Earlier this month, Taza Development Corp announced that it had selected three builders for its 470-acre Taza Park project in Calgary, the latest milestone for what is one of the largest Indigenous-led real estate development projects in all of North America.
Taza Park is one of the three "villages" within Taza, a project planned for 1,200 acres of land on the south side of Glenmore Trail and down Tsuut’ina Trail, approximately 10 minutes away from downtown Calgary.
The roots of the project trace back to November 2013, when the Tsuut’ina Nation voted in favour of selling 1,058 acres of its land to the Government of Alberta in exchange for $550 million and 5,338 acres of land elsewhere. In June 2014, the Nation then voted in favour of designating 1,200 acres of land — the site of Taza — for redevelopment.
A year later, after a competitive bid process, the Nation selected Montreal-based real estate company Canderel as its partner for the project and the two partners formed Taza Development Corp.
The three villages of Taza: Taza Park, The Crossing, and Buffalo Run. / Taza Development Corp
A master plan for the project was then developed by April 2016, the project was announced a few months later, and "Taza" — "an expression of wonder and anticipation," according to the Nation — was announced as the name in 2017.
Since then, the developers have completed The Shops at Buffalo Run, a 257,000-sq. ft retail centre anchored by Costco and have since progressed the Taza Park village.
Taza Park
The Taza Park village will ultimately consist of 6,500 new homes, over 1,000,000 sq. ft of commercial space, and over 20 acres of greenspace, with the developers calling it "a transformative community designed to accommodate approximately 12,000 residents."
On March 12, Taza Development Corp announced it had selected the first three residential builders for Taza Park: Brookfield Residential, Crystal Creek Homes, and Homes by Avi.
Brookfield Residential is the development subsidiary of Canadian conglomerate Brookfield and has been active across the United States, in addition to Alberta and Ontario. Its collection of homes at Taza Park will be called Rhythm and consist of a mix of townhouses.
Crystal Creek Homes is a Calgary-based developer founded in 2004 by Justin Bobier that has won multiple awards. Its collection of homes at Taza Park will be called Juniper Ridge and consist of a series of luxurious villas.
Homes By Avi is also a Calgary-based company and was founded in 1978 by Avi Amir. It also operates in the US and its collection of homes at Taza Park will be called Aurora, which will consist of 46 townhomes, some of which will include secondary suites.
The Taza Park village (left) and where Brookfield, Crystal Creek, and Avi will be building (right). / Taza Development Corp
"The selection of Brookfield Residential, Crystal Creek Homes, and Homes by Avi marks an exciting chapter in the Taza development journey," said President of Taza James Robertson. "These builders bring a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to quality, sustainability, and community values that align with our vision for Taza Park."
According to Taza, construction on the infrastructure to support Taza Park is already underway and sales of the three collection of homes will officially launch in May 2025.
The Sales & Marketing Centre at Taza Park, located at 5894 Tsuut’ina Parkway, is also expected to open soon.
