But not for Donna and Marty. They had the vision to see past all the outdated décor, and see the real promise the home held. “I’d seen it on the Internet,” recalls Donna, “And I just wondered ‘What’s with that place?’ It looked like a neat building so we took a look. We walked in here, and the layout was just nice and square — nothing weird. [There were] no strange angles, and it had a good square footage that made it very liveable.”

The two bought the “three-level, two-storey” town home in October 2004 and started gutting it the following December. Now, at last, their renovation is complete or pretty close at least. “In an ideal world we would do more, but it’s pretty much finished now,” says Donna.

Donna, who’s in sales and marketing, and Marty, who is a businessman, are continually looking for new properties to reno, so they were looking for a fixer-upper when seeking out this town home. “We wanted to put our sweat equity into something so we didn’t want to buy something [new] that was already done,” explains Marty. This time around, they were specifically looking for something that would accommodate Marty and his two young daughters who stay with him a few nights a week. The town home fit the bill, and wound up being their first condo purchase.

“When we bought this place, we knew it was a good economic move because there is just so much development here, especially on the old General [Hospital] site,” explains Marty. “This was kind of in the midst of all that.”

“And they put in a Starbucks!” states Donna. “That was huge!”

The town home also appealed to them because of its similarities to a house. “We’re used to living in a house so we were looking for something that’s closer to a house,” says Marty. “This place has a garage, a downstairs [with a laundry room], a separate entrance; we wouldn’t be apartment-type condo dwellers. Here, you drive in off the street, and you’ve still got to shovel your walk. This is kind of the best of both worlds.”

“We weren’t really looking for a condo or town house; we happened upon it,” agrees Donna. “This was the perfect blend.”

And so they proceeded to blend in their own tastes and styles, bringing the townhouse from a tired, out-of-date dive to a tasteful, modern and welcoming living space. The two are actually old hands at the reno game with the town house marking their sixth renovation project together.­

They lacquered cabinets, added a knockdown ceiling, put in beautiful hardwood flooring, knocked out walls to create a more open space, put new handrails and hardware in, added 4 inch baseboards, repainted everything, inserted several wall cut-outs, installed a slate tile fireplace hearth, and built custom closet doors to name some of the renovations. “We spent a lot of dough on this place, and we also spent a lot of time,” affirms Marty.

Plus, they added in some funky style elements that really set the home apart. For instance, the cut-out next to the staircase showcases aircraft cables. “I full-out stole that from Architectural Digest!” Donna confesses.

“People come in, and they always want to tug it. It was a big job for Marty; it was hard because you have to tighten and crimp each one, but it looks cool. It’s a bit of a focal point.”

And of course, they’ve completely redecorated the two-bedroom, two bathroom home, which also has a cozy little den. “Donna chose all the colours and furniture,” says Marty. “I completely trust her with that.” The result is a very neutral but friendly colour palette with cream chairs and a sofa to match. The light colours also make the 1200 square foot  space seem even bigger than it is. The décor is modern but without harsh edges. “We like clean-cut lines,” he affirms.

“I call it soft modern,” says Donna. “It’s comfortable; I think it’s fairly modern but I also think it’s not cold.”

Proof of the home’s warmth is how it has made Marty a convert to condo living. “What I love most is that it’s quiet,” he says. “Right across the street is the Forzani homestead so it’s a pretty unusual set-up. The complex is shaped like an ‘L’ off the street. So there is no road noise. You have a nice view of trees and the Ukrainian church. And the proximity to downtown is great.”

As a matter of fact, the arrangement of the complex itself is a huge rarity in the city. There is literally no street, and therefore, no traffic noise. Access to the building is via a paved lane. “And because of the way things are laid out here, I feel like I have a huge yard [from the Forzani home] that I don’t have to mow,” laughs Marty. “They are really good gardeners over there!”

“The simplicity of it is great,” adds Donna. “Not having to worry about yardwork! You just get here, and that’s it. Sometimes, with renos, it can be just as much doing the outside as the inside.”

The whole development, made up of 25 units, has a somewhat European feel; it doesn’t feel like you’re in Calgary. It’s unlike most other condo complexes in the city, which gives it a uniqueness that Donna and Marty really enjoy.

“I thought of Melrose Place when I saw this place,” laughs Donna. “It’s kind of set up like that; but we’re still working on a pool!”

“Initially, we thought the set-up of the complex might have been a deficit because it really is out of the norm,” admits Marty. “But now, we see it as really positive. I mean, how many places, town houses or even houses for that matter, are tucked away so that you don’t hear any road traffic at all, especially being right downtown?”