A massive, three-tower project that would bring significant change to Calgary’s Stephen Avenue has been scrapped by the company that proposed to build it.
It was called Stephen Avenue Quarter, and was set to include three towers on top of a multi-storey podium: a 24-storey office tower, a 54-storey rental tower and a 66-storey condo tower, which would have become the largest skyscraper in Western Canada. (Stantec Tower in Edmonton currently holds the title of tallest building.)
Preliminary designs also featured a retail shops, office space, a hotel, rental and condo units, as well as five levels of underground parking.
The project was proposed along Stephen Avenue and 7 Avenue S.W. between Centre Street and 1st Street S.W.
Earlier this month, Triovest withdrew its development permit applications for the site, but plans to re-evaluate its approach to the project.
“Triovest is stepping back from the project due to the key anchor tenant pulling out, which means withdrawing the permits,” Triovest marketing and communications vice-president Ryan Schott said in a statement.
“We remain committed to investing in this city, by supporting a reinvigorated, vibrant, and resilient downtown core and are taking time to envision how the Stephen Avenue Quarter site fits into that.”
The project encountered several challenges during the planning stages, including its potential impact to heritage buildings along Stephen Avenue.
The project would’ve taken up nearly the entire block, which includes 15 heritage buildings listed on the Inventory of Evaluated Historic Resources; seven of those buildings have historic designation.
Early designs revealed many of the facades of the heritage buildings on Stephen Avenue would’ve remained as part of the development.
However, planning was paused for an historical resource impact assessment.
The provincial government said, at the time, that the assessment required the developer “to explore a range of options that prioritize the retention of Stephen Avenue’s historic buildings.”
Heritage Calgary president & CEO, Josh Traptow, said there were issues with the project’s ability to preserve more of the heritage buildings than their facades.
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According to Traptow, development on Stephen Avenue is possible using creativity but it requires heritage buildings to be seen as assets.
“Heritage takes some creativity when it comes to development and high density development,” Traptow said. “I think there’s lots of other sites within the downtown core that could lend itself to that type of development.”
Mark Garner, executive director of the Calgary Downtown Association, said he commends Triovest for going back to the drawing board on the project, and feels the situation will help “develop a better product at that site location.”
Garner pointed to several challenges facing the developer on the site, including the construction of a five-storey underground parkade on the block, as well as supply management, cost of materials and higher interest rates.
“It’s not like a vacant parking lot that we have in the west end where you dig a hole and you can go up, there’s numerous things that they have to be concerned about and consider,” Garner said.
“It’s just it’s a complicated site location. When you try to build on existing buildings, and specifically heritage buildings, that brings some unique challenges.”
Garner said the downtown association is looking at what can be done in the meantime with the vacant space in the alleyway, and empty buildings along 7th Avenue S.W. like activations or pop-ups.
Ward 7 Coun. Terry Wong would also like to see the vacant buildings along the 7th Avenue CTrain line addressed in the absence of the massive development; he added the Stephen Avenue Quarter project is critical for downtown revitalization.
“A lot of those buildings are derelict, and the preservation of them is important,” Wong said. “But at the same time, creating a safe public realm on the LRT line is just as important.”
Calgary’s mayor called Triovest’s decision to scrap the development “disappointing,” but Jyoti Gondek said the city is making progress on its downtown revitalization efforts, which are at 30 per cent of its 10 year targets in their second year.
“Their decision to withdraw at this moment in time is not a reflection of where our city is in terms of our recovery; we’re doing very well,” Gondek told reporters.
“Although it’s disappointing when a project has to take a pause, I remain very optimistic that we will see many more.”
There is no word on when Triovest will return with updated plans for the Stephen Avenue site.
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