Stephen Avenue development project on hold after province requests heritage assessment
CBC
A major development project on Stephen Avenue proposed last spring has been put on hold after the Alberta government requested a heritage assessment of the street's existing buildings.
Dubbed Stephen Avenue Quarter, the project would see three large towers transform the block between Centre Street and First Street S.W., and Stephen Avenue and Seventh Avenue.
One proposed tower would be a 66-storey condo building, making it the tallest building in Calgary.
But those plans are now stalled.
According to Nancy Bishay with the province's department of culture, in December the Alberta government required the developer Triovest to complete a historic resources impact assessment.
She says it's because Stephen Avenue is a national historic site and contains a number of significant historic buildings.
"We want to ensure that the proposed redevelopment along Stephen Avenue is done responsibly and considers the unique heritage character of the area," Bishay said.
"The assessment will require the developer to explore a range of options that prioritize the retention of Stephen Avenue's historic buildings."
Bishay said the government will decide on any necessary preservation measures once the assessment is completed and evaluated.
Josh Traptow, CEO of Heritage Calgary, says the province's request is prudent — but not unprecedented.
There are a total of 17 historically significant sites present in the redevelopment area, seven of which are legally protected under heritage designations from both municipal and provincial governments.
Of those buildings, 15 would be affected by the project.
"This is the largest development that I've ever [seen] with the largest number of heritage buildings that would be impacted," said Traptow.
It isn't the first time a provincial heritage assessment has been requested. Traptow says it also happened with the Calgary Brewing and Malting site in the late 2000s, and the Barron Building in the early 2010s.
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