Navigating Calgary's Middle Housing Landscape Post-Blanket Zoning Repeal

By Stephen Barnecut

Calgary’s housing policy environment has experienced significant shifts over recent years. Middle housing—low-rise multi-family options like rowhouses, townhomes, and duplexes—remains at the centre of discussions surrounding density, affordability, and urban infill.

The Rise and Fall of Blanket Rezoning

In response to acute housing supply shortages and surging population growth, Calgary City Council approved a citywide land-use amendment in mid-2024. This "blanket rezoning" policy automatically converted standard low-density residential zones (such as R-C1 and R-C2) to R-CG (Residential – Grade-Oriented Infill). The objective was to eliminate planning friction, allowing rowhouses and secondary suites to be built across established neighborhoods without requiring site-by-site land use approvals.

However, public pushback over neighborhood character, infrastructure capacity, and property values led to a political reversal. Following a repeal decision, the blanket zoning policy officially came to an end on August 4, 2026. The city reverted to its previous framework, requiring property-specific applications for multi-family rezoning.

The New Path: Land Use Amendments, Policies, and Public Hearings

With blanket rezoning repealed, developers seeking to build middle housing on parcels zoned R-C1 or R-C2 can no longer proceed directly to building or development permits. Instead, the process now requires a full Land Use Amendment (rezoning):

• Policy Amendments: Proposals must align with local Area Redevelopment Plans (ARPs) or Local Area Plans (LAPs). If a proposed R-CG conversion conflicts with existing community guidance, applicants must submit a concurrent policy amendment.

• Public Hearings & Council Approval: Every Land Use Amendment requires a formal public hearing before City Council. Community members and adjacent property owners are given the opportunity to present arguments for or against the project. Council holds the final binding vote on whether to grant the R-CG designation.

Permitted Uses and the SDAB Advantage

Once a property is successfully designated as R-CG, the restored development permit process offers distinct operational advantages. Under the Land Use Bylaw, rowhouse developments in an R-CG zone are classified as a permitted use, meaning approved development permits cannot be appealed to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB) by neighbours if the proposal strictly complies with all rules.

However, a permitted use rowhouse not only has to meet all the rules under the R‑CG district, it has to further meet the following requirements:

• Façade Articulation: Each unit requires either a street-facing projection/recess (min. 2.0 m wide, 0.3 m deep, 2.4 m high) or a street-facing porch (min. 2.0 m wide, 1.2 m deep).

• Main Floor Elevation: Main floors facing a street must sit above grade, up to a maximum of 1.20 m.

• Corner Entrances: Corner parcels must have exterior entrances visible from each street side.

• Garage Restrictions: Attached private garages are prohibited.

• Parking Access: Each dwelling unit must have a parking stall or private garage with direct, individual lane access.

• Side Window Privacy: Windows on exposed side façades extending past the rear façade of a contextually adjacent building are prohibited unless located below the second storey, using fully obscured glass, set at least 1.5 m above the finished floor, or set back at least 4.2 m from the side property line.

• Grade Differential: Slope across the site cannot result in a difference greater than 2.4 m between average building reference points.

• Heritage Exclusion: Sites within a heritage guideline area do not qualify.

• Building Depth: On non-corner parcels, depth cannot exceed the greater of 60.0% of the parcel depth or the contextual building depth average.

• Single Main Building: Parcels cannot contain more than one main residential building.

Permit Volume Trends

Data from the City of Calgary’s Open Data Portal tracks the rapid shift in development permit application volumes before and after the decision to repeal. While applications were consistent from the middle of 2024 to the middle of 2026, they peaked in February and March 2026 driven by builders rushing to lock in approvals under streamlined rules before the scheduled repeal. Following the repeal decision, new R-CG development permit submissions plummeted to less than a handful per month. While there are broader market factors, this drop mainly reflects the friction of returning to individual council hearings for each project.

Why Expertise Matters More Than Ever

Under blanket rezoning, technical compliance with the land-use bylaw was often sufficient to advance an infill project, but under the restored framework, a project’s success depends heavily on the initial Land Use Amendment stage. Because applications now face public scrutiny at Council hearings, the expertise and track record of the design team and planner have become critical.

