Latest news with #BryanRomanesky
CBC
16-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Below-market housing to replace LRT parking lot in southeast Calgary
The City of Calgary is moving forward with plans to build a housing complex in place of a park-and-ride lot beside the Franklin LRT Station in the southeast. Onward Homes has been selected to lead the Franklin Station Area Improvements Project, which will see about 350 housing units go up beside the transit stop. The non-profit developer specializes in housing for low-income Calgarians, and said at least half of the units will be provided at below-market rates. "These homes are just steps away from transit, from schools, from services and from a lot of employment centres," said Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek at a media availability on Wednesday. "It will not only bring new homes, but it will also bring upgrades to public spaces, to pedestrian pathways and transit connections to create a safe, vibrant and walkable neighbourhood." Onward Homes plans to build a mix of bachelor and one-to-three-bedroom units at the site, just south of Memorial Drive in Radisson Heights. The developer's board chair, Bryan Romanesky, said detailed design plans likely won't be finished until next year, but according to the city, they could include a pedestrian-focused plaza, public art and street furniture. "This is the kind of place where a single mom can bring their kids to school and possibly go to work without needing a car," said Romanesky. "Our clients generally don't have a car. So we always try to select sites that will give them the opportunity to walk to grocery stores, appointments and so on." The developer owns and operates more than 30 buildings around Calgary. Some of its tenants who are in need of affordable referred by groups like the Canadian Mental Health Association. Onward Homes operates some units designed to accommodate tenants living with brain injuries or people who need other accessibility supports. City council approved a land-use change for the site last November following a public hearing. The city has also gathered feedback on the project through an online survey and in-person events, but Onward Homes said it will launch its own engagement process in the coming months. "What we're creating here is going to be there for another 50 years, if not more," said Romanesky. "We want to make sure that we can bring to Calgarians something they'll be proud of." The project is part of Calgary's Transit-Oriented Development program, which aims to make it easier for residents to use public transportation. The redevelopment project is supported by $9.5 million from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund.
Calgary Herald
14-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Onward Homes to take lead on Franklin LRT park-and-ride housing project
Onward Homes will be the developer tasked with converting one of the park-and-ride lots at the Franklin LRT Station into housing. Article content Article content The developer, which was unveiled Wednesday at city hall, intends to build up to 350 housing units, ranging from one- to three-bedroom apartments, on the lot just south of Memorial Drive. Article content About half of those units will be for below-market rates, catering to seniors, low-income families and tenants with disabilities, said Bryan Romanesky, chair of Onward Homes' board of directors. He added that Onward works with more than 30 service partners to support its most vulnerable tenants. Article content Article content What attracted Onward to the project, Romanesky said, was the site's proximity to Calgary's downtown, as well as other nearby amenities, which include two schools and Marlborough Mall. Article content Article content 'Our clients generally don't have a car, so we always try to select sites that will give them the opportunity to walk to grocery stores, appointments and so on,' he said. 'A transit site just opens up the door for them to reach the whole city, just in their doorstep.' Article content Conceptual design of the future housing site, which will have a maximum height of six storeys, is underway. Site planning and public consultation will continue through this year, Romanesky said, with hopes for construction to start in May 2026. He declined to speculate when the housing would come online, however. Article content 'We'll keep going here as fast as we can,' he said. 'Hopefully we'll be able to provide those units as soon as possible.' Article content Article content The project will be supported by $9.5 million from Calgary's allotment of the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. Article content Mayor Jyoti Gondek touted the city's housing strategy, which includes a directive to leverage city-owned land for housing initiatives, in accelerating the transit-oriented development (TOD) project. Article content The Franklin project will be the city's first attempt at redeveloping a CTrain park-and-ride lot into housing. The development also includes public safety improvements along adjacent Radcliffe Drive S.E. and investments to a public park in Albert Park/Radisson Heights. Article content 'Franklin Station was chosen because it has the ability to connect people to opportunity, to community and to each other,' Gondek said. 'It will not only bring new homes, but it will also bring upgrades to public spaces, to pedestrian pathways and transit connections to create a safe, vibrant and walkable neighbourhood.'
