[mersar]

Very nicely positioned. Two in the building where the Herald does their weekly photo from, the other in the Telus tower. All should have a nice vantage as it rises

[Wooster]

Live web cams courtesy of Greg_a on the Calgary dev thread. Try to resist.


http://camera1.matthewsdev.com
http://camera2.matthewsdev.com
http://camera3.matthewsdev.com

I guess you guys don't have to go take photos so often now.

Thanks for all the effort from guys like Mersar, Boris, gacked etc. It's nice to be able to see the progress, especially for us expats who aren't able to see it in person.

[Boris2k7]

All pics courtesy of myself (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/member.php?u=9782)

August 9, 2008

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/1142/dscn1797wk0.jpg

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/2666/dscn1798si6.jpg

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/8943/dscn1799vz8.jpg

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/2166/dscn1802dn5.jpg

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/6880/panobofi8.jpg

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8317/panobo2qq6.jpg

[Surrealplaces]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3088/2758032215_63fc82d762.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3045/2758869188_ec7ce9d347.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2758869834_40538c08aa.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/2758033443_68f44d8acc.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3259/2758032869_143d50a051_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/2758033725_2c1b2b9456_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3028/2758036031_1760cdcb48_b.jpg

[10101000]

Unique building, I like the angel of it.

[Slug]

Bow August 13, 8am-4pm, 20 minute interval:
http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff340/memisanc/animate2.gif

[Ayreonaut]

Good work man. A year long one, with one or two day intervals would be sick.

[Boris2k7]

All pics courtesy of myself (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/member.php?u=9782)

August 13, 2008

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/6144/img4324xj8.jpg

Pano >>>
http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/4579/panobo1do3.jpg

Pano >>>
http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/209/panobo2ug9.jpg

[Calalb]

Courtesy of the Calgary Herald

AUGUST 18

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q148/cgyboomer/BOWCAL0818.jpg

[You Need A Thneed]

I wonder how the got the "official" floor count of 58. There's definately only 57 floors, the level 58 mark on the drawings is at the roof. The top two mechanical floors are both double-height or so.

Other thing of note form looking at the plans:

1. There is a "theatre seating" style auditorium of the 54-55th floors. The view from there should be spectacular.

2. The front page says 22 elevator shafts, I count at least 29 (8 express, 4 service, 3 to access the public parking, and 14 local), some of which are used twice.

3. At the end of each "fingertip" (what the drawings call them) the Roof is actually lower (with 2 steps down). At the very end of the fingertips, the roof is above the 55th floor, then there is a small section where the roof is above the 56th floor, before going up to the full roof height above the 57th floor for most ofthe rest of the building, except above the elevator core, where the chillers are located, they are recessed down into the building, so the roof there is above the 56th floor as well.

4. The "fingertip" scissor stairs move closer to the main core at the 53rd floor. The "core" stairs that will be visible through the glass by the spine of the building look to be continuous from B5 all the way to the 57th floor. You might be able to see down the gap - around 800 ft. You would get some good views of the city from those stairwells.

5. Speaking of the core, there is no concrete core. Just steel framing with (what looks to be) a lot of bracing.

6. There is a track that goes almost the whole way around the roof near the edge, where the window washing equipment sits on - and then reaches over the side.

7. The drawings note "future development" for both the Andrew Davidson building, and for the salvation army warehouse building (directly north of the North-West Traveller's Building), and make allowances for future connections (mostly in the underground parking)

8. Looking at the drawings, I'm not sure if there is any realistic way for them to not build the cultural building, or just to top it off at grade. The access ramp to the loading docks curves down into the side of the cultural building. The references to the cultural building say "separate DP" not "phase 2" or anything like that.

[KingBrisketBoy]

.

[mersar]

August 22/2008
http://compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-aug22-1.jpghttp://compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-aug22-2.jpg

[Blue_Cypress]

Other thing of note form looking at the plans:

1. There is a "theatre seating" style auditorium of the 54-55th floors. The view from there should be spectacular.

2. The front page says 22 elevator shafts, I count at least 29 (8 express, 4 service, 3 to access the public parking, and 14 local), some of which are used twice.


Sounds like they are only counting the passenger\tower elevator banks, and not the freight elevators or the parkade shuttles. Makes sense if you're trying to tell the average working stiff what their elevator experience will be like in the tower itself.


