Historic Ogden Block to be relocated for Green Line project

The City of Calgary is looking for a new home for a historic building standing in the way of the Green Line LRT expansion.

The Ogden Block—also known as Hong Lee Laundry and Ogden Laundry—was constructed in 1913 and now stands as a rare example of a Chinese-owned building located outside Calgary's historic Chinatown. The building currently occupies land needed for a future CTrain station as part of the Green Line LRT SE project in Ogden.

The city is offering to donate the structure to any group or organization willing to relocate it by November 15, 2026. The city will also contribute $50,000 toward relocation costs. If no one steps forward with a plan to move it, the building will be demolished.

Over its lifetime, the building has served as a laundry, boarding house for Chinese immigrants, and residential and rental spaces. Ward 9 Councillor Harrison Clark called it "a unique chance for the community or an interested organization to step forward and give new life to a building that reflects Ogden's diverse and layered past."

Interested parties must submit a purchaser application form through the City of Calgary's website, including a proposed use, demonstrated relocation capacity, and a nominal offer of $1. The project underscores the tension between urban transit expansion and heritage preservation in Calgary.