Skilled designers and planners are essential for crafting contextual built-form proposals that respect setbacks, privacy, massing, and streetscapes to proactively mitigate community concerns. They also play a vital role in presenting sound planning justifications that demonstrate alignment with high-level Municipal Development Plan (MDP) goals, while effectively navigating the public hearing process to address technical questions from Council members and secure elected officials' votes. While securing middle housing in Calgary now requires navigating additional regulatory steps, well-designed projects backed by experienced planners continue to find viable pathways through the city's planning framework.

Trent Letwiniuk Memorial Endowment

The late Trent Letwiniuk, Principal and cofounder of Inertia, was a graduate of the Architectural Technologies Program at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT).

In his honour, Inertia’s sister company Gravity Architecture has created an endowment with SAIT so that at least one student each year will be granted an award.

The students will be in the Architectural Technologies Program in the School of Construction, enrolled in their second year, have financial need, and be interested in a career in residential design.

Our team at Inertia continues to include many SAIT graduates, and we are proud to be able to permanently support this program that has in many ways made the success of our firm possible.

While Gravity initiated and supported the initial endowment, anyone who wishes to contribute to it may do so by contacting SAIT by email at giving@sait.ca or by phone at 403.774.5214.

Keeping Calgary's R‑CG Viable

A follow-up to The New Middle Housing Landscape in Calgary

When we last wrote about the state of middle housing regulation in April, the ink on the repeal bylaw was barely dry. Calgary’s City Council had just voted 12–3 to wind back the clock on two years of middle housing momentum, and the industry was absorbing what that meant. Two months later, the situation has only grown more uncertain.

As of this week, it's now clear that the "repeal and replace" promise that defined Mayor Farkas's election campaign is, so far, only partially-fulfilled. Council voted down a motion to move forward with Local Area Plans as a replacement framework, leaving no approved path towards the density that both the federal government and the housing market are demanding.

The Policy Picture Today

The repeal takes legal effect on August 4, 2026—less than ten weeks away. After that date, the amended R‑CG bylaw and the restored low-density designations become the law of the land. Over 306,000 parcels will revert to their pre-2024 designations (primarily R‑C1 and R‑C2), meaning row housing isn't even a discretionary option on the majority of inner-city lots you might have been evaluating a year ago.

The key changes that directly affect what you can build in R‑CG going forward are:

• Height limits lowered from 11.0 metres to 10.0 metres,

• Lot coverage drops from 60% to 55%,

• Removal of zero lot line configurations, and

• Rowhouses that are fully compliant with the Bylaw will again be a permitted use (no option for appeals).

What is still being considered is:

• Decreasing density from from four to three dwelling units on a standard 50’ parcel.

• Prohibiting mid-block rowhouses and townhouses. This would mean that only parcels at the end of a block—essentially corner lots and the first three lots adjacent to a corner—could accommodate rowhousing going forward.

• Reintroducing contextual front setbacks,

• Restricting the number of buildings on a property.

These items have been put to administration to model and test, with their recommendation on the density reduction being presented to Council on July 21, 2026.

What hasn't been resolved is what comes next. A replacement densification framework—whether through the new Zoning Bylaw, expanded Local Area Plans, or some other mechanism—could take years to materialize. Councillors who supported the repeal have not coalesced around an alternative, and as of this week, council has actively voted down one of the most concrete replacement proposals on the table.

Current Applications

The most time-sensitive opportunity for developers with current applications is the grandfathering provision. Projects are protected from the new rules if they meet one of the following conditions:

1. A complete development permit, building permit, or subdivision application was submitted before April 8, 2026 (the bylaw's first reading date); or

2. A complete application has been approved before August 4, 2026.

So, meeting this window is possible for current applications, but newer applications will be subject to the reverted land use. Therefore, many developers looking to achieve the density formerly possible under R‑CG will have to rezone their property back to R‑CG—and follow whatever Council decides its rules will be—or to another district like H-GO or M-CG.