5. Speaking of the core, there is no concrete core. Just steel framing with (what looks to be) a lot of bracing.


It's been about 9 months since I last had a look over the drawing set, so I can't readily recall the details, but I would be surprised if there were not a concrete or block wall core in there somewhere surrounding the elevator bank and stairwells, though the extensive bracing sounds familiar. I can't remember seeing any project built in the last few decades in Alberta which had an elevator but not some type of masonry shaft to contain it.

The only existing large building I can think of where this is the case is Fifth Avenue Place; That building has a partial concrete shaft around the elevator cores, with one wall at least being made up of a multi-layered gypsum assembly.

[You Need A Thneed]

Sounds like they are only counting the passenger\tower elevator banks, and not the freight elevators or the parkade shuttles. Makes sense if you're trying to tell the average working stiff what their elevator experience will be like in the tower itself.


I think I later figured it out that a shaft is one group of elevators that are directly beside each other and all do the same thing. I think that brought the count to around 22.


It's been about 9 months since I last had a look over the drawing set, so I can't readily recall the details, but I would be surprised if there were not a concrete or block wall core in there somewhere surrounding the elevator bank and stairwells, though the extensive bracing sounds familiar. I can't remember seeing any project built in the last few decades in Alberta which had an elevator but not some type of masonry shaft to contain it.

The only existing large building I can think of where this is the case is Fifth Avenue Place; That building has a partial concrete shaft around the elevator cores, with one wall at least being made up of a multi-layered gypsum assembly.Looks like just drywall shaft walls in this one. There aren't any walls thick enough to be concrete drawn in the drawings.

Plus, had there been concrete going up, we would have seen it being built up from the raft slab already.

[mersar]

Plus, had there been concrete going up, we would have seen it being built up from the raft slab already.

Probably not, as they haven't started on the first level of parkade above the top of the slab yet, only on the area off the slab (which is on the 3rd or 4th level)

[You Need A Thneed]

Probably not, as they haven't started on the first level of parkade above the top of the slab yet, only on the area off the slab (which is on the 3rd or 4th level)

Yes, that's true. In fact, looking at the below grade drawings closer, it does look like there will be some concrete walls in the core -- but only up to ground level.

[Jimby]

Sunday August 24, 2008

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/2796505793_eaae954b36_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/2797338112_46c5a11085_b.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/2797161732_e32957510c_b.jpg


were they at the right Bow? :haha:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3144/2797109906_b8592654a3_b.jpg

[Boris2k7]

All pics courtesy of myself (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/member.php?u=9782)

August 27, 2008

http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/4245/img4525jt8.jpg

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/6540/img4526gj6.jpg


Panos >>>

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/7633/panobo1ds5.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5626/panobo2jl9.jpg

EDIT: Uhhh, what happened to the stitching in that last pano? :O

[photoLith]

Whoda thunk that Calgary would have such an incredible building. I have never really looked at this thread but wow, this building looks incredible! Its even more daring than some of the stuff going up in Dubai.

[Halcyon]

I don't know about more "daring", but it's certainly a respectable feat of engineering, that's for sure!

[Wyku]

So what's the next big point of completion people are waiting to see? It seems the excitement has dwindled a bit since 6th ave. was re-opened. Stuff is going up, but it doesn't seem as though it's as exciting as the incredible pace of digging and concrete pouring that was going on earlier in the project. Even our trusty photographers have slowed in their posting :haha:

[Bigtime]

I don't think we are waiting for any "next point of completion", we are all waiting for vertical. Once this starts going vertical then you'll see the interest spike right up again.

[mersar]

Yep. Theres been some work going on, but for the most part you can't really tell the difference as a lot of it is deep down in the pit where its hard to get a good shot. There is some work at the surface level as well, but its really just more of the same work thats been going on now since the steel columns all were in place.

Going vertical is what I'm waiting for, which shouldn't be far away now.

[Boris2k7]

All pics courtesy of myself (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/member.php?u=9782)

September 2, 2008

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/1893/img4681hc5.jpg


Pano >>>

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/5552/panobo1yk2.jpg


Pano >>>

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/1084/panobo2ly8.jpg

[Boris2k7]

All pics courtesy of myself (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/member.php?u=9782)

September 10, 2008

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/2337/img4922hf8.jpg

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7668/img4925fl8.jpg

[NW Mike]

This tower is beautiful! Great shots.

[You Need A Thneed]

Looks like the ramp into the pit is now gone.

