When Canada’s Department of National Defense decided that it no longer needed 90,000 square feet of storage space in an armory on the east side of Calgary, local real estate developer Macdonald DND swooped in with plans to repurpose the facility by subdividing the space into 10 units.
The developer purchased the two-floor building at 1209-1229 38 Av NE in August 2021 for $5.2 million and set out to gut the structure, replacing electricity, plumbing, lighting, while moving walls and adding sprinklers. The crews also added LED lighting and new signage and upgraded walkways and the parking lot.
A group of real estate professionals familiar with the Calgary market awarded the project a 2024 CoStar Impact Award for the redevelopment of the year in the Calgary area.
About the Project: Developer Macdonald DND worked with construction crews from Mint Project Ltd. on a 16-month rebuild project that was challenged by supply chain issues that reigned throughout the period. Macdonald DND has since sold seven of its 10 newly created individual industrial condo bays, injecting new life and purpose to the former government military structure.
What the Judges Said: “This transformation has likely contributed to increased vibrancy and economic activity in the market or submarket. Through new ownership and repurposing, the project has diversified the property, attracting fresh industries and partnerships, fostering overall growth,” said Gabriel Millard, senior vice president at Avenue Living.
They Made It Happen: Developer Macdonald DND and builder Mint Project Ltd. received help from a sales and leasing team led by Avenue Commercial’s Mike Blayney, whose efforts helped in the sale of seven of the 10 units.