1501 – 1523 33 Ave SW

At Sarina, we care about people and building community. The proposed 1500 building is in one of the most amenity rich communities in Calgary. A few minutes’ walk from the Marda Loop shopping area, a public library, rec center, and a few minutes’ bike ride from the Elbow River, and South Calgary Park, residents will always be able to find something fun and exciting to experience.

Last year, Sarina purchased the five homes between 1505 and 1523 33rd Ave with the intent of developing a contextually sensitive, multi-family project. These lots were consolidated, and a land use redesignation to MU-1f3.6h24 (mixed use, floor area ratio of 3.6 and maximum height of 24 metres) was approved by Calgary City Council on June 4, 2024.

This year, Sarina has acquired the adjacent corner lot at 1501 33rd Ave to further consolidate with the existing parcel. Consequently, Sarina Homes will apply for an identical land use redesignation of MU-1f3.6h24 for the expanded site.

Who We Are

  • i.D. | Inglewood

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  • Avenue 33 | Marda Loop

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  • Coco | Marda Loop

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  • Hana | Killarney

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  • Harrison | Marda Loop

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  • Hudson | Marda Loop

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Benefits Of Redevelopment To Marda Loop

  • Pre-development
    Typical property tax for a bungalow
    = $2,800

  • Post-development #1
    Typical property tax for a semi-detached
    = $7,100

  • Post-development #2
    Typical property tax for an apartment
    building
    = $255,000

1. Increased investment in public amenities.

As shown in this image adapted from the City of Calgary’s North Hill Communities Property Tax Uplift Pilot, more intensive forms of development bring in more property taxes, which in turn “helps demonstrate where and how the established areas are growing, which can be a proxy for investment need”. In other words, projects such as “1500” both call-for AND provide a better return on investment of public money. This is important to keep in mind, as Calgary has 24 main street areas, of which Marda Loop is one. This translates to greater competition for re-investment of property tax revenue in the types of public amenities that support these streets. City council approved the ~$31 million investment in upgrading public amenities and infrastructure along the Marda Loop Main Street precisely because it is an area that is growing fast through increased property tax uplift, thereby justifying the need for more investment to support this ongoing growth.

  • 2. Increased supply of multifamily, smaller scale, apartment-style units

    in response to a crisis-level lack of access to affordable housing and significant pent-up demand, particularly within one of the most desirable areas of Calgary, where demand for this type of housing is high. Over the past year, Calgary experienced record international and interprovincial migration on par with levels seen a decade ago, combined with a steep drop in the housing vacancy rate, thereby highlighting the need for housing supply to better align with this ongoing level of population growth, in order to maintain relative housing affordability.

  • 3. Increased opportunities for community vibrancy and economic growth

    Calgary’s Municipal Development Plan calls for more housing to be located within established, amenity rich areas, such as Marda Loop, as this allows for greater community vibrancy, by allowing more opportunities for residents to live, work and play within a walkable distance (10-15 mins walk) from most of their daily needs. This in turns allows for smaller-scale local businesses more opportunities to thrive, while also creating an environment of greater investment in growing and multiplying such business opportunities in the area.

Why MU-1?

MU-1 is appropriate for this Main Street location as it supports sensitive transitions to nearby lower-intensity development, promotes an active frontage along 33rd Avenue SW, and allows for flexible ground-floor uses such as live-work units.

The proposed density of 3.6 FAR and height of 24 metres aligns with similar nearby developments (e.g., CY33, Ave33, Hudson) and supports the vision for 33rd Avenue as a vibrant, mixed-use corridor. As a gateway site to the eastern edge of Marda Loop, this scale is fitting for its prominent location.

Furthermore, the newly approved West Elbow Local Area Plan identifies the site as Neighbourhood Flex – Low (up to 6 storeys), encouraging a mix of residential and commercial uses, oriented to the street, and mixed either vertically or horizontally. The MU-1 designation aligns well with this policy direction.

It is in keeping  with Calgary’s Municipal Development Plan (MDP) focus of building a sustainable city. In keeping with the direction provided by the MDP, this project:

  • Provides a range of housing opportunities and choices in Marda Loop
  • Supports housing located in walkable environments.
  • Provides support in fostering distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place
  • Directs redevelopment opportunities within existing areas.

It also supports five key directions of the MDP by:

  • Achieving balance of growth between established and greenfield communities
  • Providing more choice within complete communities
  • Directing land use changes within a framework of Activity Centres and Main Streets
  • Linking land use decisions to transit.
  • Helps create Complete Streets.

Location Context

Marda Loop continues to experience growth, and we want to support this growth.
The proposed “1500” is located within an area that is rapidly evolving towards a mid-rise, medium-density environment, as envisioned in the West Elbow Communities Local Area Plan and the Marda Loop Streetscape Master Plan, thereby supporting the continued social and commercial vibrancy of Marda Loop and 33rd Ave Main Street.

Amenity Access

The proposed location of “1500” is surrounded by amazing amenities, many of which are unique to the Marda Loop Communities! We encourage residents in our developments to explore what their communities have to offer by walking or wheeling between locations. To support sustainability and our futures, we locate our developments in locations that decreases vehicle use and congestion.

Guiding Policies

Policy Context

The proposal for 1500 33rd Avenue SW is guided by several key City of Calgary policies, including the Municipal Development Plan (MDP), the Marda Loop Main Streets project, and the West Elbow Local Area Plan (LAP). These documents outline a vision for vibrant, mixed-use, and pedestrian-oriented communities, which this proposal supports. We encourage interested residents to explore these plans to learn more about the City’s long-term goals for Marda Loop and the surrounding area.

