Downtown Tunnels

[bakersdozen]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Care to elaborate?

The landmark Barron Building in downtown Calgary—constructed between 1949-1951—is one of its finest examples of modern architecture and has historically played a crucial role in solidifying the city’s position as the centre of Alberta’s oil industry. Clad in buff-coloured brick, Tyndall limestone, and polished black granite, the 11-storey Art Moderne office tower designed by prominent local architect Jack Cawston also houses the two-screen Uptown Theatre (the last historic movie house in the downtown core), which until recently played an important role in the city’s cultural scene. Despite Edmonton’s proximity to the 1947 Leduc oil strike, the Barron Building’s first-class office space quickly drew oil industry occupants, sparking a surge in Calgary office construction that rapidly made it the undisputed centre of the petroleum industry. http://www.heritagecanada.org/en/issues-...re-past-listings/alberta/barron-building

and...

Barron Building is an 11-storey building containing 130,834 square feet of office and retail space. The property is located in the downtown commercial core, in the south west quadrant of Calgary. Barron Building was designed by Cawston and Stephenson and construction was completed in 1954. We at Strategic Group share and appreciate J.B. Barron’s vision and creativity. In Mr. Barron’s tradition we have embarked on a redevelopment program that will see the Barron Building restored as a historically significant building providing tenants with premises that are, environmentally, technologically, and aesthetically, some the finest in the City. The Barron Building marks the shift of the Oil and Gas industries focus from Edmonton to Calgary, as well as the growth in Calgary that followed. The new Art Deco building was an immediate success; Mobil, Shell and Sun Oil were early tenants. - http://www.strategicgroup.ca/Real-Estate-Portfolio/Barron-Building.aspx

I'd also gather that the proximately to the Mountains/Banff and warmer climate with the Chinooks made it an easier choice as well?