going solar, he checked to see how much electricity his home was using. He was shocked to discover his family was using 70 per cent more than the Alberta average of 7,200 kilowatt hours per year – they were energy hogs.

Alberta's agricultural heritage defines thriving Strathmore

The Town of Strathmore has a rich and varied history – a history that was built on agriculture and community spirit.

"Quality is a way of life here in Strathmore," said Strathmore Mayor Michael Ell. "It just has that small-town feel to it and it is a friendly, caring community."

Battistella Developments raises the bar for architectural design in the Calgary condo market

Battistella Developments' condo highrises are marked by explosive colour and sharp artistry, boldly standing in several trendy neighbourhoods across Calgary's urban core.

Their names – and striking architecture – have become iconic: Orange, Chocolate, Chartreuce, Brunette, Ink, Pixel and Colours.

The goal is to bring something unique to the market, "every single time," said Chris Pollen, Battistella's director of sales and marketing.

Selection, convenience and one-of-a-kind design continue to draw crowds to CrossIron Mills 

Bigger isn't always better. However, CrossIron Mills is a classic example of the perfect combination of quantity and quality. The ambitious retail development has enjoyed smooth sailing, even through periods of economic downturn, and become the go-to shopping centre for area residents and visitors alike.

Located in Rocky View County, just north of Calgary on Highway 2, CrossIron Mills occupies 1.4 million square feet across 674 acres of land. It offers 200 specialty stores and premium-brand outlets, as well as 17 large-format anchor stores.

While mall patrons sing its praises, some feared the timing of its launch in 2009 might start things off on the wrong foot.

Kipp McGonigal and his family built their forever home at Cooper's Crossing

With a background in cabinetmaking and a flair for design, it's no wonder that Kipp McGonigal is passionate about architecture. So, when it came time to build his family's dream home, he turned to McKee Homes, an Airdrie-based design/build firm he had worked with previously to great success.

With four kids ages eight through 11 and a pet bunny, the McGonigals wanted to create a family-friendly space in a family-friendly neighbourhood. It also needed to be a home that could take McGonigal and his wife through their retirement years. They found the perfect lot, located on a park in the Airdrie community of Cooper's Crossing, and set their long-awaited plan into motion.

Inventory increases and sales drop in September, but overall sales for the year remain higher than last year

Strong gains in the first half of 2017 have put Calgary year-to-date sales at seven per cent above last years' levels and 11 per cent below long-term averages, but challenges remain with easing sales and rising new listings.

Inventories rose across all property types to 6,861 units, while both apartment- and attached-style properties saw the highest inventory on record for the month of September.

City continues process of intensification, as communities adjust to higher-density living

For a long time, news stories about development in Calgary tended to paint a picture of a city growing out of control, with headlines like "Calgary battles urban sprawl" or "Calgary versus the car: the city that declared war on urban sprawl."

Rylan Graham, an instructor in the University of Calgary's Faculty of Environmental Design, says after the Second World War, much of the population growth in cities occurred on the urban-rural fringe.

"This is the form of growth that is often connected with the term urban sprawl," he said. "Generally, planning has come to recognize the ills of urban sprawl – that it is unsustainable socially, economically and environmentally."