Hangar 11 to be restored, renovated into mixed-use space
An airport hangar in Edmonton has been designated a historic resource by city council, and will now be refurbished into a mixed-use space.
City council committed $5 million over 10 years – capped at $500,00 per year – to the hangar's restoration to create a mixed-use retail, commercial, restaurant, event and residential space. The grant comes from the City's Heritage Resources Reserve.
A rendering of Hangar 11, which is set to be redeveloped into 200,000 square feet of mixed-use retail, commercial, restaurant, event and residential space with a rooftop patio and garden. (Supplied)
“The sheer scale of the building makes the cost of rehabilitation significant. The new owners are intending on repurposing the building to accommodate a mixed-use development with student housing and commercial uses,” said Principal Heritage Planner David Johnston.
Hangar 11 was constructed by the US Army Air Force at Blatchford Field, later known as the Municipal Airport, in 1942. The hangar played a significant role in the Lend-Lease program that had the US provide military equipment to the allies before and after it joined the Second World War.
Hangar 11 is believed to be the last building of its kind in western Canada.
The hangar has been boarded up since 2013, and was included on the National Trust for Canada's 2017 list of the country's most endangered buildings.
Hangar 11 in Edmonton.
"Saving our heritage sites and preserving our architectural history while making them part of our future, is such a rewarding experience to be part of,” said Lorraine Bodnarek with the T3 Development group.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to restore it and turn it into a beautiful destination for Edmontonians so it can continue to be part of their stories today and into the future.”
The proposal to restore the building and create a mixed-use space was presented to council in February 2021 by Tim Antoniuk.
"The hangar was vital in helping Allied forces in WWII and so this makes it an important part of Canada’s history, our military history, and our city’s history," he said.
"To see it receive the Historic Designation it is due, is such an incredible milestone and will ensure its continued place in our city’s future."
Since the City's Historic Resource management plan was initiated in 1985, 170 properties have been designated historic resources.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
Former South Dakota mayor charged with triple homicide
Three people were shot to death in a small South Dakota town, and a former law officer who once served as the town's mayor is charged in the killings.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.
Debunking the 'anti-sunscreen' movement: Doctors say TikTok trend is dangerous
Dermatologists are sounding the alarm about misinformation from the anti-sunscreen movement, saying not wearing sunscreen can cause cancer and other problems.
Widespread theft costing Canada's retail industry dearly: experts
The Retail Council of Canada wants to put a stop to widespread theft within the retail industry, and industry leaders are meeting this week to find solutions.
Records detail Brampton councillor's standoff with city over derelict property
A derelict property connected to a Brampton city councillor racked up $12,500 in fines in dozens of penalty notices over several months as city officials warned it was becoming a haven for rats and a homeless encampment, records obtained by CTV News show.
Dozens of people smuggled in freight trains across B.C. border into U.S., officials say
Authorities in the United States have arrested two men accused of using freight trains to smuggle dozens of people out of British Columbia and into the U.S. in what officials described as an 'extremely dangerous' criminal conspiracy.