16th Avenue NW and 14th Street NW
Calgary, Alberta
Edmonton's WESTMOUNT SHOPPERS' PARK opened, in August 1955, as the first post-war shopping complex in the province of Alberta. In Calgary, planning was underway for that city's first suburban shopping hub, which was being developed by Simpsons-Sears and a New York City-based firm. By 1956, the interests of the United States developer had been acquired by Toronto-based Principal Investments, Limited.
Ground was broken for the "North Hill Shopping Centre" in late 1956. The facility was built on a 17-acre site, located 1.2 miles northwest of the Central Business District, in the city's Houndsfield Heights-Briar Hill district. The complex would be an open-air, strip-type structure with a small shopping concourse on its east end. Most of its forty-five stores and services would be situated on a single retail level.
The 18-lane Calgary Centre Bowling Lanes would occupy a basement section, with 30,000 square feet of leased office spaces situated on an upper floor. A 2-level (221,100 square foot) Simpsons-Sears would anchor the complex, along with a (19,000 square foot) Loblaws Groceteria. Simpsons-Sears became the first operational store on May 1, 1958.
Charter CALGARY CENTRE tenants included Reitman's ladies' wear, Tamblyn Rexall Drugs, Bata Shoes, a Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio, F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10, Zeller's variety store and Dominion supermarket.
Fourteen stores and services opened their doors on May 8, 1958. The Loblaws Groceteria welcomed first shoppers on May 22, 1958, with the dedication of the Dominion store occurring on July 16th. An official grand opening for CALGARY CENTRE was held on October 23, 1958.
The grand opening celebration continued with the "Wake-A-Thon" contest, held by CFAC radio. Disc jockey Doug Short broadcast live from a booth at the front of the Lazy Susan Grill. Contestants submitted bids for how long the D.J. could stay awake. Lastly, no festivities held in 1958 would have been complete without a Hula Hoop Contest.
Within months of the grand opening, Principal Investments was in financial trouble. They had overextended themselves with the construction of several Canadian shopping centres. Late in 1958, they sold seventeen properties, including CALGARY CENTRE, to Montreal-based CEMP Investments. CEMP, in turn, created a new subsidiary, known as the Fairview Corporation. This entity would manage the Principal Development acquisitions and build new shopping centres throughout The Dominion.
The first major CALGARY CENTRE upgrade replaced the basement Bowling Lanes with the ultra-modern Fairview Bowling Centre. This 48-lane facility included a snack bar, supervised nursery and score stand telephone system. The new Bowling Centre, built over a covered parking area, opened for business on August 30, 1962.
The original competitors of NORTH HILL CENTRE were CHINOOK CENTRE (1960) {4.5 miles southeast, in Calgary} and SOUTHRIDGE MALL (1965), which was built on a pad north of CHINOOK CENTRE. These shopping hubs were merged into a single complex, known as CHINOOK-RIDGE CENTRE, in 1972.
Other local malls were developed in the city limits of Calgary. These included MARKET MALL {2.4 miles northwest} and NORTHLAND VILLAGE CENTRE {2.6 miles northwest}, both dedicated in 1971. 1974 brought the completion of SOUTHCENTRE MALL {7.8 miles southeast}.
For NORTH HILL CENTRE to remain competitive, it was deemed necessary to modernize the open-air structure. Construction commenced in March 1973 on a 2 million dollar renovation. This added a block of twenty tenant spaces along the south-facing front of the existing store strip.
Designed by Abugov & Sunderland Architects, the enclosed concourse was done in "warm earthy colours", with paneled ceilings, "futuristic" furniture, circular seating areas, live greenery, rough brick walls and dark brown tile flooring. It was lined by large brick support columns, with the roof being of inconsistent heights.
Fourteen stores and services opened their doors on May 8, 1958. The Loblaws Groceteria welcomed first shoppers on May 22, 1958, with the dedication of the Dominion store occurring on July 16th. An official grand opening for CALGARY CENTRE was held on October 23, 1958.
