WINDSOR | Construction - News and Development - Page 48

Symz · #**941** Posted **Jun 14, 2011, 8:54 PM**

News today.

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Council+approves+aquatic+centre/4941271/story.html

http://windsorite.ca/2011/06/14/city-council-votes-yes-to-a-new-downtown-aquatic-centre/

Blitz · #**942** Posted **Jun 15, 2011, 2:06 PM**

City council approved the construction of a $66 million aquatic centre on the western edge of downtown. It's expected to include an olympic size pool, a dozen waterslides, and a wave pool among other features. The main library is to move into the complex as well.

Symz · #**943** Posted **Jun 30, 2011, 5:03 PM**

Wyandotte streetscaping will begin sometime soon. This will bring this arterial road in line with some of Windsor's other main streets that have been redone.

picture courtesey of www.windsorite.ca (I love this site)

Actual link to article
http://windsorite.ca/2011/06/29/new-look-for-wyandotte-street-east-to-begin-soon/

Blitz · #**944** Posted **Jul 1, 2011, 5:02 PM**

The streetscaping that has been completed on the arterial roads looks awesome and these plans look great too.

It's long overdue...all of this is happening because the city finances are in great shape and we can finally afford to do 'extras' like this.

Symz · #**945** Posted **Jul 31, 2011, 4:30 AM**

courtesy of www.windsorite.ca

Erie Street is getting a new $2.4 million dollar look, and that look is starting to show.

The “La Bella Strada” project is a LEED Certified, outdoor, cafe-oriented setting styled with “old country” elements, reduced on-street parking and will feature an incredibly ‘greened’ stretch of roadway with hundreds of additional trees and flower planters.

Phase One of the project includes the reconstruction of the entire street by Coco Paving.

A roundabout at Parent and Erie is being constructed for traffic calming and the road is being narrowed to allow for extended sidewalk patios.

After construction crews relocated under-the-surface utilities, new curbs were constructed to accommodate the wide sidewalks and accompanying patios.

Erie Street East is essentially closed to traffic from Howard to Hall between the hours of 6am and 6pm, weekdays. Via Italia BIA officials stress that “it is…business as usual” and motorists are advised to use one of four parking lots on the street:

Howard Avenue (North of Erie Street)
Parent Avenue and Elsmere Street (South of Erie Street)
Elsmere Street and Marentette Avenue (South of Erie Street)
Erie Street at Langlois Avenue (Access through North side of Langlois)
Completion of the road work components of La Bella Strada is expected for September.

http://windsorite.ca/2011/07/via-italias-la-bella-strada-streetscaping-taking-shape/

Windsor's little Italy already was one of the best looking and best kept streets and they're putting even more money into it.

They should fix other important roads like Wyandotte, Pillette, Seminole, Riverside as well, Erie street was in great shape before this remodel. Just my opinion.

Symz · #**946** Posted **Jul 31, 2011, 4:35 AM**

courtesy of www.windsorite.ca
Tecumseh streetscaping. It took them this long to finally put that plaque there, I guess it's; ok.

Blitz · #**947** Posted **Jul 31, 2011, 8:19 PM**

heh, that's kind of odd. It's better than a plain old median I guess.

Symz · #**948** Posted **Sep 14, 2011, 6:49 PM**

Some WIP pictures of the new VIA station going up in Walkerville.

Pictures are not my own, courtesy of windsorite.ca

north 42 · #**949** Posted **Sep 15, 2011, 5:44 PM**

It's about time they built a new station here in Windsor, we have one of the busiest Via stations in the province. It sure looks like the new Greyhound station that was built downtown so far.

Symz · #**950** Posted **Sep 15, 2011, 8:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by north 42

It's about time they built a new station here in Windsor, we have one of the busiest Via stations in the province. It sure looks like the new Greyhound station that was built downtown so far.

It looks extremely similar doesn't it.

Photos are not by me:

New VIA station

Previously built new downtown bus station in foreground

Symz · #**951** Posted **Sep 15, 2011, 9:00 PM**

Here's some news about the Glengary area immediately east of the casino being cleaned up of derelict buildings and gravel parking lots. About time.

http://windsorite.ca/2011/09/glengarry-marentette-area-being-cleaned-up/

north 42 · #**952** Posted **Sep 16, 2011, 3:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Symz

Here's some news about the Glengary area immediately east of the casino being cleaned up of derelict buildings and gravel parking lots. About time.

http://windsorite.ca/2011/09/glengarry-marentette-area-being-cleaned-up/

I hope they can actually get some of those ideas to happen. There are so many blighted lots in that area that i can't really see much getting done soon. There is so much potential in that area, I hope they move faster and make it more of a priority.

Symz · #**953** Posted **Sep 19, 2011, 3:47 PM**

The infamous downtown beer store at the corner of Wyandotte & Goyeau is set to be closed and to relocate to the former Chrysler dealership lot on Goyeau (I believe near the Food Basics?)

The beer store (along with other properties such as the former BK) is in the way of the future expansion of the Detroit-Windsor tunnel which will eventually close off Goyeau between Wyandotte and Park street stretching across Goyeau.

Here's the source:
http://windsorite.ca/2011/09/downtown-beer-store-to-move/

Blitz · #**954** Posted **Sep 19, 2011, 10:36 PM**

I wonder how big this tunnel plaza is going to be, holy.

north 42 · #**955** Posted **Sep 20, 2011, 3:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Symz

The infamous downtown beer store at the corner of Wyandotte & Goyeau is set to be closed and to relocate to the former Chrysler dealership lot on Goyeau (I believe near the Food Basics?)

