Design for Arts Commons Transformation expansion revealed
The first phase of the $660M transformation project will add a new building with a 1,000-seat theatre and 200-seat studio theatre to the Arts Commons campus.
A timely restoration of a Calgary cultural landmark
Olympic Plaza is envisioned as a seamless extension of the greater Arts Commons campus.
Expanding the Arts Commons vision in support of downtown revitalization.
The Olympic Plaza Transformation will reimagine the 35-year-old urban gathering place as an innovative, flexible, arts-focused gathering space in the core, building on the momentum of the investment and work already underway in downtown Calgary. As development manager for the project, CMLC will steward design and construction on behalf of our partners, Arts Commons and The City of Calgary.
The City of Calgary has allocated $40 million for CMLC to initiate the project, procure the design team and complete the design for OPT.
Arts Commons will lead curated programming, operations and maintenance for the revitalized plaza after construction is complete.
Through imaginative design and creative programming, OPT will forge stronger connections, both physical and conceptual, with Arts Commons.
CMLC’s oversight of three concurrent projects in a single block creates design synergies, construction efficiencies and economies of scale.
The first phase of the $660M transformation project will add a new building with a 1,000-seat theatre and 200-seat studio theatre to the Arts Commons campus.
As several major city-building projects near completion in The Culture + Entertainment District, CMLC advances new 6 St S.E. Underpass project and prepares for construction on Arts Commons Transformation project.
Critical infrastructure, major vertical builds, development progress, innovative placemaking and collaborative partnerships underpin CMLC’s major accomplishments from 2023. These achievements not only solidify CMLC's role in shaping the city's future but also lay the groundwork for continued urban development and transformative growth for Calgary’s east end in the year ahead.
Leading landscape architecture and placemaking firms from Toronto, Montreal, New York and Calgary will reimagine the beloved outdoor gathering space.
Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) and its partners, The City of Calgary and Arts Commons, are thrilled to announce the Olympic Plaza Transformation—a new city-building initiative to renew an important but aging downtown cultural space, amplify the potential of the Arts Commons Transformation (ACT) and foster continued revitalization of the downtown core.