Repositioning For the New R‑CG

For projects that won't make the August 4 window, you’re going to have to choose from the space selection of parcels that had already been rezoned to R‑CG before blanket rezoning, or have to consider doing your own land use amendment. Some parcels may also require a policy amendment. If Council doesn’t overburden the R‑CG district beyond viability, if you choose to rezone to R‑CG, the amended rules will be the ones you’ll be working within for the foreseeable future. The economics may be harder, but your completion will be reduced. Scarcity may even increase your sale prices.

Prioritize corner lots and end-of-block parcels. This is the most significant site-selection shift in the new environment. Corner lots were always attractive for R‑CG rowhouses, but they may now the only sites where row-housing will be an option. Expect land values on qualifying corner parcels to reflect this scarcity premium, and adjust your acquisition costs accordingly. Patience in site selection will separate profitable projects from marginal ones.

Rethink your unit mix math. The drop from four to three upper units per parcel would have a meaningful pro forma impact. On a lot that previously supported a four-unit rowhouse with secondary suites—yielding up to eight total dwellings—you may now be looking at three-units with secondary suites, or a two-plus-two configuration if the site qualifies. Model your return thresholds against the new maximum density before tying up land.

Revisit semi-detached dwellings. The amended R‑CG bylaw still lists contextual single-detached and semi-detached homes as permitted uses. For mid-block sites that may no longer eligible for rowhouses, well-designed semi-detached homes with secondary suites can still deliver meaningful density and a workable return, especially in high-demand inner-city neighbourhoods where lot values are driven by location rather than density alone.

Design to the setback and height envelope precisely. With tighter coverage at 55% and a 10-metre height limit, millimetres matter more than they used to. Engage your designer early to maximize the buildable envelope without triggering relaxations—discretionary projects that require relaxations face a more uncertain approval process than they did two years ago, and you can't afford the carrying cost of protracted hearings.

Rebuilding the Case for Middle Housing: The Industry's Role

This is where the conversation has to go beyond permits and project economics. The repeal happened because a critical mass of Calgarians—and by extension, their elected councillors—came to believe that the blanket rezoning approach was being imposed on them rather than built with them. That perception is something the development industry helped create, and it's something the development industry can help change.

Show up earlier in community engagement. The era of submitting a discretionary development permit and managing objections at the hearing stage is over. Builders who want to operate in established neighbourhoods need to be talking to community associations and adjacent neighbours before a development permit is even submitted. The goal isn't to win over everyone—it's to demonstrate that you've listened, and that the design reflects that. Projects that have community buy-in are dramatically less likely to generate the organized opposition that has defined much of the infill conversation over the last two years.

Build projects that advocate for themselves. Every well-designed, well-managed R‑CG project in an established neighbourhood is a data point in the argument that middle housing works. Every poorly executed one—over-maximized coverage, low-quality materials, inadequate landscaping, chronic parking pressure—becomes evidence against middle housing. This is an industry reputation issue as much as a regulatory one. Engage an experienced designer that can deliver a product that you want to build, a resident wants to move into, and the community wants to live with.

Engage the replacement policy process directly. Calgary does not yet have a clear densification framework to replace blanket rezoning, and that conversation is only beginning. The urban planning advocacy space in this city has been dominated by community associations and neighbourhood groups—the same voices that drove the repeal. Industry associations, individual builders, and design firms like us need to be equally organized and equally present at Local Area Plan engagement sessions, at planning committee meetings, and in submissions to the new Zoning Bylaw process. If policy is being written without meaningful developer input, the result will reflect that absence.

Support the industry organizations that are doing this work. Groups like BILD or CICBA who are pushing for a swift, supply-focused replacement policy need your support. If you benefit from middle housing viability in this city, there's a strong argument for directing resources—staff time, financial support, expertise—toward the organizations and coalitions advocating for it.

What a Viable Replacement Could Look Like

The replacement policy, whenever it arrives, needs to do most of what blanket rezoning was doing if Calgary is to keep pace with housing demand.

The most practical mechanisms on the table are expanded Local Area Plans—which can designate specific blocks or corridors for higher density through a neighbourhood-specific process—and the new Zoning Bylaw, which the City has been developing and which could incorporate nuanced density provisions by community type. Neither is a quick fix, but Local Area Plans in particular offer a path that addresses the core political objection to blanket rezoning: the absence of neighbourhood-level input.

