Winnipeg Construction

[Marc B.]

Originally Posted by Bluenote

It is funny no one in the city ever thinks about the Rail yards in another way.

Look at it like this, we all know you are not going to get a high tax base from it due to the fact poverty in its extreme is on both sides. Making Natives equal??? Hell they get more free bee's then anyone else. For that part I would suggest NO MORE NATIVE STATUS, you are a Canadian and you will be part of society and work just like every other culture does and not live off making babies and welfare. Simple. The days of past when these reserves were made and all this are gone, when a country goes to war and takes over the other, they don't give handouts to the loser. Sorry if that is harsh, but thats life and there is not one living Native person around that lived in those times. It is time to move on. Then people in general would respect Natives a lot more, but by feeding them handouts you will never get respect. And in the end you will get poverty.

Now getting past that, you have an two underpasses on the yards, and two bridges, 3 if you count the sorta freeway. Now people always complain about getting from one end of the city to the other. Take a close look on a map all the way from transcona to centerport, you will see a nice clear path for a actual freeway right across the city, and best of all, the over passes and underpasses are in place. If you bring this into the picture you have a lot of traffic flowing across the entire city ( I would connect it to center port and eventually to Hwy1 via Dugald Rd. Now Housing infill people say, WHY? Why can it not be ligth industrial? This would solve the above part of the poverty equation, you would bring jobs into and area that is now, well just box cars and such. Sure put in some Small apt blocks as large ones in poor neighborhoods tend to get infested fast with the wrong people. And no more Welfare Infill, I have no problem with a Habitat style way of building, that also makes the poor part of the people and city want to keep their homes, or condos clean and neat as they have to pay for them. But when you hand something for free , you can look at your own kids, and see they really do not respect or appreciate it for long.

Also in this mix would be a nice Rapid transit system, right from the Airport and to Transcona ( big dream I know ) Also a lot of green space as green space is a key to a happy neighborhood, Playgrounds for kids etc.

The city needs to think out of the box, not think grand schemes and think what works best. And what most other cities do when they have land stretching across the entire city..

Just my thoughts on this.

Setting aside the inconsistencies, internal contradictions, and incoherence of this post (the railyard should be turned into a freeway, from Transcona, with light industry and apartments for the right kind of people and parks - you know, for the kids - is that right?) and leaving the breathtakingly poor comprehension of local history for someone with far more patience than myself to sort out, do you really think the phrase is "free bee's"? Like - bees at no charge?

What's the etymology of this slang for you? Back in the olden days, pioneer bee keepers would unfairly offer some bees to some folks for free and others at a cost? Is the crux of the complaint that these bees were treated as hand outs yet simultaneously not used to their full potential? Is honey quality part of the consideration? Bees. Of course.

If the railyard could be moved, if CPR was interested, motivated, if the capital was there to support vision, this would be quite the opportunity, or multiple opportunities: a few hundred acres of undeveloped space minutes away from downtown to build into virtually any kind of new community? Urbanists should be all over this.

Nice column TV, especially the way you captured the low density v. high tax burden death cycle we're on. Cool that the Free Press is taking this up. Weird that it's not getting much attention here. Is it just too far in the future? Is there just too much other stuff going on?

[Spocket]

Originally Posted by armorand93

If they go down that route, they should turn the land into multiple man-made hills with an Rapid Transit corridor, at least. Then, we can get skyline pics that are actually somewhat close to Downtown that can show the buildings individually.

Thanks! Obviously, the Rapid Transit was most of my idea

I really like the idea of adding some topography to the city in the form of man-made hills . That's a great idea .

One thing though , and I'm sorry but it's driving me crazy : Please learn how to use the articles "a" and "an" . "An" is only used when followed by a word beginning with a vowel sound . Like "An orange" or "An hour" (it's the sound , not the written letter you're looking at)

Yes , I know what everybody is going to say but it really drives me nuts to see that in all your posts .
Still , I was serious about what a great idea man-made hills would be . You should forward this idea to the city . If they can make retention ponds in new neighbourhoods , I see no reason they can't pile that dirt up somewhere too .

[headhorse]

226 Osborne St North is now 236 Osborne St North. a few bits of info from the JoC:

CONDOMINIUM, OFFICE, COMMERCIAL BUILDING ADDN Proj: 6077712-22
Winnipeg, Division No 11 MB NEGOTIATED/PLANNING
Phase Two, 236 Osborne St N, R3L 1Z6
$10,500,000 est
Start: June, 2013 Complete: June, 2014
Note: Working drawings are expected to begin late 2012/early 2013 pending the owner's decision to proceed. Sub trade tender and construction schedules are undetermined.
The address of the project has changed.
Project: cast-in-place concrete structural frame, proposed addition to an existing building that will include parking spaces, office space, commercial space, and over 30,000 square feet of residential condominium space.
Scope: 65,000 square feet; 10 storeys

from: http://www.journalofcommerce.com/cgi-bin...87efc0&projectid=6077712&region=prairies

and this is the Centrepoint parkade I believe. Ground floor retail but no mention of office or residential towers.

