Winnipeg Construction XI

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

Winnipeg Free Press

The new development at the site would create a tower with 307 apartments, including 40 or more affordable units, and some commercial space on its ground floor, said Rochelle Squires, chief executive officer of CentreVenture Development Corporation.

MY question is what "Tower" and where does that go and what about the rest of the 2 sections of the hotel?
A hotel would have been preferable but as long as public access to the main floor and all 8th floor Ballrooms hopefully then that will be fine.
Besides The Skyview, there is another very ornate and special as well.

[1ajs]

they own the garick theater i thought as well

[Unbending]

I was wondering about that too: “The new development would create a tower with 307 apartments…” But maybe the tower is just referring to the existing building. Anything in Winnipeg above 5 floor is somehow considered a ‘tower’.

[neutroniks]

Yeah, for its height, back in the day the Marlborough is considered a tower. At at that, the new apartment building going up in China Town is called Shanghai Tower LOL. I forget what height a building needs to be in metres to be considered categorically as a "tower"

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by neutroniks

Yeah, for its height, back in the day the Marlborough is considered a tower. At at that, the new apartment building going up in China Town is called Shanghai Tower LOL. I forget what height a building needs to be in metres to be considered categorically as a "tower"

7 floors for Shanghai Towers...a Tower definition - Although number of floors is a poor indicator of defining a tall building due to the changing floor to floor height between differing buildings and functions (e.g. office versus residential usage), a building of perhaps 14 or more stories (or over 50 meters/165 feet in height) could perhaps be used as a threshold.

[Biff]

I think these are the basic building height classifications: Winnipeg has no Skyscrapers.

low-rise (<15m) 1-4 stories
mid-rise (15–50m) often 5–12 stories
high-rise (50–150m) roughly 14+ stories
skyscrapers (150m-300m)
supertall (300m-600m)
megatall (600m+)

[Wpg_Guy]

One Academy Road project supported, another rejected
By: Sheldon Birnie STAFF REPORTER
Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

The City Centre community committee held a regular meeting on Feb. 23, and a number of hearings were held on proposed projects in the area.

A rezoning and variance application for 158 Oxford St., from single-family large to residential multi-family low density zoning, was heard, for the development of a six-unit building on the 60-foot-by-120-foot corner lot along Academy Road. The variance relates to site configuration and alignment.

Over a half dozen residents registered to speak in opposition, plus one who registered to ask for further information. Concerns included a potential increase in traffic and parking, lack of consultation with the community, and lack of fit with the existing neighbourhood.


A rezoning and variance application for 160 Ash St., from single-family large to residential multi-family low density, for the development of a five-unit townhouse style building on the corner lot along Academy Road, was approved by the City Centre community committee on Feb. 23.

The committee voted against the public service’s recommendation, and did not support the application.

“Having six (units) plus no visitor spots, you’re going to negatively impact the neighbourhood… I don’t see any residents who support it,” said Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry).

A rezoning and variance application for 160 Ash St., from single-family large to residential multi-family low-density zoning, for the development of a five-unit townhouse style building on the corner lot along Academy Road was also heard. The variances are for a smaller rear-side yard and south-side yard along Academy Road. The plans include 10 parking stalls in the back, with access from the back lane. The proponents cited a number of examples of properties along Academy with similar variances and setbacks.

Three area residents spoke in opposition to the project, citing concerns such as impacts to traffic and privacy, and destruction of mature trees, among others. The committee agreed with the public service’s recommendation to approve the application, adding a requirement to return to the committee for final plan approval prior to beginning construction.

“It’s a little strange, in style,” Orlikow said. “But it’s not that strange (and) there is a need for densification.”

Orlikow also noted that the developer’s consultation with both his office and with the community was appreciated.

Finally, a variance application at 130 Sherbrook St., to amend a requirement of the development condition to include 18, rather than 38, affordable units and to establish an accessory parking area for the mixed-use development was heard by the committee. Nobody was registered in opposition, and the committee approved the application.

During the regular meeting, a plan for a proposed McDonald’s drive-through only restaurant at 540 Kenaston Blvd., at the northwest corner of the Superstore parking lot, was approved. Community fund grants of $500 for École JB Mitchell School’s parent council, as well as a $500 grant for the Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre, were approved.

Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) put forward a motion to turn a former bus loop in Wolseley into a dog park, should Winnipeg Transit not need the space, given the changes made to the transit system. The motion was approved.

Free Press Community Review: West

[biguc]

Over a half dozen residents registered to speak in opposition! So, 7?

[Spocket]

Re: Marlborough Hotel conversion.

I don't know how many square feet the Marlborough is but I can't see how they'd fit 307 units in what's currently there. I guess if they make it into closet apartments, they could do it. On the other hand, I have no idea where they could possibly build, anyway. Can the extension support more floors? I doubt it but I don't know.

