Calgary transforms old, empty office building into new 226-room hotel

Calgary’s first building to be converted from offices to a hotel, the Westin’s Element Hotel, is officially open.

Calgary turned an old office building into a new hotel Thursday.

A once-vacant office tower on the west side of downtown has been transformed into Element Calgary Downtown.

It’s the city’s first-ever office-to-hotel conversion under the city’s downtown development incentive program.

Local developer PBA Group of Companies partnered with Concord Hospitality to convert 170,000 square feet of Fourth Avenue office space into 226 hotel suites and the Bow and Bend Rooftop Bar and Lounge.

The conversion was part of the city’s downtown development incentive, which offers developers up to $60 per square foot to convert unused office space for hotel use.

“The Element Hotel is a powerful example of what downtown revitalization can look like,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek, in a media release. “As Calgary’s first office-to-hotel conversion, it reflects our commitment to breathing new life into the core and creating dynamic, mixed-use spaces that bring people and energy back downtown.”

The hotel fits into the city’s vision for revitalizing Eighth Street S.W., offering easy access to nearby multi-use river pathways, the Bow River and public transit.

“The Element Hotel not only offers guests something truly unique, it injects fresh energy into our downtown core and helps shape Calgary’s evolution as a dynamic, future-ready city,” said PBA CEO Patricia Phillips. “We’re excited to officially open our doors and welcome a new group of guests to Calgary’s downtown West End, as we continue to lead the way in building community and driving positive change across the city.”

The downtown development incentive is currently supporting 21 office conversions, converting more than 2.68 million square feet of office space into 2,628 new homes, 226 hotel rooms and a hostel.