The festivities were officiated by D.H. Mackay (Mayor of Calgary). Music was provided by the Lord Strathcona Royal Canadians military band. There were also a parade and nighttime fireworks display, as well as a dance presentation by the Sarcee Native Canadian Tribe.
The grand opening celebration continued with the "Wake-A-Thon" contest, held by CFAC radio. Disc jockey Doug Short broadcast live from a booth at the front of the Lazy Susan Grill. Contestants submitted bids for how long the D.J. could stay awake. Lastly, no festivities held in 1958 would have been complete without a Hula Hoop Contest.
Within months of the grand opening, Principal Investments was in financial trouble. They had overextended themselves with the construction of several Canadian shopping centres. Late in 1958, they sold seventeen properties, including CALGARY CENTRE, to Montreal-based CEMP Investments. CEMP, in turn, created a new subsidiary, known as the Fairview Corporation. This entity would manage the Principal Development acquisitions and build new shopping centres throughout The Dominion.
The first major CALGARY CENTRE upgrade replaced the basement Bowling Lanes with the ultra-modern Fairview Bowling Centre. This 48-lane facility included a snack bar, supervised nursery and score stand telephone system. The new Bowling Centre, built over a covered parking area, opened for business on August 30, 1962.
The CALGARY CENTRE mall moniker had morphed into the CALGARY NORTH HILL SHOPPING CENTRE by 1964. Within a year, the official name had been shortened to NORTH HILL CENTRE. By this time, there were over seventy stores and services. The National General Corporation North Hill Cinerama Theatre was built adjacent to the Bowling Centre. This single-screen venue opened on December 21, 1967, showing 20th Century-Fox's "Valley of the Dolls".
The original competitors of NORTH HILL CENTRE were CHINOOK CENTRE (1960) {4.5 miles southeast, in Calgary} and SOUTHRIDGE MALL (1965), which was built on a pad north of CHINOOK CENTRE. These shopping hubs were merged into a single complex, known as CHINOOK-RIDGE CENTRE, in 1972.
Other local malls were developed in the city limits of Calgary. These included MARKET MALL {2.4 miles northwest} and NORTHLAND VILLAGE CENTRE {2.6 miles northwest}, both dedicated in 1971. 1974 brought the completion of SOUTHCENTRE MALL {7.8 miles southeast}.
For NORTH HILL CENTRE to remain competitive, it was deemed necessary to modernize the open-air structure. Construction commenced in March 1973 on a 2 million dollar renovation. This added a block of twenty tenant spaces along the south-facing front of the existing store strip.
Designed by Abugov & Sunderland Architects, the enclosed concourse was done in "warm earthy colours", with paneled ceilings, "futuristic" furniture, circular seating areas, live greenery, rough brick walls and dark brown tile flooring. It was lined by large brick support columns, with the roof being of inconsistent heights.
The addition was formally dedicated, with an Enclosure Celebration, on August 30, 1973. New tenants included Fiesta Fashions, Aggies Shoes, Coffee Tea & Spice, Craig's Keyboards, a Flavor King ice cream parlour, Peking Duck Chinese restaurant and Royal Soap Box Hoover vacuum cleaner dealership.
The official name of the Simpsons-Sears at NORTH HILL CENTRE had been shortened to "Sears". The Loblaws Groceteria was now an Lmart, which was a short-lived discount foods division of Loblaws. The Dominion store had been operating under the Safeway Canada banner since 1971.
NORTH HILL CENTRE became accessible via light rail transit in the following decade. The Calgary C-Train 8th Street-to-University Northwest Line extension began revenue service on September 17, 1987. Its Lions Park station was adjacent to the mall's southwest parking area.
Rival shopping centres proliferated in Calgary during the 1980s and '90s. The first of these, DEERFOOT MALL {3.6 miles northeast}, opened in 1981. Then came WESTHILLS TOWN CENTRE {4.6 miles southwest}, inaugurated in 1993. This was followed by CROWFOOT CROSSING {6.1 miles northwest,} in 1999.