PARKING STRUCTURE, RETAIL Proj: 9133887-9
Winnipeg, Division No 11 MB NEGOTIATED/PLANNING
North Portage Corridor Parkade, Portage Ave, north of the MTS Centre
$20,000,000 est
Note: A development team has been awarded from an Expression Of Interest (EOI) that closed in 2011. Preliminary planning is underway. Schedules for working drawings, sub trade tender and construction are undetermined. Further update early 2013.
Project: proposed construction of an above ground parking structure with 450 stalls. Project will also include approximately 18,000 square feet of retail space on the main level. The project will be complimentary to the area and that will support the Council approved redevelopment strategy for Portage Avenue. The location is bounded by Ellice Avenue, Donald Street, Hargrave Street and Portage Avenue. The garage will be co-owned by the City of Winnipeg.
Scope: 40,000 square feet; 5 storeys; 450 units

from: http://www.journalofcommerce.com/cgi-bin...c288ae&projectid=9133887&region=prairies

[Biff]

^^^ the CentrePoint parkade should start in Oct or Nov and is much bigger than 40,000 sq ft.

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by Spocket

If they can make retention ponds in new neighbourhoods , I see no reason they can't pile that dirt up somewhere too .

They do pile the dirt somewhere - it's generally used to grade the lots in the vicinity.

[headhorse]

Originally Posted by Biff

^^^ the CentrePoint parkade should start in Oct or Nov and is much bigger than 40,000 sq ft.

thanks. any other details?

[vid]

Am I the only person that gets really pissed off by the appearance of that Money Mart/Bargain Store building beside the MTS Centre?



I don't like demolitions but we need to end its suffering.

[thurmas]

no i hate it too but that's what happens when a majority in your downtown most of the time are vagrants.

[Chadillaccc]

You should see 7th avenue (the Ctrain street) in downtown Calgary! It's all money marts and rundown buildings once you pass 4th street!

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

You should see 7th avenue (the Ctrain street) in downtown Calgary! It's all money marts and rundown buildings once you pass 4th street!

Oh god, I remember that street!!!

[OmarVP]

I get off the bus from work at MTS Centre everyday, that bargain shop does not bothers me at all, is barely noticeable, windows are normal size, small signs, Dollarama on the other hand!! what a horrible combination of ugly.

[vid]

I was talking about the architecture of the building in general, not the store fronts on the ground floor. The entire thing is just hideous.

[roccerfeller]

Originally Posted by Marc B.

Setting aside the inconsistencies, internal contradictions, and incoherence of this post (the railyard should be turned into a freeway, from Transcona, with light industry and apartments for the right kind of people and parks - you know, for the kids - is that right?) and leaving the breathtakingly poor comprehension of local history for someone with far more patience than myself to sort out, do you really think the phrase is "free bee's"? Like - bees at no charge?

What's the etymology of this slang for you? Back in the olden days, pioneer bee keepers would unfairly offer some bees to some folks for free and others at a cost? Is the crux of the complaint that these bees were treated as hand outs yet simultaneously not used to their full potential? Is honey quality part of the consideration? Bees. Of course.

If the railyard could be moved, if CPR was interested, motivated, if the capital was there to support vision, this would be quite the opportunity, or multiple opportunities: a few hundred acres of undeveloped space minutes away from downtown to build into virtually any kind of new community? Urbanists should be all over this.

Nice column TV, especially the way you captured the low density v. high tax burden death cycle we're on. Cool that the Free Press is taking this up. Weird that it's not getting much attention here. Is it just too far in the future? Is there just too much other stuff going on?

Yeah I thought his article was excellent as well. I think the ideas are stimulating and forward thinking but it's just not realistic yet - not because the idea itself isn't, but because there is no indication of a collective, concerted effort from city council

I think it's a fabulous idea, to move the yards somewhere like centre port and free up some prime urban space

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by vid

I was talking about the architecture of the building in general, not the store fronts on the ground floor. The entire thing is just hideous.

You are not tearing down the Somerset Building! It is a heritage building over 100 years old and looks quite nice in my opinion.

[Chadillaccc]

I love the building, I (as I'm sure everyone else who read your original post) thought that you were just talking about the crappy storefronts.

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by Andy6

You are not tearing down the Somerset Building! It is a heritage building over 100 years old and looks quite nice in my opinion.

THOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!

The building fills up a good area of Downtown Winnipeg, along with it looking pretty nice. The Bargain Shop has been where my familys shopped since the late 1990s (when the area WAS shitty), and although they have no more PC games, they still have clothes, electronics and a few other goodies. Did I mention food and groceries?

[Biff]

I don't mind the Somerset Building either. It is a big filler downtown and quite a nice building....old too.

[cllew]

Looks like Sandy Shindleman and Shindico are again listing city land that has not yet been declared by the city to be for sale. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2012/08/22/mb-grovesnor-fire-hall-shindico-lease.html

Last time was in 2009 when they prematurely listed the Winnipeg Square Parking lot for sale.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by vid

I was talking about the architecture of the building in general, not the store fronts on the ground floor. The entire thing is just hideous.

put it out of its misery? what? thats how it was designed to look and prolly could handle another adition yes its had floors added to it and its suppost to look like that it could use a wash and is nearing its 25yr maintinace cycle

[Kris22]

The MoneyMart/Bargain Shop/Dollarama combo on portage is unfortunate but it'll likely be a few years before we see things like that disappear. With the investments happening around the MTS center and the developments in the Exchange and The Forks, I really wish the city would focus on using Portage avenue as a major connection route for foot traffic and tourists. Nice lighting and maybe some regulations on which types of stores can directly face Portage. And of course having P&M pedestrian friendly would help the continuity. I personally prefer walking up Graham when crossing downtown. It has a better vibe and less trash.