WINDSOR | Construction - News and Development

[Symz]

The aquatic centre may get some solar panels.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2012/04/25/wdr-aquatic-centre-solar-panels.html

Windsor's new aquatic centre will have solar panels on the roof.

Coun. Drew Dilkens, who chairs the committee overseeing construction, said the city will spend $255,000 to strengthen the building's support to accommodate solar panels.

Dilkens said it won't add to the cost of the project.

"We found those savings directly as a result of some sewer work that we didn't have to undertake but was part of the budget," Dilkens said. "So at the end of the day, it doesn't increase the overall project cost."

That overall cost is $77 million.

[cbyrne2014]

Originally Posted by RoseCityFreePress

what about the Glengerry Projects. I know its been an area that the city would like to improve. I think that whole area could fit a new hospital and the abandoned blocks around that area housing things such a parking granges. just a thought.

That would be something!

[Riversideguy]

Originally Posted by RoseCityFreePress

what about the Glengerry Projects. I know its been an area that the city would like to improve. I think that whole area could fit a new hospital and the abandoned blocks around that area housing things such a parking granges. just a thought.

That to would be a great location and you can not get more central than downtown.

[north 42]

I honestly don't think that the Glengary site would be big enough for a new mega hospital, plus I don't know if there is the political will to make it happen. I would love for the entire Glengary complex to be demolished regardless though, putting a bunch of low income housing in one location, like Glengary is such outdated thinking.

[Symz]

I was bored today so while I was thinking about all the things that are going to be going on downtown I was thinking about how screwed up the road system downtown is going to be.

So I made a map. I marked the roads that are 1 ways green with arrows indicating their directions, 2 way roads are yellow, and I omitted sections of Pitt, Chatham, and Goyeau that are either already closed off permanently or will be (once the tunnel expansion starts).

I also marked off a few things for easier referencing and marked some of the new stuff that's going to be happening, but my main emphasis was to look at the road network in downtown Windsor.

This was my end result.


The more I look at it the more I think that getting around downtown is going to be reall screwy now, especially for someone not from here.

Some roads might be changing. I believe Park will become a 2 way between Ouellette & Freedom Way (currently it is a one way going left to Ouellette and a 2 way going right to Goyeau). Also it's possible City Hall Square will become a 2 way.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Symz

I was bored today so while I was thinking about all the things that are going to be going on downtown I was thinking about how screwed up the road system downtown is going to be.

So I made a map. I marked the roads that are 1 ways green with arrows indicating their directions, 2 way roads are yellow, and I omitted sections of Pitt, Chatham, and Goyeau that are either already closed off permanently or will be (once the tunnel expansion starts).

I also marked off a few things for easier referencing and marked some of the new stuff that's going to be happening, but my main emphasis was to look at the road network in downtown Windsor.

This was my end result.


The more I look at it the more I think that getting around downtown is going to be reall screwy now, especially for someone not from here.

Some roads might be changing. I believe Park will become a 2 way between Ouellette & Freedom Way (currently it is a one way going left to Ouellette and a 2 way going right to Goyeau). Also it's possible City Hall Square will become a 2 way.

Yeah, both Freedom Way and Park are both turning into two way streets, I read that in the Windsor Star.I mean City Hall Square, not Freedom Way.

[Symz]

Small update on the aquatic centre and the Palace/Windsor Star renovation

pics by me

aquatic centre








The Palace renovation. Still not much to see at the moment other than the hole in the side of the building is larger. If you look closely though you can see the new, levelled floor they are installing because the former theatre had sloped floors.

[RoseCityFreePress]

Its nice to see the Aquatic Centre with more heavy equipment on site and structure starting to form. Did the Palace project start before or after the aquatic centre?

[north 42]

Originally Posted by RoseCityFreePress

Its nice to see the Aquatic Centre with more heavy equipment on site and structure starting to form. Did the Palace project start before or after the aquatic centre?

The Palace started first.

[Symz]

I'm really hoping at some point Windsor can see some downtown residential intensification much like downtown London is seeing. Residential is key.

[RoseCityFreePress]

Originally Posted by Symz

I'm really hoping at some point Windsor can see some downtown residential intensification much like downtown London is seeing. Residential is key.

very true, When i think of The Barn turning into a mall/market i wonder if there are enough people in the area to make it lucrative enough for big name stores to open. someone who lives in south windsor or FG will probably not drive all the way downtown for shopping, this is where residential development in the core will be badly needed. At a minimum, i think that a new UWindsor/St.Clair downtown res building should be built.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by RoseCityFreePress

very true, When i think of The Barn turning into a mall/market i wonder if there are enough people in the area to make it lucrative enough for big name stores to open. someone who lives in south windsor or FG will probably not drive all the way downtown for shopping, this is where residential development in the core will be badly needed. At a minimum, i think that a new UWindsor/St.Clair downtown res building should be built.

