Concerns are escalating over the increasingly dilapidated state of the mostly vacant downtown Calgary Hudson's Bay building, especially with the summer tourist season on the horizon. The historic landmark, recently sold to Astra Real Estate Corp., exhibits visible crumbling tiles in its arcade, stripped brass window trim, and burn marks, signaling social disorder and potential safety hazards, according to observers who monitor Calgary’s downtown and inner city closely.
Visible Signs of Decay
Erika Topola, executive director of Heritage Calgary, noted that the situation could quickly deteriorate further. "It can flip really quickly from being beautiful to (homeless) encampments and fires," she warned. Topola observed progressive sidewalk deterioration, partly attributed to weather conditions. Despite the current state, she acknowledged the building’s recent purchase by Astra Real Estate Corp. as a promising development, given the company’s solid track record in converting downtown properties. "Sometimes you have to make it through the muck to see the light," she added.
Accelerated Decline Since Closure
Those tracking the building’s fate indicate that deterioration began before its retail operations ceased but has accelerated over the past year since the store closed. The unsightly condition is partly due to the building being largely vacant and in receivership until now. Current tenants, including a ground-floor restaurant and a sixth-level event centre, provide some property security, according to Topola.
One potential benefit of rescuing the building from further decay is the hope of granting it a historical designation, a status it currently lacks. Topola expressed confidence that Astra understands the heritage value and will undertake upgrades necessary to make the building eligible for designation. "It’s a shame it’s not designated. When they took the (Hudson’s Bay) lettering off it, it sort of put a sign on it that it can be demolished," she remarked.
Architectural and Historical Significance
The six-storey Chicago commercial-style building, featuring terracotta cladding, served as a template for the Hudson’s Bay Company’s western Canadian expansion, with architecturally notable stores subsequently built in Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg. Its importance to Calgary makes its current condition all the more distressing, said Andrew Doudican, director of urban strategy for the Calgary Downtown Association.
"The state of the arcade is of concern to everybody — it’s a decaying, depreciating building, and that’s a main concern," Doudican stated. "It’s at the heart of the city … it’s bizarre to see the state it’s in; receivership is almost a no-man’s land." He confirmed that the association has been in contact with Astra to explore remediation options before the city’s Stampede festivities in July.
