This piece of Calgary history boasts a tennis court, manicured gardens and traditional design touches throughout.
Location: 717 Royal Avenue SW, Calgary
List price: $9,500,000
Size: 7,606 sq. ft. of developed space (including finished basement)
Lot Size: 1.03 acres
Rooms: 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms
Special features: A coach house with a double attached garage for weekend visitors, manicured gardens and lawns, a regulation size tennis court and a luxurious grand staircase
City living doesn’t mean you need to compromise on square footage. In downtown Calgary’s prestigious Upper Mount Royal neighbourhood, an impeccably restored estate with roots in local history offers ample living space on the doorstep of urban amenities.
Located at 717 Royal Avenue SW, The Sayre Estate of Mount Royal sits on a fully gated, one-acre lot with three convenient access points that is concealed by mature trees for ultimate privacy. Built in 1910, this Tudor Revival home was one of the first properties to be constructed in Calgary’s former American Hill district, and one of the only remaining estates from the original neighbourhood. A.J. Sayre, a prominent Calgarian and Iowa-born businessman who was successful in the mining, lumber and coal industries, was the original homeowner, having purchased the property from the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) for just $1,400.
In the early 1920s, Sayre relocated to Los Angeles and sold the property to the Roman Catholic Church, who converted the home into a residence for the Ursuline Sisters. The convent, called Villa Angela, became the hub for a musical program run by the sisters for the parish and broader community.
Listed at $9.5 million, this piece of Calgary history blends modern comforts with traditional touches. Throughout the mansion, you’ll find timeless interior finishes, such as oak hardwood floors, crown molding, coffered ceilings, and a grand wooden staircase beneath a Venetian glass chandelier in the main hallway. The five-bedroom luxury home features updated floors, bathrooms and more, including a separate two-bedroom coach house ideal for long-term guests or multi-generational living. 717 Royal Avenue SW is the perfect location for backyard parties and gatherings thanks to its large deck, pristine landscaping, regulation size tennis court, enough parking for six vehicles in the heated garages, and multiple driveways that can accommodate up to 16 cars.
“This once-in-a-lifetime home has been updated to become the ultimate space for family living and entertaining,” said the listing agent, Nancy Calvin of Royal LePage Benchmark. “As one of the oldest homes in Calgary, The Sayre Estate is ideal for anyone looking for a unique and historically-significant property with character that doesn’t sacrifice size or proximity to the inner city. The future owners of this home will be minutes from the downtown district in addition to shops, restaurants, highly-rated schools and more.”
Click here to view a virtual tour of the property.
Photo credit: Hripko and Partners Real Estate Team
YouTube video credit: Hripko and Partners Real Estate Team
Want to know more? Check out the complete listing here.
*Please note that since the time this article was published, the status of the property may have changed
