Windsor Hotel petition

Riverman · #1 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 3:06 PM**

Sign it here if you wish.

http://www.petitiononline.com/blu3/petition.html

SKYSTHELIMIT · #2 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 6:37 PM**

I'm signed up. This is ridiculous there are still people who frequent here especially for the jazz and to turn it into another parking lot which there is way too many to start with is inexcusable.

grumpy old man · #3 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 6:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SKYSTHELIMIT

I'm signed up. This is ridiculous there are still people who frequent here especially for the jazz and to turn it into another parking lot which there is way too many to start with is inexcusable.

It WAS the house of blues. Not so today. If there is a market for a blues venue it will be served elsewhere. Did ya read the story in the Freep? They apparently have not played jazz there in some time.

The building IS a dump. Let's not over-react...

1ajs · #4 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 7:07 PM**

i've been once its a dump yes but it could be fixed up if someone put money into it

Only The Lonely.. · #5 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 7:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy old man

It WAS the house of blues. Not so today. If there is a market for a blues venue it will be served elsewhere. Did ya read the story in the Freep? They apparently have not played jazz there in some time.

The building IS a dump. Let's not over-react...

Actually..

I go there at least once every two weeks and I can safely say that the beverage room is surprisingly well kept and modern.

There's a ton of blues memorabilia in there as well as stuff of local interest such as a letter Charlie Chaplin wrote to the hotel's original owner.

Not sure about the "Hotel" itself, but the club definitely does a lot more for the vibrancy of the area then a surface parking lot ever will.

Pegger5 · #6 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 7:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riverman

Sign it here if you wish.

http://www.petitiononline.com/blu3/petition.html

Not a chance I would sign to keep something that is a health and safty hazard. Unless someone (not Government) comes forward to gut it and turn it into something worthwhile, I say tear it down... It is called progress..

rrskylar · #7 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 7:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy old man

It WAS the house of blues. Not so today. If there is a market for a blues venue it will be served elsewhere. Did ya read the story in the Freep? They apparently have not played jazz there in some time.

The building IS a dump. Let's not over-react...

WTF, I agree with grumpy, it was the house of blues but no longer is, the place always was a dump, that was part of the allure, tearing it down would be no loss to anyone beside the drunks who loiter outside panhandling change for a king can.

grumpy old man · #8 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 7:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrskylar

WTF, I agree with grumpy...

Ya make that sound like a bad thing. Eventually everyone see's the light.

Only The Lonely.. · #9 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 9:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrskylar

WTF, I agree with grumpy, it was the house of blues but no longer is, the place always was a dump, that was part of the allure, tearing it down would be no loss to anyone beside the drunks who loiter outside panhandling change for a king can.

Excuse me, but i'm one of those guys..

Only The Lonely.. · #10 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 9:55 PM**

I don't think anyone necessarily laments the loss of the buildings. It's what they're being replaced with that's troubling.

If the club was being torn down for a new highrise condo then i'd be all for it. But it isn't, it will become yet another weed infested lot in a sea of weed infested lots.

Why will we need all this parking when there's little to nothing do downtown at night?

grumpy old man · #11 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 11:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

Excuse me, but i'm one of those guys..

You're a panhandling drunk looking for your next king can?

grumpy old man · #12 Posted **Jan 6, 2010, 11:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

I don't think anyone necessarily laments the loss of the buildings. It's what they're being replaced with that's troubling.

If the club was being torn down for a new highrise condo then i'd be all for it. But it isn't, it will become yet another weed infested lot in a sea of weed infested lots.

Why will we need all this parking when there's little to nothing do downtown at night?

My guess is the current owner can't earn enough revenue to keep the building open. If they simply close they still have to pay the same property taxes. It they raze the building they pay less property taxes, likely earn more revenue, and wait until a better offer comes along from a developer.

Pure business.

If we, the City of Winnipeg, wish to discourage surface parking lots, change the property tax structure such that there is no benefit to raze buildings. Then provide tax incentives to make something else out of the property..

DowntownWpg · #13 Posted **Jan 7, 2010, 12:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy old man

You're a panhandling drunk looking for your next king can?

I'm proud to say I'm also "one of those guys" who frequents the Windsor! The lounge itself it quite nice, IMO. The vagrancy issues arise due to the beer vendor, in the same hotel but separate from the lounge. They'd be the ones found stumbling in front of the building.

With only a few exceptions, I can be found there every Friday evening and OTL is usually there with me as well (we'd be the guys found debating about the CMHR!). There is actually quite a decent crowd of us 9-5 office-types there on a Friday after work. Still need convincing it is an alright lounge? Stop by and I'll gladly buy any of you a beer.

Hope there is nothing to this story... otherwise I'll be back to drinking at Bleachers/Vendome Hotel located alongside Murder Alley.

Anyway, there is no shortage of surface lots either across the street from or kitty corner to the future location of the Public Safety Building. If the city wants to build a multi-level parkade for the PSB, I'd rather it be built on those already existing lots.

Andy6 · #14 Posted **Jan 7, 2010, 12:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

I don't think anyone necessarily laments the loss of the buildings.

I think that some people probably do. Me included.

Only The Lonely.. · #15 Posted **Jan 7, 2010, 12:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy old man

You're a panhandling drunk looking for your next king can?

Just on friday's that aren't paydays.

trueviking · #16 Posted **Jan 7, 2010, 5:00 AM**

i go there a few times a year...did more often a few years ago....the place is fine, but that is not the issue.

progress is not tearing down a building because you can make more money renting it as a parking lot....or as some escape from property tax....i do agree that the tax structure should be changed , but there also needs to be adherance to a proper downtown development plan like in most other cities....you could easily make it difficult to get properties re-zoned for parking....or to disallow demolition permits unless they can prove that there is no option or there is a better option.....most cities do that....

not everything can be explained as 'its business'....if the civic government gave a crap at all about our downtown they would quite easily be able to do something about it.....until then it will take the action of private people who care.....simply wringing your hands because that's business isnt helping the problem.

nordique · #17 Posted **Jan 7, 2010, 5:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DowntownWpg

Still need convincing it is an alright lounge? Stop by and I'll gladly buy any of you a beer.

careful now

Kinguni · #18 Posted **Jan 7, 2010, 6:00 AM**

That they would tear it down (and Mitzi's beside it) to build a parkade when there are far too many surface lots on which a parkade could be built is what miffs me. They have had an offer to buy the building which they ignored. We need more buildings like those downtown, not less. How about filing the surface lots to the south of the Windsor with more 2 story buildings?

1ajs · #19 Posted **Jan 7, 2010, 6:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nordique

careful now

ssp blues meet?

viperred88 · #20 Posted **Jan 7, 2010, 6:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueviking

progress is not tearing down a building because you can make more money renting it as a parking lot....or as some escape from property tax....i do agree that the tax structure should be changed , but there also needs to be adherance to a proper downtown development plan like in most other cities....you could easily make it difficult to get properties re-zoned for parking....or to disallow demolition permits unless they can prove that there is no option or there is a better option.....most cities do that....

not everything can be explained as 'its business'....if the civic government gave a crap at all about our downtown they would quite easily be able to do something about it.....until then it will take the action of private people who care.....simply wringing your hands because that's business isnt helping the problem.

you got that right... why the city can't do the right thing and roll up their sleeves already, instead we are suppose to wait and think that the new 'our winnipeg' (with the place maker speakupwinnipeg) make planning all better. Sorry but I am skeptical.