Winnipeg | Restaurants

[vid]

How many times are we going to have this discussion about a potential restaurant going in there?

[steveosnyder]

Originally Posted by vid

How many times are we going to have this discussion about a potential restaurant going in there?

I actually went in there with a former city health inspector and in my uneducated opinion, there is no way that anyone would get the margins from a restaurant that would be needed to justify the capital costs to put that building within health code.

This is completely my opinion though.

[h0twired]

Is it really necessary to retain all of that pumping equipment?

Why not just send it to the scrapper and let someone develop the raw space?

[vid]

"Because it's historic".

*three weeks pass*

So hey, the old pump house would make a great brewpub, eh?

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by vid

"Because it's historic".

*three weeks pass*

So hey, the old pump house would make a great brewpub, eh?

Only someone with hoarder tendencies would consider that pile of scrap metal "historic".

Hopefully common sense will prevail and that basement full of scrap metal can be recycled.

[cheswick]

Am I misremembering or did I read that some of the machinery from the pumphouse was moved and is now in a musuem in the States somewhere?

[vid]

I don't know the specifics, but I know it isn't all there. Neither are the minds of people who want to keep what's left intact forever.

[drew]

Originally Posted by h0twired

Is it really necessary to retain all of that pumping equipment?

Why not just send it to the scrapper and let someone develop the raw space?

I could see maybe keeping a quarter of the building devoted to show the original equipment, but basically the rest of the building could reasonably be opened up to allow for development.

If I remember correctly the existing equipment consists of 4 more or less identical pumping systems.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by cheswick

Am I misremembering or did I read that some of the machinery from the pumphouse was moved and is now in a musuem in the States somewhere?

From http://winnipegdowntownplaces.blogspot.ca/2012/07/109-james-avenue-high-pressure-pumping.htm

In 2001 CentreVenture sold the building to Peter Ginakes and Bob Harris for $150,000. In 2004 they ended up buying it back for $750,000 but found that one of the Crossley engines had been removed without permission and gifted to the Austin's Thresherman's museum for a "substantial" tax receipt. Other pump equipment was also missing, (August 11, 2004, Winnipeg Free Press p. B1.)

[dpenner]

as big of a proponent of heritage revitalization that i am, i would not be totally opposed to the pumphouse being demolished, i have also been inside and cant see anything going in there ever without one massive grant. Since that piece of land is a critical piece (in my opinion) in the exchange, i would not oppose its demolition if that right proposal came along.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by dpenner

as big of a proponent of heritage revitalization that i am, i would not be totally opposed to the pumphouse being demolished, i have also been inside and cant see anything going in there ever without one massive grant. Since that piece of land is a critical piece (in my opinion) in the exchange, i would not oppose its demolition if that right proposal came along.

I agree.

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by h0twired

Only someone with hoarder tendencies would consider that pile of scrap metal "historic".

Hopefully common sense will prevail and that basement full of scrap metal can be recycled.

No market for cast iron i understand.

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by drew

I could see maybe keeping a quarter of the building devoted to show the original equipment, but basically the rest of the building could reasonably be opened up to allow for development.

If I remember correctly the existing equipment consists of 4 more or less identical pumping systems.

Two long shafts with two gears on either side.

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by cheswick

Am I misremembering or did I read that some of the machinery from the pumphouse was moved and is now in a musuem in the States somewhere?

One (tiny) pump (not original, electric added later) is apparently in Austin MB at the Thresherman's Museum.

[flatlander]

What's the scoop on Arkadesh closing?

[Biff]

Originally Posted by flatlander

What's the scoop on Arkadesh closing?

Sounds like the owed too much money.

[trueviking]

this is what it looks like inside...what was taken was pretty minimal...there is lots of height to do something in there....you could build floor over parts of it....build mezzanine spaces....it could be spectacular.....heritage buildings are not simply about facades.

[trueviking]

as a mixed use commercial space, you could do something like this...right flatlander?

[JamieDavid Exchange]

...

[trueviking]

Mixed use....whatever saves it from the wrecking ball is good with me....it is not long for this world.

Would love a farmers market/art gallery/brew pub but the reality is no function like that could ever afford the $10m renovation costs. Piggy backing some mixed use functions with an office component that might pay the bills is the only possibility (even then it doesn't really work) without a big government contribution.