[Calgarian]

Dammit, I wanna see it start going up!

[mersar]

Still no above ground work when I went past last night. I imagine that the day it starts going up from the ground level there will be some mention in the news though.

Exactly what goes up first is to be seen, I suspect we'll probably see most of the frame for the lobby/atrium on the ground floor in place before any of the massive columns go up, with possible exception to the vertical ones on either end.

[mersar]

Bow - Sept 26/2008

http://compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-sept26-1.jpg

http://compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-sept26-2.jpg

http://compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-sept26-3.jpg

[Boris2k7]

All pics courtesy of myself (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/member.php?u=9782)


September 26, 2008

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/8741/img5057nl1.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5066/img5058oa4.jpg


Pano 1 >>>

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/3161/panobohf3.jpg


Pano 2 >>>

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2513/panobo2nq8.jpg

[Boris2k7]

Probably the biggest news was posted by Spitfyre:

Also, the Favcos for the Bow are arriving in Calgary. I went and looked at one in the yard, and they dwarf anything that is up right now! Max lift is somewhere around 140000lbs and 40000lbs flat out, which i think was around 50m radius. might be a little while before they go up since every pin and bolt needs to be inspected.

http://www.favellefavco.com/


140,000lbs = +/- 63,500kg
40,000lbs = +/- 18,140kg

[Wooster]

The Bow sept 30

Photo Credit: Agent_Imperial

http://shad.regalhosting.ca/IMG_0547b.JPG

http://shad.regalhosting.ca/IMG_0553d.JPG

[MrBigStuff]

Is there still night shifts going @ The Bow?

[mersar]

Is there still night shifts going @ The Bow?

Some nights, usually doing concrete work. Usually the site is pretty quiet after 7pm or so, at least when I've been down there after that time in the past few months. Usually just some of the security guys walking loops around the site.

[mersar]

From the web cams:
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3995/bowwebcamoct31uq2.jpg

The 4th crane is being assembled :)

[mersar]

The first vertical steel above grade has been erected:

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1913/bowwebcamoct61xt4.jpg

[Coldrsx]

^wicked...cannot wait to see the skeleton

[Complex01]

Awesome pic. Those nite shots are awesome...

:wizard:

[StatenIslander237]

Thank God Canada's economy isn't crashing to pieces. :rolleyes:

[Bigtime]

Thank God Canada's economy isn't crashing to pieces. :rolleyes:

I'm choked that our dollar is about 10 cents off of par with you guys, I am going to Boston in November for business and I really liked being at par with the USD.

We are starting to feel the effects of everything happening up here to, although Calgary is somewhat (and I stress somewhat) insulated thanks to Oil & Gas, but of course even the price of oil is dropping.

Looking forward to some pics today showing more of the progress above grade! :tup:

[You Need A Thneed]

First New Crane Sections on site:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/g_major7/20081007_11-23-39.jpg

[mersar]

Bow
http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-oct7-1.jpg
A bit of perspective with a few workers in the shot... so this section is probably at least 30 feet tall I'd estimate. We're pretty sure this is the stairwell bank, the elevators that go from the 2 levels of the podium down through the parkade are where the orange fencing is if I am correct.

http://www.compscience.info/public/images/2008/bow-oct7-2.jpg

[Boris2k7]

Thanks for all the recent night shots, both Mersar and agent_imperial...

My own shots from today


All pics courtesy of myself (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/member.php?u=9782)

October 07, 2008

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/2115/img5247zb6.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/2924/img5251gc6.jpg

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/4163/img5253qc6.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/4487/img5255ls8.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/9854/img5256rm6.jpg

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/8746/img5264zh9.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/3541/img5268rd1.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/6746/img5269ek3.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/9080/img5266eh6.jpg


Pano -- Click for Bigger >>>

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/6922/panob0yq4.jpg (http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/1387/panob0sp5.jpg)


There is a slight -- but rather unimportant -- stitching error in the above pano.

[1ajs]

wow were going vertical now woot :D

lol a ur note of the slight eror one has to hunt to find it :P

[KONYS]

Has anyone heard anything more about the Jaume Plensa pieces? I believe the designs are to be revealed sometime this fall and just wondered if anyone has come across any updates?

[mersar]

Nope, nothing yet.

And from the web cam tonight it looks like they have part of the frame where the counterweights go up on the tower now... unfortunately only 1 of the 2 web cams is pointed high enough to see it since this tower is a couple dozen feet taller then the Potain is at.

