Winnipeg | Historical discussion - Page 164

Wpg_Guy · #**3261** Posted **Jun 28, 2026, 3:05 PM**

1910 - Looking south down Princess St. from William Ave.

1946 - Grain Exchange Building on Lombard

1940's - Main St. south of Portage Ave

1950's - Transcona bus at Portage and Main

1953 - Union Station at Broadway and Main

1958 - Empire Hotel

Empire Hotel on Main St.

1960 - Portage and Main

1973 - The Richardson Building at Portage and Main

1973 - South west corner of Portage and Main

1974 - Portage Ave. looking towards Main

Authentic_City · #**3262** Posted **Jun 29, 2026, 3:26 AM**

Great photos! The one with the Lloyd Axworthy billboard is pretty neat. Wonder what year that was?

Wpg_Guy · #**3263** Posted **Jun 29, 2026, 1:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

Great photos! The one with the Lloyd Axworthy billboard is pretty neat. Wonder what year that was?

It appears to be ~1977 based on that billboard. Axworthy was first elected as an MLA for Fort Rouge in the 1973 provincial election and re-elected in 1977.

Biff · #**3264** Posted **Jun 29, 2026, 1:09 PM**

I know there have been a lot of sad building losses in the past, but man, losing the McIntyre Block might be the worst. Especially since it hasn't been replaced with anything other than the lowest form of development at our most prominent corner...a gravel lot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

1960 - Portage and Main

Wpg_Guy · #**3265** Posted **Jun 29, 2026, 1:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biff

I know there have been a lot of sad building losses in the past, but man, losing the McIntyre Block might be the worst. Especially since it hasn't been replaced with anything other than the lowest form of development at our most prominent corner...a gravel lot.

absolutely.

Another notable loss, for me anyway, is the former post office building on Portage Ave, such a striking building, now a parkade.

192-?, Photograph looks south across Portage Ave. at the block between Fort St. and Garry St. The buildings from left to right: Oldfield, Kirby and Gardner Building (234 Portage Ave.), Central Post Office (236 Portage Ave.), and the 1904 Free Press Building.

neutroniks · #**3266** Posted **Jun 29, 2026, 2:38 PM**

That, at the buildings additionally beside the Palamino. The way the Pal just stands alone on that stretch of Main seems so desolate and wrong. Even the lot next to commonwealth should be filled in with a building rather than that parking lot

neutroniks · #**3267** Posted **Jun 29, 2026, 2:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

absolutely.

Another notable loss, for me anyway, is the former post office building on Portage Ave, such a striking building, now a parkade.

192-?, Photograph looks south across Portage Ave. at the block between Fort St. and Garry St. The buildings from left to right: Oldfield, Kirby and Gardner Building (234 Portage Ave.), Central Post Office (236 Portage Ave.), and the 1904 Free Press Building.

You're telling me this beautiful building was replaced with that disgusting, lifeless parkade?

Andy6 · #**3268** Posted **Jun 30, 2026, 4:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

It appears to be ~1977 based on that billboard. Axworthy was first elected as an MLA for Fort Rouge in the 1973 provincial election and re-elected in 1977.

Yes, it's 1977 for sure. You can also see the yellow 1976-83 licence plates. It was just about the end of the line for the Empire Hotel at that point.

davequanbury · #**3269** Posted **Jun 30, 2026, 12:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by neutroniks

That, at the buildings additionally beside the Palamino. The way the Pal just stands alone on that stretch of Main seems so desolate and wrong. Even the lot next to commonwealth should be filled in with a building rather than that parking lot

Here is a cool shot of that block whole block.

Here is what the building at the corner looked like. I believe it was lost to a fire.

Andy6 · #**3270** Posted **Jun 30, 2026, 12:54 PM**

That was the Dominion Bank, a very nice looking building that was torn down around 1970, I think.

neutroniks · #**3271** Posted **Jun 30, 2026, 3:08 PM**

Numerous fires really robbed our city of some absolute beauties. Urban legends say that the mob's presence back in the day caused a lot of them. Can anyone elaborate on those if anyone knows any history stories? lol

bomberjet · #**3272** Posted **Jun 30, 2026, 3:26 PM**

It's so depressing for me to look back at these old photos..

Wpg_Guy · #**3273** Posted **Jun 30, 2026, 3:51 PM**

1910 - Portage and Main

1920 - View of the east side of Main St. looking south from McDermot Ave.

1957 - Market Ave.

1958 - Osborne St.

1958 - Grest West Life at Osborne & Broadway

1962 - Old city hall demo

1966 - Portage Ave. and Main St

1972 - Childs Building and the flanking TD and Nanton Buildings at Portage and Main

1988 - TD Bank at Portage and Notre Dame

1989 - NW corner of Portage and Main, 201 Portage Ave

1991 - Princess St.

Andy6 · #**3274** Posted **Jun 30, 2026, 5:04 PM**

I do think our perspective today is skewed since all we ever see is the facades of the buildings. If you were ever inside some of these buildings they weren't quite as beautiful from that perspective - dark, creaky places with small offices that couldn't easily be remodelled for modern needs. People in the 60s and 70s wanted modern, bright, flexible office space (and residential space for that matter) and weren't as sentimental about exterior features that were so common then that no one thought them particularly special.

Not that I wouldn't want them back again, of course, especially given what might be possible now for modernizing their insides.

The warehouse buildings mostly survived because they were much more adaptable, with large open floorplates.

neutroniks · #**3275** Posted **Jun 30, 2026, 5:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy6

I do think our perspective today is skewed since all we ever see is the facades of the buildings. If you were ever inside some of these buildings they weren't quite as beautiful from that perspective - dark, creaky places with small offices that couldn't easily be remodelled for modern needs. People in the 60s and 70s wanted modern, bright, flexible office space (and residential space for that matter) and weren't as sentimental about exterior features that were so common then that no one thought them particularly special.

Not that I wouldn't want them back again, of course, especially given what might be possible now for modernizing their insides.

The warehouse buildings mostly survived because they were much more adaptable, with large open floorplates.

That's definitely true. There's some warehouses and old beautiful buildings in the West Exchange that just sit until someone ponies up enough money to convert them. I can't imagine how much it would cost to modernize everything and get everything up to code just to allow them to be residential suites.

neutroniks · #**3276** Posted **Jun 30, 2026, 5:19 PM**

I know it's been said a million times, but I think one of the biggest mistakes were getting rid of the street cars.

Andy6 · #**3277** Posted **Jun 30, 2026, 6:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by neutroniks

That's definitely true. There's some warehouses and old beautiful buildings in the West Exchange that just sit until someone ponies up enough money to convert them. I can't imagine how much it would cost to modernize everything and get everything up to code just to allow them to be residential suites.

I remember when I worked in the Royal Tower (today's Paterson Global Foods Institute/RRC building at 504 Main Street) the men's and ladies' rooms were on alternating floors and there was one small modern elevator together with one old cage elevator operated by an elderly gent. Once you'd seen the Richardson Building this wasn't really going to do it for you anymore as a potential tenant!