Winnipeg Construction VIII

[1ajs]

shoreing work has started up again on glasshouse and parkade
also anyone notice the new led lighting on the.mariboirow

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

shoreing work has started up again on glasshouse and parkade
also anyone notice the new led lighting on the.mariboirow

Must be a mobile post. I went by the Marlborough last night and thought the lighting was pretty fancy. Sure cleaned up that building.

Also thought I noticed some work going on in the parkade lot, but it was dark and hard to tell.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Must be a mobile post. I went by the Marlborough last night and thought the lighting was pretty fancy. Sure cleaned up that building.

I haven't seen the lighting yet, but the new signage is pretty slick.

The Marlborough is a very unusual hotel... it's a big, historic place (Winston Churchill once stayed there) that looks great on the outside with its classy 1910s-era tower hearkening back to Winnipeg's golden age, with an elegant 1950s-era addition right next to it. The exterior gives off a very urban, almost New York-like vibe. Yet for quite a few years the place has been sliding into the low-end ranks of downtown hotels.

The Marlborough seems like a hotel with a lot of potential, but whoever owns it has been generally content to let the place coast along without investing any money into it. I wonder if this small but noticeable improvement is a sign of more changes to come?

[steveosnyder]

Originally Posted by Jeff

"There are no sidewalks on either side of the library building south to the corner at St. Mary Avenue.

Pedestrians going south either cross the street or risk walking along the road."

or, they could take an extra 10-20 seconds and walk through the park on connecting walkways? me thinks this reporter has not gone to see the emptyful sculpture in person... maybe a few signs with arrows would be a more simple action!

If people are walking there why not build a sidewalk? If you did any walking around the area you would see that there is a well worn path along the (very) narrow strip they have to walk along (on the Donald side at least).

Perhaps instead of complaining about paying for sidewalks that people will actually use, we complain about paying for sidewalks that no one in their right mind would ever use (for example, Kenaston @ McGillivray, or Northern Route 90 between Selkirk and Inkster).

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by esquire

I haven't seen the lighting yet, but the new signage is pretty slick.

The Marlborough is a very unusual hotel... it's a big, historic place (Winston Churchill once stayed there) that looks great on the outside with its classy 1910s-era tower hearkening back to Winnipeg's golden age, with an elegant 1950s-era addition right next to it. The exterior gives off a very urban, almost New York-like vibe. Yet for quite a few years the place has been sliding into the low-end ranks of downtown hotels.

The Marlborough seems like a hotel with a lot of potential, but whoever owns it has been generally content to let the place coast along without investing any money into it. I wonder if this small but noticeable improvement is a sign of more changes to come?

It looks like a bunch of random length florescent lights placed on the side of the building. Modern looking type thing. Looks good IMO.

Which hotels were converted to apartments? Wasn't the Marlborough one of them?

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Which hotels were converted to apartments? Wasn't the Marlborough one of them?

The Sheraton which became York the Hotel, then converted.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

It looks like a bunch of random length florescent lights placed on the side of the building. Modern looking type thing. Looks good IMO.

Which hotels were converted to apartments? Wasn't the Marlborough one of them?

Your'e probably thinking of the Louis Riel. The malborough hasn't.

Speaking of the Marlbourough my sister had her wedding reception there a few years back. The hall is really nice with great views of the city. Anyway one of her bridesmaid got a room there for the night and when she was checking in prior to the reception there were two presumbably drunk dudes passes out in the room she was given...

[no use for username]

Originally Posted by Riverman

The Sheraton which became York the Hotel, then converted.

Place Louis Riel converting back to Apts as well.

[steveosnyder]

Originally Posted by cheswick

Your'e probably thinking of the Louis Riel. The malborough hasn't.

Speaking of the Marlbourough my sister had her wedding reception there a few years back. The hall is really nice with great views of the city. Anyway one of her bridesmaid got a room there for the night and when she was checking in prior to the reception there were two presumbably drunk dudes passes out in the room she was given...

The Skyview Ballroom is really really nice, and if I ever get married in this City I would think about booking it... But I would highly recommend to any of my out-of-town guests to NOT stay in the hotel.

[bomberjet]

^^^ Yes thanks, the Louis Riel conversion I was thinking of.

So with the renovations to the Marlborough Hotel, I'm assuming rates have gone up. Who exactly stays there? Is it a high volume of social programs (CFS, flood victims, etc.). Will the drunks get pushed somewhere else is basically my question. Seems like the owners are trying to clean the place up a bit.

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by steveosnyder

If people are walking there why not build a sidewalk? If you did any walking around the area you would see that there is a well worn path along the (very) narrow strip they have to walk along (on the Donald side at least).

Perhaps instead of complaining about paying for sidewalks that people will actually use, we complain about paying for sidewalks that no one in their right mind would ever use (for example, Kenaston @ McGillivray, or Northern Route 90 between Selkirk and Inkster).

to add, there being no sidewalks around the convention centre is more dangerous IMHO.

[Cyro]

Originally Posted by Jeff

to add, there being no sidewalks around the convention centre is more dangerous IMHO.

So right, they really shoe horned that puppy into that space, no street presence, activity, (sidewalks around exterior? )..."Dead Zone"...let's hope the expansion will take these into consideration.


