Imperial Oil building office in Quarry Park

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Muta

Office campuses might be a trend going forward. I can tell you that Husky explored this very idea, and even further out. They opted to stay where they are... but it was darn close to happening.

Many years ago PCP (PanCanadian Petroleum) was looking at doing a campus workplace down around Mount Royal College/University (I believe where UFA and Brookfield buildings are.) I was working at PCP at the time as student and I remember the various studies and open houses that they did. At the time, there were a lot of unhappy people with that plan especially folks that did not live near the area and used public transit. A big concern was the lack of efficient transit serving the area and obviously the traffic concerns with Glenmore Trail and Crowchild Trail.

Looking back, it would have been a great idea especially when I was living in Marda Loop but traffic would have been a disaster.

[Canehdianman]

I live down in Douglas Glen. I'd love to work at Imperial Oil.

I'm hoping a bunch of their lawyers don't want to move and quit.

Walking to work and not living in a crappy apartment downtown would be living the dream!

[darklord700]

I wouldn't mind working in a campus environment if it is at my end of town, like Airdrie or Cochrane. Problem with Calgary is people in the North don't want to move South and vice versa.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by rotten42

Husky is a lot more frugal than Imperial so the cynic in me thinks they did it to get more concessions for their current space.

Bingo. That's what I have surmised, too.

[J pold]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Many years ago PCP (PanCanadian Petroleum) was looking at doing a campus workplace down around Mount Royal College/University (I believe where UFA and Brookfield buildings are.) I was working at PCP at the time as student and I remember the various studies and open houses that they did. At the time, there were a lot of unhappy people with that plan especially folks that did not live near the area and used public transit. A big concern was the lack of efficient transit serving the area and obviously the traffic concerns with Glenmore Trail and Crowchild Trail.

Looking back, it would have been a great idea especially when I was living in Marda Loop but traffic would have been a disaster.

That is now the Westmount Corporate Campus Development. The campus is owned by bcIMC and managed by GWL Realty Partners. They have had decent success with the campus since it opened and just finished up leasing the 4th of 5 planned buildings. My team and I have put a group into building 3 for 2 floors and they are very happy with the development overall.

There is a 5th and final building planned that is 8 floors with 240,000 rentable square feet. Right now it’s subject to preleasing but there are rumors in the market that they are in talks with a group to take the whole building. We are hearing Stantec or Bantrel but it’s all speculation right now.

Rendering below:

Spoiler!

[The Yen Man]

I'm probably the minority, but I think it'd be kind of neat to work at a campus style office. I actually find it more appealing than working in a downtown office building.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I'm probably the minority, but I think it'd be kind of neat to work at a campus style office. I actually find it more appealing than working in a downtown office building.

I can agree with this. I've seen concepts for various 'office campuses' before, and believe me... aside from physical location, these are awesome facilities that are designed to maximize your experience as work. Collaboration, technology, space, amenities.... it's a new work/lifestyle shift that will only get more popular in the future.

I'm an urban / high density guy through and through, and a huge proponent of downtown development... but I definitely see the attraction to the campus environment from both an employee and an ownership perspective.

[Bill Bumface]

How long does anyone stay at one job?

Moving and doing the necessary things to get a house to meet your needs after moving in is easily a $25K-$50K+ proposition every time, plus the utter nightmare that is moving.

That is the advantage of a downtown office. You have a massive workforce of people that have figured out their transportation plan that you can easily attract.

There is almost no way I'd ever move to be closer to a non-downtown job as I know that keeping the same job for 10 years isn't realistic. I'm on my 5th company in my 11 year career.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Muta

I can agree with this. I've seen concepts for various 'office campuses' before, and believe me... aside from physical location, these are awesome facilities that are designed to maximize your experience as work. Collaboration, technology, space, amenities.... it's a new work/lifestyle shift that will only get more popular in the future.

I'm an urban / high density guy through and through, and a huge proponent of downtown development... but I definitely see the attraction to the campus environment from both an employee and an ownership perspective.

I certainly like the concept of these urban campuses but I never expected that a major E&P company in Calgary would make the move. When it comes to the E&P business it has always been thought that it is essential and critical to be in the core in order to facilitate effective business operations. It becomes inefficient and more difficult to schedule meetings with contractors when they have to leave the core to visit your suburban campus. It also effectively isolates your employees because they are away from their colleagues at the core.

The core setup and environment has always been unique in Calgary in that it allows for excellent communication and networking opportunities between professionals and companies. I've experienced "campus" environments in US cities and the professional environmental is significantly different and I would say it is certainly not as attractive as a centralized environment like Calgary.

[CubicleGeek]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I'm probably the minority, but I think it'd be kind of neat to work at a campus style office. I actually find it more appealing than working in a downtown office building.

It gets old fast. I worked in a campus most of my career. At first it's great that everything is there, but after a while I found I was going out for lunch more often just to leave said campus and since campuses tend to be more isolated, everywhere you go you need to drive.

