Calgary's tallest building was once only six storeys high and you can still visit it
Long before Calgary’s skyline was filled with towering skyscrapers and monumental buildings, one six-storey building stood above it all: the Grain Exchange Building.
Originally called Hull Block, the building was constructed in 1908, and at the time, it was one of the most impressive feats of architecture in the city. It stood six stories tall, featured the fastest Otis elevator in the city, and was touted as “absolutely fireproof,” a major boast after fires had previously devastated the city.
A major concern during construction was the building’s height. At the time, Calgary had never seen anything this tall, and many expressed concern about how the wind would affect a six-storey building.
High-rises were very rare in the 1900s, but between 1908 and 1912, property values along Stephen Avenue skyrocketed by 1,000 per cent.
Provincial Archives of Alberta
The rise in property value along Stephen Avenue encouraged developers to build upward to maximize both space and profit, with the Grain Exchange costing a whopping $164,000 to build.
The building was constructed for William Roper Hull, a well-known rancher and meat packer. As the name suggests, the Grain Exchange Building served as a hub for grain traders and brokers during Calgary’s early economic boom, helping cement Stephen Avenue as the city’s central business district.
An impressive 21 companies occupied the building by 1910, and the building’s name was changed to the Grain Exchange Building.
By 1919, business was booming in Calgary, and tenants needed more space, so the occupants of the Grain Exchange Building relocated to the nearby Lancaster Building.
Today, the building still stands proudly just off historic Stephen Avenue, at 815 1st St. SW. In comparison, Brookfield Place now hold the title of Calgary’s tallest building, soaring 247 metres and containing 56 stories of modern office space, completely dwarfing the Grain Exchange Building.