The Calgary Herald - Steel Resolve: The Building of the Bow

By Michele Jarvie

The building towers over downtown Calgary, with its gaze extending towards the Rocky Mountains to the west and far into the prairies to the east making a statement about the vast territory its tenants cover. Officially seven years in the making, THE BOW is a symbol of the considerable impact and influence of not only Encana Corp. and Cenovus Energy, but of the entire petroleum industry in Alberta.

Long the economic driver for this province, oil and gas continues to bolster Albertas fortunes, even with periodic downturns. Both Encana and Cenovus are among Canadas leading companies in the energy sector.

But moving beyond the financial success of the companies within THE BOW, the building itself is pegged as the great white hope of the East Village. City officials and developers note the $1.4-billion tower and its thousands of workers are kick-starting more development in the once-neglected east side.

At the time of planning, no corporate building had been constructed east of Centre Street, said Ald. Druh Farrell at the towers opening ceremony. The site selected by Encana opened the gateway of east Calgary and also made the work you see in East Village possible. THE BOW ignited a discussion about architecture... Along with the changes to our skyline, its raised our expectations for all future downtown structures.

Bruce Graham, president and CEO of Calgary Economic Development, sees THE BOW as having national influence. In the reflection of THE BOWs gleaming steel and glass, we see Canadas potential to be an energy superpower and we see Calgarys growing position as a global business centre and economic leader.

Lauded by architects and artists, municipal officials, and even ordinary citizens, THE BOW has cemented its place in Calgary. But where did this glass and steel wonder come from? Who had the lofty dream or vision in the first place? And how did it come to fruition?

The story of THE BOW begins with former Encana CEO Gwyn Morgan and a leadership team presiding over 3,000-plus employees who were scattered across five buildings in the city. (At the time, Encana and Cenovus were still operating as one company under the Encana name.) Meetings that crossed divisions had to be carefully planned and there was a lack of cohesiveness that comes with integrating staff.

It wasnt optimal for communications and the teamwork of the company, Morgan recalls. By the mid-2000s, senior executives felt the time was right to unite everyone under one roof. As no existing office space was large enough to hold them all, the company went looking for a piece of land on which to build. After much analysis and debate, Encana chose a site the City was promoting as a way to stimulate the revitalization of East Village.

That site was the most clear cut in terms of being able to assemble, said Craig Reardon, who until recently was vice-president of administration for Encana and was also a key member of the group that found the site and recommended it to Morgan and other senior executives. It was the simplest to acquire and the least expensive to acquire by quite a bit. And it was also something we had been talking to the City about, in terms of its push to get something major going east of Centre Street.

I guess they were initially surprised we didnt go with something further west or more conventional, he said. But when we talked about those three things (price, ease and East Village), it was clear. And Gwyn (Morgan) really was involved in doing something with the City.

Morgan liked the idea of being a cornerstone in a revitalized city centre. We said this could not only unite the company, but could also unite the downtown, he recalls.

Although the idea of a new office tower had been in the works for years, the official plans were unveiled in 2006. And it was no mere building, the plans revealed. The ambitious project would transform Calgarys downtown, redefine the citys skyline and not least of all, alleviate the squeeze on office space. Officials predicted more than one million square feet would be freed up once Encana moved out of existing offices.

Its going to be a net contributor to the office market that we absolutely need at this time, Graham said in the early days. The space vacated by Encana and Cenovus workers provided movement and opportunity in a crunched office space market.

At 247 metres and 58 storeys tall, it was to be the tallest office tower in Western Canada, and the second-largest development in Canada after Torontos First Canadian Place. More importantly to some, it was going to be eight storeys taller than the neighbouring Petro-Canada Centre. Petro-Can, created in 1975 by the federal government, had long been the rival of some Alberta-based oil and gas outfits.

After it was unveiled, Graham said THE BOW illustrated the shift of economic power. Its a symbol of the emergence of the West and a symbol of Calgary being an economic powerhouse. It symbolizes the citys aspirations and that is to be the centre of all things energy.

A view of the site where THE BOW would be built, looking north from top of Hyatt Regency Hotel. Sixth Avenue is the street running horizontal in the photo. Centre Street is visible at left, looking north.

Ted Rhodes, Calgary Herald

A rendering of the new tower showed the heights it would reach.

Rendering courtesy of Encana.