Winnipeg Construction

[rypinion]

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

How sad that there is nothing going on in terms of construction...

Are you referring to Winnipeg?

[Prairieboy]

Twofold: insofar as discussions here seem to have detracted from construction, and the lack of quality developments in the city. I left Winnipeg for several reasons, so I will be sensitive to those here who are easily offended by criticism of Winnipeg.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

How sad that there is nothing going on in terms of construction...

Is anyone else annoyed with Graham Ave? There is so much potential for this stretch. Any proposals out there?

There is tons of construction going on in Winnipeg. However you have to understand that it is also the summer and announcements regarding new projects do not usually get released at this time. By fall we should be hearing about the Convention Centre expansion as well as the MPI parking lot development projects.

As for Graham Ave... the MPI development project and the new police offices will add some life into that area.

The Hydro Building and Rudy's new patio has also done wonders for Graham Ave as well.

[headhorse]

What projects do you feel lack quality, Prairieboy? Some of the buildings recently completed (Richardson College for the Environment, new airport, Qualico family centre, Buhler Centre, ARTlab) are great, quality buildings. Residential has been a bit more hit and miss (although even some of Greenseed's with questionable exteriors have really interesting interiors) but I don't really think we're lacking quality developments. Obviously, MORE developments would be great, but it's summer time and there is lots coming our way in Fall.

[headhorse]

Speaking of that, I received a message from Sandhu yesterday saying brochures and legal documents will be ready by mid-September for their Assiniboine project.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

Twofold: insofar as discussions here seem to have detracted from construction, and the lack of quality developments in the city. I left Winnipeg for several reasons, so I will be sensitive to those here who are easily offended by criticism of Winnipeg.

You went from Winnipeg to Grande Prairie and you are worried about offending people with your opinion?



Not enough jacked up 4x4s and cocaine addicted rig pigs in Winnipeg for you?

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by h0twired

you went from winnipeg to grande prairie and you are worried about offending people with your opinion?



Not enough jacked up 4x4s and cocaine addicted rig pigs in winnipeg for you?

bazinga!

[Prairieboy]

LOL, don't get me started on GP...yeuch! It is temporary. In March, we are heading to, well, who knows. Looking at some US cities, but perhaps Edmonton or Calgary.

Ideally, for Winnipeg, I would like to see developers think big; unfortunately, that will probably not happen in our lifetime. As a concession, I would accept at least a few of the proposals or towers u/c in Edmonton or Calgary. Some of you rejoice over a 6 storey building, but alas, I cannot. Edmonton and Calgary are building condo towers within its CBD, but Winnipeg, well...anyway.

The city and province do not have the proverbial sack to get serious about the nasty surface lots that dominate the downtown, despite talking about it, and talking about it, and, well, you get the picture.

I suppose for many of you, small-scale projects keep you titulated because you have never lived in neighborhoods with real urban flare. The mantra in Winnipeg is slow is acceptable.

Is it so out of the realm of possibility that downtown Winnipeg could see any of the following built?

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=195064

Notwithstanding the downtown, the West End has seen no true urban infills. Homes are being renovated at a snail's pace, it is a dreary neighborhood with no sparkle. In most cities, the area around its primary medical centre (in our case HSC) consists of higher end real estate where professors, doctors and other professionals live and play. Wolseley, too, has very little in the way of new infills. A highrise seems out of reach in the "village" as well. Similar neighborhoods in other cities are achieving what we cannot. Why? Why must we accept mediocrity? St. Boniface (mainly Provencher) continues to struggle to attract the mix of residential and commercial enterprises sought, the North End remains a war zone, a stunning apartment tower proposed for Main Street was tossed aside for some ridiculous park, Heritage Landing (which BTW is atrocious in design) delayed again, Dubrovnik will probably not happen, the lovely infill Jane on Portage: dead. Other cities have rid their downtowns of places like the McLaren and St. Regis, and while the province is looking at buying these places, they have caused a lot of harm to our image, attracting the scum of the earth. Main Street is a nightmare, with the WRHA as the best example. It is a misfits paradise, attracting the mentally ill, intoxicated, social outcasts...

Anyway, I do not want to offend anyone, but until this city gets its proverbial shit together, and starts acting like a big city, Regina and Saskatoon will make us look pretty bad in the future.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

LOL, don't get me started on GP...yeuch! It is temporary. In March, we are heading to, well, who knows. Looking at some US cities, but perhaps Edmonton or Calgary.

Ideally, for Winnipeg, I would like to see developers think big; unfortunately, that will probably not happen in our lifetime. As a concession, I would accept at least a few of the proposals or towers u/c in Edmonton or Calgary. Some of you rejoice over a 6 storey building, but alas, I cannot. Edmonton and Calgary are building condo towers within its CBD, but Winnipeg, well...anyway.