The amenities of the campus rarely changes - so even if you're lucky enough to have a food court style cafeteria instead of a catered service such as Aramark, it will still be the same small handful of restaurants indefinitely as they don't have the same competitive landscape normal restaurants have. If you're stuck with a catered service, be prepared for meatloaf every Tuesday as they usually cycle their entrees on a preset period (weekly, biweekly, etc).

Downtown, you're an elevator ride away from people in your office and within a couple of blocks of dozens of dining options, which change frequently. The biggest problem for most seems to be the commute.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

as I know that keeping the same job for 10 years isn't realistic.

It....isn't? Maybe I'm doing something wrong then!

[Hack&Lube]

I don't think I would want a job again where I have to drive through rush hour to work, park in a big parking lot, walk to the front door, etc. then when I'm tired of eating in the office cafeteria, have to get in my car again and drive to the nearest strip mall and park in a parking lot again and ad infinitum.

Campus' are definitely not for me. Density all the way!

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

It....isn't? Maybe I'm doing something wrong then!

For one, you've gotten lucky.

With the amount of divestitures/acquisitions/outsourcing/layoffs, even if you want to stay at a job long term, it may not be in your hands.

I was outsourced 8 months after getting my first job out of University... ha.

30% of people will hold the same job for more than 4 years:

http://www.workopolis.com/content/ad...he-new-normal/

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I don't think I would want a job again where I have to drive through rush hour to work, park in a big parking lot, walk to the front door, etc. then when I'm tired of eating in the office cafeteria, have to get in my car again and drive to the nearest strip mall and park in a parking lot again and ad infinitum.

Campus' are definitely not for me. Density all the way!

The best part about this campus is that its bike riding distance from a whole pile of suburban communities. I'd trade my half hour morning commute for a half hour bike ride to work any day.

Other great things would be eating lunch in carburn park or along the fish creek bike path at lunch or just going for a walk along the river. Shopping at Deerfoot Meadows at lunch or even hitting up the douglas dale driving range. There's something to be said for being out of the core.

[Muta]

I dunno, I was at the same firm for seven years after I started working in 2007. My new company said one of the best things they liked was my respect for loyalty, which was rare these days. That's kind of just the way my career panned out, but they made mention it was a quality you don't see these days - and a very positive one at that.

If I were an HR Manager, I'd be wary if I saw someone going through 5 companies in 11 years. Why would I put someone at the top of the candidate list who, historically, will only stay two years and then take off?

Not saying you're wrong at all hulkrogan, everyone's career is different... but staying with the same company for a decent period of time does have it's benefits, especially if they offer growth and development opportunities. I understand people like to bounce around in their careers though in order to climb the compensation ladder... but that can also be a double-edged sword.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

The best part about this campus is that its bike riding distance from a whole pile of suburban communities. I'd trade my half hour morning commute for a half hour bike ride to work any day.

Other great things would be eating lunch in carburn park or along the fish creek bike path at lunch or just going for a walk along the river. Shopping at Deerfoot Meadows at lunch or even hitting up the douglas dale driving range. There's something to be said for being out of the core.

You can also do those things living in/working in downtown. Deerfoot Meadows is 10 minutes away by car or 30 minutes by bike. In an hour lunch, I could bike down the Bow River/Elbow River pathway quite a distance and back.

What you said does make sense though. This is a city where the suburbs definitely have more shopping and amenities. Downtown Calgary is still a ghost-town.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I don't think I would want a job again where I have to drive through rush hour to work, park in a big parking lot, walk to the front door, etc. then when I'm tired of eating in the office cafeteria, have to get in my car again and drive to the nearest strip mall and park in a parking lot again and ad infinitum.

Campus' are definitely not for me. Density all the way!

That's the way the idea of Power Centers are supposed to be appealing. Crowfoot was supposed to be one but never panend out. Quarry Park and Seton are supposed to them too I believe.

[Handsome B. Wonderful]

Just what Quarry Park needs at this point, a few thousand more cars.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

I have a friend that IOL that has left recently over the Quarry Park Issue - living in the west side, they have no desire to fight through Glenmore everyday. They tell me they know several people that are looking to jump ship - headhunters are calliing IOL employees to exploit this vein on discontent.

Same story with the CP relocation, though possibly even worse. There they don't even get to work in an office park, but in the middle of a rail yard, like some sort of penal colony. That and they get to work under the thumb of Hunter. Triple Whammy.

I predict that these surban campuses will be a bit of a fad once employers realize how limiting it will be on recruiting. Yes people in the immediate area might want in but IOL will be limiting themselves from potential staff in the West and North areas of Calgary. In a labour constrained market - that's going to trump savings on rent.

[guzzy]

I think the issue is a wash. There are a ton of good people in this industry that don't want to be downtown. There are also a ton that don't want to be anywhere else. In the EPC side of things i think there are a larger percentage of those who dont want to downtown. On the producers side of things there are a larger percentage of those who want to be downtown. IOL is really the first major producer to leave downtown. For everyone who quits over the move, someone will leave another producer to avoid downtown.