The MDP classifies 33rd Avenue SW as a Neighbourhood Boulevard along a Neighbourhood Main Street in Calgary’s inner-city. The proposed development at 1500 33rd Avenue SW is also located along the Primary Transit Network, supporting a higher-intensity, mixed-use built form that is well-connected to transit and active transportation options.

The MDP encourages significant intensification for parcels fronting onto Neighbourhood Boulevards and highlights the need for appropriate transitions between Main Street developments and adjacent residential areas—something the proposed MU-1 district is well-equipped to provide. This land use offers flexibility for mixed-use and live-work units while ensuring scale and interface considerations align with surrounding contexts.

The site is now part of the recently approved West Elbow Local Area Plan (LAP). Within this plan, the site is designated as Neighbourhood Flex – Low (up to 6 storeys). This category envisions a mix of residential and commercial uses in low-rise buildings that are oriented to the street. Uses may include retail, office, personal services, institutional facilities, recreation, and housing—integrated either vertically within a building or horizontally across a block.

The Marda Loop Area Redevelopment Plan (MLARP) and the South Calgary/Altadore ARP previously guided development in this area. However, the ARP from 1986 is now outdated, and the MLARP does not include this site. The West Elbow LAP now provides the most current and detailed planning direction for the area.

We encourage all residents to explore the West Elbow LAP. To learn more about the MU-1 land use district, please refer to the City of Calgary Land Use Bylaw for permitted uses and development guidelines.

Proposed Designs

We will update this section as the site designs progress further.

Application Recap

Rezone one corner parcel, address 1501 33 Ave SW, currently zoned Residential – Grade-Oriented Infill (R-CG) to MU-1f3.6h24, to align with the 5 lots immediately to the west, and to allow for mixed-use multi-residential development with greater contextual height (up to 24 metres) and density (floor area ratio of 3.6).

Guiding Policies

Reports

Relevant reports will be added to this section as this application progresses.

Timeline

2025

Ongoing signage and website updates
June
June
Flyer mailout
Development Permit submission
June
July
Calgary Planning Commission hearing
Ongoing Website updates
August
September
Council public hearing
Development Permit (DP) engagement
October
October
Development Permit response to comments
DP Approval
December

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the height of the proposed building 1500?
The rezoning request is for a maximum height of 24m, which allows for up to 6 storeys at its highest point. This doesn’t mean a 6 storey monolith, as the building will be carved out using a series of setbacks and stepbacks on the upper storeys, allowing it to be experienced differently depending on your vantage point.

What does Floor Area Ratio (FAR) mean?
The floor-to-area ratio, also known as the FAR, is a term used to describe the relationship between the size of a building’s floor area and the size of the land it is built on.

Imagine you have a piece of land where you want to build a house. The FAR tells you how much floor area you can have compared to the size of the land. It is like arule that helps determine how big or small your building can be.

For example, let’s say the FAR for a particular area is 1. This means that you can have a total floor area that is equal to the size of the land itself. So, if you have a plot of land that is 1,000 square feet, the maximum floor area you can build on that land would also be 1,000 square feet

If the FAR is greater than 1, it means you can build more floor area than the size of the land. For instance, if the FAR is 2, you can build a total floor area that is twice the size of the land. In our previous example, with a 1,000 square feet plot of land, you could construct a building with a floor area of up to 2,000 square feet.

On the other hand, if the FAR is less than 1, it means you can build less floor area than the size of the land. For instance, if the FAR is 0.5, you can only use half of the land’s size as the maximum floor area. So, with our 1,000 square feet plot of land, you could only build a structure with a floor area of up to 500 square feet.

The proposed design doesn’t include key elements I believe are important. How can I share my suggestions with the project team?
Please refer to our Engagement Opportunities page to attend an event, sign up to receive regular updates, and/or connect with Srimal at
[email protected]

Sarina Homes has built or is proposing to build a lot of multi-residential buildings in Marda Loop. Which of the existing Sarina Homes projects has inspired this project?
Sarina is committed to projects that bring overall value to the area and contribute to its continued vibrancy. Each project is unique and incremental learnings from each are progressively applied in order to constantly improve the final product, and continue to move forward the ongoing evolution of the built fabric in Marda Loop.

Sarina Homes cares about people and building strong communities. How has Sarina Homes applied this in Marda Loop?
Sarina’s existing and ongoing developments have diversified the housing and commercial mix in the area, brought in more residents to support existing businesses, and encouraged development of more commercial opportunities, while moving forward the physical, social and economic development associated with a main street. We also make other tangible investments in the community through sponsoring events such Marda Gras on an ongoing basis.

How does Sarina Homes strive to produce high quality homes?
Sarina Homes draws inspiration from best practices across all disciplines involved in the Development process. As the General Contractor and Developer, we are able to tightly control the project from the very start to finish, thereby ensuring a quality final product.

How is Sarina responding to ongoing feedback?
We consider all feedback provided and strive to respond in a robust way, either by making changes where possible, and providing a rationale where significant changes may not be called for. Please refer to our first What We Heard report for where we are at right now.

We want to hear from you!

Based on the information you have read, are there parts of the proposal that we can improve on? If so, what recommendations would you make?

    Engagement Opportunities

    TBA