Winnipeg's Exchange District | East/West | Development

[wardlow]

Originally Posted by Labroco

Design standards for parking lots were implemented and passed long after the lots were functioning in that capacity. They have nonconforming rights because laws were past after the use was in place.

It Is a legitimate land use otherwise the City would move to shut them down.

As I suggested... focus on transit.

They are legitimate con-conforming uses. Okay.

I just think the City should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time... there are many ways to make downtown just a little better, one property, one sidewalk, one storefront at a time. Zoning regulations are part of that. Sitting around waiting for a European transit system while the downtown becomes more of a gravel wasteland... is not.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by wardlow

They are legitimate con-conforming uses. Okay.

I just think the City should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time... there are many ways to make downtown just a little better, one property, one sidewalk, one storefront at a time. Zoning regulations are part of that. Sitting around waiting for a European transit system while the downtown becomes more of a gravel wasteland... is not.

For what it's worth, Winnipeg has become much better at limiting the growth of surface parking. Right up to the 80s and 90s it grew at a frightening rate... in the last 15 years that growth has been practically nil. Whatever new parking there is tends to be in parkades, so when parking is being added it is being added in a more efficient way than what surface lots can manage.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by buzzg

I don't know if it was mentioned yet, but Blue Moon moved to the outlet mall.

We've lost 4 major Exchange furniture stores in the last couple years: Hoopers (closed), Hut K (Grant Ave), Brick's (closed), Blue Moon (outlet mall). I don't know if there's any left other than antique/refurbished.

I suspect the outlet mall move is more about the outlet mall's struggles. I'll bet Blue Moon is getting a very good deal on the space.

When Outlets opened, it was going to have J Crew and all sorts of other big names. Now, if you walk through, there's vacant spaces and a bunch of smaller/lower-rent/less sophisticated kind of tenants (sports cards, perfume, independently-run kids stores, etc.)

[buzzg]

We just need to ensure the McDermot fake historic parkade and centrepoint parkade never happen again.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

I suspect the outlet mall move is more about the outlet mall's struggles. I'll bet Blue Moon is getting a very good deal on the space.

When Outlets opened, it was going to have J Crew and all sorts of other big names. Now, if you walk through, there's vacant spaces and a bunch of smaller/lower-rent/less sophisticated kind of tenants (sports cards, perfume, independently-run kids stores, etc.)

For what it's worth you do see those types of space-fillers in outlet malls in other cities. From the times I've been there it has appeared about as successful as I would expect an outlet mall located here to be.

[esquire]

I wonder if the City can be persuaded to open up the bottom of the Confed Life building as CRUs? We are at a point where Main Street CRUs are in some level of demand, as there are few vacancies left. Having a couple of typical Exchange hipster shops or frankly even just a small office or two in there would help inject some life into what is a fairly dead stretch of the east side of Main from Bannatyne to Disraeli Fwy.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by esquire

I wonder if the City can be persuaded to open up the bottom of the Confed Life building as CRUs? We are at a point where Main Street CRUs are in some level of demand, as there are few vacancies left. Having a couple of typical Exchange hipster shops or frankly even just a small office or two in there would help inject some life into what is a fairly dead stretch of the east side of Main from Bannatyne to Disraeli Fwy.

And develop the parking lot while their at it. It's bad enough the lot exists, but it's laid out so poorly it probably only fits half the cars that there's room for.

[BuildUpWpg]

Originally Posted by buzzg

We just need to ensure the McDermot fake historic parkade and centrepoint parkade never happen again.

What should downtown parkades look like?

[BuildUpWpg]

Originally Posted by esquire

For what it's worth you do see those types of space-fillers in outlet malls in other cities. From the times I've been there it has appeared about as successful as I would expect an outlet mall located here to be.

Blue Moon was also on a street that got very little foot traffic except for theatre goers parking their cars. The other stores were in higher traffic places but still not enough I guess. Solution: keep building more places to live downtown, eventually the tide has to turn?