A downtown res for students would be nice. If I'm not mistaken though I think there is a lot of cheap rental units downtown already? Whether or not there's availability is the other question.

The U needs to figure something out in terms of students potentially having classes in both the downtown campuses and the core campus near Wyandotte W. A shuttle service would be nice.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by RoseCityFreePress

very true, When i think of The Barn turning into a mall/market i wonder if there are enough people in the area to make it lucrative enough for big name stores to open. someone who lives in south windsor or FG will probably not drive all the way downtown for shopping, this is where residential development in the core will be badly needed. At a minimum, i think that a new UWindsor/St.Clair downtown res building should be built.

I read that the developers of the barn want to make it a regional attraction that will even draw people from the burbs and county. The wife said she want's to create a unique space that we don't have in Windsor, more on the line of St Lawrence market in Toronto, so I feel that if it is done right, it can bring in people from all over the region.

I agree though that we need new residential in the core to get things going, highrise and new brownstones.

[Blitz]

Something needs to be done about Glengarry, it's a huge cancer to that area and might keep the Barn from succeeding as much as it could. The difference in London is that there aren't really that many low income neighbourhoods around the core in London and there certainly aren't any gigantic housing projects like Glengarry nearby.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by Blitz

Something needs to be done about Glengarry, it's a huge cancer to that area and might keep the Barn from succeeding as much as it could. The difference in London is that there aren't really that many low income neighbourhoods around the core in London and there certainly aren't any gigantic housing projects like Glengarry nearby.

There are a lot of low income families in Windsor though.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Symz

There are a lot of low income families in Windsor though.

I think most of the low income families are located in the centre of the city. Windsor actually has a higher average family income than most cities in the province, and as such could support a high end market in the core, if we could only get them to come to the core and spend some of their money.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by north 42

I think most of the low income families are located in the centre of the city. Windsor actually has a higher average family income than most cities in the province, and as such could support a high end market in the core, if we could only get them to come to the core and spend some of their money.

Right now there is not much desire for the people with money to come into the city and spend when they have a wider selection of stores/boutiques etc on either the fringes of the city or the outskirts of the city (Manning Rd, Walker Rd, etc). There's lots of free parking in these areas as well. No wonder downtown can't compete.

I go downtown all the time and I have high hopes for downtown but downtown has a long way to go. Sometimes I go downtown and think 'things are picking up' and sometimes I go downtown and think 'downtown is still in rough shape with nothing to offer'. I see more people walking around downtown during the day than I did 10 years ago but I still see the same number of empty shops.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Symz

Right now there is not much desire for the people with money to come into the city and spend when they have a wider selection of stores/boutiques etc on either the fringes of the city or the outskirts of the city (Manning Rd, Walker Rd, etc). There's lots of free parking in these areas as well. No wonder downtown can't compete.

I go downtown all the time and I have high hopes for downtown but downtown has a long way to go. Sometimes I go downtown and think 'things are picking up' and sometimes I go downtown and think 'downtown is still in rough shape with nothing to offer'. I see more people walking around downtown during the day than I did 10 years ago but I still see the same number of empty shops.

I feel the same way about downtown progress, at times it seems like it's getting better, and at other times I feel like it's going backwards. The only way the core will be able to compete with the suburbs and outskirts of the city is to offer something completely different to what they offer. I feel that if more bars and restaurants opened up more sidewalk patios that it would create a great vibe and bring in more people and traffic. The burbs can't offer the urban feel that the core can, and I think that is what will initially help kickstart the rebirth of downtown. It works every time there is a festival going on in the summer.

Too bad Festival Epicure is being cancelled this year, it's one of my favourite festivals in the city, and always brought in a nice, upscale crowd.

[Symz]

Do you have any idea of why the Festival Epicure is cancelled this year? That's a bit of a surprise to me!

Combine this with the fact that there is no Windsor air show this year and there's a big dent in summer activities for this area.

[RoseCityFreePress]

it would be great if downtown could get two or three major retail stores to move in. Stores that would normally set up shop in malls. I think that could be a big turning point for retail development in the core.