Harry Hays Building - Calgary, Alberta
Posted by: 
wildwoodke
N 51° 02.970 W 114° 03.574
11U E 706090 N 5659443
The Harry Hays Building is named after a former Mayor and Federal politician and Senator from the 1960's is the primary Federal Government Building in downtown Calgary, Alberta.
Waymark Code: WM3H0Q
Location: Alberta, Canada
Date Posted: 04/05/2008
Views: 176
Harry Hays was born in Carstairs, Aberta. His life was devoted to agriculture. A cattle rancher, breeder and auctioneer that sold his herd and became the Mayor of Calgary in 1959. While Mayor he ran for the federal government and won his riding in 1963.
In the 1965 election he lost his seat due to the popularity of the Liberal government. In 1966 he was summoned to the Senate where he served until his death in 1982 following Heart Surgery.
About the Building...
It was constructed between 1974 and 1978.
From the City of Calgary Historic Tours website:
Cost
$45.8 million. The Treasury Board originally approved $21.4 million for the project. According to the Auditor General’s 1979 audit report published in April 1980, $10.9 million of the overrun was attributed to inflation, $4 million to extra costs such as consultant fees, change orders, etc., and $9.5 million for interim financing during construction, tenant fit – ups and other costs.
More about the building..
Eight levels of office and retail space totaling 520,000 square feet. A brochure published by Public Works around 1980, describes the design of the building. "The first two floors were designed as attractive public service areas with a mall, atrium and spacious square providing access to a garden terrace on the second level. Two wings are located on the third floor which gradually recesses into upper stories creating a pyramid – shaped structure. These soft contours provide a graceful transition from the low Bow River to the high rise structures of Calgary’s city core."