SkyscraperPage Forum - Winnipeg Deconstruction

SkyscraperPage Forum (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/index.php)

- Manitoba & Saskatchewan (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=129)

- - Winnipeg Deconstruction (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120543)

Winnipeg Deconstruction

Who says the 60s are over?

Quote:

From: "Gerbasi, Jenny" <[email protected]>
Subject: Heritage Building Alert!!!!
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2006 11:51:31 -0600

Dear Friends,

I wanted to advise you there is a very serious concern for the integrity of our major National Historic Site: the Exchange District.

There has been a request from a developer to demolish 38-44 ½ Albert Street with the plan of a surface parking lot and restaurant patio and a curb cut right out onto Albert St.

I am deeply troubled that anyone would consider putting in a surface parking lot and removing heritage buildings in the heart of one of the most important Heritage areas in Canada and certainly in Winnipeg. This would have a very negative impact on the integrity of the streetscape and the heritage character of the area. This could also be the thin edge of the wedge if the decision goes in favour of the developer. It opens the door to many more such requests which could have a devastating impact. The potential fallout is not only a heartbreaking loss of our heritage and character as a city but also would have a negative economic impact as it would affect the film industry and diminish the investment into the area from the city and surrounding businesses .

The Historic Buildings Committee (HBC) has recommended that the buildings be Designated as Grade III Historical Buildings. The follwing link (cut and paste): http://citynet/clerksdmis/documents/...0july%2025.pdf

will lead you to the Heritage Planners Report and a letter from myself as the Chair of Historic Buildings Committee explaining the history of the buildings and the reasons for the recommendations to designate them.

CURRENT STATUS OF DECISION:

The Lord-Selkirk-West Kildonan Community Committee voted AGAINST the historic designation. Councillor Mike O’Shaughnessy supported the historic designation but Councillors Pagtakhan and Lazarenko voted against it.

The Property and Development Committee will consider the issue at it’s meeting and make a recommendation for City Council. The meeting is expected to be on January 9th at 9:00 AM at City Hall. If you are interested in registering to speak to the matter, please contact Carol Freeman at 986 3157 or [email protected]

If a recommendation goes forward from there it would be at Council on January 24 at 9:30 AM.

I urge you to contact your Councillor and Councillors on the Property Committee which are: Justin Swandel, Russ Wyatt, Dan Vandal and Scott Fielding to let them know your concerns. There is still hope that Councillors will reconsider the decision of Community Committee so any actions from the public could be very helpful.

Thank you for your interest!

Cheers!

Jenny

p.s.
Here is an excerpt from the report with the reasons why the HBC thinks it should be designated:
The Historical Buildings Committee recommends that that this property is significant and should
not be demolished for the following reasons:

1. This complex includes portions of a residential building that dates back to 1878. This is
the second oldest building in downtown Winnipeg after Upper Fort Garry Gate. The
brick dwelling was built for John Le Cappellain, owner of a hardware business and
former City alderman.

2. This portion of Albert Street was an early residential district in the 1870s and this house
is the sole surviving example of this use.

3. The designation of the Exchange District by the Government of Canada as a National
Historic Site in 1996 places a responsibility on the City to try to keep all significant and
contributing structures protected and intact for all Canadians.

4. This complex is part of a significant streetscape that provides continuity and character to
the Exchange District. The demolition of this property for a parking lot would detract
from the City’s investments in the surrounding properties. The City’s aim is to maintain
a delightful visual expanse that has been recognized by the international film industry.

What the hell... I thought the whole district was protected from this kind of crap..

What does the block look like presently?

^ yes - let's see some pics... 1ajs?

isn't this the building housing Kenny Hong's etc.?

such bullshit.

Don't let 'em do it.

Yaa it's Ken Hongs, and the old Tatoo Exchange.

The buildings sit between the St.Charles and the Royal Albert.

Here is the old house from the vast expanse of surfacing parking directly beind it. Really, there nothing special about it, other than that it is a final vestige of Winnipeg's early history: before the real estate boom of 1881-2, before the Canadian Pacific, before electric streetcars (or horsecars, for that matter), before "Chicago of the North", before terra cotta, etc. When Winnipeg was a muddy village that hugged Main from about Notre Dame East, up to Brown's Creek.

Aside from the house, the properties in question are just a single-storey row of tiny shopfronts between the Royal Albert and the St. Charles. If Winnipeg's boom lasted another year longer than it did, these buildings would certainly have been gone; replaced by something more tall and grand. Today, if a developer wanted to replace it with something taller and grander, that would be fine, but it's instead threatened by plans for more parking and--to add salt to the wound--a curb cut.