I am assuming you are pretty young. If I had to guess I would say somewhere in the 21-25 range.

I left Winnipeg for Calgary in 2001 and returned in 2009. I witnessed Calgary though the heart of the 2005-2006 boom where buildings were popping up everywhere and house prices were going up by the thousands each week. I got to wander around areas like Sunnyside and Mount Royal staring at in-fills that I would never be able to afford. As a result of me not making over $200k/year I lived in the suburbs and had a 45 minute transit commute to work everyday.

Sure it was nice scenery and fun to brag about the city successes for a while.

However I also got to see the collapse on Enron and what it did to the O&G industry, then there was the crash of 2008 followed by the fall of natural gas prices as a result of shale deposits. Needless to say I had no interest sweating through another economic valley and came back to Winnipeg. I am glad I left, since my wife and I moved to Winnipeg the company she formerly worked for shut down and laid of over 200 employees and the one I left forced 3000+ employees to take a 10% pay cut and have no idea how they will pay the bills next year as natural gas prices are still in the toilet.

You can have your cookie cutter high rises, Mercedes dealerships and freeway interchanges. I prefer a city with stability, soul, culture and affordable mature urban communities.

[roccerfeller]

Originally Posted by chrisallard5454

That really is too bad. Those are cheaper than a small bungalow in Ontario. Too bad I don't have the cash lying around, I would love to invest in that. I would fix it up myself and rent or sell as apartments or condos.

It's not quite that simple

To be honest, I wouldn't invest in those two properties as is right now. I've heard they need a lot of work done.

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

How sad that there is nothing going on in terms of construction...

Is anyone else annoyed with Graham Ave? There is so much potential for this stretch. Any proposals out there?

There is a fair bit of construction in the city, perhaps not as much as Grand Prairie though

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

Twofold: insofar as discussions here seem to have detracted from construction, and the lack of quality developments in the city. I left Winnipeg for several reasons, so I will be sensitive to those here who are easily offended by criticism of Winnipeg.

Wait, what?

I think, coming in to say what you asked, the way you asked, then following up after only one post with this is sort of borderline trolling..its like you are being defensive with no reason to be defensive yet

You could have just asked "whats new in the development front"

or looked at the first page

[Biff]

Prairieboy - The high-rise buildings will be coming - i can think of at least 3 or maybe 4 (not including Heritage Landing) that have a good shot at possible starting next year that are over 20 stories for downtown....they are coming.

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

Is it so out of the realm of possibility that downtown Winnipeg could see any of the following built?

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=195064

When Winnipeg gains another 450,000 people we will be having projects like that regularly. Remember Edmonton is about 1.2 million people to Winnipeg's 750 k.

[inlp89]

Hey guys Its My first post on here.

@Prairieboy You probably know that a city development and the size of projects reflect that regions economy, population and demand for such projects. With AB oil industry MB simply cannot compete nor are we trying to. You left WPG and now turn around and try and start a dick measuring contest that no one on this board want to be apart of then say "i don't mean to offend anyone"... let me try your tactics... I don't mean to offend you but most people i know that moved to Grand Prairie couldn’t hack it anywhere else.

[roccerfeller]

Originally Posted by h0twired

I am assuming you are pretty young. If I had to guess I would say somewhere in the 21-25 range.

I left Winnipeg for Calgary in 2001 and returned in 2009. I witnessed Calgary though the heart of the 2005-2006 boom where buildings were popping up everywhere and house prices were going up by the thousands each week. I got to wander around areas like Sunnyside and Mount Royal staring at in-fills that I would never be able to afford. As a result of me not making over $200k/year I lived in the suburbs and had a 45 minute transit commute to work everyday.

Sure it was nice scenery and fun to brag about the city successes for a while.

However I also got to see the collapse on Enron and what it did to the O&G industry, then there was the crash of 2008 followed by the fall of natural gas prices as a result of shale deposits. Needless to say I had no interest sweating through another economic valley and came back to Winnipeg. I am glad I left, since my wife and I moved to Winnipeg the company she formerly worked for shut down and laid of over 200 employees and the one I left forced 3000+ employees to take a 10% pay cut and have no idea how they will pay the bills next year as natural gas prices are still in the toilet.

You can have your cookie cutter high rises, Mercedes dealerships and freeway interchanges. I prefer a city with stability, soul, culture and affordable mature urban communities.

You sure about that hotwired? I thought Winnipeg lacked urban flare


In all reality prairieboy, the length of your third post here is sort of telling.

nice to see you have beef with the city, but you're in Grand Prairie man. Thinking of Edmonton or Calgary, good for you. American cities, good for you.