NORTH HILL CENTRE was sold in February 1999. It was acquired by a joint venture of Saskatchewan's Harvard Developments and Calgary's Ronmor Developers. Within months, they had initiated construction on a 26 million dollar reconfiguration of the 41-year-old shopping hub.
The Loblaws-Lmart structure, on the west end of the complex, had been rebranded as a Super Valu and then vacated in the mid-1990s. It was demolished, along with Bowling Centre-Cinerama building, on the north side of the centre. Moreover, the shopping concourse roof and its obtrusive support columns were ripped out, with a new ceiling installed.
The official name of the Simpsons-Sears at NORTH HILL CENTRE had been shortened to "Sears". The Loblaws Groceteria was now an Lmart, which was a short-lived discount foods division of Loblaws. The Dominion store had been operating under the Safeway Canada banner since 1971.
NORTH HILL CENTRE became accessible via light rail transit in the following decade. The Calgary C-Train 8th Street-to-University Northwest Line extension began revenue service on September 17, 1987. Its Lions Park station was adjacent to the mall's southwest parking area.
Rival shopping centres proliferated in Calgary during the 1980s and '90s. The first of these, DEERFOOT MALL {3.6 miles northeast}, opened in 1981. Then came WESTHILLS TOWN CENTRE {4.6 miles southwest}, inaugurated in 1993. This was followed by CROWFOOT CROSSING {6.1 miles northwest,} in 1999.
NORTH HILL CENTRE was sold in February 1999. It was acquired by a joint venture of Saskatchewan's Harvard Developments and Calgary's Ronmor Developers. Within months, they had initiated construction on a 26 million dollar reconfiguration of the 41-year-old shopping hub.
The Loblaws-Lmart structure, on the west end of the complex, had been rebranded as a Super Valu and then vacated in the mid-1990s. It was demolished, along with Bowling Centre-Cinerama building, on the north side of the centre. Moreover, the shopping concourse roof and its obtrusive support columns were ripped out, with a new ceiling installed.
Six stores were set up in existing mall space and a small northside addition. These faced outward and included Chili's Texas Grill, Moore's Clothing for Men, Mark's Work Wearhouse, Petcetera and Ricky's All Day Grill. The west end of the mall was also rebuilt, with a 1-level (46,900 square foot) Safeway and 13-bay Food Court.
The renovation of NORTH HILL CENTRE was completed in June of the year 2000. The mall now encompassed approximately 523,900 leasable square feet and contained eighty-four stores and services. The centre became a mixed-use facility when twin 8-storey condominium towers were built in the southwest parking area. Known as Renaissance at North Hill, these were completed between 2001 and 2004.
The renovation of NORTH HILL CENTRE was completed in June of the year 2000. The mall now encompassed approximately 523,900 leasable square feet and contained eighty-four stores and services. The centre became a mixed-use facility when twin 8-storey condominium towers were built in the southwest parking area. Known as Renaissance at North Hill, these were completed between 2001 and 2004.
In 2009, an additional NORTH HILL competitor opened for business. CROSSIRON MILLS {10.1 miles northeast} was located in neighboring Rocky View County. By this time, NORTH HILL CENTRE was being managed by Vancouver-based Bentall Kennedy Canada.
A (22,000 square foot) Winners apparel store opened in the mall on September 12, 2017. The 59-year-old Sears store was shuttered on January 21, 2018. Bentall Kennedy merged with New York City-based Green Oak Realty in July 2019. A new company, known as BGO (BentallGreenOak) Properties was formed.
Sources:
The Calgary Herald
http://northhillcentre.com
Sources:
The Calgary Herald
http://northhillcentre.com
http://northhillcentre.com (website on Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
www.bentallkennedy.com
www.calgarytransit.com
http://movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
www.bentallkennedy.com
www.calgarytransit.com
http://movie-theatre.org / Mike Rivest
http://cinematreasures.org
https://bgo.com (BentallGreenOak Properties)
