OFFICE TO RESIDENTIAL CONVERSIONS
W
By David Leonard, P.L.Eng., Eng.L., BECxP, CxA+BE Associate - Building Envelope Specialist
ith the rise in and the stagnant climate of commercial vacancies in Alberta, the industry as a whole needs to consider
therefore surrounding restaurants and
the building, condition of the envelope
amenities are limited in their operation.
and structure, as well as floor-to-floor
This in turn reduces the amount of
dimensions. Where a building is suited
retail, restaurants and other amenities
for a conversion project to any of the
which maintain the pulse of the
segments across the housing continuum,
community over a longer period of the
therein lies an opportunity to revitalize
all options for adaptive reuse of this
day. There has historically been a large
the building and extend its useful service
vacant building stock. Boom and busts
need for housing, more so affordable/
life to the community.
have been cyclical over the decades
attainable housing. The housing
and while economists have varying
continuum establishes the segments in
When Entuitive was approached to
degrees of optimism, the reality is that
which housing is provided, as shown
there is a substantial amount of vacant
below.
commercial space in downtown Calgary
It is recognized that not all office spaces
we jumped in with both feet. The
and Edmonton. Naturally a commercial
can be easily, or actually, converted
existing Sierra Place Office building
heavy district does not promote vibrancy
from their current use to a residential
located at 6th Street and 7th Avenue
and life in the area, as businesses
use. Factors include geometry and sizing
Southwest in Calgary was almost
generally operate between 9 to 5 and
of the floor plate, existing services in
entirely vacant and had been for years.
32 AN ABECN/ABECS PUBLICATION
provide prime engineering consulting services for the proposed Sierra Place Office to Residential conversion project,