For developers, this means that which neighbourhoods you build in, and whether those neighbourhoods have active or pending Local Area Plan processes, is going to matter enormously. Getting engaged in those LAP processes—even as a listener and a data source—positions your projects for a smoother path when the replacement framework does arrive.

The Bottom Line

R‑CG is a constrained district after August 4, not a dead one. Corner-lot rowhouses and semi-detached homes will still be possible, still be needed, and still be buildable under the amended bylaw. The fundamentals of Calgary's housing demand haven't changed: the city is still growing, affordability is still strained, and the missing middle is still missing.

What has changed is that the policy environment now requires developers, builders and designers to work harder for individual project approvals, for community acceptance, and for the replacement framework that will determine the shape of middle housing in this city for the next decade. That work is worth doing.

Inertia Residential Design works with developers, builders, and property owners on middle housing projects across Calgary's established neighbourhoods. If you're navigating the transition to the amended R‑CG framework or assessing a site under the new rules, get in touch.

Introducing Killarney 8 + 8!

The development permit has been approved for these two four-unit rowhouse buildings, each incorporating secondary suites, for a total of 16 units on a modest site in Killarney, Calgary.

This rowhouse project draws inspirations from industrial and warehouse typologies, expressed through a strong peaked roofline, large loft-like windows, and metal cladding. The result is a modern-industrial infill project that explores a unique approach to missing-middle housing.

Visit our sister company, Gravity’s, website to learn more!

The New Middle Housing Landscape in Calgary

Calgary’s residential development landscape has undergone a seismic shift following City Council’s recent 12-3 vote to officially repeal the 2024 Rezoning for Housing policy. For middle housing developers and builders who have spent the last two years aligning their business models with broad access to R‑CG parcels, the rules of the game are changing significantly. This decision marks a return to a more restrictive land-use framework, as Council prioritizes their response to intense public pressure regarding neighbourhood character and local consultation processes over the urgent need for housing supply.

The technical implications of this repeal are far-reaching, as approximately 306,774 properties will be redesignated back to their original pre-2024 zoning districts. Beyond the simple rollback of land-use designations, Council has introduced new constraints that fundamentally alter the viability of middle housing projects. Most notably, rowhouses and townhouses are now prohibited on mid-block parcels, effectively restricting these developments to the first three lots at the end of a block. Additionally, density caps have been lowered from 75 to 60 units per hectare, and a strict ten-meter height limit has been reintroduced alongside more conservative contextual setbacks.

For developers with active projects, the implementation timeline is the most critical factor to track this quarter. The repeal is scheduled to take legal effect on August 4, 2026, providing a narrow window for those looking to secure approvals under the current more flexible rules. Projects that have already submitted complete development or building permit applications prior to the bylaw’s first reading this month will generally be grandfathered in. However, any new projects initiated after this spring will likely face the return of site-specific Land Use Amendments and the associated political risk of public hearings.

Strategically, if R‑CG row housing remains viable at all, this shift may trigger an increase in the premium placed on corner lots and end-of-block parcels. Builders will also need to return to a business model that incorporates the risk of land use redesginations and emphasizes more robust community engagement. The era of predictable, citywide rowhouse development has effectively ended in favour of a more limited approach to urban growth.

The financial backdrop of this decision also remains uncertain due to the potential loss of federal support through the Housing Accelerator Fund. The federal government has previously indicated that Calgary’s multi-million dollar grant was contingent on maintaining the very zoning policies that have now been dismantled. For the development industry, the loss of this funding could mean fewer municipal incentives for affordable units and potential delays in critical infrastructure upgrades, such as stormwater management improvements, that were intended to support higher-density neighbourhoods.

Looking forward, the industry must prepare for a new era of limited densification focused primarily on transit corridors and main streets. While the demand for housing in Calgary remains at record highs, the path to delivery has become significantly more complex and resource-intensive. Adapting your 2026 pipeline now will be essential to navigating this return to a more traditional, application-heavy development environment.