But I hate to tell you, Calgary & Edmonton while bustling cities are still "on par" with Winnipeg. I also live in Calgary, when not in Winnipeg, and if the American cities you're looking at are named "Boston" or "New York City", or "San Francisco" then you have won yourself an argument, and I fear Winnipeg would never match such urban flare

But if you're comparing Calgary as a city with better "urban flare" than Winnipeg, then its a matter of perception. As hotwired nicely put it: high rises, young communities with tons of freeway interchanges and all that jazz are nice, but Winnipeg is a different beast. Old grungy urban areas, soul filled neighbourhoods, arts & culture on a level Calgary might not ever even match...I think its a matter of perception, and personal preferences.

So good on you, if thats the choice you make.

Just be a little more distinct about your thoughts before you come in and start posting a bunch. Its not "here's what I think subjectively and with some tunnel vision, too bad if you sensitive Winnipeggers can't accept these apparent subjective 'truths'.." if you simply went about your posts better. I'm not the only poster who picked up on this, no one is trying to flame you, but its not very classy to just come in and posture form that position like that.

I mean, in three posts, its pretty evident you have some other beef. Shows you care about the city too, which is good. I think everyone wants to see Winnipeg progress even more. But its going at the pace its going, and its actually booming better than it has been in over 2 decades. In some ways, the current trajectory might be its best since the 60s.

[h0twired]

Lets address some of these issues one at a time.

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

Notwithstanding the downtown, the West End has seen no true urban infills. Homes are being renovated at a snail's pace, it is a dreary neighborhood with no sparkle. In most cities, the area around its primary medical centre (in our case HSC) consists of higher end real estate where professors, doctors and other professionals live and play.

This comes down to market demand. Houses will be renovated and areas will gentrify as the demand increases. HSC is in a terrible spot. No question about it. To the north is Canadas largest urban rail yard and to the south is a poorer neighbourhood. Not exactly easy to attract doctors to live here yet. Additionally the HSC owns a LARGE portion of the land around the hospital for campus growth. So much of the land will probably never see residential development after the houses come down anyway. That said. The new HSC hotel and Women's Hospital are going to look fantastic as well as the other buildings coming up on the HSC campus.

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

Wolseley, too, has very little in the way of new infills. A highrise seems out of reach in the "village" as well. Similar neighborhoods in other cities are achieving what we cannot. Why? Why must we accept mediocrity?

Wolseley is doing well. Houses are being occupied and renovated by a number of people. I really don't see why this area is considered a problem. Most of the nicer homes in the area are sold for well over $300k and the houses that need work are being bought by younger people who are putting work into them.

The Osborne Village does not need a highrise. The OZ project and the Church of Christ project are well suited for the area and I have yet to be in the village when there aren't any people wandering around. Additionally the houses that used to be multi unit rental houses seem to be getting upgraded throughout the area.

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

St. Boniface (mainly Provencher) continues to struggle to attract the mix of residential and commercial enterprises sought

St. B has its own issues with land owners and a french "mafia" that tend to control a number of the properties on Provencher that is really slowing development. That said the Point Hebert area is seeing nice additions with the Verve projects as well the potential for a ton of other development. From what I know there are still a few homes in the area that need to be acquired before you really will start to see change in that area.

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

the North End remains a war zone

It will for a while. Eventually gentrification will move into that area too. Ten years ago we thought the same thing about West Broadway and now it is one of the fastest growing urban communities and is even seeing $500-600k being marketed as well as other condos on Sherbrook.

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

a stunning apartment tower proposed for Main Street was tossed aside for some ridiculous park, Heritage Landing (which BTW is atrocious in design) delayed again

100 Main St was an unfortunate loss. No one will disagree with you here. However Heritage Landing will rise eventually. At least it isn't a half built skeleton sitting in the skyline.

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

Dubrovnik will probably not happen, the lovely infill Jane on Portage: dead.

Both of these projects were pretty pie-in-the-sky to begin with.

Dubrovnik has a pretty challenging footprint to work with and Jane would replace a beautiful old building with another Ray Wan abortion. No thanks.

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

Other cities have rid their downtowns of places like the McLaren and St. Regis, and while the province is looking at buying these places, they have caused a lot of harm to our image, attracting the scum of the earth.

We are getting there. Ten years ago we still had the Occidental and the Bell Hotels. The Garrick Hotel is now gone now that they lost their liquor license. The Winnipeg Hotel will soon follow. The Woodbine (oddly enough) is almost turning into a hipster hangout and that really only leaves the McLaren (with its popular sushi joint on the main level) and The Manwin. The McLaren has been pretty quiet lately and we can only hope that the Manwin just burns to the ground one day.

