Winnipeg Construction VIII

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by trueviking

The scotia bank stage however....

Detroit Lakes MN called they want their WE Fest stage back!

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

No, I get that. It's just that the Forks has been seeking a development partner since you guys have been working on it and that's going on three years. Somebody has yet to bite.

My understanding is that the parkade has to be provided for as part of the deal. As in, it's a zero revenue model - that parking has to remain free. If the parkade is to be financed through the potential tax revenue stream flowing from the residential/commercial units, that leaves no ability to subsidize the developers of the actual units. That may be possible - though extremely unlikely given that market - but does that mean the land is going to be folded in as the Forks equity and provided at zero cost to developers? Or provided straight up as free and that forms the subsidy?

I'm just not sure how I see this getting done. There have been myriad issues with this proposal from the start - not the least of which is that providing $38K parking stalls for free is a difficult task no matter how you cut it - and I'm just wondering how this is being addressed before the public starts taking the Forks to task over floating an unrealistic Master Plan a year from now.

Or has the parking issue been resolved in other ways?

I'll be honest, I don't know the specific details of the financing model they are developing....I have never heard that there is a requirement to provide free parking.

I also don't think there is intent to subsidize the residential units....not yet at least.

To my knowledge the Forks has not been looking for a developer....at least they have never discussed it.....They had nothing to approach a developer with.....the City probably has for Parcel 4, but not on the Rail-side land.

[cllew]

In today's Free Press there is an RFP for a downtown location for Manitoba Lotteries/liquor new head office.

I don't have access to MEREX so I don't know if they are looking for new construction or renovation of an existing building (The Bay?).

[armorand93]

About time! The suburban office 🞵🞵🞵🞵 at Polo Park really doesn't look good. Or allow them to expand there (thank god). Maybe they can build their own little skyscraper (or get forced to like Hydro did) and bring in a hundred workers!

[cllew]

Depending on how much space they need I think there is excess space in Ft. Garry business park, near the existing MLLC offices left over from when Manitoba Hydro moved downtown and left all the leased space empty.

It comes down to, do they want to be close to the warehouse on Buffalo Place (which is not moving), or are they getting political direction to go downtown even if it is not the lowest cost option.

[trueviking]

There is no chance they will locate in an office park.

[JustinL]

I love the vision for the forks. Gives me a Millennium Park type vibe along S Michigan Ave in Chicago, or a little bit of the Harbour parks in the Vancouver Harbour area.

It's something I wouldn't mind at all if my tax dollars went towards, because it would be part of Winnipeg that would give me pride, and for generations to come as well. If they could manage to make a beautiful pedestrian connection to Main street, something pleasing, perhaps even overtop of the tracks, It would really help the cohesiveness of downtown. The Art and Entertainment district would be only a short walk away.

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by trueviking

There is no chance they will locate in an office park.

I meant, they already have offices off of Empress and around the Toys R' Us! But they honestly look like 🞵🞵🞵🞵, and theres no (good) transit service either. Along with the fact that nobody could probably find it without using GPS. I'm hoping these new offices won't resemble what they currently have in Polo Park. Which is brutally bad.

How much space do they need?

[Wigglez]

I went through a 3 interview process with them for a job a couple years ago, all 3 interviews were in different buildings around the area... Its amazingly confusing to find anything you're looking for in their offices.

They have quite a few employees, it would make a great impact on down town to have em all there!

[yellowghost]

Love it but
A. It's too dynamic for Winnipeg
B. It will be killed as result of protest from a save-the-gravel-surfacelot foundation
Or a collection of office workers who don't want anything impeding theyre view.

[bigcheeba]

Originally Posted by cllew

In today's Free Press there is an RFP for a downtown location for Manitoba Lotteries/liquor new head office.

I don't have access to MEREX so I don't know if they are looking for new construction or renovation of an existing building (The Bay?).

They want to be based downtown to support its growth and to be more centralized.

They are open to building new, or moving into an existing office. Which ever makes the most sense.

[trueviking]

The odds of lotteries going to a chipman owned development are extremely high.

[bigcheeba]

Originally Posted by Wigglez

I went through a 3 interview process with them for a job a couple years ago, all 3 interviews were in different buildings around the area... Its amazingly confusing to find anything you're looking for in their offices.

They have quite a few employees, it would make a great impact on down town to have em all there!

Far too many buildings. St.James, Milt Stegall, Empress, Pacific, and the big one on Buffalo. Should be a nice big footprint for downtown.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by bigcheeba

Far too many buildings. St.James, Milt Stegall, Empress, Pacific, and the big one on Buffalo. Should be a nice big footprint for downtown.

Its already been said that the warehouse on Buffalo is staying put. Not sure what is going to happen with the office space though.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by trueviking

The odds of lotteries going to a chipman owned development are extremely high.

I would have thought that the Bay (last marketed by Shindico) would be in play to keep this heritage building full.

[pegcityfan]

Originally Posted by cllew

I would have thought that the Bay (last marketed by Shindico) would be in play to keep this heritage building full.

Lotteries itself explored moving into the Bay extensively years ago. Can't see that being an option.

[Wigglez]

Originally Posted by trueviking

The odds of lotteries going to a chipman owned development are extremely high.

What does Chipman currently own downtown?? There isn't enough room left in centerpoint anywhere so it's gotta be something else.

I'm not sure how much you know and I'm sure you're not allowed to say a whole lot if you do.. But is this going to be a new development just for lotteries, or is it going to be tacked onto something else?

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by pegcityfan

Lotteries itself explored moving into the Bay extensively years ago. Can't see that being an option.

As we are learning with the Police HQ, a retrofit is almost always more expensive than a new build. The question becomes which is politically more important to support, SoPo or the preservation of The Bay building. The Donald St MPI surface lot, the Portage Place and Winnipeg Square tower pads, One Portage and Main and the Fort/Graham/Garry surface lot are other possibilities but would seem to all be long shots compared to the first two.

[trueviking]

Call me a conspiracy theorist but there were a lot of secret handshakes that brought the Jets back. Lotteries and the Province were front and centre. Ever wonder why the premier was at the table with chipman and Thomson at the official announcement of their return? I have little doubt the MPI land along with a new lotteries head office was part of the deal. No developer in the city was surprised when they won the MPI land. My bet is that it will be supported. The rfp is just a formality, as it was before.

[roccerfeller]

Originally Posted by trueviking

The odds of lotteries going to a chipman owned development are extremely high.

SoPo anchor?