Students look to reduce Calgary’s office vacancy rate
Posted Apr 12, 2017 05:58:03 PM.
Last Updated Apr 12, 2017 06:09:36 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A group of university students is looking for ways to help fill empty office space in Calgary.
The Vivacity challenge is one of four student led projects looking to reduce the office vacancy rate and bring young people to the downtown core.
Dr. Catherine Pearl, assistant professor of social innovation at Mount Royal University, says young people can play a huge role when it comes to diversifying the city’s city.
“It is in an economic downturn and we have these incredible assets at our fingertips in terms of empty office space, so if we can create an environment that allows entrepreneurs, students and young people to explore and innovate, I think it could be quite a powerful change to the city,” Dr. Pearl said.
One of those projects is Forge Collaborative Brewing which focuses on a U-brew concept.
Sara McMullan fourth year business student at Mount Royal University says it’s “A place for young people to come after work, come for a beer in our tap room where we only serve local Calgary brews or they can come and brew a batch of beer with their friends instead of going out just for a drink or to a movie.”
According to Calgary Economic Development the vacancy rate in Calgary could hit 30 percent of all spaces within the next year.