Winnipeg Construction VIII

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by CoryB

The Smith St parkade is lightly staffed at best. Its close proximity to the Marlborough Hotel also seems to bring similar issues to the location. Loitering in the parkade and stairwell (before it was secure) is a common occurrence. The location is also well known to the Downtown Watch and Police Cadets as they are frequently called to assist with issues.

Broken glass from vehicle break-ins is also not at all uncommon at that location but I have no information to indicate if that is different than other similar locations downtown. It is also not uncommon to find the control arms at the entrance or exit of the lot broken.

All that said, imagine you paid around $40,000 to own a spot in the Glass House parkade and were facing similar issues. The closest secure, heated, fully enclosed lot to the Glass House is two blocks away and then you are facing a monthly fee. There are few good alternatives unless you don't own your own vehicle.

I've been involved in a few projects downtown now, all of them residential. The one issue that crops up time and again is the parking one. And not just because people are concerned that there's nowhere to park. The issue that arose from nearly every prospective purchaser/renter was having no secure parking. Everybody mentioned the same anxiety associated with knowing your car was just a lucky day away from having the windows smashed in. Eventually, the guys from the Edge on Princess put up gates around their lot.

But I understand this rationale completely. Who wants to be thinking about whether you left a quarter in the cupholder earlier in the day and whether tonight is the night somebody smashes your window for it? When my office was in the West Exchange, it was a tri-annual event...

[Cyro]

Originally Posted by CoryB

All that said, imagine you paid around $40,000 to own a spot in the Glass House parkade and were facing similar issues. The closest secure, heated, fully enclosed lot to the Glass House is two blocks away and then you are facing a monthly fee. There are few good alternatives unless you don't own your own vehicle.

I understand the concern here, the parkade is open to the elements but I'm quite sure the developers in this case will take the appropriate measures to insure vehicles are protected with 24/hour security as well as cameras. This is a high profile investment for them and I believe they would be aware of existing problems in the area.

[windypeg]

Glasshouse will have a 24hr concierge won't it? And despite the lack of skywalk I'm assuming Alt guests will be encouraged to park there. So stick a few cameras in the parkade and have monitors at the front desks, they should be able to keep tabs on things

[Cyro]

Originally Posted by windypeg

Glasshouse will have a 24hr concierge won't it? And despite the lack of skywalk I'm assuming Alt guests will be encouraged to park there. So stick a few cameras in the parkade and have monitors at the front desks, they should be able to keep tabs on things

Right WindyPeg, 24 hr/security, SkyWalk is planned

From the Site:

High security features include Enterphones in the lobby and parking vestibule; a fob-based access system at all condominium entry points and to the amenity areas; and strategically located security cameras.

Glasshouse will also be directly accessible to Centrepoint via a sky bridge on the second floor.

http://glasshousewinnipeg.com/

[biguc]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I've been involved in a few projects downtown now, all of them residential. The one issue that crops up time and again is the parking one. And not just because people are concerned that there's nowhere to park. The issue that arose from nearly every prospective purchaser/renter was having no secure parking. Everybody mentioned the same anxiety associated with knowing your car was just a lucky day away from having the windows smashed in.

Not that this is going to assuage their fears but since I moved downtown I've only had my car broken into once. When I was stupid enough to leave my doors unlocked. They took about three bucks from my ashtray. Didn't even touch the thousands of dollars of 🞵🞵🞵🞵 I had in the back.

I get this ironical feeling that I haven't had problems because I park on the street. Parking lots aren't as visible.

[trueviking]

My car in north river heights gets broken into every 2 or 3 months. Had my bike stolen from my garage last night.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by trueviking

My car in north river heights gets broken into every 2 or 3 months. Had my bike stolen from my garage last night.

All of that 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵, but especially the bike.

I don't live downtown, so I can't speak to it. River Heights has a terrible theft problem. I'm merely passing on the perception. For reasons, people still perceive downtown as a 'dangerous' place, even if that 'danger' is overwrought...

[trueviking]

^ oh yeah of course. Your point is valid.

It's just funny that the perception in places like river heights is the opposite when it's probably just as bad as downtown...as far as property crime goes anyways.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by trueviking

^ oh yeah of course. Your point is valid.

It's just funny that the perception in places like river heights is the opposite when it's probably just as bad as downtown...as far as property crime goes anyways.

my bike and daughters bike both stolen from my garage on oct 31, total value 475, insurance deductible 500...🞵🞵🞵🞵.

agreed, petty crime is all over the city. it's the aggressive drunks that give the area a bad name and they are there and do scare off many ladies and seniors. young tough guys like us can handle saying no and keep walking but not everyone can

[plrh]

I live in River Heights too. My cars get checked every single night. I even caught a guy in my yard one night. He was a really old homeless-looking man. He looked so pathetic I actually pitied him and just shooed him away. He was in pretty rough shape. It looked like he had trouble getting around, so i wonder if he stays somewhere around here.