[CellMan]

It is awesome to find this forum. I can now delve into skyscrapers with like-minded people!

The Bow is a fantastic addition to Calgary's skyline and I'm lucky that I have a great view of the construction and site from my office. I spend waaay too many minutes watching the intricacies of construction daily. I'll start to post photos when I can, but I have a ton of questions for you experts out there, if you will allow me.

- So it seems that the core space of jelly bean Bow under the grade level is empty apart from the columns. Why is that? They're building floor levels on the periphery, but not under the core tower which I don't understand why.
- Will the Potain crane be moved to the new (yellow) tower being constructed in the exact center of the Bow (not talking about the brand new crane being constructed above grade).
- What can we expect in the coming months in the construction? Would they get to the first few levels of the building by end of year?

Answers to these should satiate my curiosity for now! Thanks,


CellMan

[mersar]

Welcome!


- So it seems that the core space of jelly bean Bow under the grade level is empty apart from the columns. Why is that? They're building floor levels on the periphery, but not under the core tower which I don't understand why.

Likely this is just due to how the floors tie in. Outside the footprint of the tower they are supported off concrete columns which poured before the floor level, but under the footprint they will be supported by the steel columns which will run through the concrete instead.

- Will the Potain crane be moved to the new (yellow) tower being constructed in the exact center of the Bow (not talking about the brand new crane being constructed above grade).

Yes, the yellow Potain will be in the middle, and another huge crane identical to the one currently going up will be located on the other side in pretty much the mirror location of the first.

- What can we expect in the coming months in the construction? Would they get to the first few levels of the building by end of year?

Here is a sequencing diagram that was posted earlier (and reposted recently over in the Calgary Construction (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=151592) thread):

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/1481/stagesxb0.jpg

The dates may be slightly off (this was from before the changes to the attrium if I recall) but should be pretty close. We're expecting a floor a week once they get above the podium level, which would put us to around late 2009 when they top off

[Gacked]

So it looks like the 2 Favco cranes are model M760D's.

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa37/gacked25/The%20Bow/favco_m760d.jpg

And if anyone wants detailed info on the M760D's, here is the product guide in pdf format. M760D Series II Product Guide (http://www.excursion-powered.com/lommasite/loadcharts/M760D_Series_II_Product_Guide.pdf)

[1ajs]

http://camera.matthewsdev.com:17000/pics/blank.gif
http://camera.matthewsdev.com:17000/mjpg/video.mjpg

[CtrlAltDel]

An explanation of The Bow's curtainwall, from Ledcor. Not sure if this was posted yet, but I hadn't seen it.
http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/4821/thebowpresentationnh3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Hoodrat]

^^cool

[Surrealplaces]

The Bow
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3270/2971098790_c41732a528_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3057/2971098960_0967914dce_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3074/2971099916_fc4a0a4f37_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3270/2971100436_f35c1dbece_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/2970256467_c203418e8b_b.jpg




Click for bigger (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2971100732_4be0315967_o.jpg)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2971100732_ec1b34e70e_b.jpg

[MrBigStuff]

Those steel components on the main floor structure look a whole lot bigger when you get up close. For some reason they don't look that way when you are any distance from them.. Keep those close up shots coming!!

[FrancoRey]

Almost ready to rise....can't wait for a steel frame of more significant height, complete with sporatic glass cladding. :)

[mersar]

Yep, its very close now to really starting to rise. The yellow Potain crane was reassembled on its new base today (its been a multi-day process), so the next Favco crane should be arriving pretty soon now. The Q-deck (the corrugated steel) over the ground level is covering all but a small portion of the floor plate, so they now have a surface to work on while they put up the frame for the other crane. How they errect that one will be interesting to see, they don't have quite as much space on that side as there are buildings pretty much right along the edge of the site, and we're not quite sure if they can park the mobile crane on the roadway over the parkade (especially if they need to use the 500 tonne one they used on the other side), and even if they can, closing that road would make traffic even worse then the closure of Centre Street for the other crane (granted, that roadway was closed for nearly a year, but that involved setting up numerous changes to traffic signals, counterflow lanes, etc).

