Winnipeg | Downtown | True North Square | U/C

[Winnipeg Grump]

"That said I have a feeling BBB Inc may still have space for a locker room and other non-public space to support a team and they likely could use additional programmed nights for their facility, which is what Valour was supposed to give them."

One of the core principles of the folks running NSL is that they will absolutely NOT be second-fiddle to a men's sports team. So no, they will not partner up with the Bombers to set up shop at Princess Auto Field.

Expect to see a 'temp' pop-up stadium for the first few years while they lay the groundwork for a permanent facility, maybe even a set of stands added to the east side of Cantafio.

Galey and Des Scott have been working with NSL leaders on this for a while.

[Winnipeg Grump]

Scaffolding dropped off this morning and going up around the site.

[bomberjet]

Nice. Getting ready to form the second level floor slab.

[Sheepish]

Thanks for the update. Enouraging. If only we knew what the damned was going to actually look like!

[Biff]

If only they had some sort of more permanent crane on site, you know, something that towered above the site that could reach everywhere instead on constantly renting a mobile crane for everything.


....I know the answer

[bomberjet]

lmao. Is the tower crane not functioning? It's only been sitting there for an eternity.

[Mr Tall Forehead]

Maybe the guy who used to operate it retired about a decade ago when it was first installed?

[pegcity]

Can I ask a stupid question, cause sometimes I’m stupid, at this point of construction does Northlands Properties have a final rendering of this hotel, and it’s finalized…100% complete, everyone who’s part of the project knows what it will look like, does the City of Winnipeg people know what it will look like, in terms of like permits?

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by pegcity

Can I ask a stupid question, cause sometimes I’m stupid, at this point of construction does Northlands Properties have a final rendering of this hotel, and it’s finalized…100% complete, everyone who’s part of the project knows what it will look like, does the City of Winnipeg people know what it will look like, in terms of like permits?

Yes, city officials are fully aware of the revised renderings and elevations. For the new use, no public variances or rezonings were required. When the permit was updated to the ten-floor iteration, the city approved it without releasing the new documents to the public, and they won’t, I’ve inquired and was denied. Releasing renderings is at the developer’s discretion when there are no public notices posted, and Northlands has been reluctant to do so. Both I and several media outlets have requested them directly from Northlands, but we’ve received nothing. It makes you wonder why they’re so hesitant.

We need a hero to leak them.

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

Yes, city officials are fully aware of the revised renderings and elevations. For the new use, no public variances or rezonings were required. When the permit was updated to the ten-floor iteration, the city approved it without releasing the new documents to the public, and they won’t, I’ve inquired and was denied. Releasing renderings is at the developer’s discretion, and Northlands has been reluctant to do so. Both I and several media outlets have requested them directly from Northlands, but we’ve received nothing. It makes you wonder why they’re so hesitant.

We need a hero to leak them.

Yes..
Likely because they don't want to hear critiques from anyone since they are going from a glossy contemporary sleek elegant 27 floor tower we so needed as a new Hotel in downtown Winnipeg.. So they are now going to a pudgy low-rise 8 floor (on a 2 level podium = 10 floor) Sandman Hotel built on Steroids!

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by BAKGUY

Yes..
Likely because they don't want to hear critiques from anyone since they are going from a glossy contemporary sleek elegant 27 floor tower we so needed as a new Hotel in downtown Winnipeg.. So they are now going to a pudgy low-rise 8 floor (on a 2 level podium = 10 floor) Sandman Hotel built on Steroids!

I want to give them the benefit of the doubt—a building doesn’t need to be a high-rise to be architecturally pleasing. For example, the current Sutton Place Hotel in downtown Toronto is a charming boutique property with only 7 floors, although it's a heritage property they did not build.



The Sutton Place Halifax is nice, but it wasn't designed by Northland Properties' in-house team. The hotel tower is part of the larger Nova Centre, which was developed by Argyle Developments and designed by architect Noel Fowler with Arcadis IBI Group. Sutton Place came in later to operate and brand the hotel.





It's unfortunate that True North didn’t take the same approach as the Halifax Development — building the hotel themselves and then bringing in Sutton to operate it. At the time though, True North was looking for a seasoned hotel builder and operator, which is why they sold the land to Northlands. With their growing experience in large-scale office and residential developments, I suspect they’d approach it differently today.

[WinCitySparky]

It’s not about length guys, it’s all about girth and technique

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

Yes, city officials are fully aware of the revised renderings and elevations. For the new use, no public variances or rezonings were required. When the permit was updated to the ten-floor iteration, the city approved it without releasing the new documents to the public, and they won’t, I’ve inquired and was denied. Releasing renderings is at the developer’s discretion when there are no public notices posted, and Northlands has been reluctant to do so. Both I and several media outlets have requested them directly from Northlands, but we’ve received nothing. It makes you wonder why they’re so hesitant.

We need a hero to leak them.

Because they know that it's going to be another Sandman Signature, but with sliiiiiightly more glass. They likely haven't released them because they've seen this thread and seen us dragging them. LOL

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by neutroniks

Because they know that it's going to be another Sandman Signature, but with sliiiiiightly more glass. They likely haven't released them because they've seen this thread and seen us dragging them. LOL

100% Right on the $$$$.
They are trying to avoid negative press before the decade long delayed opening.

[dennis]

All the other cities get the good stuff. Winnipeg gets the sloppy seconds.

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by dennis

All the other cities get the good stuff. Winnipeg gets the sloppy seconds.

I guess only developers know if there's an attitude about Winnipeg being fine for "second best" efforts. Has anyone in the industry experienced that, or is this project just an example of crappy planning and financing post-covid?

If the "second best" viewpoint does exist, I wonder how much the "boy do we 🞵🞵🞵🞵" attitude that gets shouted so loudly by some Winnipeggers affects that? Do developers take note of whether there's a "good things are happening here" vibe vs a "this place is so lame" vibe among it's residents? Does it matter at all, or is it all dollars and cents?

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by dennis

All the other cities get the good stuff. Winnipeg gets the sloppy seconds.

I wish we got sloppy seconds. Unless it's produced from firms within the city, anything coming from non-local firms, I feel like we get the crumbs that get dusted into the waste bin

[The Jabroni]

Originally Posted by dennis

All the other cities get the good stuff. Winnipeg gets the sloppy seconds.

Mmmm... sloppy seconds...

At this point, we'll take what we get. We desperately need new hotel space, especially around the downtown area. It's been said before, but it would be nice to have the NHL Draft and NHL All-Star Weekend in the city, among other things that are outside this scope that needs much improvement or new additions.

[Winnipeg Grump]

Honestly surprised that the Chipmans haven't purchased that lot across from the convention centre at Edmonton and St. Mary, then have PCL whip up a new 15-story building and partner with a premium brand to run the place. They'd be up and running before Sutton is done.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by Winnipeg Grump

Honestly surprised that the Chipmans haven't purchased that lot across from the convention centre at Edmonton and St. Mary, then have PCL whip up a new 15-story building and partner with a premium brand to run the place. They'd be up and running before Sutton is done.

Is that the land that is owned by the Levitt family thru Lakeview Management Inc?

They were looking at putting a hotel / condo development there in 2006 to be operated thru their Lakeview hotel division, and had applied at that time to the Manitoba Security's Commission to sell condo units.