The Art of the Master Plan: East Village

    · 5 min read

    Since 2007, CMLC been transforming Calgary—brick by brick, block by block, idea by idea—creating places that connect, inspire, and redefine the way people experience our city.

    Guided by the East Village Master Plan, CMLC rebuilt Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood from the ground up, weaving together new housing, shops, restaurants, pathways, parks and culture into a cohesive, connected whole.

    The results speak for themselves. More than $3 billion in new public spaces and private investment. National recognition for urban design and placemaking. And—most important—a thriving community where Calgarians live, work and belong.

    East Village was CMLC’s first master planned community. A proof of concept that we continue to apply to The Culture + Entertainment District and to Transit-Oriented Communities along the Red Line. East Village showed what’s possible when clear vision, thoughtful master planning and steadfast delivery come together.

    Here’s how we do it.

    The art and science of a great master plan

    A great master plan starts with people. It begins by asking: How do we want to live? How do we want to move? How do we want to feel? Then it layers in the systems—streets, parks, housing, transit—that bring those answers to life.

    Far more than just a blueprint on paper, it’s a powerful, future-focused vision—deeply layered, thoughtful, crafted to connect, to invite, to endure.

    CMLC’s planning philosophy is built on four pillars that turn plans into places.

    A video showing an aerial of East Village before CMLC began its work in the neighbourhood transitioning to an aerial of East Village in 2025.


    Pillar 1: Delivering strategic mixed-use development

    Every master plan we create is a blueprint for a complete, vibrant community—a place where people can live, work and play within a few city blocks.

    That calls for a healthy mix of housing typologies and densities—high-rise, mid-rise, affordable, market, rental—each crafted to reflect the site’s context and potential.

    It’s about leveraging opportunity—seeing a single station or an underused parcel as a catalyst for transformation and sparking economic growth that radiates through the surrounding communities.

    A diverse mix of housing types in East Village supports a complete, mixed-use community in the heart of downtown Calgary.

    Pillar 2: Enabling multi-modal connectivity

    Our plans prioritize multimodal transportation, making sure every path leads somewhere worth going. We design connections that are safe, intuitive and human scale. We balance = parking with pedestrian vibrancy. We make the first and last steps of every journey delightful because when it’s easier to move, it’s easier to belong.

    Phase I of the Jack & Jean Leslie RiverWalk opened in November 2010 and was one of the first pieces of infrastructure completed in East Village. This integrated pathway provides a continuous, accessible connection along the Bow River — setting the foundation for a more connected, walkable, and people-centred neighbourhood.

    Pillar 3: Facilitating placemaking + public realm activation

    The spaces between buildings matter as much as the buildings themselves. That’s where connection happens.

    Our master plans layer plazas, parks, riverwalks and retail corridors into the urban fabric—public spaces that invite people to linger, connect and celebrate daily life. Landscaping, art, light and texture work together to create a sense of place that’s unmistakably Calgary.

    We don’t just build infrastructure. We stage experiences.

    The Open, East Village’s accessible public washroom and pickleball court, opened in January 2025, providing a lively, inclusive gathering place in East Village.

    Pillar 4: Supporting long-term sustainability

    Sustainability isn’t an add-on. It’s a design principle—a sincere commitment.

    Our plans promote walking, cycling and transit use. They reduce emissions by design. They’re resilient and adaptive, built to handle Calgary’s evolving climate and population. With each project, our goal is to advance a greener, more sustainable urban future.

    A great master plan is never static. It evolves with its community, adapts to new realities and grows stronger with time. That’s the art of community building—the delicate balance between structure and spontaneity, between guiding the evolution of a place and letting it become what it’s meant to be.

    Completed in 2008, East Village’s Storm Pond is Calgary’s first and only inner-city stormwater wetland—designed to capture and filter runoff before it reaches the Bow River, while also supporting urban wildlife and long-term flood resilience in a dense urban setting.

    A proven formula for city-building

    These principles are more than planning terminology. They’re the DNA of every CMLC project—from the river’s edge to the city’s edge.

    They’re why our developments attract both public trust and private investment. Why our streets and squares fill with life long after construction crews have gone. Why other cities look to Calgary as a model of how to get city-building right.

    With five new developments poised to break ground in East Village in 2026, it’s clear that momentum is building in this great downtown neighbourhood.

    Because for CMLC, the master plan isn’t the finish line. It’s how we start the conversation—and how we keep it going for generations.

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