<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
    <channel>
        <atom:link href="https://www.airdrierealestate.ca/blog/2016-08/rss/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
        <title>Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>https://www.airdrierealestate.ca/blog/2016-08/</link>
        <description></description>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.airdrierealestate.ca/blog/commercial-construction-carries-on-in-airdrie-during-sketchy-economy.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.airdrierealestate.ca/blog/commercial-construction-carries-on-in-airdrie-during-sketchy-economy.html</link>
        <title>Commercial construction carries on in Airdrie during sketchy economy</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
The sounds of construction ring out across south west Airdrie.  The plaza known as Cooper’s Town Promenade is in mid-build and right on schedule, taking up five-hectares of land in the upscale neighbourhood of Cooper’s Crossing.


WestMark Holding Ltd., developer of the commercial project destined to open next year, is planning for Airdrie’s future and the current economic situation is just a distraction.


Paul Gerla, the general manager of the firm, told the local newspaper that he had a vision to create an exciting shopping experience in that end of the city and is prepared to see it through. Cooper’s Town Promenade will have a grocery store and other recession-proof businesses such as a day care and medical services. These are resilient businesses that will produce traffic for other tenants in the plaza. WestMark hopes to attract boutique-style retailers, coffee shops and new restaurants.


It will be a premier destination for the Airdrie community of Cooper’s Crossing as well as other communities up and along 8 St SW as well as 40 Ave SW, both very vibrant and energetic residential and commercial corridors on the city’s south end where more than 10,000 people live within a kilometre radius.  When the nearby Airdrie communities are completely built that number should rise to 20,000.


WestMark has partnered with Ronmore Developers Inc. who is in charge of the design and construction co-ordination.  The new promenade will be an open-air shopping plaza in keeping with the upscale nature of Cooper’s Crossing.  It will be one of those attractive shopping plazas that passers-by will want to stop and check out.


Two design elements that will easy traffic flow and bring more people into the space are the immediate connection with the nearby park and the road navigation in, out and even within the shopping centre.


WestMark is proceeding with its developers with optimism, an attribute that city officials say seems to be prevalent in Airdrie.


In fact, Airdrie’s economic development office just released a report that says local commercial firms have kept at least 87 of staff.  Of the 76 Airdrie firms which participated in the city’s survey, 25 said they are still hiring and 13 indicated they have had to lay people off.


Kent Rupert, economic development team leader for the City of Airdrie said his department has been watching new business licenses coming in and said activity has been “fairly decent”.  It’s no surprise that business continues to grow in the city, as Alberta Venture Magazine rated Airdrie as one of our nation’s best places to open a business.  A growing population, relatively low taxes and partnership programs with the City are just some of the reason’s why.


It’s not just Cooper’s Town Promenade that is going gang busters.  Sierra Springs next to the highway is still growing with more stores and services scheduled to open early next year.  Another commercial district is on the books for 8 St SW in Airdrie’s Midtown neighbourhood.  Appropriately called Midtown Plaza there will be some light-density development and as many as 800 residential units when it’s all wrapped up.   This area will be a nice addition to Creekside Crossing as well as Bayside Village and will feature more restaurants, more coffee shops and retail shopping experiences.


Kings View Market over on the east side of Airdrie opened in 2010 but there is more development taking place with the addition of 332,000 square feet of commercial space available for lease.


City officials say the vacancy rate for commercial space is about 2.6 .  With all the new developments coming on stream in the next 12 months that might rise to 4.5 but still a manageable number.


If anything has slowed down within the last year it has been industrial projects. Part of this issue has been lack of physical space within the city limits; however, the city says that should all change within the next few years.
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 29 Aug 2016 16:44:00 -0600</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.airdrierealestate.ca/blog/empty-bowls-fill-need-for-many-in-airdrie.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.airdrierealestate.ca/blog/empty-bowls-fill-need-for-many-in-airdrie.html</link>
        <title>Empty bowls fill need for many in Airdrie</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
There’s a famous line from the musical “Oliver”, where Oliver Twist stands in front of the stout Mr. Bumble with a bowl in his hands, hoping for second serving of gruel.


“Please sir, can I have some more?”


An empty bowl reminds us of hunger – not only in Charles Dicken’s day but throughout the modern world right now.   And that includes right here in Airdrie.


With the current economic slump, the demands on Food Banks throughout Alberta is great.  Keeping the shelves stocked this year has been a challenge which is why the Airdrie Food Bank is asking for help.


One way Airdrie residents can assist is by attending the 10th Annual Airdrie Empty Bowl Arts Festival on Saturday, Sept. 10 at the Food Bank from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  This event is part fundraiser for the Food Bank and part donor appreciation event which that takes place annually around the world.   Donated pottery bowls, created by local artisans, filled with locally-made soup, also donated, are sold for $20 which is the suggested donation.  Donations over and above this amount are gratefully appreciated. Many of the bowls are created during separate fundraising events in support of the arts community in Airdrie and area as well as the Food Bank.


