Construction is ramping up in East Village this year, with five new residential developments set to break ground as Calgary's downtown core continues to densify.

Calgary Municipal Land Corporation and developer Bankside Properties kicked things off with a ceremonial groundbreaking for Library Square, which will bring 162 purpose-built rental homes in two six-storey buildings just east of the Central Library. The actual construction starts in February, and tenants should be able to move in by 2027. The buildings will feature brick detailing inspired by the neighbourhood's historic buildings, along with a courtyard and rooftop space for residents.

Four more projects are slated to start construction this year. Ayrshire Group's development will add 208 units, Slokker Homes is building 218 units with commercial space, Trico Communities is planning around 170 units with ground-floor commercial and childcare, and Truman is constructing a hotel with 132 rooms. All together, the five projects will bring more than 700 new homes and those hotel rooms to East Village.

Beyond the downtown neighbourhood, CMLC is also working on transit-oriented communities at three LRT stations—Fish Creek-Lacombe, Dalhousie, and Anderson. The organization will be moving forward with master planning and community engagement on those sites this year, part of the city's broader push to address Calgary's housing crunch.