Winnipeg Construction

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

So, is anything new going on in this city? Or are we falling victim to what seems to be a mini Canadian recession (it's funny, Canada and Australia both weathered the last recession well, and now we both appear poised to enter recession)?

As someone who only sees Winnipeg once or twice a year... wow. My impression is the complete opposite of your post. It feels like tons of new 🞵🞵🞵🞵 is here every single year lately, and more constantly coming. I've never in my nearly 40 years seen so much on the go here at one time. Or ever, for that matter. The past 5 years or so have really changed this city.

Off the top of my head, things I've been blown away by:

1. CMHR. That thing is finally looking gigantic.

2. The fully complete Hydro tower. I finally had a chance to see it from all sides, up close. It's breathtaking, especially considering its surroundings.

3. The UofW "periodic table" building facing Portage. No idea what it's called, I had never heard of it or seen a pic but drove by it this week. I almost caused an accident I was so overwhelmed by how cool it is. And there's another nice new building behind it. Maybe it's just the chemistry geek in me.

4. The seemingly dozens of new/retrofitted buildings downtown. It feels like every block has some new building on it, or something changed so radically that I can't even recognize it. I worked downtown for over a decade, and prowled it on foot as a teenager hundreds of times. I thought I knew Winnipeg's downtown, but... again, wow. There are so many new landmarks.

5. The BRT pathway. This has been bandied about for so many years, just seeing actual construction takes my breath away. I personally hope Winnipeg goes LRT and soon, but this is still amazing progress after so many stops and starts.

6. The numerous road improvements - extra lanes, expanded intersections, etc. They seem to be happening all over the city. While I'd prefer to see some money spent on grade-separated intersections, this is certainly a welcome change. The province and/or city obviously have some extra cash floating around.

Sure, much of this isn't "new" (depending on how you define that). But for an outsider who's intimately familiar with Winnipeg - all I can say is again, wow. I mean seriously WOW. It's been getting busier and busier here every single year recently, but this year has completely blown me away.

I'd love to put together a list of major projects from the past 10 years one day. I bet it's more than the previous 30, combined. This city is f'ing HOPPING. Quite frankly, other than transportation infrastructure, Winnipeg feels like Calgary in terms of the sheer amount of new "stuff" that's up and going up.

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

My math is a little shakey..

1.) Alt Hotel on Portage
2.) ??
3.) ???

What are the other 2 twenty story proposals?

The CanadInn at HSC is under construction, and Heritage Landing was proposed last year.

Fort Rouge TOD, McPhillips Hotel, Cnvention Centre Expansion

[1ajs]

the u of w science building the periodic table building is one of true vikings the buildings behind it is a student residence done by prarie

also did u see the west end cultural center?

then theres the poor old royal bank building

avenue building..........

[jmt18325]

Maybe I'm just being impatient? I actually feel much better now, anyway. I was worried we were slipping. I don't get to see Winnipeg much anymore, so I don't really know what's happening on the ground. I was thinking of something new and tall...but I forgot about a couple of the things mentioned that are tall.

[Joshy]

Someone who is a member on other forums (not sure if he is here or not??) has mentionned that there are some large-scale buildings that are currently under design. He wouldn't go into too much more detail, but says that if they go aheah, they will definately add to the height in our skyline, as well as giving us a new tallest. I hope they come to life!

[1ajs]

don't forget theres also fairchild lofts phase 2 in the works mentioned when i was kevetching about the building at banatyne and princes............

[jmt18325]

Okay, okay, I'm sold. There is one thing I don't understand though. How can there be so much activity in Canadian cities, in mining, in oil...and we're still nearing recession like numbers (not as bad as Australia, but not great)? It must be just world circumstances, I suppose....

[freeweed]

Winnipeg seems entirely unaffected by the recession if you ask me. If anything, it's SPED UP during it. It's really freaking me out. All the talk about "diversified economy" seemed like so much 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 during the 90s, but these days... recession just seems to make things heat up here.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by freeweed

3. The UofW "periodic table" building facing Portage. No idea what it's called, I had never heard of it or seen a pic but drove by it this week. I almost caused an accident I was so overwhelmed by how cool it is. And there's another nice new building behind it. Maybe it's just the chemistry geek in me.

richardson college....and thanks...i appreciate it....inside is better.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/number10photoblog/5912808729/in/set-72157624130962229

i have to say i am in love with the CMHR right now....walking down Tache and across the provencher bridge is incredible...the scale of that thing is mind blowing....they should just stop now...it is ridiculously cool.....way way better than i had ever imagined on an architectural level.

[rrskylar]

Even a CMHR naysayer like myself is mightily impressed by what they have built already! The thing is frickin huge.

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by Joshy

Someone who is a member on other forums (not sure if he is here or not??) has mentionned that there are some large-scale buildings that are currently under design. He wouldn't go into too much more detail, but says that if they go aheah, they will definately add to the height in our skyline, as well as giving us a new tallest. I hope they come to life!

Some hints from this said individual would be nice...

[1ajs]

o yea more massive hunks of steel going up on the cmhr


o and the cmhr got taller

[1ajs]

lol thats one hell of an expensive man lift



wonders if the cmhr peac tower its going to turn into a sauna like the forks market tower?


