Hundreds more University of Alberta staff moving to newly renovated Enterprise Square
Renovations are complete at Enterprise Square, and the University of Alberta is doubling its presence at the building.
“I’m enormously proud to see this historic building return back to its position of prominence in Edmonton’s downtown,” U of A president Bill Flanagan told a crowd gathered at Enterprise Square on Tuesday for the grand reopening.
The building, located at Jasper Avenue and 102 Street, opened in 1939 as a Hudson’s Bay store.
At the time, it was the biggest retail space in Edmonton and the first Bay location in the city.
Now, more than 500 people from the university will work at the building.
“Predominantly academic support, so more administrative functions, but the fourth floor very much is open to research, incubation and collision space,” the U of A’s vice president of operations Andrew Sharman told reporters.
Shaman says many of the renovations were designed with hybrid home and office work in mind.
“Yes, we did shift slightly once COVID hit and we started to see a move to remote work.”
“If you’re in the office three days a week or more, you’ll get a dedicated space, be it an office or a cubicle, but we’ve got a lot of varied spaces.”
The space is also home to some of the university’s industry partners, bringing the total number of people in the space to more than 600.
“We have 20 companies in incubation space on the fourth floor, and we aim to grow that,” Sharman said.
It’s a far cry from where Enterprise Square was before the pandemic, when fewer than 200 U of A employees were using the space.
The Downtown Business Association is happy to see the growth.
“Having people around, having people patronize businesses, walking down the street, taking transit.. that’s what we need more than anything,” said Puneeta McBryan of the DBA.
The DBA estimates that roughly 60,000 people worked downtown prior to COVID-19, while only 13,000 people lived downtown.
“We need to get that a lot closer to 50/50 and get that residential number way higher, but we also still need to make sure of the 60,000 people who worked downtown pre-COVID, that as any of them are coming back where possible and that we have new employees moving downtown like this announcement today.”
Flanagan says this move shows the university’s commitment to the downtown core.
“The connection between the University of Alberta and the community of Edmonton has always been so important to the university. This is really one way to demonstrate our commitment to the city.”
Commercial real estate company Avison Young says foot traffic volume is down 23 per cent in Edmonton since the start of the pandemic.
With files from CTV News Edmotnon's Marek Tkach
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Family in remote northern Ont. reeling after daughter killed in fire, home destroyed
A family in the remote community of Peawanuck, Ont., is dealing not only with the death of their young daughter, but the loss of everything they owned in a Jan. 28 house fire.

'Laverne & Shirley' actor Cindy Williams dies at 75
Cindy Williams, who was among the most recognizable stars in America in the 1970s and 80s for her role as Shirley opposite Penny Marshall's Laverne on the beloved sitcom 'Laverne & Shirley,' has died, her family said Monday.
Why adding a bit of milk to your morning coffee might be good for you
Adding some milk to your morning coffee may boost the body's anti-inflammatory response, new research out of Denmark shows.
A short-lived 'punch in the face' cold snap is coming for Eastern Canada
The beginning of February is expected to bring Arctic-like temperatures across much of Eastern Canada, thanks to frigid air from the polar vortex. The cold snap will descend on Eastern Canada this week, with temperatures becoming seasonable again on Sunday. In between, much of Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada can expect the coldest days yet this winter.
Late Jean Vanier sexually abused 25 women, says non-profit he founded
A report commissioned by a non-profit organization founded by the late Jean Vanier says the Canadian sexually abused 25 women during his decades with the group.
Girl, 6, dies after T-bar lift incident at Quebec ski resort
A six-year-old girl died in hospital Sunday night after being involved in an incident at the Val-Saint-Côme ski resort in Lanaudiere. Quebec police are investigating, though details into the event are not yet known. Officers indicated that it involved a T-bar lift, but they were not able to say more.
Mindbender roller coaster closed after 37 years at West Edmonton Mall
The Mindbender roller coaster at Galaxyland has been shut down, West Edmonton Mall announced on Monday. The redevelopment of the area is already underway, and the roller coaster is being decommissioned and removed.
Nike sues Lululemon, says footwear infringes patents
Nike sued Lululemon Athletica on Monday, saying that at least four of the Canadian athletic apparel company's footwear products infringe its patents.
'Just incredible': Winnipegger and former teammate remembers Bobby Hull
Without Bobby Hull, the Winnipeg Jets wouldn’t be in the NHL right now. That’s how one of his former teammates feels about the late Jets forward.