In the face of this, Inertia is still a strong believer in middle housing, and will continue to support our clients as they navigate this new landscape. As well, we’re optimistic that Calgary’s new Zoning Bylaw will restore the balance lost from this repeal.

Our Case Against Repeal

In August 2024, the City of Calgary applied blanket rezoning across residential neighbourhoods, reclassifying thousands of parcels from R-C2 to R-CG. It was a bold move—the kind cities rarely make. Now, a proposal before Council would reverse it. As a design studio that works across housing typologies and community planning, we think that would be a significant step backward.

Our opposition isn't rooted in abstract ideology. It's grounded in what we see on Calgary's streets, in our clients' project pipelines, and in the planning logic that underpins good cities. Here is our case.

Argument 01 — Property Rights Cannot Be Retroactively Stripped Without Justification

When the City designates a property R-CG by bylaw, landowners are entitled to rely on that designation. They make plans around it. They engage designers, run feasibility numbers, and in many cases begin the development process. The proposed repeal would extinguish that reliance without compensation and without evidence of specific harm arising from any individual parcel.

This is not how Calgary has historically treated property rights. A blanket reversal imposed on thousands of parcels simultaneously—without parcel-by-parcel review—sets a troubling precedent. It signals to property owners and the development community that land use designations are politically revocable on short cycles, which is precisely the kind of regulatory instability that suppresses long-term investment in housing supply.

Argument 02 — The Infrastructure Argument Has Already Been Refuted

The most common justification for repeal is that blanket rezoning places undue pressure on ageing infrastructure: sewer laterals, water mains, the electrical grid. It sounds reasonable. It also happens to be contradicted by the City's own analysis.

In December 2025, City Administration presented a report examining nearly 2,000 homes approved under blanket rezoning. The finding: fewer than one percent of those projects required any upgrades to public utilities. Administration characterized the infrastructure impact as minimal. Council should not dismantle a significant housing policy on the basis of a concern that its own technical staff have already assessed and set aside.

Argument 03 — Repeal Makes Calgary's Housing Crisis Worse

Calgary is short on housing. The evidence is everywhere: rising rents, low vacancy rates, and a population that has grown faster than its housing stock. Blanket rezoning was one of the few tools the City deployed that directly addresses supply at the neighbourhood scale—by permitting rowhouses, stacked townhomes, and grade-oriented infill on lots that previously could accommodate only a single detached home.

Between 2014 and 2023, the Land Use Redesignation process approved 94% of applications—but only after an average wait of four to six months and the payment of significant fees. That process added cost and delay to projects without meaningfully filtering outcomes. Reinstating it will not improve housing quality, preserve neighbourhood character, or protect infrastructure. It will deter small-scale builders, increase carrying costs, and reduce the pipeline of modest, family-sized infill housing that Calgary's workforce needs.

Argument 04 — $129 Million in Federal Funding Hangs in the Balance

Calgary entered into a $251.3 million Housing Accelerator Fund agreement with the federal government. A significant portion of that funding—roughly $129 million—has not yet been disbursed. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has stated publicly that it expects Calgary to honour its commitments to eliminate exclusionary zoning. Calgary taxpayers cannot afford to gamble $129 million on informal assurances that federal officials will take a flexible approach. The prudent course is to preserve the zoning framework that underpinned the agreement.

Argument 05 — The Uptake Has Been Modest, Which Means Targeted Fixes Are Possible

Data presented at the December 2025 Council meeting showed that in the seven wards whose councillors voted for repeal, only 16 of 478 total applications were made under R-CG zoning. Blanket rezoning has produced far less disruption than its opponents claimed. This is actually good news: it means that legitimate concerns about specific outcomes—mid-block massing, contextual setbacks, lot coverage—can be addressed through targeted amendments to the Land Use Bylaw, not by stripping the R-CG designation from thousands of properties.

Several Council members proposed exactly such amendments during the December debate. Those alternatives deserve serious consideration. They offer a path to addressing real design concerns while preserving the housing supply gains that blanket rezoning has made possible.

