Winnipeg Construction X

[thebasketballgeek]

Just one thing but crime perception is not the only factor for lack of development downtown and it’s probably not the biggest reason. I’m sure we can all agree that rate hikes and inflation are playing a bigger role in the lack of construction. If crime was such a factor than Quebec City should be building the most units in the country per capita with how safe it is, but there housing starts have fallen off a cliff despite setting record population growth numbers.

I also think it’s about time for the provincial government to step in and play a role in building public housing again. Afaik they own 9 surface lots in the DT with potential to build hundreds of additional units at subsidized costs. Or at least work with a developer to utilize these lots instead of commuter parking for people from the suburbs at a discount. Hell I’m sure co-op housing is still something that exists. The neoliberal approach of making the private sector construct all the residential housing while the city and province just twiddle with their thumbs does nothing to improve the state of the Downtown.

[WinCitySparky]

^ Bang on

[1ajs]

this national atitude that winnipegs a shit hole crime ridden dump doesnt help either

[EdwardTH]

Originally Posted by thebasketballgeek

Just one thing but crime perception is not the only factor for lack of development downtown and it’s probably not the biggest reason. I’m sure we can all agree that rate hikes and inflation are playing a bigger role in the lack of construction. If crime was such a factor than Quebec City should be building the most units in the country per capita with how safe it is, but there housing starts have fallen off a cliff despite setting record population growth numbers.

I also think it’s about time for the provincial government to step in and play a role in building public housing again. Afaik they own 9 surface lots in the DT with potential to build hundreds of additional units at subsidized costs. Or at least work with a developer to utilize these lots instead of commuter parking for people from the suburbs at a discount. Hell I’m sure co-op housing is still something that exists. The neoliberal approach of making the private sector construct all the residential housing while the city and province just twiddle with their thumbs does nothing to improve the state of the Downtown.

All pretty spot-on. Downtown has had the same issues for my entire lifetime, search the news for any given year you'll find similar headlines. But when the downtown development grant was in place stuff was getting built. Create the right incentives and it can happen again.

They also need something like the downtown BIZ but on steroids. Do all the stuff they do with beautification, events, lighting, patrols & homeless outreach, but increase the scope and funding like 500%.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by thebasketballgeek

Just one thing but crime perception is not the only factor for lack of development downtown and it’s probably not the biggest reason. I’m sure we can all agree that rate hikes and inflation are playing a bigger role in the lack of construction. If crime was such a factor than Quebec City should be building the most units in the country per capita with how safe it is, but there housing starts have fallen off a cliff despite setting record population growth numbers.

I also think it’s about time for the provincial government to step in and play a role in building public housing again. Afaik they own 9 surface lots in the DT with potential to build hundreds of additional units at subsidized costs. Or at least work with a developer to utilize these lots instead of commuter parking for people from the suburbs at a discount. Hell I’m sure co-op housing is still something that exists. The neoliberal approach of making the private sector construct all the residential housing while the city and province just twiddle with their thumbs does nothing to improve the state of the Downtown.

IIRC just before the NDP were kicked out last time, they threw out a bunch of downtown lots they were going to pursue development on. Details are foggy in my mind. Anyone rememebr this?

[wags_in_the_peg]

not sure if this is Old news but this is New news to me...

re-develop the McLaren hotel (150 rooms spread over 6 floors) and adjacent surface parking lot at 550 Main Street as affordable housing in partnership with Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Corporation. The proposed development will offer 108 new affordable units.

https://equalhousinginitiative.com/initiatives/

[FactaNV]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

not sure if this is Old news but this is New news to me...

re-develop the McLaren hotel (150 rooms spread over 6 floors) and adjacent surface parking lot at 550 Main Street as affordable housing in partnership with Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Corporation. The proposed development will offer 108 new affordable units.

https://equalhousinginitiative.com/initiatives/

I'd heard about the McLaren but not the new tower. Awesome news! One less surface lot, one more nice new joint to live in for low income people. Amazing!

Anyone know who the architect is?

[Unbending]

Looks great! I don’t remember the next door tower. There was some discussion a while ago (May 2020) if the McLaren Hotel proposal was simply to avoid a heritage designation. Glad to hear that this proposal might actually materialize.

[bomberjet]

Kind of old news. Thought it was cancelled. Biff will know lol+

Sure would love the bank location to be redeveloped. Always though it was an odd building for that spot.

