Epcor Tower

{{Infobox building

| name = Epcor Tower

| image = Epcor Tower.JPG

| image_size = 250px

| caption = Epcor Tower in May 2016

| location = 10423 101 St NW Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

| coordinates = {{coord|53|32|51|N|113|29|34|W|region:CA-AB|display=inline,title}}

| map_type = Canada Edmonton

| map_caption = Location within Edmonton

| status = Completed

| start_date = 2008

| completion_date = 2011

| est_completion =

| opening =

| building_type = Office, retail

| antenna_spire = {{convert|149.345|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| roof = {{convert|137.30|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| top_floor =

| floor_count = 28

| elevator_count = 6 high speed, mid-rise & 6 high speed, high-rise elevators, Oversize dedicated freight elevator serving all floors and loading dock, 3 parkade elevators

| cost = C$250 million
(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|CA|250000000|2011}}}} in {{Inflation-year|CA}} dollars{{inflation-fn|CA}})

| floor_area = {{convert|625000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}.

| architect = Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning Ltd

| structural_engineer =

| main_contractor = Ledcor

| developer = Qualico Group

| website = {{Official URL}}

| owner =

| references = {{ctbuh|10421}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/155115 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307024645/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/155115 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 7, 2016 |title=Emporis building ID 155115 |work=Emporis}}{{skyscraperpage|68957}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hhangus.com/2013/02/epcor-tower-edmonton/ |title=Epcor Tower Edmonton |publisher=HH Angus & Associates |accessdate=May 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520022856/http://www.hhangus.com/2013/02/epcor-tower-edmonton/ |archivedate=May 20, 2014 }}

}}

Epcor Tower is an office tower in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The tower is capped by two spires that are capped with four flagpoles each. When the spires were taken into account, it was the tallest building in Edmonton from 2011 to 2017.{{cite web |last=Mah |first=Bill |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/Flagpoles+will+make+Epcor+Tower+tallest/3153851/story.html |title=Flagpoles will make Epcor Tower tallest |publisher=Edmonton Journal |date=June 15, 2010 |accessdate=January 24, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823041328/http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Flagpoles+will+make+Epcor+Tower+tallest/3153851/story.html |archivedate=August 23, 2010 }} Epcor Tower is the first building in the Station Lands project. Tenants includes EPCOR Utilities, Capital Power, Ernst & Young, Intuit, and BioWare.{{cite web|url=https://www.epcortower.ca/directory/|title=Directory|website=Epcor Tower|access-date=September 24, 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/business/commercial-real-estate/bioware-moves-to-new-downtown-location|title=New home: BioWare relocates to 75,000-square-foot downtown Edmonton location|last=Labine|first=Jeff|date=September 24, 2019|newspaper=Edmonton Journal|language=en|access-date=September 24, 2019}}

History

Development of the tower started in May 2007 when EPCOR Utilities began seeking proposals from developers to lease {{convert|260000|sqft|m2}} of office space for their 1,100 employees in downtown Edmonton.{{cite web|url=http://www.newswire.ca/fr/story/112173/epcor-calls-for-office-space-leasing-proposals |title=EPCOR calls for office space leasing proposals |date=May 14, 2007 |publisher=CNW Group |access-date=May 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520021525/http://www.newswire.ca/fr/story/112173/epcor-calls-for-office-space-leasing-proposals |archivedate=May 20, 2014 }}

It was announced on December 7, 2007, that the company had chosen Qualico to provide the space with the construction of new office tower on the Station Lands site by the CN Tower. Epcor entered into a 20-year lease to become the anchor tenant of the tower with an option for a 15-year renewal.{{cite web |url=http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=b94d080b-633a-4b65-9a19-126d9943289c&k=76799&p=1 |title=New Epcor tower to rise on former station site |last=Chalmers |first=Ron |date=December 8, 2007 |work=Edmonton Journal |publisher=Canada.com |accessdate=May 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520040052/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=b94d080b-633a-4b65-9a19-126d9943289c&k=76799&p=1 |archive-date=May 20, 2014 |url-status=dead }} The structure was certified to a silver standard or higher under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. LEED certification is a widely used standard for reducing energy, water and other resources in buildings.{{cite web |url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/160071/epcor-tower-at-station-lands-to-become-epcor-s-new-edmonton-headquarters |title=EPCOR Tower at Station Lands to become EPCOR's new Edmonton headquarters |date=December 7, 2007 |publisher=CNW Group |accessdate=May 19, 2014 |archive-date=April 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426024844/http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/160071/epcor-tower-at-station-lands-to-become-epcor-s-new-edmonton-headquarters |url-status=dead }} With the completion of the building, Edmonton saw its first new office tower in 17 years. Due to the nature of the anchor tenant, the building has been nicknamed the "Power Tower".{{Citation needed|date=February 2017}}

Construction of the tower began in spring 2008 and was completed in 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/business/story.html?id=1d871d68-4219-45a6-b3f2-3a3e4302ae3d |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140523173417/http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/business/story.html?id=1d871d68-4219-45a6-b3f2-3a3e4302ae3d |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 23, 2014 |title=Epcor Tower opens doors to first tenants this week |last=Mah |first=Bill |date=September 15, 2011 |work=Edmonton Journal |publisher=Canada.com |access-date=May 19, 2014 }}

In April 2008, Edmonton City Council approved $45 million in funding to immediately build a 180-metre underground portion of the future Metro LRT line beneath the tower's underground parkade, at the same time as the building's construction. The coordinated construction effort saved the City of Edmonton approximately $140 million.{{cite web |url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=6588a90e-2224-48e4-a66e-1f52432c5528&k=75048 |title=LRT line likely to go under Epcor |date=April 9, 2008 |publisher=Edmonton Journal |access-date=June 23, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005093022/http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=6588a90e-2224-48e4-a66e-1f52432c5528&k=75048 |archivedate=October 5, 2008 }} The remaining construction of the Metro Line resumed in 2012, with the line opening in September 2015.

Also in April 2008, Qualico announced plans to bid on the right to host a new Canadian national portrait gallery in the new building.{{cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/local/story.html?id=e681389d-9f23-4473-8914-b1f5305978b2&k=39580 |title=Portrait gallery bid in works |date=April 10, 2008 |publisher=Edmonton Journal |access-date=June 23, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104062429/http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/local/story.html?id=e681389d-9f23-4473-8914-b1f5305978b2&k=39580 |archivedate=November 4, 2012 }} However, the federal government scrapped the plan later in the year.{{cite web |url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/tories-abruptly-scrap-national-portrait-gallery-plan-1.340893 |title=Tories abruptly scrap national portrait gallery plan |date=November 7, 2008 |publisher=CTV.ca |access-date=June 23, 2011 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210145456/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081107/National_Gallery_081107/20081107?hub=TopStories |archivedate=December 10, 2008 }}