Argument 06 — Policy Stability Is a Precondition for Good Design

As designers, we plan in time horizons that span years. A rowhouse project from initial concept to occupancy permit typically takes 18 to 36 months. Site assembly, feasibility studies, design development, permit applications—all of it presumes that the regulatory environment will remain stable long enough for a project to proceed. When land use designations become politically reversible on a two-year cycle, good projects don't get built. Risk-averse capital goes elsewhere. The city that results is not more liveable—it is more expensive, less diverse in housing form, and less responsive to the needs of the people who actually live in it.

Rezoning for Housing was the product of a democratic process: Calgary's longest-ever public hearing, with nearly 1,000 participants, followed by a Council vote. Reversing it within less than two years, before its long-term effects can be measured, does not serve Calgary's residents. It serves a political narrative at the expense of a functional housing system.

Happy 20th Birthday Inertia!

This month marks 20 years since Stephen Barnecut, Paul Shannon, and Trent Letwiniuk started Inertia Residential Design.

What began in 2006 as a small studio focused primarily on speculative semi-detached houses has changed and adapted in more ways than we anticipated. In the early years, Inertia built its reputation helping small builders create housing in Calgary's inner city and estate neighbourhoods. We also worked directly with homeowners to creating their dream homes. All the while, we were navigating architectural controls, neighbourhood context, and the details that turn a design into reality. Our process was hands-on, technical, and collaborative. Working in Revit long before it became standard practice allowed our clients to truly visualize their projects long before a shovel went into the ground. It also allowed three mid-career designers to be far more productive than they could have otherwise.

As Calgary evolved, so did we! Over the past two decades, housing needs have shifted, land values increased, and neighbourhoods have matured. This created more conversations around density and sustainability. The city’s focus turned toward missing middle housing to provide more established area housing options. As our city grew into that space. so did Inertia! Today, much of Inertia's work is middle housing and other small-scale multi-residential projects. We collaborate with builders and developers to design higher density, efficient, and livable spaces that contribute positively to their neighbourhoods. 

Inertia also played a pivotal role in the formation of Gravity Architecture Corporation. Originally established to provide architectural services to Inertia’s clients, Gravity has since grown into a full-service architecture firm serving both the Alberta and BC markets. While Gravity has expanded into larger and more complex developments, Inertia continues to focus on smaller residential projects that don't require professional involvement.

Twenty years in, our core philosophy remains unchanged: we design stylish and buildable housing that adds value to our clients, the city and the folks who will live in them for years to come! We’re very proud of where we started and remain energized in our goal to quietly but effectively contribute to Calgary’s evolving residential landscape!

Inertia thanks all the clients who have trusted us with their projects along the way.

Here’s to 20 years of Inertia Residential!

Inertia Mourns the Passing of Trent Letwiniuk

Trent Letwiniuk, one of the owners and directors of Inertia Residential Design, died in a motorcycle accident on Monday, August 4th. We are devastated by this tragedy and have been thinking of Trent’s family as they grieve the loss of a loved one who was a husband, son, brother, and uncle.

Trent was a founding partner at Inertia Residential Design in 2006 and of Gravity Architecture in 2014. With his partner, Stephen Barnecut, and a growing team of professionals, he built Gravity to a 26-person strong firm with offices in Calgary and Vancouver. He was a talented designer and draftsperson, but moreover excelled at building client relationships and representing the firm. He deeply cared about our clients’ needs and wants, and championed these throughout the planning, design, and construction processes of their projects. Trent set an example for the team of diligence and accuracy, efficiency, and excellence.

Over the past five years, as Trent and Stephen focussed their energy on Gravity, Inertia has quietly been operating in the background. This will continue to be the case as Inertia executes smaller scale projects that do not require professional involvement. As Gravity gathers itself for a future without Trent, so does Inertia. Stephen is now the sole owner and, with the benefit of 26 years working alongside Trent, will continue to pilot our clients’ projects towards success. Only a few years ago, this event may have been devastating for the companies. However, under Trent’s co-leadership, the firms have become strong enough to weather a loss of even this magnitude.

We offer our deepest condolences to his wife, Vivian Rocha; his parents, Ray and Lorraine Letwiniuk; his brother, Ryan Letwiniuk, and sister-in-law, Kim Letwiniuk, and his nephews, Eric and Colin Letwiniuk.

