Will 1,200 students move the needle on Calgary's downtown vibrancy problem?

The University of Calgary's move to relocate its School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape into a 180,000 square-foot space in the former Nexen Building — an office tower that sat virtually vacant for about six years — has been lauded by many as a big step for this city's downtown revitalization.

But this city has made many efforts over the years to encourage building owners to fill their empty office spaces with housing, and bring life to the streets that seem to empty out once it's quitting time. And to pump cash into efforts to make Calgarians feel safer in the core. 

But how does this latest announcement move the needle? Will it really bring Calgary steps closer to achieving the downtown of its dreams? 

"Just in the same way that a medical school is located in a hospital, a design school needs to be downtown, not just located downtown, but integrated into the workings of downtown," said John Brown, the school's dean. "What I see when I look around is opportunity."

The Nexen Building was designed to be the corporate head office for Nova Corp. by architect Fred Valentine, who was recognized for the design with the 1983 Governor General's Medal in Architecture. 

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The office building sits right on Century Gardens, a park built in 1975 that the City of Calgary updated in 2021. It is one of the westernmost points of the city's Plus-15 network, and is right next to an LRT stop. 

The Nexen is also surrounded by office conversions, one of which, the Petro Fina Building (connected to the Nexen by Plus-15) has already begun partnering with the University of Calgary to encourage students to snap up leases.

These ingredients make up what many see as a major opportunity. 

"I like to say that Calgary does a great job of doing a Bank or Bloor Street. If we're talking about Toronto, Calgary doesn't have a King and a Queen Street," said Brown "We don't have that kind of cultural, youthful alternative, the kind of vibrant community that draws people downtown or draws people to an area, makes everything safer."

Brown recognizes the city's downtown, including the land where the Nexen Building sits, has seen its fair share of challenges. 

In general, downtown has faced an increase in social issues, leading to poor perceptions of safety with the public. The city and province have focused many efforts on crime and social disorder, like drug use in public areas.

At the same time, ground-floor businesses struggle to stay open. It's not uncommon to see faded for-lease signs in the area. 

Brown says adding 1,200 students to the mix will help dissipate some of these challenges.