The Enbridge Centre opened in downtown Edmonton Thursday.
In 2009, the original Kelly Ramsey building was gutted by fire. Despite the destruction, developer John Day bought the building, and hoped to preserve the exterior.
The building’s original façade was declared a municipal historic resource and the developer received nearly $1.8 million in public funds for restoration.
The old Kelly Ramsey building was taken down brick by brick, each one numbered and put into storage. The bricks that could be salvaged now make up second to fourth floors of the new Enbridge Centre.
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The new building, formerly known as the Kelly Ramsey Tower, becomes one of the largest private-sector tenants in downtown, leasing about 664,000 square feet of office space.
It will house about two-thirds of Enbridge’s downtown workforce, which is about 2,100 people. Enbridge employees had previously worked out of six buildings.
“We feel pretty great today. It’s a wonderful day to celebrate a blending of what’s old in the city and what’s new in the city,” developer John Day said.
READ MORE: GALLERY: Edmonton’s old Kelly Ramsey Tower is new again
Enbridge employees and contractors will occupy 14 floors of the 25-storey tower located at 100A Street and Rice Howard Way. Other tenants include KPMG, Field Law and Parlee McLaws LLP.
“I honestly didn’t see that this building would happen in this way until the last few years, and it’s been made possible by some great investment partners, by some great tenants, by some great support by the city of Edmonton,” Day said.
The original Kelly Ramsey building was constructed in 1926.
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