Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Calgary is seeking a qualified organization or developer to relocate the historic Ogden Block building ahead of major construction activity tied to the Green Line LRT – SE Project, creating a rare adaptive reuse opportunity for the construction and heritage sectors.
The city will donate the century-old structure, also known as the Hong Lee Laundry and Ogden Laundry, to a successful proponent capable of moving the building from its current location at 7044 Ogden Road S.E. before Nov. 15, 2026. To offset relocation costs, Calgary will also contribute $50,000 toward the move.
Relocating and restoring a structure of this age and scale would likely involve significant structural engineering, transportation logistics, foundation reconstruction and code compliance work. Total project costs could run well beyond the City’s contribution depending on the building’s final destination and intended use.
Proponents will be evaluated on:
- proposed future use of the building
- demonstrated financial and technical capacity to complete the relocation
- connections to the building’s cultural or community history
Interested parties must submit a Purchaser Application Form along with a nominal $1 offer.
If no suitable recipient is identified within the project timeline, the building will be demolished to allow Green Line construction to proceed as scheduled.
The Ogden Block sits adjacent to the Canadian Pacific Kansas City rail corridor in Calgary’s historic Ogden industrial district, an area expected to see significant transformation as Green Line work advances over the coming years.
Officials say the initiative is intended to preserve a culturally significant structure while maintaining schedule commitments for the Green Line transit expansion and future Ogden LRT station construction.
“This is a unique chance for the community or an interested organization to step forward and give new life to a building that reflects Ogden’s diverse and layered past,” Ward 9 Councillor Harrison Clark said in a statement.
Built in 1913, the two-storey, 3,240-square-foot structure is considered a rare example of a Chinese-owned commercial building located outside Calgary’s historic Chinatown. Originally operating as the Hong Lee Laundry, the building also housed Chinese immigrant boarders and may have served as a hospital for injured and disabled veterans between 1916 and 1918.
The wood-frame building features a painted brick exterior, full-height basement and heritage architectural elements including a stepped parapet and symmetrical windows. However, the property has remained vacant for several years and requires substantial rehabilitation to meet modern building and occupancy standards.
For construction and redevelopment firms, the opportunity highlights the growing intersection between infrastructure expansion, heritage preservation and adaptive reuse.