Hampel progress

[1ajs]

antiques exchange building is empty wth?

[Winnipegger@Heart]

The Peck Building on Princess? Maybe the Church of Scientology is finally starting the redevelopment of it?

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by Winnipegger@Heart

The Peck Building on Princess? Maybe the Church of Scientology is finally starting the redevelopment of it?

no 370 donald..........

it should not be empty!!

[roccerfeller]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Maybe I'm just being impatient? I actually feel much better now, anyway. I was worried we were slipping. I don't get to see Winnipeg much anymore, so I don't really know what's happening on the ground. I was thinking of something new and tall...but I forgot about a couple of the things mentioned that are tall.

Naw, Peg ain't slipping. If anything, don't expect to see this city slow down for some time...

Originally Posted by Joshy

Someone who is a member on other forums (not sure if he is here or not??) has mentionned that there are some large-scale buildings that are currently under design. He wouldn't go into too much more detail, but says that if they go aheah, they will definately add to the height in our skyline, as well as giving us a new tallest. I hope they come to life!

I've heard similar things but it's from third hand information, good to hear it from elsewhere. And I will also say Viking knows things he can't speak of .. Its Likely more appt/mixed use/ hotel stuff though, I don't see just new huge Office space with former CanWest tower empty and without an anchor tenant, plus all forms of housing is in high demand in Peg, and can't think of a major company in need to build a tall exclusive office tower...save maybe another Richardson tower. Huge maybe on that since their workforce is more global...and none of the Manitoban oil companes are that big yet...expect residential stuff.

Originally Posted by freeweed

Winnipeg seems entirely unaffected by the recession if you ask me. If anything, it's SPED UP during it. It's really freaking me out. All the talk about "diversified economy" seemed like so much 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 during the 90s, but these days... recession just seems to make things heat up here.

Yeah, reccession wasn't something I ever heard about in Winnipeg. Folks in London simply can't believe how well Canada is holding up relatively speaking. The recession is extremely notable in the UK, with only Olympic related major projects going on in London. I'm sure you've all seen the riots on TV...

Originally Posted by trueviking

richardson college....and thanks...i appreciate it....inside is better.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/number10photoblog/5912808729/in/set-72157624130962229

i have to say i am in love with the CMHR right now....walking down Tache and across the provencher bridge is incredible...the scale of that thing is mind blowing....they should just stop now...it is ridiculously cool.....way way better than i had ever imagined on an architectural level.

Yes, your design is truly exceptional, agree with freeweed. I think it's by far the best building U of W has to their name hands down.

Also, agreed with CMHR. Is stunning. Can't wait till it's up. Nxt year will bring the juicy final touches.

Originally Posted by 1ajs

o yea more massive hunks of steel going up on the cmhr


o and the cmhr got taller

Awesome 1ajs, thanks for the pic updates

[biguc]

Originally Posted by trueviking

richardson college....and thanks...i appreciate it....inside is better.

I like that building and all, Viking, but what's with the landscaping in the front? 🞵🞵🞵🞵 is kinda weak, and I'm disappointed such a good looking building addresses the sidewalk like that.

[armorand93]

Whats the possibility of Point Douglas becoming Osborne Village-style in high-rise apartments and condos with the proposed provincial park? It'd be nice to have a few 20-floor buildings there

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by biguc

I like that building and all, Viking, but what's with the landscaping in the front? 🞵🞵🞵🞵 is kinda weak, and I'm disappointed such a good looking building addresses the sidewalk like that.

i couldnt agree more...the whole street edge thing has was a battle from day one...

it saved $250 000 to move the building back from the sidewalk 3m because there could be far less shoring to hold back portage avenue during construction...there was no way to win that battle on urbanist grounds...we did manage to keep it much closer than was first proposed...it was almost going to be set back on a plaza!

as designed, the main floor had three retail units that opened to the street and the strip along the front was a bioswale....it took grey water from inside the building and naturally treated it with plants and then re-used it in the toilets and such...we had bridges crossing it into the retail units....would have been cool.

when we hit major budget issues, the decision was made mid stream, to use the ground floor for university purposes and the bioswale became a prairie grassland with 4' high grasses.

in the end the university felt that maintenance would be too great with the grasses so they made our landscape architects change it....the idea is that it will represent a natural forest floor when it grows out...it has tall grasses and shrubs that will grow to 4-5' high which will be much better than it is today....hopefully it all works...it is pretty lame right now....two summers from now it should be better.

as for the function on the ground floor, i think even though it is not retail which was our hope, it will be ok....there are two classrooms on portage which will not be great, but there is a restaurant on the corner that faces the entry and about a third of the frontage is something called a model school which is an after hours high tech drop in centre for community youth to work with mentors designing video games and such....it will probably animate the building in the evenings more than any retail units would have....it will be quite active, is fully glazed along portage and it is accessed from the sidewalk...will be running weekends and from 5-9pm weekdays or something like that.

there are certainly some disappointments...that street edge is the biggest for me personally...in the end the building was completed for $300/s.f which is extremely low for a laboratory building, about 3/4 of what a similar building at the U of S cost....there were compromises like the setback that allowed us to achieve that....hopefully once the plantings grow out, it will be ok....