What weighs more than 100,000 Dachshunds and just moved into The Bridge?
At just over 28,800 lbs (13,325 kgs), our new cooling tower takes first place as the heaviest single piece of equipment yet to be installed at The Bridge.
Over the summer months, our construction team at ITC Group welcomed additional large-scale equipment deliveries, including The Bridge’s generator and air handling unit.
These machines have big jobs ahead of them – they’ll support The Bridge’s mechanical and electrical systems in providing effective control of the environment inside the building. Each of The Bridge’s 285 units will have individually-set climates, including air conditioning. This will help people, and their pets, stay cool and comfortable all year round. To keep spaces healthy and reduce shared air, residents will have their own fresh air intake separate from their neighbors.
For added convenience, our tenants will be able to easily control the temperature in their apartments through their smartphones, thanks to our technology providers at 1Valet.
Learn more about Smart Building Technology
What A Year It’s Been!
JEMM broke ground on The Bridge at Bridgeland, a 285-unit mixed-use rental development, on April 30th, 2020. A year has passed, and we are looking back on some surprises as well as a few good lessons. Above all, we’ve been inspired by the unstoppable energy that makes Bridgeland one of our favourite communities to build in.
#1 – Ain’t Got Nothing if You Ain’t Got Health
With groundbreaking for The Bridge occurring just weeks into the Covid-19 pandemic, each of the past 365 days of construction have been accomplished under pandemic protocols. As a large-scale construction project, it was necessary that onsite teams change fluidly and safely based on the expertise required to execute each phase. Thanks to the measures put in place by our construction team at ITC Group, the dedicated & diligent cleaning staff, shift work and organized work flow the dozens of tradespeople that came to work at The Bridge each day got through the early days of the pandemic safely with no major shutdowns.
#2 - It Takes 870m3 of Concrete and 25 Tissues to Plug Seeping Groundwater
Nature dealt out a few of her own lessons over the past year, including a reminder of how unpredictable soil conditions can be close to the Bow River. During the site excavation phase, extensive ground water made its way into the open pit. This triggered the pour of an additional 870 cubic meters of concrete (the equivalent of about 75 cement trucks) to support the slab-on-grade and fully plug the water seams running through the site. The 25 tissues were for our CFO.
#3 – A Lot Can Happen in a Year
Any good construction schedule is built with a balance of flex and focus, and the Year One game plan for building The Bridge needed exactly that. With challenging site conditions, the pandemic threatening to impact our workforce and inevitable Calgary cold snaps no leap forward was taken for granted.
Construction Progress First 365 days
#4- Community Counts
Since we broke ground last April, Bridgeland has continued to attract more amazing Calgary entrepreneurs. This included the best-of-the-best in restaurants with the addition of Lil Empire, Una, Phil and Sebastian’s and some top ice cream shoppes, Made By Marcus and Village Ice Cream. The JEMM team can’t wait to taste our way through the next 365 days!
#5 – Teamwork Makes it Possible
This year has also offered a reminder of a great lesson for any business - you are only as good as your team. JEMM is thankful for the time and talent provided by our Calgary-based teams at ITC Group, Zeidler Architecture and O2 Planning + Design, as well as the many consultants and trade contractors that are involved with building The Bridge project.
As Year Two of construction on The Bridge kicks-off, we are looking forward to completing the building up to its 16th floor plus the rooftop amenity spaces. Our site team will be joined by additional skilled trades who will start on interior finishes and technology features, getting us ready to welcome The Bridge’s first tenants in the summer of 2022.
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For more updates on The Bridge, check out the project page or sign up for FACET, JEMM’s bi-monthly newsletter.
Predictions for Calgary's Urban Residential Rental Market
JEMM sat down for a socially distanced chat with Intelligence House Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Emmett Hartfield, to talk about what’s in store for Calgary’s residential rental market in 2021.
So, Emmett, did you bring your crystal ball?
Nope. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that you can’t always predict what’s to come.
Does that mean that developers entering the rental market should brace for another bumpy year ahead?
Actually, so far so good. Absorption of new rental suites in Calgary has been respectable, especially for units priced below $2.75 per square foot. But the issue of the pandemic, lower inter-provincial migration and local job loss has meant that, at least for now, developers shouldn’t expect the uptake of 20+ units per month that we might have seen in the past.
For landlords, what challenges do you see for the coming year?
