Winnipeg Construction

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by h0twired

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?

I'm a big fan of flex space. Rather than forcing developers to build at grade retail units when the demand isn't there, encourage them to build main floor residential that meets all code for retail/restaurant (in terms of ceiling heights, access, fire code, etc.), so that when the demand is there, it can easily be sold/converted.

[rgalston]

Originally Posted by Bdog

I'm a big fan of flex space. Rather than forcing developers to build at grade retail units when the demand isn't there, encourage them to build main floor residential that meets all code for retail/restaurant (in terms of ceiling heights, access, fire code, etc.), so that when the demand is there, it can easily be sold/converted.

Yeah, that's an excellent idea, and I think that would be ideal for developments on lower-traffic streets (ie, Waterfront Drive, or streets like Hargrave or Carlton). Not sure if developers would go for that, but it would probably be better than building (and leasing for) commercial space and having it sit vacant for years? And there's nothing wrong with some developments downtown not being mixed use, provided they still have some good interaction with the street.

Anyway, the excitement around the So/Po development was mainly an example of how we can let the loss of a big embarrassing parking lot get in the way of making sure we care about what kind of building replaces it. I've only seen the one rendering of So/Po, so I can't really make a full indictment of that development in particular, but I did mention a couple of things: (1) It looks like dull, vintage 1960s tower-and-plaza urban renewal, based on that rendering (How many more plazas does this part of downtown need?); (2) MPI (who owns the land) turned down at least one credible proposal for condos as part of the development; and (3) it will be crown corporation offices.

(2) was something that a credible source told me, and (3) is, admittedly, based on rumour/my gut feeling. I'd loved to be proven wrong on that, though.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by rgalston

(2) MPI (who owns the land) turned down at least one credible proposal for condos as part of the development

While condos are nice, the likelihood that a condo development would sell well right now is pretty low.

The downtown Winnipeg market seems pretty saturated with respect to condos right now.

Additionally, government owned leased land isn't really the best place to build a condo development and could also negatively affect sales.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by h0twired

While condos are nice, the likelihood that a condo development would sell well right now is pretty low.

The downtown Winnipeg market seems pretty saturated with respect to condos right now.

Additionally, government owned leased land isn't really the best place to build a condo development and could also negatively affect sales.

That and there is a proposal just two blocks away for potentially 250 to 500 condo units with the Fortress project.......and Longboat mentioned that the other phase of the MPI project on Donald will likely contain residential.............and.....and Longboat is currently building a condo building a block away in the Centrepoint Development. So i think they better than anyone know the temperature of the downtown condo market, much more so that a bunch of posters on a internet forum claiming that every project should have a residential component.

[Jeff]

love seeing that bright red tower crane up now for heritage landing. it features prominently in the skyline from the Donald and main street bridges! can't wait to watch it rise throughout the summer.

[Spocket]

Originally Posted by h0twired

While condos are nice, the likelihood that a condo development would sell well right now is pretty low.

The downtown Winnipeg market seems pretty saturated with respect to condos right now.

Additionally, government owned leased land isn't really the best place to build a condo development and could also negatively affect sales.

The condo market isn't saturated no matter how things may look.
Don't forget that the boomers are getting older and they're moving out of their single-family homes for easier-to-maintain facilities. If you start a large project today , it won't finish for at least two years and while smaller projects will indeed absorb a lot of the demand , the large ones have that much more time to fill.

Also , as time goes by , the idea of living in a downtown condo is becoming more and more attractive to people in general.

A hundred tower cranes would certainly be a market killer but even two or three a year could be absorbed pretty easily I would think.

[1ajs]

healthy growth the winnipeg advantage

[1ajs]

ALT


370 donald

[Only The Lonely..]

What is it with this city's sick obsession with traffic lights?

I noticed a new set of light standards going up East Bound Portage Ave. at Route 90.

There's not even an intersecting street.

Some Food for thought..

MY grandfather who is currently pushing 90 was talking to me over dinner about downtown circa the 1950s..He said back then there were only TWO traffic lights on Portage Avenue between Main and Memorial. One at Portage & Main and the other in front of Eaton's.

There wasn't another light until Sherbrook.

How did we ever wind up with this hodgepodge of unsequenced lights at every intersection?

[1ajs]

that ones you speak of on portage are for the new fire hall

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by Only The Lonely..

What is it with this city's sick obsession with traffic lights?

I noticed a new set of light standards going up East Bound Portage Ave. at Route 90.

There's not even an intersecting street.

Some Food for thought..

MY grandfather who is currently pushing 90 was talking to me over dinner about downtown circa the 1950s..He said back then there were only TWO traffic lights on Portage Avenue between Main and Memorial. One at Portage & Main and the other in front of Eaton's.

There wasn't another light until Sherbrook.

How did we ever wind up with this hodgepodge of unsequenced lights at every intersection?

new one on Portage is for fire hall and will only be activated when firemen are going grocery shopping, errr I mean going to save a cat from a tree.

[wags_in_the_peg]

the 2 lights that drive me crazy that are purely for pedestrians and should be replaced with above ground walkways are (1) just east of UofW science building (2) polo park in front of a&w

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

the 2 lights that drive me crazy that are purely for pedestrians and should be replaced with above ground walkways are (1) just east of UofW science building (2) polo park in front of a&w

1 - When the light was put it the median was cut out. Based on the allignment of the intersection it would seem to be intended to allow south bound traffic on Langside to turn left onto east bound Portage. For some reason that has not been put into use yet.

2 - I am hoping that a proper transit hub/station is built at Polo Park and east bound buses then access that transfer point. This would remove the need for that light.

[rypinion]

Originally Posted by CoryB

I am hoping that a proper transit hub/station is built at Polo Park and east bound buses then access that transfer point. This would remove the need for that light.

How would you envision that happening? Anything that requires the eastbound buses to cross traffic would really slow down those routes.

A cool pipe dream would be to have a Polo Park transit hub go under the road.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by rypinion

How would you envision that happening? Anything that requires the eastbound buses to cross traffic would really slow down those routes.

A cool pipe dream would be to have a Polo Park transit hub go under the road.

I assume it would have to be like they have on Regent by Kildonan Place. The 47 travelling east turns into the KP bus loop before continuing travel. The express buses don't though. And since there's an extra light for the bus turning it wouldn't reduce the number fo traffice lgihts.

[rypinion]

Originally Posted by cheswick

I assume it would have to be like they have on Regent by Kildonan Place. The 47 travelling east turns into the KP bus loop before continuing travel. The express buses don't though. And since there's an extra light for the bus turning it wouldn't reduce the number fo traffice lgihts.

Plus it wouldn't significantly reduce pedestrian traffic across Portage.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by rypinion

Plus it wouldn't significantly reduce pedestrian traffic across Portage.

Why can't we have one of these?

[DonaldSmith]

Canada Bread plant redevelopment clears hurdle

City council has green lit plans to redevelop the former Canada Bread Company plant in the West End into an 80-unit housing and retail complex.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-com...development-clears-hurdle-199155671.html

[rypinion]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

Why can't we have one of these?

Yes, that's definitely an option. I was speaking directly to CoryB's suggestion that a "proper" transit hub at Polo would remove the need for the crossing.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

that ones you speak of on portage are for the new fire hall

yeah, you can blame the idiot bureaucrat/politician who decided it was a good idea to build a fire hall in the middle of a cloverleaf.....they will have to shut down traffic on Portage Avenue every single time they have to get out.

I would love to see the study that found that site as the most appropriate for a development like that....nevermind adding a museum that nobody will ever be able to get to...so stupid.