[You Need A Thneed]

An explanatory sketch I made:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/g_major7/BOWHoles.jpg

[Boris2k7]

All pics courtesy of myself (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/member.php?u=9782)

October 30, 2008

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/2382/u0028hm0.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1082/u0029gv2.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/4049/u0030ep0.jpg

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5958/u0031mp2.jpg

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/7338/u0032vg7.jpg

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/175/u0033wl1.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1931/u0034ge9.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/2114/u0036xc8.jpg

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5347/u0037ab9.jpg

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/3071/u0038oi7.jpg


Pano >>>

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/5347/ubopanotm2.jpg

[Arriviste]

An explanation of The Bow's curtainwall, from Ledcor. Not sure if this was posted yet, but I hadn't seen it.
http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/4821/thebowpresentationnh3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

AMAZING! Can't wait to see it in the sky.

[mersar]

The first handful of columns not related to the supports for the cranes went up this afternoon :) Most of the steel for the second Favco crane is in as well, so it won't be long before we see it going up. The fact they've put that steel up without needing the mobile crane was a bit surprising, but good to see the progress.

[1ajs]

^^^ this post is pointless with out pics

[Skeletor]

Here is one courtesy of Camera 3 (http://camera3.matthewsdev.com/):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3242/3003986518_f4e1a3b6b7_o.jpg

[techi870]

Here's one from this morning.
http://www.wambold.ca/pics/2008/Bow110508.jpg

[Bigtime]

Great shot Techi870, don't be shy to post more as construction continues!

[Bigtime]

Update shot from today:

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg247/Staynera/The%20Bow/TheBow11-08-08.jpg
My pic

[JBinCalgary]

thanks for the updates

[photoLith]

Here's one from this morning.
http://www.wambold.ca/pics/2008/Bow110508.jpg

What in the world is that steeple thing on the bottom right of the photo? It looks like it used to belong on the top of an old courthouse or something.

[Jimby]

What in the world is that steeple thing on the bottom right of the photo? It looks like it used to belong on the top of an old courthouse or something.

the cupola from the James Short school that was demolished on the site

[spoons82]

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t154/Miiiik3/TheBow-November132008.jpg
courtesy of camera 3 :banana:

[mersar]

Yep. You can just make out the base for the second favco in the dark.

[1ajs]

:pepper::pepper::banaride::banaride::awesome::awesome::cucumber::cucumber::dancing::dancing:

looking good looking good :)

[Kitsune]

Looking like this is could come to a crashing end.....

Link (http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081114.wrh14/BNStory/Business/home?cid=al_gam_mostview)

[Calgarian]

I hope H&R REIT get their financing worked out, it would be a shame to see this one stop.

[Bigtime]

Looking like this is could come to a crashing end.....

Link (http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081114.wrh14/BNStory/Business/home?cid=al_gam_mostview)

Nope. Perhaps you could notice that the company moving into this building recently posted profits around 3.9 billion in one quarter.

I think they can handle any problems that H&R can't deal with.

[Kitsune]

3.9 billion in Q3 with oil prices at $140 and above 100 for the majority of the quarter. I would rather wait to see what the profits are with oil in the 50-70 dollar range before rushing to any judgements about the current economical health of Enridge or any other oil company - keep in mind the cost to build is about 1.4 billion now as well.

[ScottFromCalgary]

....Enridge or any other oil company...

Tough to take you seriously when you don't get the name of the company right and confuse natural gas with oil. EnCana is mostly a natural gas producer and they don't even own the building. See the Calgary Construction Thread for more discussion.

The Bow
November 10, 2008

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t279/scottr49/TheBowNovember10.jpg

Christina Ryan/Calgary Herald

[Bigtime]

An article about the buildings owners having trouble getting construction financing:

Bow hit by credit crisis
EnCana's future home in danger of being halted

Gina Teel
Calgary Herald; With files from Canwest News Service


Saturday, November 15, 2008


In a sign the global credit crunch has found its way to downtown Calgary, construction of The Bow, the $1.4-billion landmark skyscraper and future home of EnCana Corp., is in danger of being halted as the owner and developer attempts to secure construction financing.

H&R Real Estate Investment Trust said it has no financing arrangements in place on any of its development projects, including The Bow, and current economic conditions have affected its financing strategy.

"Banks today are being very cautious, making smaller commitments . . . and are taking no underwriting risks," said Tom Hofstedter, president and chief executive of H&R.

"(Banks) are focusing their time and their capital on long-term relationships," Hofstedter said in a conference call to discuss the company's third-quarter financial results.

