Winnipeg | True North Square | 86.9M | 77.8M | 25F | 17F | 22F | 17F | 19F | U/C - Page 26

bomberjet · #**501** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 3:32 PM**

Esquire, that's a fantastic idea. Why not?

CoryB · #**502** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 4:49 PM**

Betting the PPD office went out to tender at one point, Fort Garry Place bid to fill the failed mall space and we have what there is today.

esquire · #**503** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 5:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoryB

Betting the PPD office went out to tender at one point, Fort Garry Place bid to fill the failed mall space and we have what there is today.

Yeah, low bidder makes perfect sense. That said, the customer service stuff in the mall was added after the fact. The upper levels (FGP's office floors) are where most of the PP&D offices are and they feel a little more appropriate for their function.

bomberjet · #**504** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 5:10 PM**

I had no idea there was such a place, and I've been to FGP a large number of times. Mostly to the conference centres.

http://downtownwinnipegbiz.com/wp-co...-winnipeg5.jpg

esquire · #**505** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 5:11 PM**

^ Don't worry, no one else knows it's there either. Which is why all of the stores have disappeared. Go walk through it some time and ride the glass elevator at either end of the mall, it will take your breath away.

bomberjet · #**506** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 5:15 PM**

I'll be there next week and will make sure to take some photos.

buzzg · #**507** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 5:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Actually, since the City now has an empty office tower on its hands, I think the people working in leased space like the ones in the Bank of Hamilton Bldg., Confederation Bldg., and Fort Garry Place should be moved into the former Canada Post Building on Graham. ?

This is the best thing the city could ever do. Although it would likely force them to build/buy a parkade somewhere nearby.

wags_in_the_peg · #**508** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 6:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I had no idea there was such a place, and I've been to FGP a large number of times. Mostly to the conference centres.

http://downtownwinnipegbiz.com/wp-co...-winnipeg5.jpg

I've been there a number of times, filling out permits (garage, addition, bath reno) and arguing (ahem..discussing) my plans. It's creepy every time I go in there, it just seems 'weird'.

bomberjet · #**509** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 6:30 PM**

Lunch time today, a bunch of equipment on Hargrave. Likely repairing whatever issue they had with the water main yesterday. Not much happening on the actual site from my vantage point. Equipment, including excavators and trailers, are parked. I'm thinking they'll begin removing asphalt and from the parking lot next week if this things going ahead!

On a related note, whats happening with the other MPI lot on St.Mary and Donald? Is that on hold for now?

esquire · #**510** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 7:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzg

This is the best thing the city could ever do. Although it would likely force them to build/buy a parkade somewhere nearby.

It wouldn't be a huge challenge IMO, as there are several surface lots or small old buildings whose sites could potentially house one. There is a growing need for parking around there anyway given that the WPA is whining for one for its members, plus the general P&M area parking pressures. The best place for one would be the lot immediately east of the triangular shaped building on Garry, it could be connected by skywalk to the police HQ and the Canada Post Tower.

buzzg · #**511** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 7:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

It wouldn't be a huge challenge IMO, as there are several surface lots or small old buildings whose sites could potentially house one. There is a growing need for parking around there anyway given that the WPA is whining for one for its members, plus the general P&M area parking pressures. The best place for one would be the lot immediately east of the triangular shaped building on Garry, it could be connected by skywalk to the police HQ and the Canada Post Tower.

Yeah I don't think it'd be difficult to find a place for it (at all), but it would jsut be another big expense, and could be a tough sell to the public to spend even MORE money to renovate the tower (after all the HQ overruns), and THEN build public servants their own parkade. "We have roads to fix why do we need to pay for city employees to park?" etc

- I am speaking of this in a way I can already see ppl complaining about, not my view.

CoryB · #**512** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 7:56 PM**

Fort Garry Place, like Place Promenade and Carlton Square before it is one of the examples of how multi-use developments in downtown Winnipeg fail to live up to the vision originally pitched. It is a lesson that SkyCity Centre seems determined to learn the hard way.

esquire · #**513** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoryB

Fort Garry Place, like Place Promenade and Carlton Square before it is one of the examples of how multi-use developments in downtown Winnipeg fail to live up to the vision originally pitched. It is a lesson that SkyCity Centre seems determined to learn the hard way.

FWIW SkyCity has a more modest vision, there won't be a big mall like in FGP.

That said, I do think Carlton Square has worked out pretty well. It's almost fully occupied and a hub of activity downtown...

cutchemist42 · #**514** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 8:28 PM**

Wow, had ZERO clue that sad mall existed. Anyone know the backstory? Surely this was meant to be a bigger deal at some point??

inlp89 · #**515** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 8:32 PM**

Most people think this is street level (the water feature) when they look out my window but its on the 5th floor and that "mall" is underneath. This place is like a labyrinth.

Cyro · #**516** Posted **Jan 8, 2016, 8:33 PM**

This thread seems to be becoming a Catch-All thread for everything downtown? lol

cllew · #**517** Posted **Jan 9, 2016, 12:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Lunch time today, a bunch of equipment on Hargrave. Likely repairing whatever issue they had with the water main yesterday. Not much happening on the actual site from my vantage point. Equipment, including excavators and trailers, are parked. I'm thinking they'll begin removing asphalt and from the parking lot next week if this things going ahead!

On a related note, whats happening with the other MPI lot on St.Mary and Donald? Is that on hold for now?

some of that equipment is also working on daylighting a Shaw fiber line that is running right along the property line under the city sidewalk that was taken up in the construction zone.

Not sure if this is related to the water main problem or somebody wants to avoid a repeat of the problem when excavation for the Manitoba hydro office tower caused a MTS fiber line on the north Graham sidewalk to fail.

Regarding the MPI Donald St property Metro news announced back in Feb 2015 that development plans were halted and MPI had no plans for further development.
http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipe...ment-deal.html

CoryB · #**518** Posted **Jan 11, 2016, 4:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

FWIW SkyCity has a more modest vision, there won't be a big mall like in FGP.

That said, I do think Carlton Square has worked out pretty well. It's almost fully occupied and a hub of activity downtown...

Carlton Square I would actually list as a fairly big fairly. Most of the retail has evaporated and the underground mall feels vacant other than the two restaurants. The residential has long been a "rent by the week" place. Not exactly the model of success I think they had envisioned and not that different than FGP although the failed mall there is a lot more visible.

There are definitely lessons to learn from this projects for both True North Square and SkyCity as they seems to be angling for the same markets as these two and Place Promenade. The last one there is example of the nice pedestrian friendly street in a multi-use neighborhood people on this forum wish we had in Winnipeg. Clearly that doesn't work here or it would be a thriving example.

esquire · #**519** Posted **Jan 11, 2016, 5:39 PM**

^ Are we talking about the same place? I'm thinking of Lakeview Square, where the Delta and 155 Carlton are.

Is there actually an underground mall there? I didn't realize there were more spaces beyond the restaurants.

FWIW I do believe that the Holiday Towers have long term leases, just that they make some furnished suites available for the short term. These are not what I'd consider synonymous with downmarket, you can find short term furnished rentals in any number of upscale houses and condos. They are typically used by businesspeople on temporary assignment here.

CoryB · #**520** Posted **Jan 11, 2016, 7:46 PM**

There is actually an underground walkway that connects 155, 175 and 185 Carlton. At one point it appears it was designed as a mall. There are also mostly vacant retail spaces at the ground level of the Holiday Towers and in 175 and 185. The ground level retail on 155 Carlton was deleted for a larger and mostly unused lobby many years back.