Winnipeg Construction

[Wigglez]

Originally Posted by red_179

Different from the MPI lots. Fortress bought a parcel of land downtown with plans to build two condo towers. The site of the development has not been revealed yet, but the announcement came shortly after Centreventure's announcement about the St. Regis Hotel which has led some to believe that the development will be on the parking lots on Graham Avenue, beside the St. Regis Hotel.

Thanks!! I had assumed it was different than the MPI development but just wanted to make sure.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Further in the same tweet, they say they're not talking about Winnipeg. That announcement in April. Which is in line with the Q2 time frame they gave recently.

Nice to see my question and answer being credited.

That said, I find the Fortress Twitter people tend to respond to simple questions.

As for the location, with the Globe and Mail placing the development within one block of the arena, and the previous information that it is outside the SHED the possibilities are definitely really narrowed down. Other than the St Regis lots the other possibilities may be the surface parking lot on Graham and Kennedy just north of the Medical Arts building or the surface parking lot at Donald and Ellice. The Donald and Ellice parking lot seems like a huge long shot though as if it was available I am sure it would already be part of the CentrePoint development.

[headhorse]

some comments re: longboat proposal for Graham

Downtown buildings are more than the opposite of parking lots
http://www.spectatortribune.com/article/...-more-than-the-opposite-of-parking-lots/

[theruler462]

^^^^

"Moreover, the land’s owner, Manitoba Public Insurance, turned down credible proposals for residential buildings on the site (these ones are going to be office buildings for provincial Crown corporations)." Robert Galston

This is the second time I recall reading that the So/Po project will house the new MLCC/MLC entity. Has this ever been officially announced? The Freep article by Murray Mcneill (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/more-big-ideas-for-downtown-197266281.html) that unveiled the So/Po project states:

He and Stephanson said preliminary discussions are underway with two potential anchor office tenants and several prospective restaurant tenants. "These are newly formed or new to Winnipeg operations," Stephanson said the two potential office anchors. "This is not us taking tenants away from existing buildings".

Can anyone actually confirm that the new Crown Corp will be the anchor tenant??

[rypinion]

Originally Posted by headhorse

some comments re: longboat proposal for Graham

Downtown buildings are more than the opposite of parking lots
http://www.spectatortribune.com/article/...-more-than-the-opposite-of-parking-lots/

rgalston says what new buildings should be (four items), and he says some negative things about the new development. But I find it's not terribly clear about where he feels the new development fails the four things.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by headhorse

some comments re: longboat proposal for Graham

Downtown buildings are more than the opposite of parking lots
http://www.spectatortribune.com/article/...-more-than-the-opposite-of-parking-lots/

While I agree to an extent.

The problem is that currently in Winnipeg is that there is already quite a bit of space available to small businesses throughout downtown and the Exchange that is vacant. Include the incredible amount of residential development in various states of progress and I find it hard to believe that the market needs yet even more small retail/commercial spaces and residential units.

I really can't say that now is the time to complain over a space being developed primarily as office buildings.

[headhorse]

Originally Posted by theruler462

^^^^

"Moreover, the land’s owner, Manitoba Public Insurance, turned down credible proposals for residential buildings on the site (these ones are going to be office buildings for provincial Crown corporations)." Robert Galston

This is the second time I recall reading that the So/Po project will house the new MLCC/MLC entity. Has this ever been officially announced? The Freep article by Murray Mcneill (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/more-big-ideas-for-downtown-197266281.html) that unveiled the So/Po project states:

He and Stephanson said preliminary discussions are underway with two potential anchor office tenants and several prospective restaurant tenants. "These are newly formed or new to Winnipeg operations," Stephanson said the two potential office anchors. "This is not us taking tenants away from existing buildings".

Can anyone actually confirm that the new Crown Corp will be the anchor tenant??

yeah, I mean it would make sense, but I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere... "newly formed" definitely sounds like MLCC/MLC.

[headhorse]

Originally Posted by rypinion

rgalston says what new buildings should be (four items), and he says some negative things about the new development. But I find it's not terribly clear about where he feels the new development fails the four things.

i'm not sure if the article is a critique of the SoPo development but rather a useful starting point for talking about what our downtown should look like. we've discussed a lot of the same things on here as well.

[headhorse]

Originally Posted by h0twired

While I agree to an extent.

The problem is that currently in Winnipeg is that there is already quite a bit of space available to small businesses throughout downtown and the Exchange that is vacant. Include the incredible amount of residential development in various states of progress and I find it hard to believe that the market needs yet even more small retail/commercial spaces and residential units.

I really can't say that now is the time to complain over a space being developed primarily as office buildings.

I think, at least in the Exchange's case, the commercial rents are a little bit ahead of where the neighbourhood is. outside of a few places on Graham, there is not a lot of street level retail in the South Portage neighbourhood or even any buildings that have good street interaction. too many lobby entrances, parkades, blank walls, parking lots, etc. I still can't believe the parkade next to Lobby on York doesn't have a retail space or two..

