Page 22 - 05_June-2025

City
On Whyte
Avenue, the
Princess Theatre
is trading film
reels for stage
reveals
we’ve kind of married those two amazing
components.”
The main and second floors are still
vacant though. Similar to Hawreluk’s
strategy, Bodnarek is courting restaurant
groups to anchor the space. As for the
story above, the owners dream of making
it into a hub for architecture and design,
imagining a hybrid showroom-gallery. In
fact, the Pendennis hosted several events
for Edmonton Design Week last year.
ROYAL REVIVAL
One of the biggest cultural losses from
the pandemic was the Princess Theatre.
Built in 1914, Edmonton’s premier inde-
pendent cinema had two screens beloved
by cinephiles, especially new parents in
the “crying room” — a soundproof room
at the back of the theatre with a changing
table. It held on for 14 months after
movie theatres reopened, but the industry
suffered too many blows for the owners
to keep operating. The ghost of its final
screening — The Rocky Horror Picture
Show in October 2021 — still lingers on
the marquee.
As of late, the theatre’s only spectators
have been the oglers passing around its
MLS listing (it’s currently priced for $2.7
million). While some have shown genuine
interest, the owners turned them down
out of determination to uphold the Prin-
cess Theatre’s legacy as a thriving arts
hub. Then, earlier this year, eclectic busi-
nessowner David Stupnikoff approached
them with a plan to convert the Princess
Theatre into — you guessed it — an event
space. The main floor theatre, Princess 1,
would become a stage venue for concerts,
plays and comedy shows, while the 90-
seat Princess II downstairs would remain
a movie house.
Restoration work on the Princess
Theatre is largely dependent on develop-
ment permits and architectural assess-
ments, but the building itself requires
relatively minimal structural changes.
The bigger concerns are potential
asbestos in the flooring, and accessibility
upgrades and decisions. Along with all
the technical upgrades for the venue, res-
torations and modernization is estimated
to cost a whopping $9.2 million.
Stupnikoff launched a fundraising
campaign in February to much enthusi-
asm, but that has not translated into
dollars. As of May, they’ve raised less
than 1 per cent of the goal. He is hoping
corporate donors will step up, and
says they have already secured a donor
promising almost $3 million. ED.
–Areeha Mahal
Owning a heritage building in Alberta can be a
rewarding way to preserve local history, but it
comes with its own bureaucratic maze. From
regulatory approvals to costly code compliance,
here are some key hurdles that owners often face.
Higher Construction Costs
Maintaining heritage features — such as restoring original
brickwork or preserving period woodwork — can be
significantly more expensive than standard construction,
especially when specialized materials and trades are
required. Lorraine Bodnarek estimates that renovations
of the Pendennis Building, which aim to preserve
historical elements and aesthetics, typically cost about
three times more than conventional construction.
Modern Codes vs. Old Infrastructure
Bringing heritage buildings up to modern safety,
accessibility and energy codes (e.g., adding elevators,
accessible washrooms, HVAC and fire suppression
systems) often requires creative — and costly —
workarounds to avoid damaging protected features.
All three of the mentioned historic buildings have
navigated this architectural tightrope.
Approval for Renovations
Renovations, even minor ones like replacing windows
or updating signage, often require heritage permits.
These permits go through multiple layers of municipal
review and can significantly delay timelines.
22 EDify. JUNE.25