Bridgeland 3+1 Rowhouse

Bridgeland 3+1 is a proposed three-home rowhouse building with one backyard suite designed for Integer Homes in the neighbourhood of Bridgeland-Riverside. The Inertia team took inspiration from local heritage buildings in the area, including the nearby No4 Fire Hall, and applied a modern sensibility.

The site is across 7a Street from the large Bridges development that replaced the old General Hospital. As well, it’s just across Centre Avenue from the General Block, which currently includes Una Pizza + Wine, Phil & Sebastian Coffee, and Village Ice Cream. It’s only a block away to the north from 1 AV NE (Bridgeland’s Main Street), and an easy walk to the Greco Block, another recent Gravity project.

The principal building contains three two-storey homes, each with approximately 1500 square feet of above-grade living space. The fourth home is atop the detached parking garage, situated on the west side of the parcel of land. This development is a solution to the need for middle housing, which is a type of development that increases residential density within house-scale buildings. This sort of development preserves the residential fabric of the neighbourhood, while (in this case) quadrupling the number of families that can live on this site. 

The long southern exposure of the building allows each of the three homes in the primary development to have large, south-facing windows as well as generous south-exposure amenity spaces. Clad with brick, and fenestrated with black metal clad windows, this building evokes the transitional aesthetic of an early 20th-century warehouse. Below the suite, there is one private parking garage per unit. 

This project has been submitted for DP and construction will commence in late 2022. 

Partners Journey Fee Simple Townhomes

Journey is a 17-building fee-simple rowhouse development Inertia designed for Partners Development Group. This 1-hectare development sits on the east edge of Calgary in the new community of Homestead, adjacent to the Taradale neighbourhood. It is a short drive to the town of Chestermere with easy access to the main arteries into Downtown Calgary. There are a total of 63 homes within this development. 

These homes range in size from 1215 to 1300 square feet, with two to three bedrooms above grade, and an option to develop the basement for an additional one to two bedrooms below grade. All of these homes have a parking pad at the rear of the homes for up to two vehicles, and an option to build a private garage over the pad. The interior of these homes offers an open floorplan, and there are both front and rear outdoor amenity spaces. These rowhomes are wood-frame construction with Allura siding, panel and shakes plus Lux metal siding. The windows are black metal clad and steel canopies above the front entrances.

Construction on this development are expected to wrap up in early 2023.

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Permits in Good Hands with Jay Wiwchar

Jay Wiwchar is now Inertia’s Permit Coordinator. He is responsible for the submission and administration of all permits submitted by Gravity, including development permits, building permits, and land use permits.

He brings over 20 years of experience in the construction industry to his position at Gravity. 

He began his journey into the construction industry as an electrician in 1998. After obtaining his Red Seal in the electrical trade, he then obtained Master’s certification and introductory training as a safety codes officer. Always looking to gain knowledge, in 2009 Jay returned to school obtaining a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Communications Studies from the University of Calgary.

Jay’s previous projects in the electrical trade included roles in management and quality control administration and these roles assisted in his sound knowledge of government policy and legislation related to the construction industry. These roles, along with his lifelong fascination with the aesthetics and process of building design ignited Jay’s desire to oversee the administrative function of a project and added to his pursuit of a technology diploma in architecture.

He completed the Architectural Technologist program at SAIT in 2021, fulfilling his childhood aspiration to work in the field of architecture.

Jay has lived in Calgary for the past 20 years and enjoys the company of his wife and cats, renovating his century home, cycling, skiing, and long drives in the countryside.

We welcome Jay to the team at Inertia!

Open for Business, by Appointment

During these uncertain times, Inertia remains committed to the safety and well-being of our staff and visitors, while continuing to provide responsive solutions to our clients. With Alberta’s new COVID-19 restrictions in place, access to our studios will be by appointment only.⁠

Please touch base with us prior to popping in. ⁠

Trishuda Jain's Anniversary and Promotion

We're pleased to announce that Trishuda Jain as been on our team for ten years. As well, we’re happy to share that Trishuda has been promoted to the role of Project Manager.

