Calgary will see several major construction projects close to completion this year

Staff writer for Ontario Construction News

The The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) expects 2024 to be a big construction year.

As several major urban development projects nearing completion in the culture + entertainment district, CMLC has a new 6 St SE underpass project and is gearing up for construction on the Arts Commons Transformation project.

The BMO Center expansion and 17 Ave Extension & Victoria Park/Stampede Station redevelopment projects are nearing completion, and construction on the Arts Commons Transformation project is expected to begin later this year.

“As Calgary's leading urban developer, CMLC has a proven track record of designing and delivering Calgary's most transformative projects on behalf of our partners,” said Keith Thompson, President and CEO of CMLC. “2024 will be a big year for project completions and groundbreakings, as well as progress and development in downtown Calgary's east side. Our team is poised to advance more than $1 billion in city-shaping vertical and infrastructure developments this year and lead the continued development and deployment of the East Village.”

Another milestone in the city's development, the acquisition of the new 6 St SE underpass, is underway.

In 2024, CMLC will continue to oversee the development of several mixed-use housing projects in the East Village, including projects such as BOSA Development Arris Residences, which leased 337 units by the end of 2023, and Alston Properties EV606, which is under construction. 44 residential units and 9,000 SF of main floor retail space. CMLC is seeing interest in sustainable development in the community, recently signed letters of intent on three development packages, and expects these agreements to move forward in 2024.

On behalf of Arts Commons and the City of Calgary, the Arts Commons Transformation and Olympic Plaza transformation projects continue downtown, and CMLC is preparing to unveil the Arts Commons Transformation expansion design—a new building with a 1,000-seat theater and a 200-seat studio theater—this spring and new expansion later this year. wait for the start.

In The Culture + Entertainment District (C+E), CMLC, in partnership with Calgary Stampede and The City of Calgary, is preparing to deliver over $600 million in major urban development projects across the finish line in 2024. The BMO Center expansion will open for Stampede 2024, welcoming the world to the largest convention center in western Canada, and the Victoria Park/Stampede Station redevelopment and 17 Ave SE expansion projects will be completed this summer, creating a new gateway to Stampede Park for Calgarians and visitors alike.

With some of CMLC's major construction underway as we complete the C+E approach, the team is preparing to begin another major project that supports our shared vision for C+E: the new 6 St SE underpass. As the manager of the Rivers District Master Plan, CMLC leads the delivery of district infrastructure projects to support the Calgary Events Centre. The 6th St. SE underpass is the first of these projects.

“The underpass is envisioned in the 2019 Rivers District Master Plan as a critical infrastructure link to support the area's future development, including a new events center, an expanded BMO Center and more than 4 million square feet of future mixed-use development,” Thompson said. “CMLC has proven experience in building such infrastructure. In 2011, at the beginning of East Village management, we delivered the 4 St SE underpass, which completely changed the way people travel through Calgary's east side.