Calgary's affinity for twin office towers — pioneered by the likes of the Suncor Energy Centre and later solidified by Bankers Hall, Eighth Avenue Place and Centennial Place — would have been even stronger had a proposed second phase of the First Canadian Centre been built. 

A 2001 photo highlights the angular geometry of the west tower, image by Qyd via Wikimedia Commons

The 41-storey west tower, rising to a height of 167 metres, was the tallest building in Calgary upon completion in 1982. The original plans designed by Bregman + Hamann Architects included a second tower, which at 64 storeys, would have easily eclipsed the first building. The sister tower was more than just a fantasy. Construction had actually begun in 1981, with crews completing the foundation of the skyscraper, which would have been connected to the first tower via a three-level grand banking hall. Some ten thousand cubic metres of concrete were poured, making it the largest continuous concrete pour in North America at the time. 

How the site looks today, image retrieved from Google Street View

The construction of the Petro Canada Tower (now the Suncor Energy Centre) threatened to take the title of 'Calgary's tallest building' away from both towers of the First Canadian Centre. To thwart the rival project's ambitions, the future east tower had reputedly featured an "open-ended" design plan that would accommodate the construction of additional floors beyond what was originally intended. That would have allowed the building to reclaim the throne as the tallest in the city.

Dome Petroleum was set to occupy the second tower, going so far as to nickname the project "The Dome Tower" before construction commenced. Attributed to the slowing oil and gas industry in the early 1980s, Dome then pulled out of the development, halting plans for the second tower. 

Rendering of the proposed 28-storey second tower, image via NORR Architects

Today, the foundation and underground parking levels remain intact, awaiting future redevelopment. A public plaza at the corner of 7 Avenue and 2 Street now tops the site. In recent years, there have been rumblings of a potential reactivation of the second phase. A development permit application was submitted for a 28-storey east tower, featuring an interlocking design by NORR Architects, in August 2013. Early estimations put completion in 2017, but the site has eluded development. With office vacancy rates reaching record highs, it's hard to imagine a new downtown office tower is in the cards.

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Related Companies:  NORR Architects & Engineers Limited