Article
Why The Lougheed Block Is Allied’s Love Letter to Calgary
August 17, 2022 3 Minute Read
When Michael Emory first laid his eyes on Calgary’s historic The Lougheed Block, it was love at first sight.
The Allied Properties CEO immediately recognized the potential of the building, a landmark in the heart of downtown Calgary.
Built in 1912, the Chicago-style building has a rich history of housing the office and retail tenants that bolstered Calgary’s growth throughout the 20th century. In 1940 The Lougheed Block was adjoined to the Grand Theatre and ever since has been a celebrated Calgary landmark.
While renovations were previously undertaken to preserve the building’s heritage, these upgrades didn’t meet the functional and technical needs of modern occupiers.
Emory’s vision for The Lougheed Block, Allied’s first Calgary acquisition, was to transform it into the workspace of the future while retaining the charm and character of the building’s past. It would be his company’s love letter to Calgary.
The Lougheed Block has since been modernized to accommodate a new generation of tenants. The building offers 73,800 sq. ft. of character-filled Class-A office space, with high performing mechanical systems that can compete with Calgary’s best buildings.
"This is a building repurposed for the new age,” says CBRE Vice President Katie Sapieha, who is working with Allied to lease The Lougheed Block’s office component. “This revitalization project will take what is already a Calgary landmark and elevate it to meet modern workplace standards.”
Catering to Tomorrow’s Needs
The Lougheed Block redevelopment is creating excitement in Calgary’s downtown core. The revitalization project focused on reclaiming lost spaces to create meaningful amenities, modernizing the building’s mechanical systems, and enhancing tenant health and wellness. Highlights here include:
- A new lobby with space for casual connections or meetings.
- A new glass elevator; while existing elevators have been equipped with a destination dispatch system.
- Penthouse level tenant lounge, a new recreational space that opens onto a private rooftop patio.
- The Runway, a collaborative space located within the building’s lightwell, has interior Juliet balconies overlooking it and the floors have the ability to be joined via interconnected staircases.
- Improved universal access to natural light through operable windows, allowing for fresh air to flow into the workspaces.
- Fitness centre with locker rooms, showers, and bike storage.
Standing Out in the Crowd
The Lougheed Block would make an ideal home for tech users looking for large blocks of distinctive space downtown.
And there are plenty of them out there. Calgary’s tech sector has been booming, boasting 22% growth in its tech talent pool over the past five years, according to CBRE’s latest report.
Tenants interested in leasing all five floors of The Lougheed Block will have the opportunity to brand the building. Owing to its prominent visibility at the corner of 6th Avenue SW and 1st Street SW, its future occupant can rest assured that all eyes will be on The Lougheed Block.
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