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Source

[Rudiger]

Originally Posted by Jeff

to add, there being no sidewalks around the convention centre is more dangerous IMHO.

They added a sidewalk on the Carlton side a few years ago.

[Authentic_City]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

^^^ Yes thanks, the Louis Riel conversion I was thinking of.

So with the renovations to the Marlborough Hotel, I'm assuming rates have gone up. Who exactly stays there? Is it a high volume of social programs (CFS, flood victims, etc.). Will the drunks get pushed somewhere else is basically my question. Seems like the owners are trying to clean the place up a bit.

One of my coworkers, who recently relocated to Winnipeg, stayed at the Marlborough this past summer when he and his wife moved to town. Said it was a terrible experience in every way. The room was filthy, they caught some folks trying to break into their car, etc. They couldn't even stay the night, had to go somewhere else. And these are real 'downtown' people who are not bothered by much. Its really too bad. I've attended a few events in the ballroom over the years, and it's a great space. The building has such an urban feel to it as well. A shame it's been going down hill.

[ctochico]

Originally Posted by cheswick

Your'e probably thinking of the Louis Riel. The malborough hasn't.

Speaking of the Marlbourough my sister had her wedding reception there a few years back. The hall is really nice with great views of the city. Anyway one of her bridesmaid got a room there for the night and when she was checking in prior to the reception there were two presumbably drunk dudes passes out in the room she was given...

my fiance used to be the front office manager there, but im glad i got her out of there. she said there are cops there every night, someone's car is always getting broken into at the parking lot across from the street, lots of rooms had to get fumigated becuase of bed bugs, wasn't a big fan of pickin her up every night...

but yeha..she said the banquet halls are amazing. she said she woulda considered having our wedding there, but i said hell no im stepping foot into that dump again...

hopefully something is getting done to fix that place up, and definitly need to change the clientele to make that happen.

[Cyro]

Originally Posted by ctochico

my fiance used to be the front office manager there, but im glad i got her out of there. she said there are cops there every night, someone's car is always getting broken into at the parking lot across from the street, lots of rooms had to get fumigated becuase of bed bugs, wasn't a big fan of pickin her up every night...

but yeha..she said the banquet halls are amazing. she said she woulda considered having our wedding there, but i said hell no im stepping foot into that dump again...

hopefully something is getting done to fix that place up, and definitly need to change the clientele to make that happen.

I'm curious about the Elephant in the room that I believed was mentioned in one post above a little earlier.(clientele). I too have my list of great experiences, attended a grad thier, got fitted for the B Pitt Movie shot here in the Peg, Shot portions of the Elijah Harper Movie thier???? When did it deteriorate so badly? 2 years or 5 years? 5 years ago there were none of the problems mentioned in the previous posts in my recollection.

[ctochico]

Originally Posted by Cyrodill

I'm curious about the Elephant in the room that I believed was mentioned in one post above a little earlier.(clientele). I too have my list of great experiences, attended a grad thier, got fitted for the B Pitt Movie shot here in the Peg, Shot portions of the Elijah Harper Movie thier???? When did it deteriorate so badly? 2 years or 5 years? 5 years ago there were none of the problems mentioned in the previous posts in my recollection.

cant remember when she said but it started when the owner allowed the people from the northern province stay to attend to their needs. and the government pays half their stay or full stay or something like that..and the marlbourough is the cheapest. i beleive the going rate was like $89 for the day or $139 for the "executive" rooms. i can't remember which levels were the "safe executive" levels, but i think it was 4 and up, the ones below that are the ones where they keep the northern population. i know when she was working there couple of years ago, they renovated the executive suites. so if you are ever on planning on staying there, make sure you stay above level 3.

[1ajs]

that lace also has a haunted elevator.. i know i've had some run ins with it

[Only The Lonely..]

The current state of the Marlborough tears at my heart.

If that hotel was just given a good scrub and rented for $100 more a night per room it could be something else.

Instead they are chasing after the same clientele as the Yale.

I truly do believe that the Marlborough could go toe-to-toe with the Fort Garry. If I had the money I'd invest in it in a heart beat, the return on investment is there.

Ironically, the Hotel Fort Garry was being run into the ground too in 70s / 80s until it found new owners..It was actually THIS close to being demolished, believe it or not.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by Cyrodill

I'm curious about the Elephant in the room that I believed was mentioned in one post above a little earlier.(clientele). I too have my list of great experiences, attended a grad thier, got fitted for the B Pitt Movie shot here in the Peg, Shot portions of the Elijah Harper Movie thier???? When did it deteriorate so badly? 2 years or 5 years? 5 years ago there were none of the problems mentioned in the previous posts in my recollection.

I think it has been going on for many years now. I recall going to some weddings there before Eaton's was torn down and thinking it was looking tired even then and needing some renovations/upkeep.

The parkade is a really concern to me too. There are some spots where if you park and sit in there for a minute your vehicle will be bouncing as other vehicles drive past in the parkade. That is of course separate from the issues with people breaking into cars, drinking in the parkade and generally using it as a washroom.

The bigger concern though is if you sweep those elements away from here you still haven't solved the issues, you have just relocated them. We need a better long term strategy and I do not have those answers.