Mackenzie Place is hard to miss. The building juts up from Hay River's downtown core, and at 17 storeys, stands out as one of the tallest buildings in Canada's North. Unfortunately, all 122 of its units are currently empty SA国际影视传媒� just as they have been for last five years. 

Mackenzie Place was constructed in the mid-1970s, in part to help accommodate the wave of workers expected to arrive in the region to work on the proposed Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, which never came to fruition. By 2015, the building was falling into serious disrepair, with several crumbling balconies and a failing fire alarm system, and in 2019, it was evacuated en masse after a blaze broke out on the 11th floor. 

Residents never returned due to lingering safety concerns. 

In 2022, it began to look as though the situation might improve, as the property was purchased by Edmonton-based Heritage Valley Capital (HVC), whose owners laid out plans for extensive renovations with the aim of making it livable again. However, those renovations are still not complete. In fact, there are "no active town permits or physical construction seemingly occurring at the building," according to Glenn Smith, the town's senior administrative officer.

SA国际影视传媒 contacted HVC partners Manjit Gauba and Ed Siffledeen, who spent several hours touring the property after the firm purchased it in 2022, to inquire about the status of the planned renovations. 

Gauba contends the project is "progressing well," and that "budgeting and construction plans" are now complete, but admitted there are some hurdles that need to be cleared before the building is ready for tenants again.

"We are encountering challenges in securing financing due to the geographical location, which has made banks and lenders hesitant to provide support," he said.

To help navigate these challenges, Gauba and Siffledeen will be contacting local leaders for help, in hopes of making banks and lenders more willing to get involved. 

"We will be requesting letters of support from local leaders, the city, the municipality, and community members, including the First Nations in the area," Gauba said. "These letters will be instrumental in demonstrating the projectSA国际影视传媒檚 viability and securing the necessary financing."

Gauba and Siffledeen did not specify when they believe the building will be ready for residents again. 

As the pair push ahead on their project, Hay River has been making efforts to increase the availability of housing in other parts of town.

In early January, for example, Smith revealed plans to auction off 11 fully serviced lots in the newly created Fraser Place subdevelopment, just south of Mackenzie Place, which are outfitted to accommodate single family, multifamily, and accessory units. 

SA国际影视传媒淲e are pleased to continue efforts to give Hay River residents more housing options today with the Fraser Place announcement," Smith said at the time. "This is one step amongst many identified in the Hay River Community Housing Strategy aimed at providing safe, affordable, and diverse housing options in Hay River.SA国际影视传媒