HomeSpace Society to Deliver 65 New Non-Market Homes via Downtown Office Conversion

HomeSpace Society is converting another underused downtown office building into affordable housing, adding 65 new non-market homes in Calgary’s city centre through the City of Calgary’s inaugural Downtown Non-Market Office Conversion Grant.

City of Calgary, HomeSpace and Trellis leader’s at Monday’s announcement

Located at 1000 – 8 Avenue SW, the former office building will be transformed into a mix of studio and one-bedroom homes for single adults, helping address the high demand for deeply affordable housing while supporting downtown revitalization. The project received $4.1 million through the City’s new grant program, funded by the federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF).

This conversion marks HomeSpace’s second downtown office-to-housing project, following the success of Neoma, Canada’s first office-to-affordable-housing conversion, completed in 2023.

“This project builds directly on what we learned at Neoma,” said Bernadette Majdell, CEO of HomeSpace Society. “Downtown Calgary has a real opportunity to turn vacancy into vibrancy. By converting empty office space into safe, affordable homes, we’re creating stability for people who need it most while bringing new life back into the core of the city.”

The 62,000-square-foot building will deliver 65 non-market units, including 56 studio homes and nine one-bedroom accessible units, offered at approximately 30–40 per cent below market rent. The project also includes 2,300 square feet of space for a future service provider, as well as shared amenities such as laundry facilities, waste and recycling rooms, and community space.

1000 8th Ave SW - the vacant office building HomeSpace is converting to affordable housing

The building was well-suited for conversion, with portions of the interior already demolished, helping reduce construction timelines and design complexity. Its configuration allows all residential units access to natural light - often a key challenge in office-to-residential conversions.

The project is primarily targeted to single adults, a population facing significant housing barriers in Calgary. HomeSpace will allocate a minimum of 25 per cent of units to Indigenous residents, who are disproportionately impacted by housing insecurity.

The Downtown Non-Market Office Conversion Grant supports two projects – the 2nd being a 63 unit conversion at 441 5th Ave SW by Trellis Society for Community Impact - delivering a total of 128 new non-market homes in Calgary’s downtown core. Together, the funded projects will convert nearly 100,000 square feet of vacant office space into housing, advancing the City’s housing and downtown revitalization goals.

441 5th Ave SW will be converted into 63 units of affordable housing by Trellis

The initiative aligns with the City of Calgary’s housing strategy, Home is Here, and the Greater Downtown Plan, which prioritizes adaptive reuse as a key tool to address the housing crisis.

Construction timelines and additional project details will be announced as the development progresses.