So while these buildings add very little to the architectural grandiosity of the Exchange District, it adds something just as important: places to house commercial enterprises for cheap prices. Two of the three storefronts have been consistantly occupied (since I started coming around almost ten years ago anyway) by two enterprises--a renowned Chinese restaurant, and a tailor--who would most likely not operate in the Exchange District were it not for small, affordable premises like this. When the Exchange becomes a true neighborhood, as it is slowly beginning to, it will need little storefronts like these, not for their form, but for their fuction.

http://static.flickr.com/89/205274715_9ff4c6ab00.jpg

Looking south on Main from William Ave, 1877
http://static.flickr.com/67/199973771_033369b60b_o.jpg

I wrote the mayor and my city councilor Jeff Browaty.

I also wrote Justin Swandel, Russ Wyatt, Dan Vandal and Scott Fielding.

It's times like these that I think there is real merit in formally organizing an SSP Winnipeg party to actively advocate and inform Winnipeggers on the issues that effect urban Winnipeg.

at least meet for beers or something..

hell, I'd come.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgalston

Today, if a developer wanted to replace it with something taller and grander, that would be fine

Agreed, but alas..

I receieved an acknowledgement from Justin Swandel.

Quote:

Subject Re: Comment
Thanks for the input Chris. This will probably come to committee in January and I have added your comments to my file for perusal again at that time. Js

. . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

I receieved an acknowledgement from Justin Swandel.

Holy crap (falling out of my chair as I read this)

You acutally recieved a reply from you councillor? How in the hell did you manage that?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albertaboy

Holy crap (falling out of my chair as I read this)

You acutally recieved a reply from you councillor? How in the hell did you manage that?

It must be my rugged good looks.

i think i am going to register to speak...i hate public speaking, but this is pretty important.

I'm going to show up on Jan. 9th.

It'd be great if someone had some of those old aerial picts of how pockmarked our downtown is because of surface parking.

I saw a proposal about 7 months ago to redevelop the St.Charles into an Inn at the Forks style hotel. I'm sure this has something to do with it, especially the latter part about a patio addition.

The renderings looked really good. Basically they were going to do to the Charles what they did with the downtown RRC campus; keep the facade and completely overhaul the existing building.

It's too bad they are hell-bent on destroying the neighbouring buildings too.

Is there anyone out there who might be interested in making a more formal / organized appeal on Jan 9th?

(I.E a letter writting campaign from SSP Winnipeg members to the Sun / Free Press. )

I still very much like the idea of organizing a grassroots , web savy urbanist league. We could reach out to other groups who have similiar interests like newwinnipeg and the transit riders union, etc.

rather interesting... i should one of these days get around to checking out that chinies restraunt i keep forgetting its there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

i though we had all agreed to one why does nothing ever happen?

I'd be interested, but as it appears, and not that I'm one to stand back, but it seems as though others actively have the leadership role well in hand. On this front, I'm more than happy to follow. :notacrook:

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueviking

i think i am going to register to speak...i hate public speaking, but this is pretty important.

I will if you do.

Also, I sent this letter to Cindy Tugwell, executive director of Heritage Winnipeg:

Quote:

From: [email protected]
Subject: Chipping away at the Exchange District
Date: November 24, 2006 8:59:55 AM GMT-06:00
To: [email protected]

Dear Mrs. Tugwell,

In the November 23, 2006 edition of the Winnipeg Free Press, you were quoted as saying, in regards to the small buildings next to the St. Charles Hotel "there is an obligation to look at the long-term viability of properties, not just saving them." Would you kindly explain what you mean by that in relation to the St. Charles hotel, since I don't see how the St. Charles hotel could not be retrofitted and reused (and offer adjacent parking at its rear) as an urban boutique hotel (that's the problem with developing in downtowns, isn't it: all the other buildings get in the way). Perhaps you know something of the developers' plans that myself and many other citizens of this city do not.

Also, there is an obligation you have to, as you said, look at the long-term viability of the Exchange District as a whole: Turning it into the suburbs (curb cuts and an overabundance of surface parking) or bartering with developers for the fates of buildings ("I'll redo the Stobart buildingif I can wreck the Ryan block", "I'll turn the St. Charles into a boutique hotel if I can raze three shopfronts and a house from 1877", etc.), will do nothing to add to the desirability and uniqueness of the District.