These luxury condos have been built with all walks of life in mind. Within walking distance of the core, the Eau Claire Market and Stephen Avenue shopping districts and numerous restaurants (not the least of which is La Caille on the Bow, one of Calgary's most celebrated dining rooms), residents will find themselves with the best of the city on their doorstep.

“It's a phenomenal location in that it's a short walk across the bridge into Kensington and all the lifestyle amenities that Kensington offers,” says La Caille Group's vice president Al Schmidt. “Even shorter than that is the river pathway system, and two blocks away is the LRT, with quick access to anywhere in the city without ever having to start up your car.”

From the outside, the development appears classy and timeless. The limestone and red brick exterior is reminiscent of buildings from past eras, while the reflective glass mirrors the skyline and updates the look. Five West also features high-end retail shops and services at the street level, heated underground parking, a rooftop garden and an amenities room for large groups.

The Five West marketing centre (111 Seventh Street SW) offers a partial show suite which highlights some of the condo’s best features. With a complete kitchen and partial bathroom, potential buyers can see some of the many options and get a feel for the atmosphere of the units.

The professionally designed kitchens offer four different design schemes which cater to all tastes, from basic browns to rich spice tones or stone greys. Kitchens come with six standard appliances and maple cabinets with crown mouldings to the ceiling, making the already high ceilings appear even loftier. There are several different colours to choose from for the granite countertops and ceramic tiles, as well as the cabinets, allowing the buyer to customize the look themselves should they choose not to use the design schemes. The bathroom offers ceramic tile floors, hardwood cabinets and a glass shower stall as well as a soaker tub for sinking into after a long day at the office.

“We build the best quality available on the market today, not only in the finishing materials in the suite but the efficient design as well, so that every square foot is useful to you,” says Schmidt. “You don't need to buy 1100 square feet to live in a thousand.”

The two-tower development is being built in two phases. The first building was completed last year and has less than 24 available units left, while phase two, with a planned completion date of October 2007, is over 50 per cent sold. Units range from the 776 square foot Broadway for as little as $238,900 to the enormous 3,757 square foot Penthouse suite for $2,399,900, with a range of sizes and prices in between.

“What we have found is that there's no direct correlation between suite size and age or income level,” says Schmidt. “What it all comes down to is that our building is a cross-section of a typical inner city neighbourhood. If you went into Sunnyside, Hillhurst, Bridgeland or Lower Mount Royal, you'd find all age groups, all demographics, and our homes in Five West are no different than that.”