The Fortress That Opened: The Post Redevelopment

Selling a $17M Vision Through the Lens of Heritage

The Challenge: From “Closed Fortress” to “Open Hub”

For decades, the J.D. Higinbotham Building was a federal fortress—beautiful, but unapproachable. When Sumus Property Group took on the $17-million redevelopment, they weren’t just selling office space; they were selling a transformation of the downtown core.

The marketing challenge was two-fold:

Overcome the “Old” Stigma: Prove that a 110-year-old building could offer modern, high-tech amenities.
Justify the Premium: Explain why a business should choose a heritage site over a cheap, new-build suburban office park.

The Creative Strategy: “Heritage is the Moat”

We decided to lean into the concept of non-replicable value. You can build a glass box anywhere, but you can’t build 110 years of history. Our goal was to film the building not as a “museum,” but as an “anchor.”

1. Cinematic Contrast (The “How”)

To show the collision of history and modern design, we chose a specific visual language:

The Lighting of History: We interviewed the architects and developers inside the “raw” construction zones. By using high-output LED tubes (Astera/Titan) contrasted against the exposed brick and dust, we visually signaled that this is a project “in motion.” It made the history feel active, not stagnant.
Macro Detail: We used macro lenses to capture the Manitoba Tyndall stone—showing the actual fossils embedded in the walls. This visual proof of “prehistory” served as a metaphor for the building’s permanence.
The “Beacon” Narrative: Every aerial shot was timed for Golden Hour. We wanted the copper-domed clock tower to glow, reinforcing the “beacon” metaphor mentioned in the interviews.

2. Technical Precision: Navigating the Core

Filming in a windy, high-density downtown environment like Lethbridge requires more than just a drone.

The Aerial Reveal: We utilized precise GPS-locked orbits around the clock tower to show the new bronze-glazed entrances. This highlighted the “transparency” the architects brought to the old “fortress.”
The Human Connection: We moved away from cold, empty architectural shots and focused on the people behind the project. By capturing the passion of the designers and the conviction of the developers, we turned a real estate transaction into a community mission.

The Value: Turning Footage into Leases

This video wasn’t just for social media likes—it was a high-level sales tool.

De-Risking the Investment: For prospective tenants like Stantec or Teamworks, the video served as visual proof that the massive renovation was being handled with professional care and world-class design.
The Sales Moat: The footage of “The Street” (the internal corridor) allowed the Sumus sales team to explain the complex floor plan to investors before they even stepped foot on the construction site.
Market Positioning: By highlighting the “Non-Replicable” nature of the Tyndall stone and the W.F. Evans clock tower, the video justified the property’s premium lease rates by positioning it as a “legacy address” rather than just a square-footage play.

The Result

The Post is now the crown jewel of downtown Lethbridge, boasting marquee tenants and high occupancy. Our production provided Sumus with a visual legacy piece that helped bridge the gap between a $17M construction risk and a fully realized community hub.

“You can’t manufacture 110 years of time. Our job was simply to make that time visible.”