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by BuildUpWpg

Blue Moon was also on a street that got very little foot traffic except for theatre goers parking their cars. The other stores were in higher traffic places but still not enough I guess. Solution: keep building more places to live downtown, eventually the tide has to turn?

I agree part of the challenge was lack of foot traffic and also the reconstruction of Lily that seemed to take forever...

The city also relocated a fire hydrant right in front of the store and removed 2 parking spaces for no reason...

They were given very very inexpensive rent because the landlords liked them...

The space is drop dead beautiful, brick, steel and huge light filled windows...

They were still challenged to make a living...

It’s important to try and support local business when ever we can...

[EspionNoir]

I think residential development is the right direction for the Exchange. It’s such an attractive downtown region now I think it’s more enticing to live there compared to living in a suburban house

Well, the area around Corydon and Wellington is probably on par with the Exchange...

[Spocket]

Originally Posted by BuildUpWpg

What should downtown parkades look like?

Yeah, really though. I think the answer is actually "nothing. They should look like nothing because we shouldn't build them at all." That's not my opinion, just the sentiment I see echoed too often around here.

[buzzg]

There’s a tons of examples from all over the world of nice looking parkades that you would never know are parkades. Or ones that are integrated into other buildings. It’s really not that difficult, the city just says yes to anything. Hell even though it’s very 90s, the 201 Portsge parkade would be pretty damn good if they would actually lease out the CRUs.

[Andy6]

I have a soft spot for the brash, ugly, unapologetic parkades.

[buzzg]

The funny think is the one on McDermot and Rorie, even though kind of plain and ugly, fits in to the streetscape well, and prob takes up half the space with the same amount of parking. The fake heritage one is just so offensive and takes up so much space but is only 3 levels.

[asher__jo]

Originally Posted by wardlow

They are legitimate con-conforming uses. Okay.

I just think the City should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time... there are many ways to make downtown just a little better, one property, one sidewalk, one storefront at a time. Zoning regulations are part of that. Sitting around waiting for a European transit system while the downtown becomes more of a gravel wasteland... is not.

Amen to that. Winnipeg really needs to start upzoning areas, and also actually zoning area's as mixed use and not exclusively commercial.

[Wpg_Guy]

Work is getting underway on 98 Albert.

98 Albert street
Location: 90 Albert St & 98 Albert street Winnipeg, MB
Developer: Unknown
Architect: https://www.atlrg.ca/
Status: U/C
3-storey wedge, main floor restaurant space with future sidewalk patio, 2 prestige residential units and rooftop terrace with garden





Up in the lift today at 90 Albert. 11 infilled windows set back 1.5 inches from surrounding brick. Gonna look sweet!



@alamasonryandcontractinginc https://www.instagram.com/p/By6lAP4gm09/

[esquire]

^ A small project, but it has the potential to be an exciting one for the Exchange District. It's nice to see it start moving ahead.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ A small project, but it has the potential to be an exciting one for the Exchange District. It's nice to see it start moving ahead.

Despite its small size it might be the best project being proposed/built in Winnipeg right now.

[buzzg]

The juxtaposition of this big brass wedge literally pointing directly at the big steel Cube. Freakin awesome.

On that note, as the Exchange and Jazz Fest (along with other events) get busier, it's starting to feel like OMS is woefully undersized. It was standing room only at 6 pm last night for the first show of the fest, and the act was bad. It's a little unfortunate that there's little room for growth or expansion. Smartly though, Jazz Fest has taken over the McKim parkade as an official VIP Beer Garden now (no chuggin beers up there during shows anymore ) – will be interesting to see how it plays out. Not sure how to get Jazz Fest VIP, but it was big and empty early on.

Part of me wishes the city would do something revolutionary and consider building a new park/stage on the Marketlands site, and move the new market/art centre proposal to OMS. I would just love to see some monumental change to how Bijou Park/OMS/Marketlands are planned and used. The Cube seems really poorly located now as it blocks off all of OMS from Marketlands. It's even worse during festivals as it's all backstage loading and toilets behind it.