Trishuda completed an Architectural Assistantship program in 2000 from India. She started her career with Kalpakriti Consultants where she gained experience in residential planning and interior design. Later, she got an independent opportunity for designing various oil and gas stations in Northern India. In 2005, she joined the municipal urban planning department where she contributed her experience on city wide projects. During this period of time she worked on AutoCAD, ADT and Revit.

After coming to Canada, Trishuda resumed her career as a technologist with Genesis Builders Group where she gained experience in the residential suburban housing market. Trishuda joined Inertia in 2010 as our second employee and has since been an integral team member of Inertia Residential Design.

Trishuda now is a project manager at Gravity Architecture with responsibilities that include managing the firm’s larger scale projects as well as monitoring project performance across all of our projects.

Congratulations on your work anniversary and promotion, Trishuda!

A Message to Our Clients and Community

We’re still working hard on your projects remotely, however we can’t confirm everyone is wearing pants...
Please enjoy this gallery of the team practicing social distancing.

From the entire Gravity Team - Be Safe, Stay Healthy, and Wash Your Hands!

We’re all available by email, phone, and video conference. Appointments are still available at the office, though pants are mandatory!

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Inertia's New Location!

On August 12, 2019, Inertia Residential Design will open at our new studio at 405-999 8 ST SW in Calgary’s Beltline district.

There was lots that we liked about our old location. It was relatively central, easy to get to, had lots of free parking, and it was easy to pop outside for a breath of fresh air. However, on the downside, our studio was split into two spaces which made team communication feel disconnected. Moreover, it only had copper pair for internet services, so we had to rely on a fixed wireless connection to get even modest speeds.

After an extensive search, we chose our new location because it fixes these problems, while creating a lot of new opportunities. We were able to add about 1000 SF, which gives us a larger studio, a second board room, a kitchen large enough to gather in, and a usable storage room. Being in the Beltline gives our staff more transportation options, and puts us close to City Hall and our printer. We were also careful to choose a building that has a good supply of free two-hour visitors stalls for our clients. It also doesn’t hurt for us to be so close to M.E.C., The Holy Grill, Posto, Analog, etc.

We look forward to welcoming visitors to our new space.

Gord Alexander Joins Inertia

Inertia welcomes Gord Alexander to the team!

Upon graduating from SAIT Polytechnic’s Architectural Technologies program in 2003, Gord began his career at Cutforth Technologists where he focused on completing plans for hotels all over rural Alberta as well as custom summer homes at some of our popular lake communities.

Gord then moved into the residential world full time when he started at Albi Homes where he did all aspects of design from custom homes, site construction supervision, and management . As part of the product development team they were the recipients of several local and national SAM awards for design excellence. During his time here, Gord also completed the Lean Construction Program which focuses on customer value, construction and design efficiencies, as well as improved process flow and a minimization of waste. It is these principles that Gord is mindful of when designing any new residential project.

Gord has spent time getting builders like Homes by Dream up and running by helping set up design software and procedures as well as providing several new house models with everything from cozy starter homes to move up models and Estate homes. 

Inertia’s commitment to urbanization through bold and striking architecture is what made Gord most excited about joining the Inertia team.

Welcome Gord!

Inertia Welcomes Marcella Borrelli

We're very happy that Marcella Borrelli has joined our team at Inertia!

Marcella graduated from SAIT Polytechnic in 2011 with a diploma in Architectural Technology. Throughout her education and early career, she has developed many valuable skills including a working knowledge of AutoCAD, Revit, and best construction practices.

After graduating she worked at a small custom firm PDW Design, gaining knowledge in completing as-builts, and creating construction drawings for both residential and commercial spaces. From there she obtained a position at Excel Homes, where she became a member of the production team. In 2014 she made the move to the custom home world at Phase One Design, where she managed many projects, completing construction drawings, growing her design skills and knowledge of many municipalities Land Use Bylaw in Alberta and BC. In her spare time Marcella enjoys exploring her love of cooking for friends and family as well as indulging in her love for live music by attending many local shows. She enjoys giving back to the community as is actively involved with volunteering and organizing many local charity events.

Welcome Marcella!