The M2 building in Calgary’s East Village has broken ground. Located immediately east of the historic Simmons Building, the innovative mixed-use project will bring village-style retail space to the ground level with unique office space and residential above.

The riverfront parcel, known as M2, is small in size, measuring only a quarter acre (10,872 square feet), but big on impact with a prominent location along the Jack and Jean Leslie RiverWalk + Plaza and with unobstructed views of the beautiful Bow River.

The project is by XYC Design + Development and designed by Brooklyn-based nARCHITECTS, in collaboration with local architect, Riddell Kurczaba.

“The design of the building was really inspired by the challenges of working within such a small, constrained site,” says Kate MacGregor, president of XYC Design + Development. “The undulating north façade of the building minimizes shadows along the riverfront and, as each level subtly recedes from RiverWalk, results in a series of spectacular terraces with panoramic views of the Bow River.”

When completed in 2019, the four-storey building will have a total of approximately 7,500 square feet of restaurant space on the main floor, with more than 2,500 additional square feet of riverfront patio spilling out onto RiverWalk Plaza. The upper two floors of boutique office space bring another 12,500 square feet, and a unique three-bedroom penthouse live/work unit perches on the top floor, overlooking the Bow River and St. Patrick’s Island.

“One of the primary goals of the East Village master plan was always to re-establish the riverfront and allow the community to enjoy the beautiful Bow River, so we are thrilled construction is now starting on this exciting project,” says Michael Brown, president and CEO, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation. “Since we first partnered with XYC in 2014, we knew we had the right team with the right vision that aligned with our retail vision for the community.”