Originally Posted by Prairieboy

Main Street is a nightmare, with the WRHA as the best example.

While I am no fan of the number of government and social agencies on Main St (between Higgins and Alexander) one must also step back and recognize that the addition of the WRHA, YFC and United Way buildings have added 600-700 office workers on a stretch of Main St that has allowed restaurants and shops in the nearby Exchange to do much better lately.

It is easy to nitpick a handful of things and lose all hope, but some of us would rather take a glass-half-full and methodical and steady approach to growth and change.

[lilwayne]

complaining about lack of development in peg isnt even a valid complaint... and theres a lot of state of the art type projects that the city is working on

alt hotel will be a nice addition that will prolly include 3 highrises by itself and mpi lots and convention center have very strong chance of including 20 plus story high rises

u have the 12 story hotel that lakeview will make on their property next to convention center

u have herritedge landing and sandhu dubrovink development

thats 8 potential highrises dt right there???????????

whats this prairie boy talking about????

[chrisallard5454]

Originally Posted by lilwayne

complaining about lack of development in peg isnt even a valid complaint... and theres a lot of state of the art type projects that the city is working on

alt hotel will be a nice addition that will prolly include 3 highrises by itself and mpi lots and convention center have very strong chance of including 20 plus story high rises

u have the 12 story hotel that lakeview will make on their property next to convention center

u have herritedge landing and sandhu dubrovink development

thats 8 potential highrises dt right there???????????

whats this prairie boy talking about????

Do we even have to include the world class museum being built at the Forks? That project alone should be enough to satisfy any urban junky. And let's not forget that Winnipeg is getting a brand new 33 000 seat stadium.

To put it into perspective for you Prairie Boy, Winnipeg went almost 17 years without a highrise being built anywhere within its borders to having 10+ being built in a matter of 5 years. I think that is a pretty good indication that things are moving on up in the city.

[lilwayne]

Originally Posted by chrisallard5454

Do we even have to include the world class museum being built at the Forks? That project alone should be enough to satisfy any urban junky. And let's not forget that Winnipeg is getting a brand new 33 000 seat stadium.

To put it into perspective for you Prairie Boy, Winnipeg went almost 17 years without a highrise being built anywhere within its borders to having 10+ being built in a matter of 5 years. I think that is a pretty good indication that things are moving on up in the city.

we never even included the art gallery addition which will be about 5 storys,, the hsc canad inn which is almost completed... the canad inn mcphillips st station another 18 storys

and who knows what else proposals r out there

i think theres an 18 story plus planned for seasons of tuxedo too

[Prairieboy]

Originally Posted by Biff

Prairieboy - The high-rise buildings will be coming - i can think of at least 3 or maybe 4 (not including Heritage Landing) that have a good shot at possible starting next year that are over 20 stories for downtown....they are coming.



When Winnipeg gains another 450,000 people we will be having projects like that regularly. Remember Edmonton is about 1.2 million people to Winnipeg's 750 k.

Yes, BUT, if you read what I posted, I expect at least a few of what Edmonton is seeing proposed or u/c, not ALL.

[Prairieboy]

Originally Posted by chrisallard5454

Do we even have to include the world class museum being built at the Forks? That project alone should be enough to satisfy any urban junky. And let's not forget that Winnipeg is getting a brand new 33 000 seat stadium.

To put it into perspective for you Prairie Boy, Winnipeg went almost 17 years without a highrise being built anywhere within its borders to having 10+ being built in a matter of 5 years. I think that is a pretty good indication that things are moving on up in the city.

The Human Rights Museum is indeed a wondrous edifice. However, I see very little in terms of spin off developments. How long should I wait before I see new shops and cafes on Provencher? When will we see the gravel lot adjacent developed? 20 years? Again, there is no vigor in the city to transform it; rather, we are content on bread crumbs...

[Prairieboy]

Originally Posted by lilwayne

complaining about lack of development in peg isnt even a valid complaint... and theres a lot of state of the art type projects that the city is working on

alt hotel will be a nice addition that will prolly include 3 highrises by itself and mpi lots and convention center have very strong chance of including 20 plus story high rises

u have the 12 story hotel that lakeview will make on their property next to convention center

u have herritedge landing and sandhu dubrovink development

thats 8 potential highrises dt right there???????????

whats this prairie boy talking about????

Heritage Landing is delayed, Dubrovnik is in limbo, Lakeview is a joke of a company, with no credibility, Alt will be a great addition yes, why have we not seen any renderings for the MPI development? It is always hush hush in Winnipeg. Developers in other cities, serious developers, have plans drawn up and released. Where are the renderings for the MPI development, Convention Centre?