Meet East Village's Newest Future-Forward Development

Construction wraps up and parkade opens to visitors

Today, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC), Calgary Parking Authority (CPA) and Platform Calgary celebrate the opening of an innovative new East Village parkade following two and a half years of complex construction.

CMLC led the delivery of the Platform Innovation Centre & Parkade on behalf of CPA and Platform Calgary, adding to their dynamic revitalization of East Village. The architecturally striking building broke ground in December 2018 and begins welcoming visitors today at noon.

Completed on budget, the mixed-use building combines seven storeys of parking for visitors to East Village and surrounding communities with 50,000 square feet of innovation space that will be home to Platform Calgary and 50+ partners later this year following their fit and finish program.

“CMLC is very proud to be marking the completion of this project today with our partners at CPA and Platform Calgary”, says Kate Thompson, president and CEO of CMLC. “Over the past two and a half years, it has been a collaborative effort to realize a vision that blends two very different uses into a dynamic facility that both serves community parking needs and creates a hub for Calgary’s burgeoning innovation ecosystem. The Platform Innovation Centre & Parkade is a symbol of the ongoing growth in Calgary’s east end.”

Aligning with the future-focused goals of CMLC’s East Village Master Plan, Platform Parkade accommodates traditional vehicles, electric vehicles and bicycles and complements the excellent public transit service and walkability the area is already known for.

In addition to parking, Platform Parkade offers the community a publicly accessible sport court on its main level and outdoor event rental space on the upper, seventh level, giving a panoramic backdrop to corporate events, community gatherings and more—once public health restrictions allow.

“The East Village community is multi-faceted and dynamic, and so are the mobility needs of its residents and guests,” says Moe Houssaini, Acting General Manager of CPA. “Platform Parkade was designed, developed, and built to integrate into and evolve with the neighbourhood and those who love it.”

“Today’s opening demonstrates the impact partnership and collaboration have in building a better future for our city,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “It marks a tremendous milestone for CMLC and the continued revitalization in East Village, along with Calgary Parking Authority and the reimagination of what parking structures can be in the 21st century. It also brings us one day closer to the opening of Platform Innovation Centre, a place where all startups, entrepreneurs and their ideas are welcome, building on the momentum we are seeing in Calgary's innovation ecosystem." Designed by Kasian and 5468796 Architecture, the building design allows for conversion of the space into commercial and/or residential uses through considerations that make it unique among parking structures—notably, increasing floor-to-ceiling heights by one and half times that of traditional parkades and the addition of a central atrium that invites natural light through the full height of the building.

In its current form, the facility offers 503 vehicle parking stalls, six electric vehicle chargers (with capacity for more) and 99 bicycle spots (60 reserved and 39 first come/first served), and is within easy walking distance to countless downtown, East Village and east Victoria Park amenities.

Integrated within the first two floors of the building, the Platform Innovation Centre showcases the uniqueness of this project and the community’s dedication to a rapidly growing tech community. In this space, innovators across Alberta will have access to programming and mentors to support their ideas through immersion in a community of like-minded entrepreneurs, investors, and startups.

“The Platform Innovation Centre will bring together 50+ tech and innovation partners under one roof, providing a single point of access to resources, supports, programming and events for startups and entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey,” says Terry Rock, President and CEO of Platform Calgary. “Our collective focus is on making Calgary a global hub for startups and innovation. The East Village neighbourhood is a vibrant emerging innovation district – a natural fit for our vision.”

Over the summer, the Platform team will complete its own fit-and-finish improvements to the space with a planned opening this fall.