EllisDon Construction Services Inc.: Eighth Avenue Place NOVEMBER 09 www. bus- ex. com 65 I f you were to choose the location of Canada's premier office building, it's probable that Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver might come more readily to mind than Calgary, in the province of Alberta. And yet this is how Hines, development manager for Eighth Avenue Place, describes one of the most eagerly awaited constructions in the city. The building has only the fourth floor curtainwalled, so it will be a while before time will test whether the marketing hype lives up to reality, but if the architectural images are anything to go by, it could well be one of the most stunning buildings in North America. With the Rocky Mountains just an hour away, US architect John Pickard of Pickard Chilton Architects has used the mountains as inspiration for the twin tower concept. The building's angular profile mirrors the random slopes of a mountaintop, while the vertical walls have contoured facets and unexpected clefts running the full height of the building. The soft green glazing on the facing wall echoes the color of mountain streams. Inside, each floor will have 21,000 square feet of unencumbered space. Around the central elevator core are 17 perimeter columns tied back to the concrete core by massive steel girders, providing tenants with completely open spaces. " I have no doubt that it's going to be a beautiful place to work," says Martyn Wesley, construction manager for main contractor EllisDon Construction Services " Even little details such as nine- foot- high doors instead of the usual eight feet give the space a superior feel, and, of course, the LEED Gold certificate we're aiming for will assure quality in every aspect." So confident were the owners that work began without the security of a principal tenant. The financial calamities of the past two years have not made life easier, and Calgary has no shortage of office space, but negotiations are now taking place with a tenant wishing to take the entire 51- floor east building. " The plan has