The phasing and timing of development impacts the optimal choice of product type. Near-term residential development should focus on mid or low-rise apartments and townhomes to capture the consumer market emerging from the pandemic. As always, it will be important for current landlords to manage their properties well and avoid turnover as best they can.
Covid made some urban renters question if they want to keep paying for amenities, like gyms and party rooms, that weren't usable during the pandemic. Was that an anomaly or will renters’ appetite for amenities change?
Covid definitely has made things difficult with regard to utilizing building amenities; however, our surveys generally show that amenities like security, storage and fitness areas still rank as high priority for tenants.
Developers like JEMM, who have chosen to build in a great urban neighbourhood like Bridgeland, can offer tenants their must-have amenities plus all the timeless benefits of skyline views, proximity to mass transit and tons of local commercial options.
Has the pandemic changed the way you market buildings to renters?
Yes, absolutely. For the foreseeable future, we won’t be hosting launch events or other high-touch tours or experiences, so we’ve had to find ways to get prospective renters excited about the opportunities available to them. We are heavily leveraging digital advertising and communication tools over print or guerilla marketing-type activities. Our leasing specialists have adapted unit tours to take place over Facetime or under very strict in-person conditions.
What opportunities does Intelligence House see on the horizon for developers like JEMM, who are underway with mid-rise purpose-built rental?
By late 2022, when JEMM is ready to launch The Bridge in Bridgeland, we hope to see that the residential leasing market has evolved from the slow-and-steady pace we expect to see in 2021 back to a state where it can regain and sustain its momentum.
If Calgary’s rental market had a theme song, what would it be?
“Baby Come Back” by Player. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4uSzrsOQr8]
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Intelligence House Ltd. is a highly successful data research, marketing and sales agency for residential development. In the first six years of operations, Intelligence House Ltd is now marketing and selling/leasing over $600 million in Multi-Family assets in Canada and the United States. With offices in Edmonton and Calgary, the research, marketing and sales/leasing divisions combine for over 35 employees and in 2017, the organization was listed as the 14th fastest growing company in Alberta by the Alberta Venture Fast Growth 50. www.intelligencehouse.ca.
Car-free and Carefree in Bridgeland
With fewer Canadians – especially Albertans – buying vehicles it makes you wonder, how are they getting around?
Calgarians choosing to live in Bridgeland-Riverside have plenty of choice when it comes to living life car-free. Most options are cheaper than car ownership yet offer priceless ways to explore the neighbourhood on paths that won’t always start and end with a parking stall.
- Just Hoof It
According to Walkscore.com , people living in Bridgeland can walk to an average of 2 restaurants, bars or coffee shops in 5 minutes. With over 66 places to grab a bite in the area, plus amazing grocery options like Bridgeland Market, there isn’t much need for daily driving.
Dedicated urban hikers, who are interested in learning a little along the way, can check out Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association for a series of self-guided neighbourhood walks.
- Spin Your Wheels
Bridgeland-Riverside is a cyclist’s playground, with immediate connectivity to Calgary’s 1,000 km regional pathway system, the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America. For urban riders who know the importance of co-existing safely with drivers, there are dedicated bicycle lanes, on-street bikeways and shared lanes in and around Bridgeland.
With the benefit of a bike, cyclists can make a day out of visiting each of the 13 bridges located within a short ride of Bridgeland.
- Hop on the Bus (or Train)
Easy access to mass transit is a game-changer for people who are serious about making car-free living work in a big city. With the Bridgeland-Memorial C-Train platform only steps away, and two major bus lines in the area, transit users can expect to get to all four quadrants of the city and major civic amenities within 30 minutes. The cost of a monthly pass is only $109 per month, a far cry from the cost of owning and maintaining a car.
- Plan to Share
Sometimes a big rush or a heavy load makes it necessary to find the right transportation for the job. Companies like Communauto offer car sharing, and electric scooters are available from Lime, Bird and Roll. The list of car-free options that are big on fun but low on commitment is growing all the time.
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JEMM Properties’ newest development, The Bridge, is under construction in the heart of Bridgeland and just a 2-minute walk from the Bridgeland-Memorial C-Train station. The Bridge will support residents who prefer the flexibility of a car-free lifestyle with access to enhanced bike storage and car sharing. The Bridge also offers cutting edge convenience that keeps the fun going, with electronic parcel delivery and smart home technology. Register at www.BridgeLiving.ca to get all the details.
COVID-19 Update
The impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt in our community and around the world.
