Knightsbridge Homes, Metropia and Calgary Municipal Land Corp broke ground last week on N3 Condos, a car-free multifamily development in the city's East Village. To underscore the concept, they’re giving each home purchaser a Biria bike and a $500 credit to Car2Go and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. “We are not trying to change the world; we are just responding to a world that is changing,” explained Knightsbridge president Joe Starkman, seen third from left with CMLC CEO Michael Brown and PMA Brethour Realty Group's Andrew Brethour, along with politicians and members of the project development and sales team.

Located beside the historic St Louis Hotel at 8th Avenue and 4th Street SE, N3 is designed for Gen Y, the developers say. Michael notes the master plan vision for East Village was informed by more than a decade of public engagement, and the community is intended to free people, where possible, from vehicles, aided by a dedicated pedestrian street system, wider sidewalks and pedestrian bridges. The project will have 167 condo units and create pedestrian mews on either side of the hotel, which is slated for retail and commercial use, allowing easy connections to neighbourhood amenities. The condo is steps from an LRT station.