The Bow, an edgy steel and glass arc-shaped tower designed by renowned architects Foster and Partners and, at 247 metres high, set to be the tallest building in Western Canada, still requires $1.1 billion in funding.

Analyst Neil Downey of RBC Capital Markets suggested H&R could face a $300 million shortfall even if it secures a construction loan, and that selling The Bow or a partial interest it may be an alternative way to raise funds.

H&R is exploring four alternatives to finance its commitments, including selling an interest in The Bow or selling or refinancing other assets. H&R has about $300 million invested in The Bow to date.

However, Hofstedter told analysts he's "optimistic" that by the end of the first quarter of 2009 H&R will secure construction financing, citing the strength of the company's strong relationships with its banking syndicate, the 100 per cent pre-lease status of the project and the capital it's already committed to the project as drivers.

Developers in Calgary may not be as lucky. Many are having a tough time accessing money due to the global credit crunch.

In Calgary, building permits on five projects are set to expire from inactivity, and the Gateway Midtown condo site in the Beltline is idle.

City officials have had to seal empty construction pits from the public, as soaring costs see more of them pulling the plug on projects.

Last week, the city had to take on the responsibility of safeguarding the Manchester Station condominium project site at 2nd Street and 53rd Avenue S.E. on behalf of the owner. Construction had ground to a halt and the land has sat empty for months.

In the call, Hofstedter refused to discuss further details pertaining to The Bow.

EnCana spokesman Alan Boras deferred all questions about development and construction of The Bow to H&R. EnCana sold the project to H&R last February for $70 million.

EnCana's 3,200 employees, currently spread out in five buildings, are slated to move in by 2011.

"We are a future tenant, we have a long-term lease and we expect to move into The Bow when it is completed," Boras said.

Even EnCana, Canada's largest oil and gas producer, has felt the wrath of the global credit crisis. Last month, EnCana postponed plans to spin off its oilsands unit into a separate company, blaming crumbling financial markets for the delay.

The split, which was supposed to take effect in early 2009, will likely wait until clear signs of stabilization return to global equity markets, the company said.

EnCana's shares have fallen nearly 19 per cent this year, sending its market cap down to $41 billion.

gteel@theherald.canwest.com

© The Calgary Herald 2008
Link (http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/story.html?id=629e8ae9-ab09-4461-b666-57955dc2f584)

[kap384]

the cupola from the James Short school that was demolished on the site

(All photos courtesy of the Glenbow)

James Short School (originally called Central School) @ 1 St. & 4th Ave.
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k150/kap384/JamesShortSchool.jpg

Saving the cupola during demolition in 1969:
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k150/kap384/Cupolaoff.jpg

There never was a clock mechanism in the cupola originally. The current mechanism is from the clock in the Burns Building on the corner of Center and 8th Ave::
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k150/kap384/BurnsBuildingClock.jpg

[scant]

Hmmmm my heart goes out to Encana (not) I'd love to see the end of the BOWHEMOTH it was always going to be a blight on the city skyline. Quite simply and oversized ego driven project and now we see cracks appearing in its foundation. I'd like to see it end up around 5 or 6 stories tops.

[Jimby]

So if it stopped at 6 storeys, then would that make your EGO feel better?
Where are you from? We're tired of outside trollers looking for some schadenfreude. If you have nothing constructive or construction related to say then maybe this isn't the best forum for your contrary views.

[ummagumma66]

The Bow will hopefully help bring an end to the blight that is the East Village. I am soooo looking forward to this bad boy carving its niche in the Calgary skyline.

[entheosfog]

The Bow will hopefully help bring an end to the blight that is the East Village. I am soooo looking forward to this bad boy carving its niche in the Calgary skyline.

I think the only thing that will end the blight in the East Village is when stuff actually gets built there! But the Bow will hopefully revitalize the area around it some and hopefully the remaining surface lots will see some action....

[Bigtime]

Hmmmm my heart goes out to Encana (not) I'd love to see the end of the BOWHEMOTH it was always going to be a blight on the city skyline. Quite simply and oversized ego driven project and now we see cracks appearing in its foundation. I'd like to see it end up around 5 or 6 stories tops.

How exactly is this an "oversized ego driven project"? You do realize that even with the 1.7 million square feet of office space this project has EnCana still won't have enough room for all its employees right? The size was determined by the needs of the client, would you have been happier had they gone higher?

Or let me guess, if you are a citizen of Calgary you are one of the people that don't want anything to be more than the utilitarian minimum. Why build a gorgeous skyscraper when just a plain box with some windows would do?