Empty Bowl Festival origins


Empty Bowl events have been held throughout the world for the past 26 years.  The first was in Michigan when a high school art teacher was looking for a creative way for his students to get involved with a food drive.  Throwing bowls and decorating them in the classroom as a contribution to a fundraising meal was what the teacher and students came up with.  At the fundraiser, guests “purchased” a bowl of soup and could then keep the bowl.  The bowl would serve as a reminder that while many are able to purchase a bowl of soup whenever they wanted, there was hunger in the world.


The idea caught on, and today Empty Bowl events are fundraisers that have raised millions of dollars for soup kitchens as well as Food Banks and other charitable organizations that fight hunger.


Spokespeople at the Airdrie Food Bank say the Empty Bowl Festival on Sept. 10 will be more than a fundraiser.  It will also serve as a thank you to the Airdrie community for its support year-round.


In addition to bowls of soup, there will be children’s activities, demonstrations by local pottery artisans, live music and a silent auction.


The Airdrie Food Bank first held an Empty Bowls Festival in 2007 and it was a hit.  The following year they obtained a Canada Heritage grant which enabled them to expand and attract more festival-goers, increasing the number of bowls they were able to sell.


By 2013, the year of the Alberta floods, the Airdrie Food Bank used the festival to support other communities in need throughout the province.  The event had been held in Nose Creek Park until last year when it was moved to the Airdrie Food Bank’s new facility at 20 East Lake Way. 
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Thu, 18 Aug 2016 08:23:00 -0600</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.airdrierealestate.ca/blog/airdrie-foodies-rejoice-in-expanded-food-offerings-at-cross-iron-mills.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.airdrierealestate.ca/blog/airdrie-foodies-rejoice-in-expanded-food-offerings-at-cross-iron-mills.html</link>
        <title>Airdrie foodies rejoice in expanded food offerings at Cross Iron Mills</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
Residents of Airdrie are minutes from Cross Iron Mills, one of the largest indoor shopping malls in Alberta. Due to the popularity of the complex, it was deemed necessary to upgrade and enlarge the food court after just seven years in operation.   It took two years of planning and now the food court has now reopened as Food Hall.  Cross Iron Mills recently celebrated it’s grand opening with a variety of new offerings at the new Food Hall which is located close to the theatres.


Renovated at a cost of $600 million, there is now room for 1,400 patrons which is 29 more seating than what was available in the old food court facility, which has been closed. The 46,000 square foot space where the old food court used to be will be overhauled to create space for more retail clothing stores.  It should be ready next year.  The decision to redevelop the Food Hall and create more retail space was made just before the bottom fell out of the oil sector in our province. 


Three of the new vendors at Cross Iron Mills’ Food Mall is Popbar, Chachi’s Sandwich Bar and Big Smoke Burger.  Many of the older favourites popular with Airdrie shoppers are Jimmy the Greek, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and the always reliable Subway.


From an environment point of view, the new Food Hall is better space for vendors with better waste disposal facilities including recycling for organic waste and cooking oil.


The creation of this new Food Hall space adds to the attraction of Cross Iron Mills, creating a destination experience for Airdrie residents and Calgarians who like to make a trip to the mall a whole day affair.  Residents of Airdrie are less than a kilometre away.  Calgary shoppers are invited to use the Shopping Shuttle offered by Cross Iron Mills this summer only, with door-to-door service from the Calgary Tower or from the Calgary Airport.  Round-trip tickets are $15 and kids aged 5 and under ride for free.


About Cross Iron Mills


Hailed as one of the most fascinating shopping malls in the West, CrossIron Mills was built in 2009 in Rocky View County south of Airdrie to serve a trading area of about 3.5 million residents.  It is 1.12 million square feet in size with more than 200 stores and services. The entire mall covers 674 acres.  Built by Quebec-based Ivanhoe Cambridge, it was built at a remarkable time when shopping districts were a popular alternative to shopping malls.  It is in fact the largest one-storey shopping mall in the province.


Cross Iron Mills was built to reflect Alberta.  The design features, the architecture and the “neighbourhoods” throughout the indoor space.  There are six themes evident showcasing Alberta’s stunning geography, like the Fossil Neighbourhood with a kids play area.  There is a mother’s nursing room and strollers can be rented at the information centre for a nominal cost. Cross Iron Mills honours Alberta landmarks and culture icons including our sports heroes.


 


 
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 09 Aug 2016 16:42:00 -0600</pubDate>
</item>
    </channel>
</rss>