List of tallest buildings in Edmonton
Encyclopedia
This is a list of the tallest buildings in Edmonton, the capital city of the province of Alberta
in Canada
.
None of Edmonton's tallest buildings are among the tallest in Canada, and are generally much shorter than the tallest buildings in the rival city
of Calgary. This may partly be explained by the fact that while Edmonton and Calgary
are both booming centres of the oil and gas industry
, Calgary is the home to most corporate head office
s, while Edmonton (and more so its surrounding region
) is home to refineries, upgraders and other production facilities. Furthermore, because of the presence of aircraft taking off and landing at the Edmonton City Centre Airport, zoning bylaws in downtown Edmonton restricts any building from reaching an elevation higher than 815.34 m (2675 ft) above mean sea level
and varies within the area depending on base elevation.
Edmonton has always been a city of low-rise construction. Edmonton was settled much later than other Canadian cities and was very much a frontier town of rustic buildings until 1909 when two transcontinental railways arrived (the Canadian Northern and Grand Trunk Pacific), and more so after 1912 when the sale of the Hudson's Bay Company
reserve in what is now the western half of downtown prompted a building boom. This boom went bust during the Great War, and Edmonton saw very little new construction until after the discovery of oil nearby, at Leduc No. 1
, in 1947. Nevertheless, being surrounded by flat plains
on all sides, there has never been much incentive for Edmonton to build up, as in, for example, Vancouver
which is sandwiched between the sea and a mountain range. The first true skyscraper was not built until the construction of the CN Tower
in 1966. Another building boom did not really begin until the oil shocks (1973
and 1979
) of the 1970s and 80s when most of the city's current tall buildings were constructed. (see history below)
Highrise construction was virtually non-existent between the mid 1980s and the early 2000s due to low oil prices, which Edmonton's economy depended on until recently, the first major tower to be completed since Commerce Place
, was in 2009. The rapid oil price increases since 2003 had created a new boom in Alberta, from 2005–2007, and prompted new construction again. The current crop of proposed buildings will leave Edmonton looking very different in 2010 compared to how it did in 2000 (see proposals below). EPCOR Tower, which will be built by 2011, will be the first major office building since 1990 with Commerce Place.
, the city was experiencing something of a building boom, with 780000 square feet (72,464.4 m²) of office space
under construction and vacancy rates still falling. In 2007, Edmonton had 235 completed high-rise buildings, with 8 more under construction, 1 under reconstruction, another 6 approved for construction and 43 more proposed. Following the recent drop in oil prices many projects were stalled, but several already under construction have continued.
* Table entries with dashes (—) indicate that information regarding building heights and/or dates of completion has not yet been released.
* Table entries with dashes (—) indicate that information regarding building heights and/or dates of completion has not yet been released.
* Table entries with dashes (—) indicate that information regarding building heights has not yet been released.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
None of Edmonton's tallest buildings are among the tallest in Canada, and are generally much shorter than the tallest buildings in the rival city
Battle of Alberta
The Battle of Alberta is a term applied to the intense rivalry between the Canadian cities of Edmonton, the capital of the province of Alberta, and Calgary, the province's largest city...
of Calgary. This may partly be explained by the fact that while Edmonton and Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
are both booming centres of the oil and gas industry
Petroleum production in Canada
Petroleum production in Canada is a major industry which is important to the economy of North America. Canada is the sixth largest oil producing country in the world. In 2008 it produced an average of of crude oil, crude bitumen and natural gas condensate. Of that amount, 45% was conventional...
, Calgary is the home to most corporate head office
Head Office
Head Office is a 1985 American comedy film, produced by HBO Pictures in association with Silver Screen Partners. It stars Judge Reinhold, Eddie Albert, Lori-Nan Engler, Jane Seymour, Richard Masur, Michael O'Donoghue, Ron Frazier, Merritt Butrick and was directed and written by Ken...
s, while Edmonton (and more so its surrounding region
Edmonton Capital Region
The Edmonton Capital Region , also commonly referred to as the Alberta Capital Region, Greater Edmonton or Metro Edmonton, is a conglomeration of municipalities centred around Edmonton – Alberta's provincial capital....