Even amid these challenging times, the Government of Alberta currently recognizes construction as an essential service. In keeping with this directive, JEMM Properties may allow its staff members or contractors to visit our sites in order to perform work.
JEMM has taken steps to minimize people’s risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus while they are on the job. This includes requiring all JEMM personnel to follow the directives and guidelines issued by the Government of Alberta to help reduce the risk of spread. Our general contractors have also provided us with their specific plans to reduce risks while on site, including mandatory practices such as social distancing and increased sanitation.
Because the situation is evolving quickly, we may need to change our practices. Please check our website regularly for updates.
If you have questions about any health or safety practice on a JEMM Properties worksite, please contact us at info@jemm.ca.
JEMM welcomes new Principal, Lesleigh Russell, P.Eng
So Lesleigh, where are you from?
I’m originally from Newfoundland, but I’ve lived in downtown Calgary long enough to call it home.
Does it bother you when people call you a Newfie?
No, I think it’s a term of affection.
When did you join JEMM Properties?
My first day on the job was in late August 2019, but I’ve known the other JEMMs – Joe, Edan, Martin and Michael – for a while.
Now that you’re a JEMM Principal, are they going to add an “L” to the name?
Hmmm...maybe Le JEMM?
What motivated you to become part of the team?
I’d say it was a shared appreciation of bourbon, but honestly it’s just good professional chemistry. It’s exciting to be part of a team with such a great balance of skills and a willingness to challenge each other in very productive ways.
What exactly is your role?
As Principal, Projects and Construction my role is to take our real estate development projects successfully through the construction process. It’s as much a project leadership position as a people leadership position, which keeps it challenging. There is also a lot of strategy, communication and collaboration involved as well, because JEMM looks for construction insights right from the earliest stages of contemplating a project.
Do you think you’ll draw on your background as a professional engineer?
I’m a Civil Engineer by training, and of course, technical insights always help during land development projects. But I was drawn to study engineering as a way to learn problem-solving. I think that’s the biggest legacy of an engineering background and one that I definitely make good use of every day.
Did you know many female engineers growing up?
No, I didn’t know many engineers at all. My dad is an economist and a painter and my mother is a teacher. Engineering was suggested to me later in life as a way to get a meaningful education and to see development issues from several different angles. My hope is that young people are open to studying engineering as a way to become problem-solvers for the world around us.
Looking ahead, what do you think are the biggest challenges for you and JEMM?
Seeing the future! We are always trying to anticipate what’s next for the development industry in Calgary and working hard to be ready to meet the opportunities ahead.
JEMM and BRCA team up on tactical urbanism project
What the heck is tactical urbanism and what’s it doing in Bridgeland?
Sometimes called DIY Urbanism, Urban Acupuncture or Pop-Up Urbanism, Tactical Urbanism uses everyday materials to make interesting experiments within a community street experience. The outcomes of these short-term pilot projects are used to help make choices about more permanent neighbourhood improvements.
https://youtu.be/ueMTJ0Si6aY
This summer, project partners JEMM Properties and the Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association are bringing tactical urbanism to a wedge of vacant land along Bridgeland’s southern edge. The triangular grassy spot is located at a highly visible junction where 9th Avenue NE joins with Memorial Drive. It sits adjacent to 950 MacPherson Square, where JEMM has plans to develop a new 285-unit mixed-use rental property called The Bridge.
“As people walk from the C-train station and step into Bridgeland, they all pass through this natural gateway area,” explains Ali McMillan, Planning Director for the Bridgeland-Riverside Community Association. “Until now it’s been a blank spot on the landscape and we wanted to start the conversation with residents about animating this entry point into our community with something welcoming and funky.”
JEMM has kick-started the project by funding the design and fabrication of 3-D Hollywood-style letters that spell out the word B-R-I-D-G-E-L-A-N-D. Currently being crafted from wood by local makers FUSE33 MakerSpace. The letters will be ready for installation in late August.
Residents are encouraged to participate in the broader conversation about potentially replacing this temporary installation with a more permanent feature in the future.
“The process of activating under-used urban spaces depends on collaboration and getting neighbours to come out and talk about what’s best for the community,” said Edan Lindenbach, Director of Development for JEMM. “This project has just the right mix of practicality and fun to spark a great conversation about what’s next for Bridgeland.”
Bridgeland residents who would like more information about the project can contact Ali McMillan, Planning Director at planning@brcacalgary.org or go to brcacalgary.org. You can also find the BCRA on Facebook or @BRCAssociation on Twitter.