West Broadway Area | Winnipeg | Development

[Jets4Life]

Has West Broadway changed much in the last 6-7 years? I saw tremendous potential for the area. I loved living there, and if I returned to Winnipeg, I would definitely think of renting in the area.

[bomberjet]

Yes, lots of new projects on the go. Smaller condo type places. From all accounts it's on the rise.

[Urban recluse]

If you haven't been in the area in 10 years, you would not return and notice a huge difference. The odd little project has not altered it that much.

[esquire]

Yeah, I wouldn't say the change in the last 6-7 years has been that vast. It's improved steadily and there has been some development, but WB isn't wildly different in terms of the building stock.

[Authentic_City]

^It's the same but different. Ate lunch at Bistro Dansk this week. It's like a time capsule - totally unchanged in decades. But, a few residential buildings in the area have sprung up in recent years, and a few stores have opened or changed hands. It's slowly moving in a positive direction, but the pace of change is slow.

[Jets4Life]

Originally Posted by esquire

Yeah, I wouldn't say the change in the last 6-7 years has been that vast. It's improved steadily and there has been some development, but WB isn't wildly different in terms of the building stock.

I was hoping gentrification would accelerate, like what has occurred in Wolseley. I could definitely see that happening south of Broadway. My hope is they convert the Sherbrook Inn into something similar to what they did with the New Occidental Hotel.

[buzzg]

Sherbrook hasn't changed much from a building standpoint aside from element condos, however I would say the type of businesses in there now are of much higher quality than in the past. It's now a destination area where it used to be more of a local hub. And yeah, lots of small-med new residential in surrounding area, and apartment upgrades is helping quite a bit.

The nicest thing that's happening here is that it's 100% organic. Nice coincidence for the granola belt...

[OTA in Winnipeg]

This is relatively new:

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/300...!4d-97.1590713

CRU at the condos:

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/300...!4d-97.1590713

[esquire]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Sherbrook hasn't changed much from a building standpoint aside from element condos, however I would say the type of businesses in there now are of much higher quality than in the past. It's now a destination area where it used to be more of a local hub. And yeah, lots of small-med new residential in surrounding area, and apartment upgrades is helping quite a bit.

The nicest thing that's happening here is that it's 100% organic. Nice coincidence for the granola belt...

Exactly this. The area feels different, but it has more to do with the people and businesses in the area than with buildings, although it's worth mentioning that quite a few have been built or renovated.

To Jets4Life's point, I could see the pace accelerating over time as the area gains more of a reputation as a safe urban area. In some ways WB can be said to be competing with Osborne Village for young, single, somewhat upwardly-mobile residents, which would have been difficult to fathom 15-20 years ago.

[Jets4Life]

Originally Posted by esquire

Exactly this. The area feels different, but it has more to do with the people and businesses in the area than with buildings, although it's worth mentioning that quite a few have been built or renovated.

To Jets4Life's point, I could see the pace accelerating over time as the area gains more of a reputation as a safe urban area. In some ways WB can be said to be competing with Osborne Village for young, single, somewhat upwardly-mobile residents, which would have been difficult to fathom 15-20 years ago.

I rented an apartment in that area for nearly four years just over a decade ago. I really liked the area. I felt I could walk around any time of night and feel safe, and I lived in a block that had a huge number of Asian students attending the U of W. It was on Young Street, south of the Community Centre.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Jets4Life

I rented an apartment in that area for nearly four years just over a decade ago. I really liked the area. I felt I could walk around any time of night and feel safe, and I lived in a block that had a huge number of Asian students attending the U of W. It was on Young Street, south of the Community Centre.

Funny that you mention that area, that corner of the neighbourhood felt pretty good even through the rougher parts of the 1990s. I remember a couple of friends of mine lived a stone's throw from Balmoral Hall... they both lived in sturdy old buildings, and in the case of one of them, I remember rent was absurdly low... a bachelor suite (which was in reality a one bedroom except that the bedroom could fit a twin bed and nothing else) was a steal, even by 1999 standards. I can't remember the exact number but I want to say something like $300 a month or thereabouts?

[Urban recluse]

It's the millennials who will transform WB, BUT...they need to stay in the city, and more need to be attracted to the city. It would make a huge difference if at least one company would relocate there and build a low rise along Sherbrook bringing say 100 people to the area. The area needs many new infill homes to attract the families who want a new house, and the Dreadful Sherbrook Inn needs to be redeveloped. There are many small pieces.

[buzzg]

The hotel will only get redeveloped if someone with a lot of money comes in to buy it. The Tallest Poppy is a bustling business open all day every day and hosts lots of great parties, pawn shop makes lots of money, and the vendor just prints profit. While it's not the nicest building, and the parking lot is bad, it'd be low on my list of priorities

[Urban recluse]

It would be different if the area around it consisted of glass towers, etc, but with nothing to eclipse it, it remains a dreadful focal point.

[buzzg]

I don't really even notice it with the Poppy and Pawn shop in front... definitely wouldn't consider it a focal point. So many things I'd tackle first like:

This house:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.88074...7i13312!8i6656

Even though it's got some good businesses in it, this building (even if it was replaced with the same thing at the sidewalk):
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.88151...7i13312!8i6656

This mess:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.88486...7i13312!8i6656

Everything you see here:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.88525...7i13312!8i6656

[Jets4Life]

Originally Posted by esquire

Funny that you mention that area, that corner of the neighbourhood felt pretty good even through the rougher parts of the 1990s. I remember a couple of friends of mine lived a stone's throw from Balmoral Hall... they both lived in sturdy old buildings, and in the case of one of them, I remember rent was absurdly low... a bachelor suite (which was in reality a one bedroom except that the bedroom could fit a twin bed and nothing else) was a steal, even by 1999 standards. I can't remember the exact number but I want to say something like $300 a month or thereabouts?

I paid $383.00 for a large bachelor suite. The hardwood floors were a nice touch.

[goldenboi]

Originally Posted by buzzg

I don't really even notice it with the Poppy and Pawn shop in front... definitely wouldn't consider it a focal point. So many things I'd tackle first like:

This house:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.88074...7i13312!8i6656

Even though it's got some good businesses in it, this building (even if it was replaced with the same thing at the sidewalk):
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.88151...7i13312!8i6656

This mess:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.88486...7i13312!8i6656

Everything you see here:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.88525...7i13312!8i6656

Hey the 67 house is iconic and should be given heritage status!

[goldenboi]

I agree about the strip mall with the parking lot. Totally divides the area and that strip mostly lives off local foot/bike traffic anyways.

[goldenboi]

I hope that one day the strip on Sherbrook extends across Broadway and Portage, all the way to Ellice. It would really tie together the fabric of Wolseley, WB and the West End. Already the West End is starting to come up around Sherbrook and Ellice, and it's not far behind West Broadway. My dream is that one day, it is all tied together into one larger urban area, and then people won't be so afraid of or confused by downtown.

[headhorse]

the strip mall is getting a new cladding... all it's going to do is drive up rents, does nothing to improve the neighbourhood.