Hudsons Bay Building (Winnipeg) Redevelopment

CoryB · #1 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 7:58 PM**

With the downtown Winnipeg Hudsons Bay Building permanently closed as a store it comes time to look into what redevelopment of the site might be like. I know this has gone on for decades already but this latest development makes it a lot more urgent and seems to warrant its own discussion thread.

optimusREIM · #2 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 8:03 PM**

Chop an atrium in it. Make residential on the upper floors CRUs on the bottom. Tear the parkade down, replace with underground /hidden aboveground parking/retail podium. More residential on top. Hotel too? Boutique office?

Seems like the most logical way to proceed. I mean, what's anyone going to possibly put into such a massive floor plate? You gotta find ways to make it more flexible and usable.

pspeid · #3 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 8:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by optimusREIM

Chop an atrium in it. Make residential on the upper floors CRUs on the bottom. Tear the parkade down, replace with underground /hidden aboveground parking/retail podium. More residential on top. Hotel too? Boutique office?

Seems like the most logical way to proceed. I mean, what's anyone going to possibly put into such a massive floor plate? You gotta find ways to make it more flexible and usable.

Sounds like the ideal plan, right off the bat. You could make the top floor "luxury" residential suites, smaller and less expensive suites below that. Maybe amenities for the residents in the basement. I imagine it will take several big players coming together to each redevelop parts of the building within a bigger plan?

Biff · #4 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 8:47 PM**

From the other Bay Thread - Downtown Winnipeg Bay store what to do with it? http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=241022

Amazon - Vancouver Post Office Redevelopment
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/amaz...-redevelopment

Maybe a little grand but: Hurst Tower New York

Tip Top in Toronto

drew · #5 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 9:11 PM**

It's the atrium. That's really all that is required.

As optimus stated above (and we have all discussed on here numerous times before) you need to reduce the floor plate and add windows to make this building viable.

That should be enough to get the actual re-development of the Bay building going - before you even need to move over to the parkade - which is likely too valuable towards any redevelopment scheme to be demo'd anyway.

robertocarlos · #6 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 9:38 PM**

I'm pretty sure the parcade is still operating and the owners won't want to sell it.

bomberjet · #7 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 9:45 PM**

That parkade is the biggest piece of crap around. It always seems to be pretty empty as well.

drew · #8 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 9:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

That parkade is the biggest piece of crap around. It always seems to be pretty empty as well.

It's ugly - but they just spent the last couple years repairing the concrete. So I doubt it's going anywhere.

Wigglez · #9 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 10:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

That parkade is the biggest piece of crap around. It always seems to be pretty empty as well.

The 1-3 floors are fairly well used. No one parks on the top as its to hot in summer and too icy in winter.

The 2nd floor has a break-in problem...

armorand93 · #10 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 10:56 PM**

I love the Hurst Tower idea. Only problem is: how to attract THAT kind of investment and innovation into Winnipeg at this current time. Especially with our asshole Pallister scaring away all potential investment, by shutting down Manitoba and forcing 1.2 million Manitobans to revert back to a 1700s-era basic subsistence economy, thats not even allowed to sell so much as a fucking toaster without government intervention & goose-stepping, because "muh coronavirus"...

if he would be removed from office and stop scaring away everyone with a bag of money & their ideas, then in all honesty, I could see Bay redevelopment occuring quite quickly. Potentially as luxurious as the Hurst. Toronto picture looks god-awful, but Hurst, downright amazing.

blueandgoldguy · #11 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 11:02 PM**

Gut the building and put in a waterpark.

bomberjet · #12 Posted **Dec 3, 2020, 12:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by armorand93

I love the Hurst Tower idea. Only problem is: how to attract THAT kind of investment and innovation into Winnipeg at this current time. Especially with our asshole Pallister scaring away all potential investment, by shutting down Manitoba and forcing 1.2 million Manitobans to revert back to a 1700s-era basic subsistence economy, thats not even allowed to sell so much as a fucking toaster without government intervention & goose-stepping, because "muh coronavirus"...

if he would be removed from office and stop scaring away everyone with a bag of money & their ideas, then in all honesty, I could see Bay redevelopment occuring quite quickly. Potentially as luxurious as the Hurst. Toronto picture looks god-awful, but Hurst, downright amazing.

Hows Kenney working out?

OTA in Winnipeg · #13 Posted **Dec 3, 2020, 12:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Hows Kenney working out?

esquire · #14 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 11:12 PM**

What is the feasibility of demolishing everything but the facades and building a new 10-20 storey structure or two or three inside of it? Kind of the RRC Princess treatment. Might be a workable compromise between an impractical renovation and having to demolish the entire thing.

CoryB · #15 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 11:36 PM**

^^ Might be cheaper to save only the facades than than the popular atrium concept. I recall hearing that the atrium model is close to double the cost per usable sq ft of space after as a net new building which is why no one has dared to touch it.

drew · #16 Posted **Dec 3, 2020, 1:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoryB

^^ Might be cheaper to save only the facades than than the popular atrium concept. I recall hearing that the atrium model is close to double the cost per usable sq ft of space after as a net new building which is why no one has dared to touch it.

I can't see how that is accurate.

Trying to free stand two or three full facades temporarily would be ridiculously cost prohibitive. There is just no way that would work.

Opening it up for an atrium involves little more skill than a operating a somewhat larger reciprocating saw.

dam_well · #17 Posted **Dec 3, 2020, 1:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

Opening it up for an atrium involves little more skill than a operating a somewhat larger reciprocating saw.

Well if it's that easy lets get going! SSP project

davequanbury · #18 Posted **Dec 3, 2020, 2:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

I can't see how that is accurate.

Trying to free stand two or three full facades temporarily would be ridiculously cost prohibitive. There is just no way that would work.

Opening it up for an atrium involves little more skill than a operating a somewhat larger reciprocating saw.

When you say atrium, do you mean a shaft cutting through in the centre of the structure like a giant light well, or opening up the south wall also to create U shape?

drew · #19 Posted **Dec 3, 2020, 2:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by davequanbury

When you say atrium, do you mean a shaft cutting through in the centre of the structure like a giant light well, or opening up the south wall also to create U shape?

Yes.

esquire · #20 Posted **Dec 3, 2020, 2:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

I can't see how that is accurate.

Trying to free stand two or three full facades temporarily would be ridiculously cost prohibitive. There is just no way that would work.

Opening it up for an atrium involves little more skill than a operating a somewhat larger reciprocating saw.

OK, hear me out - what if it's just a really big atrium with enough room for a new building in the middle?

#armchairengineering