The City of Calgary has embarked on an ambitious project to revitalize its downtown core and provide homes for the increasing number of newcomers to the city.
The revitalization comes in the wake of rising office vacancy rates. Three in ten offices were vacant in 2020.
To combat all those empty downtown offices, the City initiated the Downtown Office Conversion Program.
The program aims to convert six million square feet of vacant office space into residential apartments by 2031 while also boosting the downtown population by 20 percent.
When complete, over 2,300 new residences will exist downtown.
Not only is the plan ambitious, but it’s also being watched carefully by other cities in Canada as a model for revitalization.
Strategy and Progress
The City jumpstarted the program with $200 million and an overall investment goal of $1 Billion. It includes incentives to developers for office-housing conversions.
Incentives include $75 per square foot for remodelling and an expedited approval process.
Currently, 17 projects are in the pipeline, with 13 active, translating to 2.3 million square feet of office space being repurposed for housing.
This strong uptake has even led to a temporary pause in the program to secure additional funds.
Challenges and Solutions
The transformation of Calgary’s downtown into livable neighbourhoods is not without its challenges.
Questions about essential amenities for future residents, such as grocery stores, schools, and recreational spaces, are commonplace.
Beverly Sandalack, a University of Calgary professor, notes that the city lost these amenities, its human scale and vitality due to past urban planning decisions that prioritized 9 – 5 office space over livability.
Thom Mahler, director of the city’s downtown strategy, highlights the new Greater Downtown Plan, which is designed to remedy livability through reimagining downtown streets and public spaces to cater more to ‘neighbourhood life’ and “transform towards a more balanced mix of residential, office, retail, entertainment, tourism, and culture.”
Reimagining Public Spaces
The City’s plan also involves modifying the wide, one-way avenues that create dead zones in the city’s heart.
The idea is to repurpose these streets to accommodate diverse forms of mobility and public use, like temporary parks or hospitality patios.
The changes aim to make the downtown area more pedestrian-friendly, diverse and vibrant.
Addressing Residential Needs
Paul Fairie, the Principal coordinator of the Downtown Core Neighbourhood Association, also emphasizes the need for more “normal” amenities like grocery stores and affordable dining options.
The City expects the private sector to meet these needs, with developers planning spaces for such businesses in their projects.
Additional Amenities
Adding to the livability, one of the office towers downtown is being converted into a hotel, which will bring continuous activity and supporting amenities like restaurants.
The city is also trying to attract post-secondary institutions into the downtown core to create student learning opportunities and affordable student housing.
The presence of over 800 children living in the downtown core in 2021 highlights the need for amenities geared towards younger residents, including schools and recreational spaces.
With new families moving in, there are plans to increase school capacity within the downtown area.
Future Prospects
Despite the challenges of converting a downtown from a weekday commuting worker space to a livable neighbourhood, there are signs of progress and optimism.
For instance, a new sports park next to Century Gardens has become a popular spot, especially for teenagers.
The City is also exploring varied uses for vacant lots and city-owned parking spaces, aiming to create more engaging and permanent community spaces like parks, green spaces and garden plots.
While many positive steps have already been taken, Sandalack cautions that more radical changes might still be necessary to fully remediate past urban planning mistakes.
But the future looks bright for downtown Calgary. What was once a ‘dead zone’ once all the commuters went back to the suburbs every night is now attracting new families looking for a vibrant place to live.
To learn more about Calgary’s downtown revitalization, watch this video:
