Bridgeland Housing: Major Towers Break Ground Next Month

CALGARY, AB — Bridgeland just locked in a significant housing play: two 16-storey towers with 378 condos and rowhomes, plus three street-level storefronts, are breaking ground next month at 35 11A Street NE.

The East Riverside Project, developed by Bucci Developments on land owned by Silvera For Seniors, cleared its final hurdle with Development Permit DP2024-04157. Stripping and grading kick off in March 2026, with completion slated for Q3 2028. That's 378 new units landing in an established neighbourhood hungry for density—and the friction that comes with it.

The Approval Path

This wasn't a rubber stamp. The project required a Land Use Amendment (LOC2024-0074), submitted back in March 2024 by Casola Koppe Architects. The Calgary Planning Commission recommended approval in July 2024, bumping the allowable height from 50 to 52 meters and cranking the Floor Area Ratio from 4.0 to 4.6. City Council gave it three readings. The Planning Department issued the permit.

The towers align with the Municipal Development Plan and the Bridgeland-Riverside Area Redevelopment Plan—the city's blueprint for jamming more people into walkable, transit-friendly zones. Ward 9 Councillor Harrison Clark oversees the file.

The Money

This is private cash, not taxpayer dollars. The project generates development levies and future property tax revenue for the city. Bucci may also tap the Established Area Linear Levy Pilot, a three-year cost-sharing program launched in March 2024 that reimburses developers for certain infrastructure upgrades—essentially a sweetener to encourage inner-city builds.

What It Means for Bridgeland

More rooftops, more retail, more foot traffic. The site was vacant after existing single-storey multi-res buildings were demolished. Now it's 378 households shopping, commuting, and competing for parking. The Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association has been tracking this—exact community stance on the final permit remains unclear—but density debates in established neighbourhoods rarely lack passion.

What's Next

Construction starts in weeks. The clock runs to Q3 2028. Between now and then, watch for infrastructure strain, transit crowding, and the usual growing pains of a neighbourhood rapidly shifting from low-rise to high-density.