"cracks appearing in its foundation" You are quite astute, the whole thing is in complete danger of falling to pieces, financially and literally. :rolleyes:

Thanks for coming out guy.

[scant]

How exactly is this an "oversized ego driven project"? You do realize that even with the 1.7 million square feet of office space this project has EnCana still won't have enough room for all its employees right? The size was determined by the needs of the client, would you have been happier had they gone higher?

Or let me guess, if you are a citizen of Calgary you are one of the people that don't want anything to be more than the utilitarian minimum. Why build a gorgeous skyscraper when just a plain box with some windows would do?

"cracks appearing in its foundation" You are quite astute, the whole thing is in complete danger of falling to pieces, financially and literally. :rolleyes:

Thanks for coming out guy.
I can appreciate the engineering and all the effort that is being put into this building by the worker's but from an aesthetic point of view the Bowhemoth is just that a Bowhemoth. A completely out of place oversized lump of a structure that is more at home in let's say Shanghai or Dubai, not Calgary. I'm guessing the builders are starting to realise this. Changes have already been made to the project and I'll bet it ends up radically different (smaller) if and when its construction is ever completed.

I'm not so sure the number of employees a company has to house should determine the size of their headquarters. Exxon for example has over 30000 employees in Houston alone but that doesn't justify them building a 900 story building to fit them all. Surely all the overpaid fat Encananites can walk a block once a year to meet with co-workers in adjacent buildings.

It says a lot about the political structure of Calgary (city hall) that a building like this that so radically alters the city skyline (not for the better) can get rammed through with little or no public consultation, an absolute joke. All the fat cats at city hall and Encana etc should be ashamed.

[Bigtime]

Your response shows a complete lack of understanding for how the approvals process works in this city. You do realize this structure was made shorter by the very city you claim let this thing get "rammed through".

"A completely out of place oversized lump of a structure that is more at home in let's say Shanghai or Dubai, not Calgary."

Well now I definitely think you are one of those people that don't want this city to be anymore than a sleepy prairie town of 500,000. You clearly cannot appreciate the amazing design that this building is bringing to our very very plain downtown core.

You are correct that there have been some changes to the building, care to name them for me? Also maybe add why the change was done?

Lastly I can't help but detect some jealousy towards employees of EnCana when you have to resort to calling them "overpaid fat Encananites" :rolleyes:

[ummagumma66]

what Bigtime said :iagree: :runaway:

[scant]

Wow that's a relief is was 'made shorter' my guess is that was necessary so aircraft wouldn't accidentally crash into it. Anyone with 20 20 vision can clearly see that the city skyline will look almost cartoon like if and when it's built. When I first saw the drawings of the bowemoth included skyline a couple of years ago I couldn't help but think of the old episodes of Spiderman where Peter Parker is weaving his way through ginormous skyscrappers.

The only thing amazing about this structure is its size, nothing more, is this the best they can come up with?

One obvious change made to the building came up a few months ago and that was the elimination of the 58 story atrium which was a very large selling point. Stay tuned more negative changes to come....

[Bigtime]

Wow that's a relief is was 'made shorter' my guess is that was necessary so aircraft wouldn't accidentally crash into it. Anyone with 20 20 vision can clearly see that the city skyline will look almost cartoon like if and when it's built. When I first saw the drawings of the bowemoth included skyline a couple of years ago I couldn't help but think of the old episodes of Spiderman where Peter Parker is weaving his way through ginormous skyscrappers.

The only thing amazing about this structure is its size, nothing more, is this the best they can come up with?

One obvious change made to the building came up a few months ago and that was the elimination of the 58 story atrium which was a very large selling point. Stay tuned more negative changes to come....

You don't even know what you are talking about, and are clearly working nothing more than a troll angle here.

Do you have any idea that I am also a commercially licensed pilot? A stupid statement about airplanes crashing into the tower because it would be too high has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever read.

You also clearly only get your news from our always super accurate local media. The atrium was never a full 58 story height, from the lobby the highest atrium height was to be ~23 stories. This has since been scaled down to atrium heights of 6 stories. However the atrium and its function as an insulator for the building and temperature regulator is still very much in place.

I'd stick to commenting on newspaper talk back sections if you want to pretend to be informed about this topic. You are clearly lacking in any real understanding of this project, continuing to post will just make you look worse.

