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
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.