Brandon | Construction & Transit

[esquire]

One of Brandon's tallest, the 11-storey Princess Towers owned by Manitoba Housing, is beset with mechanical problems and is nearly empty at the moment:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manit...lays-1.5026599

Delays in fixing "significant" building code deficiencies at a Brandon apartment complex that has been nearly empty since 2012 were caused in part by consultants working on the project, according to documents obtained by CBC News.

The documents relate to Princess Towers, an 11-storey Manitoba Housing apartment complex in the southwestern Manitoba city. They were requested through freedom of information, and show the building has been nearly empty since December 2012.

Manitoba Housing aimed to have tenants back in the building in 2015. However, the updates to the ventilation system did not meet code. Addressing those problems caused "significant delays."

"We're going on seven years now," said Brandon city councillor Kris Desjarlais. "If they really wanted it to be a priority I think it would have been done by now."

Yeesh

[DavefromSt.Vital]

There is also a story in the Brandon Sun (same paywall as the Free Press) that despite being virtually deserted long-term there is apparently a bedbug problem:

https://www.brandonsun.com/local/wom...506138612.html

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by DavefromSt.Vital

There is also a story in the Brandon Sun (same paywall as the Free Press) that despite being virtually deserted long-term there is apparently a bedbug problem:

https://www.brandonsun.com/local/wom...506138612.html

There's a surprise. Virtually ALL of Manitoba Housing has this problem.

They need to figure out how to isolate each unit otherwise this will never end.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by Spocket

It's about skyscraper construction, hence the name of the site.

The name is just a quaint tribute to a long-abandoned focus, sort of like "The Christian Science Monitor" or "Canadian Tire".

[DavefromSt.Vital]

In other non-skyscraper-related news, Harvey's, Swiss Chalet and East Side Mario's all opened on pads in front of the Shoppers Mall. Unfortunately, the deal for a Fionn MacCool's fell through after work had already started on the foundation. However, after a few months delay, construction resumed with an Original Joe's as a replacement.

In sadder news, Brandon's downtown continues to hollow out. A major fire destroyed or severely damaged buildings on several blocks last year and other buildings have disappeared as well. The McKenzie Seeds building, the most prominent building in town, sits abandoned and fenced off as pieces of it have fallen off.

[Likka]

Originally Posted by OTA in Winnipeg

There's a surprise. Virtually ALL of Manitoba Housing has this problem.

They need to figure out how to isolate each unit otherwise this will never end.

I think they should leave the bedbugs there. It will motivate the tenants to fend for themselves, and live somewhere better.

[Likka]

Originally Posted by DavefromSt.Vital

In other non-skyscraper-related news, Harvey's, Swiss Chalet and East Side Mario's all opened on pads in front of the Shoppers Mall. Unfortunately, the deal for a Fionn MacCool's fell through after work had already started on the foundation. However, after a few months delay, construction resumed with an Original Joe's as a replacement.

In other news, I woke up today, showered and went to work.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by DavefromSt.Vital

In sadder news, Brandon's downtown continues to hollow out. A major fire destroyed or severely damaged buildings on several blocks last year and other buildings have disappeared as well. The McKenzie Seeds building, the most prominent building in town, sits abandoned and fenced off as pieces of it have fallen off.

Not terribly surprising. I can't think of a Canadian city that hates its downtown more than Brandon. Which is sad because it used to be a thing of beauty... with even the slightest bit of effort, it could have been one of the best small-city downtowns in Canada.