[jssellmann]

Umm...I'm not sure if anyone noticed yet (with all the bickering) but ya the Bow seems to be above grade now...umm almost looks like an awesome 2 story section in the middle...ya...PLEASE TAKE SOME PICTURES AND POST THEM!!! I miss the closer up shots from Mersar and Boris and others. I'd do it myself but my camera sucks, oh, and I just moved to BC. But yeah, I'd love to see some picture updates.

[Bigtime]

The giant luffing arm for the second Favco has also been moved on the middle of the deck, should see it get connected pretty soon as well.

Do you check the Calgary construction thread jssellmann? Sometimes more pictures end up in there than here.

[Arriviste]

I can appreciate the engineering and all the effort that is being put into this building by the worker's but from an aesthetic point of view the Bowhemoth is just that a Bowhemoth. A completely out of place oversized lump of a structure that is more at home in let's say Shanghai or Dubai, not Calgary. I'm guessing the builders are starting to realise this. Changes have already been made to the project and I'll bet it ends up radically different (smaller) if and when its construction is ever completed.


I think we should just stop right here with this guy. He obviously doesn't understand architecture. He seems to believe that being static when concerned with skyscraper approval is paramount. I'm sure he would love another Pomo granite and reflective glass monstrosity just because "it would fit in better". Pretty sad perspective actually. Scant strives for mediocrity and the safety that exists in sticking to what you know.

[crazyjoeda]

I haven't been following this project to closely but is there a good chance that construction will stop on this tower? I know a few projects in metro Vancouver are in danger of stopping, and one project stopped all together in Surrey although since it sold 100% and one tower is already topped out I am optimistic it will be finished.

[Arriviste]

I haven't been following this project to closely but is there a good chance that construction will stop on this tower? I know a few projects in metro Vancouver are in danger of stopping, and one project stopped all together in Surrey although since it sold 100% and one tower is already topped out I am optimistic it will be finished.

Nope. It's going up. There has been a bunch of media speculation about the Bow's future which is nothing more than a ratings grab. H&R Reit are having financing problems, but nothing that cannot be resolved. The financial penalty for not completing the tower is substantial, so all indications seem to point toward completion of the tower.

[Surrealplaces]

I haven't been following this project to closely but is there a good chance that construction will stop on this tower? I know a few projects in metro Vancouver are in danger of stopping, and one project stopped all together in Surrey although since it sold 100% and one tower is already topped out I am optimistic it will be finished.

There has been concerns about it stopping, but right now it's full steam ahead. A couple of residential projects have been put on hold though.

[Surrealplaces]

Umm...I'm not sure if anyone noticed yet (with all the bickering) but ya the Bow seems to be above grade now...umm almost looks like an awesome 2 story section in the middle...ya...PLEASE TAKE SOME PICTURES AND POST THEM!!! I miss the closer up shots from Mersar and Boris and others. I'd do it myself but my camera sucks, oh, and I just moved to BC. But yeah, I'd love to see some picture updates.

These were posted in the Calgary construction thread. I forgot to post them here.


Ladies and Gentlemen, rumors of the Bow's death have been greatly exaggerated :)


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3170/3042650074_dd629be324_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3286/3041807133_870a1425a0_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3241/3041804539_864bdd258d_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3143/3042647676_d547f11d8c_b.jpg


Bow Pano

Full size view (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3204/3042651952_b7d82b0a9d_o.jpg)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/3042652128_22e97e4de4_o.jpg

[Slug]

Don't you guys think that some banks are holding back on giving H&R a loan so they can get the whole thing when they possibly go bankrupt? I think H&R will eventually get it done by either delaying some contracts like the south block and maybe the facade/glass or electrical work till lenders begin to trust each other again.

[ummagumma66]

Ha! if H&R went under Encana would snap the project back up and continue, and considering the "south block" (what I assume to be the Cultural Building) is owned wholly by Encana, I don't see H&R delaying construction. as for electrical and glazing, I can't see any delays.

[jssellmann]

thanks surreal for posting those pics, that made my day!!

[Blue_Cypress]

Hmmmm my heart goes out to Encana (not) I'd love to see the end of the BOWHEMOTH it was always going to be a blight on the city skyline. Quite simply and oversized ego driven project and now we see cracks appearing in its foundation. I'd like to see it end up around 5 or 6 stories tops.

You'll have to settle for at least 57, and you won't be getting a blight either.