I did some quick math and it seems that if you assume the average unit is 600 square feet (fairly small one bedroom apartment) you need about a 200,000 square foot building. Turns out there's no data on that the Marlborough's square footage but if it's 200K square feet, I'd be surprised. And, as I said, those are fairly small units.

So, it seems they'd need more room to build the required units to match the number cited. I don't know where they're going to get that room unless the structures can support additions which seems unlikely. Maybe one of the resident architects can weigh in how many units they think would fit in those buildings. I can't see a bunch of one bedrooms on the small side being particularly attractive to anybody and even less so for anything besides young couples (at most)

And, just to help visualize what I'm talking about, 300 main contains 398 units.

[Biff]

My rough calculations put the Marlborough at about 225,000 to 250,000 sq ft.

[WinCitySparky]

The thing that gets me somewhat excited here is that once completed and occupied, this brings several hundred residents to that corner, hopefully encouraging more development westward down Ellice and the parking lot across the street.

[Pmac1]

Originally Posted by WinCitySparky

The thing that gets me somewhat excited here is that once completed and occupied, this brings several hundred residents to that corner, hopefully encouraging more development westward down Ellice and the parking lot across the street.

God it would be incredible if that parking lot gets developed

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by Spocket

Re: Marlborough Hotel conversion.

I don't know how many square feet the Marlborough is but I can't see how they'd fit 307 units in what's currently there. I guess if they make it into closet apartments, they could do it. On the other hand, I have no idea where they could possibly build, anyway. Can the extension support more floors? I doubt it but I don't know.

I did some quick math and it seems that if you assume the average unit is 600 square feet (fairly small one bedroom apartment) you need about a 200,000 square foot building. Turns out there's no data on that the Marlborough's square footage but if it's 200K square feet, I'd be surprised. And, as I said, those are fairly small units.

So, it seems they'd need more room to build the required units to match the number cited. I don't know where they're going to get that room unless the structures can support additions which seems unlikely. Maybe one of the resident architects can weigh in how many units they think would fit in those buildings. I can't see a bunch of one bedrooms on the small side being particularly attractive to anybody and even less so for anything besides young couples (at most)

And, just to help visualize what I'm talking about, 300 main contains 398 units.

There are 2 buildings. When the 2 were in full swing, there were a total of 400 rooms so, there is plenty of space. The original sections stopped being used over the years which was why there were only 148/150 rooms plus ballroom on 8, other banquet rooms on 2, new section only has 8 floors total.. so the older section has 9 floors and mostly suites. Plus, there might be an addition where the Garrick was behind it since they own that? There will be 387 suites @ The former Bay store on 2 levels of total 651,000 ft2 on 7 floors. 186,000 for HBC residential... Marlborough..It will be more than fine.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by WinCitySparky

The thing that gets me somewhat excited here is that once completed and occupied, this brings several hundred residents to that corner, hopefully encouraging more development westward down Ellice and the parking lot across the street.

doesnt TNS control that now since they took over the walker?

[Wpg_Guy]

Added to page one will update as more information is publicly released.

Marlborough Hotel
Location: 331 Smith St
Developer:
Architect:
Status In development
Documents:
Media:

• ‘Investment we need’: mayor announces proposal to turn Marlborough Hotel into housing-Winnipeg Free Press
• State of the City speech: Gillingham in election campaign mode-Radio-Canada Info YouTube

Description: The Marlborough Hotel in downtown Winnipeg began as the Olympia Hotel, conceived in the prosperous pre-war years by a group of Italian immigrants. Construction started in 1913 on a planned nine-storey structure (initially only the first three storeys were built), and it opened on November 18, 1914, during the early days of World War I. A major six-storey addition was completed in the early 1920s, and the hotel reopened as the Marlborough on July 23, 1923. It quickly became a landmark, hosting 230 ensuite rooms, conferences, celebrities (including Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, and others), the founding meeting of the Royal Canadian Legion in 1925, and the Winnipeg Press Club for 47 years from 1961. Further expansions included a large eight-storey north-wing addition with 200 rooms and a ballroom, begun in 1956 opened in February 1960; various renovations occurred in the 1950s–1980s, the building was municipally designated a Grade II historic site in 1998. After decades of economic challenges, it closed to the public on January 24, 2024; as of March 2026, the owner has proposed converting the vacant heritage structure into a 307-unit apartment tower (including at least 40 affordable units) with ground-floor commercial space, pending a$5-million housing accelerator fund grant (from Winnipeg’s share of that federal fund) and building permit by November 2026 to support the $48-million project.
Permits:

[trueviking]

$5 mil is a big ask from HAF. I’m not sure any other project got close to that much.