Office-to-hotel conversion is bringing something new to Calgary’s downtown core

Nearly two years after the announcement of the first office-to-hotel conversion project in downtown Calgary, the retrofit of the 170,000 square-foot Canadian Centre building into an extended-stay hotel, Element by Westin, has begun.

Initially conceived to include a range of housing options, including long-term rental apartments and short-term rental units, the conversion project, led by Calgary-based land developer and property manager PBA Group, has pivoted to take advantage of a growing trend: extended stays.