Winnipeg | Downtown | Portage Place | Redevelopment | U/C

[Biff]

One of the things I took from the announcement by the city yesterday was that $10m of the funding would be coming from the HAF funding.

Now I really want PP to be redeveloped as it is such an eyesore and detriment to downtown, but I believe I mentioned it before that I was hoping that one major developer wouldn't get the lions share of the HAF funding.

The overall HAF funding is $122 from the Fed's. The city is only working on a $25m program for its first intake. My hope is that the $10m comes out of the overall $122m pie and not the $25m for this year. If not that only leaves $15m for all of the smaller projects that applied.

It is my belief that the smaller 30 to 60 unit projects are the ones that will really make a difference downtown.

Anyways...

[drew]

^ if that's true, its kind of 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 IMO.

Sort of like how we all love the UofW projects that go up, but they also eat a lot of the pie that could be going to so many other projects that probably need the money more, and don't have the same access to fundraising, grants, and large corporate donors that these big time players have.

[CoryB]

As a citizen/taxpayer I hope there is a significant fiscal claw back of public funds if True North does not actually find someone to operate the grocery store in their proposal.

The other question I wonder is if the current Shoppers will somehow be accommodated. Having a retailer like Shoppers ties both into the health focus of the complex and is something downtown residents really benefit from similar to how a grocery store is desired.

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by CoryB

As a citizen/taxpayer I hope there is a significant fiscal claw back of public funds if True North does not actually find someone to operate the grocery store in their proposal.

The other question I wonder is if the current Shoppers will somehow be accommodated. Having a retailer like Shoppers ties both into the health focus of the complex and is something downtown residents really benefit from similar to how a grocery store is desired.

Shoppers is marked as a tenant on L1.

Ardene, Dollarama, warehouse one, foot locker, true north dentist, dynacare, medical supplies store are listed on L2

[pspeid]

I can't imagine any other major redevelopment project headed by a private developer that contains such a broad-ranging social benefit focus. I don't know what has happened in other cities, but this seems to be unprecedented in this city. I know there have been some chirps about how True North is "buying up all of downtown" but they seem to be totally missing the mark. Expenditure of public funds needs to be scrutinized, of course, but we have to avoid turning this into a "corporate bully" scenario that, as far as I can tell, just doesn't exist.

[FactaNV]

Originally Posted by pspeid

I can't imagine any other major redevelopment project headed by a private developer that contains such a broad-ranging social benefit focus. I don't know what has happened in other cities, but this seems to be unprecedented in this city. I know there have been some chirps about how True North is "buying up all of downtown" but they seem to be totally missing the mark. Expenditure of public funds needs to be scrutinized, of course, but we have to avoid turning this into a "corporate bully" scenario that, as far as I can tell, just doesn't exist.

Take a look at the Steven O'Synder posts on the Winnipeg Reddit...wild lmao.

[Biff]

I just want to make clear my post:

I am not against TN getting public funds, and I understand that it all comes from the taxpayer regardless of the pot.

My point is that TN getting such a significant portion of the $25m HAF funding pot is unfortunate. I really wanted that pool of money to be spread around to make as many projects viable as possible.

[FactaNV]

Originally Posted by Biff

I just want to make clear my post:

I am not against TN getting public funds, and I understand that it all comes from the taxpayer regardless of the pot.

My point is that TN getting such a significant portion of the $25m HAF funding pot is unfortunate. I really wanted that pool of money to be spread around to make as many projects viable as possible.

100% got the original intent. It's an interesting questions, lots of small or a few big? Personally I'd rather HAF money be split into dozens of 100,000 grants to build 3-6 stories all over the city as infill. But that isn't prestigious and prestige does have a role in attracting investment. Tough tough tough.

[EdwardTH]

Originally Posted by FactaNV

100% got the original intent. It's an interesting questions, lots of small or a few big? Personally I'd rather HAF money be split into dozens of 100,000 grants to build 3-6 stories all over the city as infill. But that isn't prestigious and prestige does have a role in attracting investment. Tough tough tough.

Those little projects seem to be chugging along just fine all over the city on their own though, whereas nothing is going to happen to portage place without significant public funding. Honestly I'd rather fund a transformative project for one of the biggest problem spots downtown, than give a bunch of handouts to the developers who hoard character homes and knock them down to build cheap cardboard boxes.

