The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), the City of Calgary and Arts Commons have announced planning is underway for the $40 million Olympic Plaza Transformation project — a new city-building initiative to renew an important but aging downtown cultural space.
The Olympic Plaza Transformation will see a full redesign of the plaza as an innovative, flexible and active space in the downtown core. Its proximity to Arts Commons—currently undergoing its own $480M transformation—will allow for design synergies, construction efficiencies and coordinated leadership.
As development manager, CMLC is responsible for stewarding design and construction on behalf of its partners.
“As development manager for the expansion and modernization of Arts Commons, CMLC is perfectly positioned to lead the Olympic Plaza Transformation with a coordinated approach that dramatically elevates the entire block,” says Kate Thompson, CMLC’s president & CEO. “CMLC excels at visionary master-planning, and the opportunity to reimagine an entire block is very exciting—as are the benefits and opportunities for Calgarians. Leading three adjacent and concurrent projects in this block creates construction efficiencies and economies of scale.”
CMLC will be issuing an RFP for a qualified and visionary design team to lead the concept planning of the project. Following selection of the proponents, design is expected to take place through 2023 and 2024.
In developing a programmatic design for the Olympic Plaza Transformation, CMLC and the selected design team will explore the plaza’s historic elements and significance as a gathering place during the 1988 Winter Olympics.
“When Olympic Plaza and ACT are complete, the Arts Commons campus will be one of the largest contiguous arts-focused space in Canada. The potential for elevating Calgary’s reputation as an internationally important arts and cultural centre is tremendous,” said Alex Sarian, president & CEO of Arts Commons.
Construction timelines for the Olympic Plaza redevelopment will be defined as the project plan is refined.