[ColdRain&Snow]

The McLaren Hotel project was announced last May. Here is a news article about it:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/...laren-hotel-supportive-housing-1.6771748

[Justanothermember]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

not sure if this is Old news but this is New news to me...

re-develop the McLaren hotel (150 rooms spread over 6 floors) and adjacent surface parking lot at 550 Main Street as affordable housing in partnership with Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Corporation. The proposed development will offer 108 new affordable units.

https://equalhousinginitiative.com/initiatives/

As I'm not familiar with the proposal, would this type of development have similar 'issues' to a Manitoba Housing development for the surrounding area? I'm all for transitional housing, but I'm nervous this may create more social problems for the area, which is trying to undergo gentrification.

[ColdRain&Snow]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

As I'm not familiar with the proposal, would this type of development have similar 'issues' to a Manitoba Housing development for the surrounding area? I'm all for transitional housing, but I'm nervous this may create more social problems for the area, which is trying to undergo gentrification.

I mean, would you rather have 108 people sleeping outside on Main St/Higgins Ave or 108 people sleeping inside a new building? This building is literally 2 blocks away from the Main St Project.

Also, the building will be owned by a non-profit organization, which generally seem to be better at managing buildings than Manitoba Housing.

[Justanothermember]

Originally Posted by ColdRain&Snow

I mean, would you rather have 108 people sleeping outside on Main St/Higgins Ave or 108 people sleeping inside a new building?

Of course not. I wasn't referring to homelessness so much as the other social issues that have been known to occur with these types of developments, which are clearly issues with people looking to invest in the downtown, as Biff had pointed out earlier.

[FactaNV]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

Of course not. I wasn't referring to homelessness so much as the other social issues that have been knows to occur with these types of developments.

I hear ya on this but I think the wraparound services will be a big part of preventing that concern from metastasizing.

[Justanothermember]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

But there are homeless encampments in Edmonton. I was there last summer and I saw a few of them close to the city centre. Just because they aren't in 'plain view' doesn't mean they don't exist, or does not having them in 'plain view' make it better somehow?

Seriously, Edmonton is just as bad with regards to crime and homelessness. The whole country knows it. For those who don't, take a walk through their downtown and surroundings and ride the LRT and buses, and it will be glaringly obvious. There is no need for Edmontonians to come here and try to defend/deflect on the shittiness of their city to us.

With that said, we still need to deal with our own issues as a city.

Just one of many examples from that city.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/...rown-inside-edmonton-city-hall-1.7093463

[ColdRain&Snow]

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

Of course not. I wasn't referring to homelessness so much as the other social issues that have been known to occur with these types of developments, which are clearly issues with people looking to invest in the downtown, as Biff had pointed out earlier.

The building is two blocks from the Main St Project. That area already has a tons of issues with homelessness, crime, addiction, etc. It's not like the building is in the middle of Tuxedo. I don't see how building a new building with support services could make the worst area of the city any worse. If anything, it will help improve the area by taking homeless people off the streets and putting them inside a building (and hopefully on the path to recovery). I would imagine that most people moving into the building would be homeless people/people living in Single-Occupancy Hotels from the immediate area. Hopefully this new building would help to reduce visible homelessness, making the area more attractive to developers (and helping people in need).

[heritage]

One big deterrent to developing downtown is the cost of building out parking. Land is more expensive and it is very costly to go underground or build structured parking. The highest and best use of many parking lots remains as parking lots. That needs to change to encourage residential development. It is much cheaper and easier to buy cheap land in the burbs and develop 6 storey wood frame with surface parking. You also don't get much of a premium for rental downtown vs burbs either. Downtown also needs more investment and amenities to attract tenants.

[zalf]

Originally Posted by heritage

The highest and best use of many parking lots remains as parking lots.

Them's fightin' words round these parts

[Biff]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

not sure if this is Old news but this is New news to me...

re-develop the McLaren hotel (150 rooms spread over 6 floors) and adjacent surface parking lot at 550 Main Street as affordable housing in partnership with Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Corporation. The proposed development will offer 108 new affordable units.

https://equalhousinginitiative.com/initiatives/

That has been around since 2020. Verne Reimer is the Architect. It is a $20-$30m project. So far they are about $20-$30m short in their funding.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by Biff

That has been around since 2020. Verne Reimer is the Architect. It is a $20-$30m project. So far they are about $20-$30m short in their funding.

well thats sad but realistic news! with the current "housing crisis", "affordability crisis" and the "homelessness crisis" you would think there will be fed & prov gov't $ for projects like this.