[FactaNV]

Originally Posted by EdwardTH

Those little projects seem to be chugging along just fine all over the city on their own though, whereas nothing is going to happen to portage place without significant public funding. Honestly I'd rather fund a transformative project for one of the biggest problem spots downtown, than give a bunch of handouts to the developers who hoard character homes and knock them down to build cheap cardboard boxes.

You're not wrong. Hence tough. I'm flip flopping pretty good here but that's only because both sides have merit in my books. All in all, I can be very happy with Portage Place being redeveloped, lest it end up like Hamilton City Centre.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by EdwardTH

Those little projects seem to be chugging along just fine all over the city on their own though, whereas nothing is going to happen to portage place without significant public funding. Honestly I'd rather fund a transformative project for one of the biggest problem spots downtown, than give a bunch of handouts to the developers who hoard character homes and knock them down to build cheap cardboard boxes.

It is my understanding that this HAF pool is strictly for downtown projects. I could be wrong here though.

[bomberjet]

Maybe Im mixed up. But wasn't some of the HAF money ($40 mil?) going to replace sewers in St. Norbert?

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by FactaNV

Take a look at the Steven O'Synder posts on the Winnipeg Reddit...wild lmao.

I don't read that; what does he say?

[ColdRain&Snow]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Maybe Im mixed up. But wasn't some of the HAF money ($40 mil?) going to replace sewers in St. Norbert?

I asked one of the City of Winnipeg city planners about it and he said it was a false rumor.

[bomberjet]

okay cool, thanks for the info.

[KnickKnack]

Originally Posted by Biff

I just want to make clear my post:

I am not against TN getting public funds, and I understand that it all comes from the taxpayer regardless of the pot.

My point is that TN getting such a significant portion of the $25m HAF funding pot is unfortunate. I really wanted that pool of money to be spread around to make as many projects viable as possible.

Totally agreed. The city support for PP redevelopment isn't really a huge amount of money for a project that we desperately need. But it would be better for it to come from some other funding program.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by Biff

One of the things I took from the announcement by the city yesterday was that $10m of the funding would be coming from the HAF funding.

Now I really want PP to be redeveloped as it is such an eyesore and detriment to downtown, but I believe I mentioned it before that I was hoping that one major developer wouldn't get the lions share of the HAF funding.

The overall HAF funding is $122 from the Fed's. The city is only working on a $25m program for its first intake. My hope is that the $10m comes out of the overall $122m pie and not the $25m for this year. If not that only leaves $15m for all of the smaller projects that applied.

it is from the larger amount.

[blueandgoldguy]

Exciting project for downtown Winnipeg.

I guess we will be losing the clock tower in Portage Place since that is where the mall will be gutted and opened up to the elements. Kinda sad. I wonder if the clock will be saved and placed elsewhere in the mall of somewhere else in the city?

It looks like the old globe theatres will be part of the conversion into the medical tower. It also appears from the renders that the IMAX will be converted into Childcare Centre. I wonder what the conversion will look because the IMAX theatre is something like 5 stories high. Build the childcare facility with a 10 - 15 foot ceiling and have 30 - 40 feet of empty space above it?

[FactaNV]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

Exciting project for downtown Winnipeg.

I guess we will be losing the clock tower in Portage Place since that is where the mall will be gutted and opened up to the elements. Kinda sad. I wonder if the clock will be saved and placed elsewhere in the mall of somewhere else in the city?

It looks like the old globe theatres will be part of the conversion into the medical tower. It also appears from the renders that the IMAX will be converted into Childcare Centre. I wonder what the conversion will look because the IMAX theatre is something like 5 stories high. Build the childcare facility with a 10 - 15 foot ceiling and have 30 - 40 feet of empty space above it?

Good point. Perhaps a mezzanine?

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

Exciting project for downtown Winnipeg.

I guess we will be losing the clock tower in Portage Place since that is where the mall will be gutted and opened up to the elements. Kinda sad. I wonder if the clock will be saved and placed elsewhere in the mall of somewhere else in the city?

It looks like the old globe theatres will be part of the conversion into the medical tower. It also appears from the renders that the IMAX will be converted into Childcare Centre. I wonder what the conversion will look because the IMAX theatre is something like 5 stories high. Build the childcare facility with a 10 - 15 foot ceiling and have 30 - 40 feet of empty space above it?

The community space is where imax space was located.

It’s too bad the imax space couldn’t have been converted into an esports venue, that would have been cool.