Eau Claire Market to be demolished for Calgary's Green Line transit project

The City of Calgary says it has reached an agreement in principle for a key part of the city's Green Line transit project that has put a definitive end date on the Eau Claire Market shopping centre.

Officials say a deal has been struck with Harvard Developments, the company that owns a portion of land in Eau Claire Market.

The city says the location is "critically important" for the transit project.

"(It) will bridge the Eau Claire and Chinatown communities and connect Calgarians to a treasured part of the city," said Darshpreet Bhatti, CEO of Green Line LRT, in a release.

No figures have been released, but the city says it will acquire the land required for an underground station and lease additional land for use during the construction.

The land is expected to transferred by the end of the second quarter of 2024, at which time the Eau Claire Market shopping centre will be demolished.

Harvard Developments says the property will be "a key component" for the revitalization of downtown Calgary.

"We remain committed to engaging with the city, downtown community stakeholders, and our neighbours in delivering a destination that Calgarians are proud of," said Rosanne Hill Blaisdell, president and CEO of Harvard Developments in a statement.

In the meantime, Harvard says it will be working out the details of the transition of its more than 50 businesses that are set up in Eau Claire Market.

"We value our relationship with our tenants, so it was important to give them as much lead time as possible to ensure a smooth transition for their business," she said.

Those discussions will be taking place through the rest of this year and into early 2024.

Harvard says JOEY Eau Claire and LOCAL Public Eatery will continue to operate as usual.