Driven by the energy sector, Calgary's continued growth has resulted in many highrises being built in the downtown area. In a previous story, we reviewed many important office and residential developments currently reshaping the city's streets and skyline, including the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)-designed tower that is currently under construction at the corner of 7th Avenue SW and Fifth Street SW. Developed by Manulife Real Estate, 707 Fifth Street will add approximately 52,400 square metres of prime office space to the area.

Concrete core rising in late October, image by Surrealplaces

At a future height of 27 floors and 124 metres above street level, the new tower is being erected where the former 1976 Mawer Building stood until it was demolished in 2014 to make way for the new development. Designed according to LEED Gold standards, 707 Fifth will feature open-concept floor plates with an average size of 2,000 square metres. The elliptical shape of the building could already be seen in early construction photos captured by Forum user Surrealplaces in late October, and the project's webcam now shows the steel skeleton beginning to rise in the same distinct shape.

Aerial view of 707 Fifth Street on November 13th 2015, retrieved via 707fifth.com's webcam

The project will be a welcome addition to this intersection, where it will sit kitty corner to Courthouse Park. Ultimately a clear, glazed, triple-pane curtain wall will be used to seal off the tower from the elements and provide a high level of insulation while flooding the interiors with natural light. 

707 Fifth Street, image courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)

The new office tower will be directly connected to Calgary's Plus 15 skyway network, which links together more than 130 properties in the financial district through an 18-kilometre path with 62 bridges, most of which stand 15 feet or more above the street. The C-Train, the city's 59-kilometre light rail system, will be at the doorstep, running along 7th Avenue. The development's bridge can be seen at the bottom of the rendering above. For those workers who prefer to bike to work, the architects have included 132 bike stalls — with 13 showers — and 12 electric vehicle charging stations in order to encourage a more environmentally friendly commute, although 402 parking spots will occupy most of the five underground levels below the tower.

Interior gardens at 707 Fifth Street, image courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM)

Finally, the development will include an on-site conference facility, a fitness centre and landscaped gardens to bring greenery to the ground floor lobby. When 707 Fifth is complete in March 2017, Brion Energy will become the lead tenant, occupying the upper 12 floors of the building. Until then, more renderings and information are available in our Database, and you can voice your opinion about this project by leaving a comment below or by visiting our dedicated Forum thread.