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by theruler462

This is the second time I recall reading that the So/Po project will house the new MLCC/MLC entity. Has this ever been officially announced? The Freep article by Murray Mcneill (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/more-big-ideas-for-downtown-197266281.html) that unveiled the So/Po project states:

He and Stephanson said preliminary discussions are underway with two potential anchor office tenants and several prospective restaurant tenants. "These are newly formed or new to Winnipeg operations," Stephanson said the two potential office anchors. "This is not us taking tenants away from existing buildings".

The "new to Winnipeg" refence got me thinking about what organization could match that description and it would seem to suggest the local World Trade Office.

The Globe and Mail article mentioned eariler regarding the Fortress development stated that Longboat received proposals for the CentrePoint resturant from four national chains, I wonder if the three unsucessful proposals have been pitched SoPo and/or the Glass House podium space?

Also, I have not seen anyone comment yet on my observation that there have be issues in general with LED signs and to a lesser extent noise in downtown Winnipeg. The SoPo information released so far suggests a LED display directly across from the RWB student residency. Has this already been dealt with behind closed doors to keep True North happy or is there an unspoken power-keg which might explode once more details about the development come out?

[Biff]

I did like this model of a filled out downtown Winnipeg from the article.

[trueviking]

great article by Rob.

was sending that skyline shot through e-mail and for some reason it squished the image.....if only we could do this to the real downtown....

[Biff]

Neat, what is the floor area ratio of some of those towers? Pretty skinny.

[rypinion]

Originally Posted by Biff

Neat, what is the floor area ratio of some of those towers? Pretty skinny.

Well, looks like the image was (accidentally) made 9% as wide, but the same height.

So... Richardson Building currently is 16,166 sq ft per floor (from what I can find), so the Richardson Building in our squished world would have 1509 sq foot floorplate.

Those eight elevators might not fit so well anymore

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by headhorse

I think, at least in the Exchange's case, the commercial rents are a little bit ahead of where the neighbourhood is. outside of a few places on Graham, there is not a lot of street level retail in the South Portage neighbourhood or even any buildings that have good street interaction. too many lobby entrances, parkades, blank walls, parking lots, etc. I still can't believe the parkade next to Lobby on York doesn't have a retail space or two..

If you think the rent prices in the Exchange are too high... then the case for small retail spaces in a newly constructed downtown building will be even worse. Unless of course you are okay with a couple more Starbucks, Subway and Tim Horton's locations.

I would agree that street level retail goes a LONG way for walkability and the overall feel of a neighbourhood, but unless independent retailers and restauranteurs are willing to pay considerably more you really can't make a case for developers to put it into their new builds. The litmus test for this really shows itself in the retail spaces under the Ryan Block parkade.

This puts the city into a bit of a predicament. Construction costs are too high and small business owners are too cheap. Where does the balance or tipping point exist to allow for this type of development to flourish?

[rypinion]

Originally Posted by h0twired

This puts the city into a bit of a predicament. Construction costs are too high and small business owners are too cheap. Where does the balance or tipping point exist to allow for this type of development to flourish?

Perhaps tax policy could fill in the gap? I assume that would be a polarizing strategy.

I'm very curious in how the retail/commercial goes in Sky 2. Sky 1 seems to be full now (one architect, one unknown - I have a feeling it is a sports agent or something but could be way off, the third one has its interior under construction). I really doubt that's what the developers were envisioning when they put those retail spots in the building.

On that note, anyone know what FWS has planned for once their current projects are done? Downtown (from what I'm aware of) they are working on the Shark Club, Sky 2, and the boutique hotel. You'd think they'd have something in the works for after those are done, as they are all finishing up.

[ctochico]

Originally Posted by rypinion

Perhaps tax policy could fill in the gap? I assume that would be a polarizing strategy.

I'm very curious in how the retail/commercial goes in Sky 2. Sky 1 seems to be full now (one architect, one unknown - I have a feeling it is a sports agent or something but could be way off, the third one has its interior under construction). I really doubt that's what the developers were envisioning when they put those retail spots in the building.

On that note, anyone know what FWS has planned for once their current projects are done? Downtown (from what I'm aware of) they are working on the Shark Club, Sky 2, and the boutique hotel. You'd think they'd have something in the works for after those are done, as they are all finishing up.

I inquired about commercial spaces in sky to the realtor, and i think he said that they were lookin to sell them instead of lease? but then he said, theres an option to lease to own...but im not sure anymore on how those are working...this was back in aug. last yr

[rypinion]

Originally Posted by ctochico

I inquired about commercial spaces in sky to the realtor, and i think he said that they were lookin to sell them instead of lease? but then he said, theres an option to lease to own...but im not sure anymore on how those are working...this was back in aug. last yr

Ya, from what I've understood the commercial units in both Sky phases are condos just like the residential units.

[calder]

Originally Posted by trueviking

great article by Rob.

was sending that skyline shot through e-mail and for some reason it squished the image.....if only we could do this to the real downtown....

LOL, yeah I live in the 90th floor of one of those buildings you can't quite see

That would be like living in Dubai, reminds me of that crazy photo from the 128th floor of the Burj Khalifa. I wonder how long it would take to get used to that view, I'd probably find it a bit frightening for a bit and I'm not afraid of heights normally.

[Riverman]

Cool pic. Kind of like this one.




http://www.petapixel.com/2013/03/19/the-...op-of-the-tallest-building-in-the-world/