) is home to refineries, upgraders and other production facilities. Furthermore, because of the presence of aircraft taking off and landing at the Edmonton City Centre Airport, zoning bylaws in downtown Edmonton restricts any building from reaching an elevation higher than 815.34 m (2675 ft) above mean sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
and varies within the area depending on base elevation.
Edmonton has always been a city of low-rise construction. Edmonton was settled much later than other Canadian cities and was very much a frontier town of rustic buildings until 1909 when two transcontinental railways arrived (the Canadian Northern and Grand Trunk Pacific), and more so after 1912 when the sale of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
reserve in what is now the western half of downtown prompted a building boom. This boom went bust during the Great War, and Edmonton saw very little new construction until after the discovery of oil nearby, at Leduc No. 1
Leduc No. 1
Leduc No. 1 was a major crude oil discovery made near Leduc, Alberta, Canada on February 13, 1947. It provided the geological key to Alberta's most prolific conventional oil reserves and resulted in a boom in petroleum exploration and development across Western Canada...
, in 1947. Nevertheless, being surrounded by flat plains
Interior Plains
The Interior Plains is a vast physiographic region that spreads across the Laurentian craton of central North America.-Geography:The Interior Plains are an extensive physiographic division encompassing 8 distinct physiographic provinces, the Interior Low Plateaus, Great Plains, Central Lowland,...
on all sides, there has never been much incentive for Edmonton to build up, as in, for example, Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
which is sandwiched between the sea and a mountain range. The first true skyscraper was not built until the construction of the CN Tower
CN Tower (Edmonton)
CN Tower is an office tower in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It stands at or 26 storeys tall, and was built and formerly owned by the Canadian National Railway Company. At the time of its construction it was the first skyscraper in Edmonton, and the tallest building in Western Canada...
in 1966. Another building boom did not really begin until the oil shocks (1973
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
and 1979
1979 energy crisis
The 1979 oil crisis in the United States occurred in the wake of the Iranian Revolution. Amid massive protests, the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, fled his country in early 1979 and the Ayatollah Khomeini soon became the new leader of Iran. Protests severely disrupted the Iranian oil...
) of the 1970s and 80s when most of the city's current tall buildings were constructed. (see history below)
Highrise construction was virtually non-existent between the mid 1980s and the early 2000s due to low oil prices, which Edmonton's economy depended on until recently, the first major tower to be completed since Commerce Place
Commerce Place (Edmonton)
Commerce Place is an office & retail complex in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It stands at 123 metres or 27 storeys tall and was completed in 1990....
, was in 2009. The rapid oil price increases since 2003 had created a new boom in Alberta, from 2005–2007, and prompted new construction again. The current crop of proposed buildings will leave Edmonton looking very different in 2010 compared to how it did in 2000 (see proposals below). EPCOR Tower, which will be built by 2011, will be the first major office building since 1990 with Commerce Place.
, the city was experiencing something of a building boom, with 780000 square feet (72,464.4 m²) of office space
Office Space
Office Space is a 1999 American comedy film satirizing work life in a typical 1990s software company. Written and directed by Mike Judge, it focuses on a handful of individuals fed up with their jobs portrayed by Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Gary Cole, David Herman, Ajay Naidu, and Diedrich...
under construction and vacancy rates still falling. In 2007, Edmonton had 235 completed high-rise buildings, with 8 more under construction, 1 under reconstruction, another 6 approved for construction and 43 more proposed. Following the recent drop in oil prices many projects were stalled, but several already under construction have continued.
