Hyatt Place Winnipeg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-H...Y=w781-h728-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/C5...0=w797-h810-no

That building is part of the MTS complex. The Hyatt is the next building down across the parking lot.

The Biff's got it.

Artis Reit owns that whole MTS complex I wonder if they would scoop up the BMO building.

^^ Thanks Biff, I see where I made my mistake.

I didn't know that Artis Reit owns that MTS building as well. Now I really wonder if the BMO building could be part of a redevelopment plan for that building as well. Maybe another hotel or hotel/residence with the BMO building as the fanciest entrance hall in the city??

BMO as an entrance lobby/restaurant/lounge area for a classy new hotel next door is something I could live with.

It makes me sad to think of such a beautiful old building functioning as government office space, a location for a Moxie's restaurant or some such.

Do you know who owns the lot to the east of the complex between the older MTS building and the future Hyatt? That would really be an asset to anyone trying to develop the site. It could help create space to put up a building that doesn't interfere with 333 Main. Combine BMO, the older MTS, and the new lot and put up a big signature mixed use tower - hotel and residential with main floor commercial space - sort of like a more vertical version of TNS, could even add a boutique office component.

It's possible that Artis does not own the "older" MTS building. Here's the Artis info on "Bell MTS Building I & II" which is are the two MTS buildings fronting main:

https://www.artisreit.com/office/mts-place/

And their portfolio site doesn't appear to have anything else on the south east corner of P&M:

https://www.artisreit.com/our-portfo...=Tag&city=City

Could BellMTS still own the building directly east of the BMO building?

the bmo tower was an adition to the bank hall.

Yes, I think it's always belonged to them - dating back to the days of Manitoba Government Telephones. It's chock full of telephony equipment...

Not sure if it’s been mentioned but looks like the relocation of the Scotia branch from the underground to ground floor main st is completed.

It's very nice and I really appreciate the elevator and easy access to Main Street.

On the lower level there are some glass doors with a huge open vault behind the doors. I was tempted.

The ultimate would have been a restaurant/cafe on the main floor facing P&M. It would have increased interaction with the corner. Maybe even a terraced patio overlooking P&M, given the tall height of the main floor.

Now that Scotiabank has just small presence down in the concourse, there are big areas of their original space hoarded over. Anyone know if there is a plan for that space? That and the space TD vacated at 201 Portage?

The vacated concourse space is being marketed for new retail, so is restaurant space on the main floor along Portage Ave.

Due to its location near the railway tracks 166 Portage Ave East is one of the two major long distance switching hubs for Manitoba, as well as housing the network control center for Manitoba and a few local telephone switches.

The reason I mention the rail tracks is both CN and CP have major leased communications fiber optic lines running in their right of ways and the lines all tie into the Portage and Main area thru the east Exchange district for Les Net, Bell, BellMTS, Zayo etc.

here is video what Portage and Main could become?
http://youtu.be/sJ69fj7JhZg

The train thing needing to stop is kinda silly. If it could just keep on going that would be ideal. Maybe move the pedestrians underground or something?

hello eveyone it me tom Sinclair
I will be launching a website about what Portage and Main could become one day. the website will have all past and future Proposals and concept ideas. the website will allow people to look at them and talk about Portage and Main. on the website, people are allowed to send Proposals and concept ideas to me I will put them up on the website
I will be uploading a new 3d model Portage and Main to the website allow people to make their own vision of Portage and Main

I thought the Portage and Main and the Portage and Hargrave branches for BMO were merging and relocating to 201 Portage where the TD branch used to be.

You are correct. It looks like renos/demo have already started.

BMO had a public meeting yesterday to discuss their departure from their banking hall at Portage and Main. According to CBC they didn't have any answers about what was in store for the building.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...ting-1.5287797

I find it surprising that after all these years, BMO would ditch the most impressive banking hall in western Canada for generic office tower space. There are few companies anywhere in Canada that can boast of occupying such a grand and historic space for such a long time... you'd think that kind of tangible connection would be worth something to BMO, but apparently not.

Back in the 80s when BMO built a beautiful tower to complement the banking hall it seemed like there would be a long future for them there. But first they sold off the tower, and now they're sealing the deal by getting rid of the banking hall.