Eighth Avenue Place is a 1,850,000 sq ft (172,000 m2)[2] twin-tower building complex located in downtownCalgary, Alberta, Canada. The complex includes a 49-storey 212 m (696 ft) East tower, 40-storey 177 m (581 ft) West office tower, and a three-storey indoor urban park.[3]
The complex is housed on the site of the former Penny Lane Mall, originally intending to keep the historic name as "Penny Lane Towers", the project has since been renamed.[4]
Construction
Demolition of the old mall was completed in September 2007. Excavation of the parkade below the building commenced in December 2007 and construction of the 49-storey east tower, and the parkade begun in Summer 2008. Eighth Avenue Place East was completed in 2011 and is currently the fifth-tallest building in Calgary. Eighth Avenue Place West was completed later in 2014.
Design
The structures, designed by Gibbs Gage Architects to have a Rocky Mountain theme, with a western facing pale-green glass wall mimicking mountain waters and glaciers. The remainder of the building adopts a dark gray-layered appearance representing the shifting tectonic plates that built the mountains. The complex connects to the Plus 15 skywalk system, and contains a six-level underground parkade with 1,141 parking stalls.[5] The buildings also feature landscaped terraces and plazas, a 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) green roof, and an atrium winter garden.[6]
Eighth Avenue Place would win the 2018 BOMA Canada Earth Award for excellence in resource preservation and environmentally sound commercial building management for the Office Building class.[7]
Penny Lane Mall controversy
Prior to construction, concerns had been raised over the destruction of the 94-year-old Penny Lane Mall; however, the City of Calgary approved the project in March 2006.[8]
Sustainability
Eighth Avenue Place has been certified LEED Platinum for Core and Shell.[9]
Gallery
Eighth Avenue Place under construction in June 2009
Construction in April 2010
Completed lower retail floors on east side
Looking south in the lobby
Looking southwest in the three-storey lobby
Lower retail frontage as seen from Stephen Avenue
Substantial completion of the East tower, April 2011