Tallest buildings
This list ranks Edmonton skyscrapers that stand at least 80 m (262 ft) tall, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details but does not include antenna masts. An equal sign (=) following a rank indicates the same height between two or more buildings.| Rank | Building | Address | Height | Floors | Completed | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manulife Place Manulife Place Manulife Place is a highrise office building and shopping centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was completed in 1983 to the design by Clifford Lawrie Bolton Ritchie Architects. It is located at the corner of 102 Avenue and 101 Street.... |
10180 101 St NW | 36 | 1983 | ||
| 2 | EPCOR Tower EPCOR Tower EPCOR Tower is an office tower currently under construction in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada that is part of the Station Lands project. The tower is capped by two spires that top out at 137.3 m and these capped with four flagpoles each. When flagpoles are taken into account, it is currently... |
10423 101 St NW | 28 | 2011 | ||
| 3 | TELUS House | 10020 100 St NW | 34 | 1971 |  |
|
| 4 | Bell Tower | 10104 103 Ave NW | 31 | 1982 |  |
|
| 5 | Commerce Place Commerce Place (Edmonton) Commerce Place is an office & retail complex in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It stands at 123 metres or 27 storeys tall and was completed in 1990.... |
10155 102 St NW | 27 | 1990 | ||
| 6= | Coast Edmonton House Coast Edmonton House The Coast Edmonton House, managed by Coast Hotels & Resorts, is a 45-storey hotel located in downtown Edmonton, Canada. It stands at 121 metres and was completed in 1971, and was briefly Edmonton's tallest building... |
10205 100 Ave NW | 45 | 1971 |  |
|
| 6= | Canadian Western Bank Place | 10303 Jasper Ave NW | 31 | 1980 | ||
| 8 | Oxford Tower | 10235 101 St NW | 29 | 1978 |  |
|
| 9 | TD Tower TD Tower (Edmonton) TD Tower is an office tower in Edmonton, Canada. It stands at 117 metres or 29 storeys tall and was completed in 1976. It was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP and is connected to the Edmonton City Centre retail complex. Tenants in the building include TD Bank, PricewaterhouseCoopers, ... |
10088 102 Ave NW | 29 | 1976 |  |
|
| 10 | Scotia Place - 1 Scotia Place Scotia Place is an office tower complex in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada that was completed in 1983. It is located at 10060 Jasper Avenue in the heart of Edmonton's Downtown. It is home to several long term tenants such as Grant Thornton, APEGGA, Ernst & Young and Edmonton Transit... |
10060 Jasper Ave NW | 28 | 1982 |  |
|
| 11 | Icon Tower 2 Icon Towers The Icon Towers are a complex of two residential towers in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.The towers are currently Edmonton's tallest residential buildings after they were completed in 2010. The north tower, with 35 floors, has a height of and the south tower, with 30 floors, has a height of .... |
10152 104 St NW | 35 | 2010 | ||
| 12 | CN Tower CN Tower (Edmonton) CN Tower is an office tower in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It stands at or 26 storeys tall, and was built and formerly owned by the Canadian National Railway Company. At the time of its construction it was the first skyscraper in Edmonton, and the tallest building in Western Canada... |
10004 104 Ave NW | 26 | 1966 |  |
|
| 13 | Sun Life Place | 10123 99 St NW | 27 | 1978 |  |
|
| 14 | City Centre Place | 10025 102A Ave NW | 24 | 1974 | ||
| 15 | Enbridge Tower | 10209 Jasper Ave NW | 20 | 1981 |  |
|
| 16 | Icon Tower 1 Icon Towers The Icon Towers are a complex of two residential towers in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.The towers are currently Edmonton's tallest residential buildings after they were completed in 2010. The north tower, with 35 floors, has a height of and the south tower, with 30 floors, has a height of .... |
10136 104 St NW | 30 | 2009 |  |
|
| 17 | TELUS Plaza North Telus Plaza TELUS Plaza is an office complex in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada that was completed in 1972 . The twin buildings are TELUS Plaza North and TELUS House... |
10025 Jasper Ave NW | 24 | 1969 |  |
|
| 18= | ING Building | 10130 103 St NW | 23 | 1981 |  |
|
| 18= | Scotia Place - 2 Scotia Place Scotia Place is an office tower complex in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada that was completed in 1983. It is located at 10060 Jasper Avenue in the heart of Edmonton's Downtown. It is home to several long term tenants such as Grant Thornton, APEGGA, Ernst & Young and Edmonton Transit... |
10060 Jasper Ave NW | 21 | 1983 | ||
| 20= | 10235 101 St NW | 27 | 1978 | |||
| 20= | Century Place | 9803 102A Ave NW | 22 | 1975 | ||
