Fortress

Condo Directory North west Fortress

4944 Dalton Drive, NW, Dalhousie

Fantastic views to downtown and/or the Rocky Mountains and the indoor heated swimming pool are features of the Fortress condominium tower in Dalhousie. It's also just steps from the new Dalhousie C-Train station. There are 205 small suites here in an array of layouts that include two-storey suites, some with bedrooms "up" and some with bedrooms "down". The stairwell in each of these suites is quite open, giving them a loft feel. At both ends of the hallway on every floor one suite sticks out a few extra feet, giving these a view both to downtown AND the mountains.

Built in 1977, the Fortress was largely an investor-owned rental building for several decades, but has become increasingly owner-occupied as values increased and original investors cashed in. Maintenance issues that had been neglected for 20 years were addressed and long-overdue redecorating of elevators, lobbies and hallways has been taking place. The pool is seen from the glass-walled end of the entrance corridor, adjacent to the on-site management office, and sure looks inviting. It's accessed through change rooms just past the small gymnasium.

The 16-storey tower is poured-in-place concrete with no PT cables, although two concrete roofs over some of the parking is PT-cable concrete structure which, last I heard, was in good shape. The parking areas are vast, providing 270 stalls of assigned common property, about 66 of those with unheated and unsecured indoor coverage. Tennis courts are set atop the two garage roofs. A dozen of the 270 stalls are short-stay stalls adjacent to the building's entrance and car turn-around loop. The rampart-style concrete walls surrounding the development are a play on the "fortress" name--concrete with whimsy, 'why not?

Suites at the Fortress start at 690 square feet and go to 872 square feet. Even the smaller homes are two-bedroom places, made possible by tiny kitchens, a small second bedroom, a single bathroom and no wasted space. A few two-level suites I've seen had the bedroom and hallway walls removed to make an open loft-like second-floor plan. Few if any suites have in-suite laundry, so residents use the large basement-level coin-op. The basement also has half a dozen large rooms for crafts, activities and storage, although no individual lockers, 'last I heard.

Exterior windows and doors at the Fortress are the originals, and remain common property for maintenance and eventual replacement. I have the Condo Plan on file.

To buy or sell in this condo development, write or call Gerald at 403-703-0675