The beer store (along with other properties such as the former BK) is in the way of the future expansion of the Detroit-Windsor tunnel which will eventually close off Goyeau between Wyandotte and Park street stretching across Goyeau.

Here's the source:
http://windsorite.ca/2011/09/downtown-beer-store-to-move/

Praise Jesus!!!! I walk to that beer store from my condo, so I'm so happy they're moving it off Wyandotte. I hate walking past that crackhead hangout of a park at the corner of Goyeau and Wyandotte to get there.

I'm glad they're going to develop that whole piece of property, one less empty lot downtown to have to look at. Now if we could get a nice new LCBO to locate in the core, I'd really be happy. The current one is too small and not enough selection.

Symz · #**956** Posted **Sep 20, 2011, 6:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by north 42

Praise Jesus!!!! I walk to that beer store from my condo, so I'm so happy they're moving it off Wyandotte. I hate walking past that crackhead hangout of a park at the corner of Goyeau and Wyandotte to get there.

I'm glad they're going to develop that whole piece of property, one less empty lot downtown to have to look at. Now if we could get a nice new LCBO to locate in the core, I'd really be happy. The current one is too small and not enough selection.

The current downtown LCBO is another crackhead hangout since it's located just across the street and a block away from the YMCA residence/hostle. I agree with you that it's a small store given that it's a downtown location. It'll be interesting to see how the future aquatic centre will effect the area and surrounding business since it'll basically abut the current liquor store.

Symz · #**957** Posted **Sep 20, 2011, 6:24 PM**

So it seems they are toying with the idea of closing off Pitt street now and incorporating the new library (which is part of the new complex) with the art gallery. What do you guys thinks?

source:Windsor Star

Quote:

WINDSOR, Ont. -- Combining a new downtown public library branch with the Art Gallery of Windsor at the $63 million family aquatic centre will save thousands of dollars in construction and operating costs, according to supporters of the proposal.

The aquatic centre will be located on land south of the art gallery and it’s now proposed that Pitt Street be closed at that location and a new library branch built spanning the street and joining with the art gallery building.

“We will save on construction costs because we won’t have to duplicate services for the library which already exist in the art gallery and both buildings will be able to share space and operating costs,” said Coun. Drew Dilkens, chairman of the aquatic centre steering committee.

It’s expected that preliminary plans for how the library and gallery will be integrated into the overall design of the centre could be available as early as Friday when the steering committee meets again.

Art gallery director Catherine Mastin said the idea, which has been discussed for more than two months, makes sense from a cultural and economic standpoint.

“It’s a simple concept of social literacy where we take care of the visual part of the equation and the library takes care of the textual part,” said Mastin. “Art galleries and libraries have always had synergistic relationships but this idea also adds a locational component to those synergies.”

Coun Al Maghnieh, chairman of the library board, said more than one million area residents visit the city’s library branches each year and bringing a major portion of them into an area which houses the gallery and the aquatic centre will benefit all three.

“Combining libraries and galleries has been done before but adding a family aquatic centre to the equation will make it a unique development,” said Maghnieh.

Mastin also said that the influx of students from the University of Windsor and St. Clair College will create “an urban campus which the gallery and library will be happy to be part of in the future.

“We have an opportunity to create a vital and exciting neighborhood in that area,” said Mastin.

Dilkens said that a ground-floor library will provide opportunities for further growth which wouldn’t have been possible if it had been housed within the aquatic centre.

The two organizations are expected to share betwwen 8,000 to 10,000 square feet of space, cutting down on project costs, said Dilkens.

The city continues to work on a tight timetable for the project.

An owner’s statement of requirements, which essentially lays out what the city is seeking in the final design stages, must be ready by Sept. 30.

It will then be submitted to Ramaker & Associates, which the city has chosen to assist in the selection of a design-build contractor, and will be then passed along to all builders interested in submitting proposals.

north 42 · #**958** Posted **Sep 21, 2011, 5:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Symz

The current downtown LCBO is another crackhead hangout since it's located just across the street and a block away from the YMCA residence/hostle. I agree with you that it's a small store given that it's a downtown location. It'll be interesting to see how the future aquatic centre will effect the area and surrounding business since it'll basically abut the current liquor store.

I was hoping that they would have bought out the LCBO and the few other businesses along University Ave, and extend the aquatics centre out that way. It would have made sense, but I'm sure it would have taken too long to buy up those properties.

north 42 · #**959** Posted **Sep 21, 2011, 9:24 PM**

I like the idea of connecting the aquatics centre with the Art Gallery, with the new library branch sharing space with the AGW. The Art Gallery is always short of money, so this should help in regards to increased patronage and less space to pay for. This will really introduce more people to the gallery that normally would not think of going.

I'm not sure what effect closing both Chatham St. and Pitt St. will have on that part of the core. Hopefully it doesn't cut off the Oldtown district from the rest of downtown, it could be a really nice neighbourhood, with the old turn of the century houses and new waterfront condos mixed together.

north 42 · #**960** Posted **Sep 22, 2011, 6:34 PM**

I heard that they want the design of the Aquatics centre to blend in with the art gallery since it looks like it will be attached to it. Hopefully the design they come up with will have some curb appeal, since it's gonna take up such a large space. There's nothing worse than a hulking building with no interesting design features, that could ruin any attempts to revitalize the area and make it pedestrian friendly.