| 22= | Macdonald Place | 9925 Jasper Ave NW | 26 | 1973 | ||
| 22= | 10015 103 Ave NW | 22 | 1967 | |||
| 22= | Phipps McKinnon Building | 10020 101A Ave NW | 20 | 1977 |  |
|
| 22= | Standard Life Centre | 10405 Jasper Ave NW | 19 | 1980 |
Under construction
| Name | Height* m (ft) |
Floors | Year* | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 2013 | |||
| 24 | ||||
| 24 | ||||
| 24 | ||||
| 24 | ||||
| 20 | ||||
| 20 | ||||
| 20 | ||||
Approved
| Name | Height* m (ft) |
Floors | Year* | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station Lands - Tower B Station Lands (Edmonton) Station Lands will be a multi-use development in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is being built in a 9.15-acre site north of CN Tower once occupied by the old Canadian National rail yard in the downtown of the city. Expected to be completed in 2019 to 2022, it will include four high-rise towers, a... |
37 | |||
| 28 | ||||
| 28 | ||||
| 25 | ||||
| Opus | 26 | |||
| Mira | 23 | |||
| 23 | ||||
| Station Lands - Tower D Station Lands (Edmonton) Station Lands will be a multi-use development in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is being built in a 9.15-acre site north of CN Tower once occupied by the old Canadian National rail yard in the downtown of the city. Expected to be completed in 2019 to 2022, it will include four high-rise towers, a... |
21 | |||
Proposed
| Name | Height* m (ft) |
Floors | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | |||
| Bellamy Hill Tower | 36 | ||
| Imperial Place | 37 | ||
| Viking Arms | 35 | ||
| Wasnea Tower | 30 | ||
| GE/Dundas Office | 22 | ||
| 29 | |||
| Founders Ridge | 28 | ||
| Corner 1 Tower | 22 | ||
| 17 | |||
| 16 | |||
| 35 | |||
| 32 | |||
| Allard Tower | 29 | ||
| 29 | |||
| Parkwood Tower | 26 |
Timeline of tallest buildings
| Name | Street address | Years as tallest | Height m (ft) |
Floors | Image | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tegler Building | 10189 101 St NW | 1911–1915 | 8 |  |
||
| McLeod Building McLeod Building The McLeod Building is a historic office building located in Downtown Edmonton. It was designated a Provincial Historic Resource on January 3, 1995 and a Municipal Historic Resource on May 22, 2001.-History:... |
10134 100 St NW | 1915–1921 | 9 |  |
||
| Marshall-Wells Building | 10260 103 St NW | 1921–1953 | 8 | |||
| Hotel Macdonald Annex Hotel Macdonald The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald is a hotel built in 1912 in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway... |
10065 100 St NW | 1953–1966 | 16 |  |
||
| CN Tower CN Tower (Edmonton) CN Tower is an office tower in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It stands at or 26 storeys tall, and was built and formerly owned by the Canadian National Railway Company. At the time of its construction it was the first skyscraper in Edmonton, and the tallest building in Western Canada... |
10004 104 Ave NW | 1966–1971 | 111 (364) | 26 | |
|
| Coast Edmonton House Coast Edmonton House The Coast Edmonton House, managed by Coast Hotels & Resorts, is a 45-storey hotel located in downtown Edmonton, Canada. It stands at 121 metres and was completed in 1971, and was briefly Edmonton's tallest building... |
10205 100 Ave NW | 1971 | 121 (397) | 45 | |
|
| TELUS House (originally AGT Tower) | 10020 100 St NW | 1971–1983 | 134.4 (441) | 34 | |
|
| Manulife Place Manulife Place Manulife Place is a highrise office building and shopping centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was completed in 1983 to the design by Clifford Lawrie Bolton Ritchie Architects. It is located at the corner of 102 Avenue and 101 Street.... |
10180 101 St NW | 1983–present | 146 (479) | 36 |
See also
- List of tallest buildings in Canada
- Heritage buildings in EdmontonHeritage buildings in EdmontonHeritage buildings in Edmonton, as elsewhere in Canada, may be designated by any of the three levels of government: the Government of Canada , the Government of Alberta , or the City of Edmonton ....
- Canadian Centre for ArchitectureCanadian Centre for ArchitectureThe Canadian Centre for Architecture is a museum of architecture and research centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Phyllis Lambert is the Founding Director and Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Mirko Zardini is the Director and Chief Curator....
- Society of Architectural HistoriansSociety of Architectural HistoriansThe Society of Architectural Historians is an international not-for-profit organization that promotes the study and preservation of the built environment worldwide....
- Canadian architectureCanadian architectureThe architecture of Canada is, with the exception of that of Canadian First Nations, closely linked to the techniques and styles developed in Canada, Europe and the United States...