Winnipeg | Upper Fort Garry Provincial Park | 130 Main St.

[c vist]

^ developers had to respond by that date ... no news yet.

To put things into perspective, for those of you that have never worked with any level of governement ... the Esplanade Riel was worked on for years with the City behind closed doors and hidden from the public before the masses really new about it. I'll have to show you the early sketches of it sometime.

[Only The Lonely..]

Thanks for the update..

[Biff]

Before the public sees anything it has to go before council, which i believe they are planning to do april/may. Just have to keep waiting ladies.

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by Biff

Before the public sees anything it has to go before council, which i believe they are planning to do april/may. Just have to keep waiting ladies.

Is there an actual developer for this "project"? .. or is this just a city concept of what they would like to see. The way this project is progressing I am having my doubts that there is much private interests involved? Please tell me I am all wrong on this feeling. I did hear rumours of new highrise condo across from Union Station a while back.. but the way this is progressing I am starting to have my doubts.

...... just another little note.. April 1 is slowing getting closer.

[trueviking]

there are some very powerful people pushing the 'all park' proposal....including hartley richarson and others.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by newflyer

Is there an actual developer for this "project"? .. or is this just a city concept of what they would like to see. The way this project is progressing I am having my doubts that there is much private interests involved? Please tell me I am all wrong on this feeling. I did hear rumours of new highrise condo across from Union Station a while back.. but the way this is progressing I am starting to have my doubts.

both large scale projects have developers....it isnt make believe, from what i hear, the city is requiring a lot of information and background from the proponents.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by trueviking

there are some very powerful people pushing the 'all park' proposal....including hartley richarson and others.

intresting...

i rather it be a mix not just a park........

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

intresting...

i rather it be a mix not just a park........

Obviously the Richardsons aren't the backers of this project. With that said I would also like to see a mix including some highend condos. Perhpas this proposed building interfers with a potencial Richardson project. I know they own a large amount of quality in the downtown area.

[good_dude]

Originally Posted by trueviking

there are some very powerful people pushing the 'all park' proposal....including hartley richarson and others.

presumably an analysis was done that identified a need for whatever is/was going to be contained in the highrise...
if the project just turns out to be a park, does that mean there's then a chance the developer would locate the highrise somewhere else (like, closer to P&M, for example, where it would look better and make more sense)??

any thought, viking??

[Only The Lonely..]

Originally Posted by trueviking

there are some very powerful people pushing the 'all park' proposal....including hartley richarson and others.

Well of course, they own Lombard Place..why would they want another competing class 'A' tower?

No more parks please, our city already has too many neglected parks downtown. If parks are a priority I would rather have the city clean up existing places like Old Market Square or Central Park.

[Only The Lonely..]

What I find most concerning are the statements made in the Free Press regarding the Lakeview proposal:

Originally Posted by Winnipeg Free Press

The 11-storey St. Mary Avenue hotel, which will be called The Signature Suites by Lakeview, was originally announced two years ago as a 15-storey hotel/condo complex. However, Levit said Monday that Lakeview officials have now decided to scrap the condo portion of the project and make it just a straight hotel.

"The condo market has really slowed down," he said. "People are sitting there with empty condos, so we decided to eliminate the condos. We just decided we didn't want to get into that."

It would appear that detached single family homes are still too cheap in this city to merit construction of highrise residential units.

In places like Vancouver or Toronto highrise towers make sense because the average homeowner can't afford to live in a bungalow. I think it might be a while before we see another 55 Nassau or Fort Garry Place.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

Well of course, they own Lombard Place..why would they want another competing class A tower?

No more parks please, our city already has too many neglected parks downtown. If parks are a priority I would rather have the city clean up existing places like Old Market Square or Central Park.

Someone would have to be pretty brave, or certifiably insane, to build another Class A office tower in Winnipeg. I can't see that the Richardsons would be concerned about that.

It seems like a good place for a park to me, but there's obviously lots of room for a residential building as well.

[Only The Lonely..]

Originally Posted by Andy6

Someone would have to be pretty brave, or certifiably insane, to build another Class A office tower in Winnipeg. I can't see that the Richardsons would be concerned about that.

It seems like a good place for a park to me, but there's obviously lots of room for a residential building as well.

I just can't see it becoming a well used park. Like the Forks beside it, any park at 100 main is just too cut off from the fabric of downtown.

I suppose if they restored the fort it could be a popular draw, but outside of that I can't see many people visiting a park at that location on a regular basis.

[Only The Lonely..]

I'm not sure how feasible some of these proposals are..

But in my opinion a new high-rise would offer the most bang for the urban renewal buck. Such a development would be a highly visible project that would do a great deal more to restore the public’s confidence in downtown.

Parks tend to go unnoticed.

[drew]

I think it's a great place for a park - provided they do it right. Hopefully we don't end up with a couple benches, some plaques and a few stunted trees.

I would like to see a period restored fort and interpretive sight that can blend in to the whole Forks, river walk area.

If the proposed tower is anything besides dirt cheap condos - or apartments, I seriously think it will be a non starter. There is no market for office downtown, and I doubt they can sell enough high end condos there for a larger tower.

[ILYR]

The key about this location is that it lies on top of Upper Fort Garry. So the park proposal is not just a "park" proposal. This is an integral part of Winnipeg and Canadian history. The idea of a tower here is likely based on the idea that it would be "river" property, much like the next door Fort Garry Pace (If I am wrong, correct me). Thus, moving the tower to another location may not be in the developers interest.

[Only The Lonely..]

My guess is the developer behind the high-rise proposal is the same guy who was behind Place Dubrovnik or whatever that condo tower was to be called on Assiniboine ave.

Some of you Winnipeg SSP'ers might recall a condo proposal from a year or two ago to build a new tower along the Assiniboine at the Dubrovnik restaurant site.





It would make sense that the developer would seek out a river lot. Almost every major residential tower in our city is along the river or within a short walking distance from it.

Outside of the Exchange, the waterfront is probably the only part of the downtown suburbanites would ever consider moving to.

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

My guess is the developer behind the high-rise proposal is the same guy who was behind Place Dubrovnik or whatever that condo tower was to be called on Assiniboine ave.

Some of you Winnipeg SSP'ers might recall a condo proposal from a year or two ago to build a new tower along the Assiniboine at the Dubrovnik restaurant site.





It would make sense that the developer would seek out a river lot. Almost every major residential tower in our city is along the river or within a short walking distance from it.

Outside of the Exchange, the waterfront is probably the only part of the downtown suburbanites would ever consider moving to.

Yes .... and a riverfront condo in the exchange would be very attractive to young professionals who want to live the urban lifestyle. You must realize tha there are some suburbanites who are interested in downtown as well.

[newflyer]

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

What I find most concerning are the statements made in the Free Press regarding the Lakeview proposal:



It would appear that detached single family homes are still too cheap in this city to merit construction of highrise residential units.

In places like Vancouver or Toronto highrise towers make sense because the average homeowner can't afford to live in a bungalow. I think it might be a while before we see another 55 Nassau or Fort Garry Place.

Its not only price which attracts people to highrise condos. Infact there are many expamples of highrise units exceeding average detached house prices. Even in Toronto and Vancouver. Its the attraction to a more exciting environemnt.. and being closer to work. Its also the thrill of living 30 stories up and having the city glittering below to greet you after returning from a night on the town.

I don't think the condo market is drying up... just lowrise buildings may be less desirable downtown.

[Greco Roman]

Listen; can we please just do whatever it takes to make this city attractive to young, intelligent professional people to live in and who will brag to those across the country of how Winnipeg is a kickass city to live in? Is this possible?