As long as things are locked they don't take anything. They don't seem willing to break windows, which i am very happy about.

[1ajs]

grew up in point douglas only got broken into twice plus 2 in the portch to grab the bikes sigh that was over 20 years.

cars well they got broken into but not as much as one would think. we lost more windows to my mother getting into fights with people then actual break inns in the area.

[blueandgoldguy]

Interesting comments about River Heights. I had no idea there are homeless people around there. I have never seen them when staying at a family member's house over the years and I have taken my fair share of walks in the area. I would have thought the homeless would be closer to downtown like Crescentwood.

Family members who live in what I would guess to be central River Heights - between Academy and Corydon - have never had any issues with theft or break-ins. Maybe they are just lucky or their area isn't as prone to such crimes?

[Wigglez]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

Interesting comments about River Heights. I had no idea there are homeless people around there. I have never seen them when staying at a family member's house over the years and I have taken my fair share of walks in the area. I would have thought the homeless would be closer to downtown like Crescentwood.

Family members who live in what I would guess to be central River Heights - between Academy and Corydon - have never had any issues with theft or break-ins. Maybe they are just lucky or their area isn't as prone to such crimes?

I've been harassed a number of times by homeless on Corydon. A homeless individual once tried to steal my dinner while I was eating on a patio, fortunately he came at me with the speed of an old drug addict so he failed.

I look forward to the day when people don't need to defend downtown with "well the rest of Winnipeg is just as terrible"

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

Interesting comments about River Heights. I had no idea there are homeless people around there. I have never seen them when staying at a family member's house over the years and I have taken my fair share of walks in the area. I would have thought the homeless would be closer to downtown like Crescentwood.

Family members who live in what I would guess to be central River Heights - between Academy and Corydon - have never had any issues with theft or break-ins. Maybe they are just lucky or their area isn't as prone to such crimes?

One mid winter afternoon, while waiting for a friend at 7-11.. in the parking lot, on Roblin, within 2 minutes in polar directions in Charleswood , 2 homeless men about 35 - 45 rifling through spate BFI type bins and seeking cig butts. Oddly, they did not see each other.t was a sad thing to see but homeless is everywhere and stop the Winnipeg bashing folks. I see panhandling and homeless persons everywhere I go such as Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal etc..

[1ajs]

its a phycy push upon us we need to break but but on a lighter note it forces us to complain and put presure to deal with it witch we should be and sort are but some people dont want help sigh

[CoryB]

Just wanted to clarify that I do not think downtown is "unsafe" just that it is interesting Glass House does not have enclosed and secured parking. Easily over 90% of new home construction and likely over 80% of single occupant homes in Winnipeg have secure, fully enclosed parking. Further, I am not an expert on condo developments in other cities however I think enclosed and secured parking is more than norm.

[pegcityfan]

I've lived in Old Saint-B, Windsor Park, Old Saint-Vital, newer Saint-Vital, Corydon Area, Osborne, Wolseley. All equal in car & garage brake ins in my experience. I now live on a prominent Winnipeg street and have chased / seen kids trying to bring in to cars numerous times a year. My wife tends to forget to lock her doors so I see signs of rummaging at least once a week (no kidding).

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Just wanted to clarify that I do not think downtown is "unsafe" just that it is interesting Glass House does not have enclosed and secured parking. Easily over 90% of new home construction and likely over 80% of single occupant homes in Winnipeg have secure, fully enclosed parking. Further, I am not an expert on condo developments in other cities however I think enclosed and secured parking is more than norm.

Yeah, especially on the high-rise side of things. That has a lot to do with how those buildings are constructed, though. Their secure parking facilities are normally below grade within a 5 or 6-storey basement. That's secure by virtue of its construction, not necessarily design. Here, because of our water table, you have to build that parking up. You'd then have to finish it to make it fully 'secured.

A lot of the new model developments are 4-storeys with parking at grade in a secure facility. The first floor suites are then accessible through that garage.

It's actually pretty difficult to move condos that don't have secured parking unless there's an associated discount. But secured, heated parking keeps condo fees higher, so it's a tradeoff...

[The Unknown Poster]

I knew someone that had a nice car and always left his doors unlocked. When I questioned him he said he had his windows smashed numerous times but never has anything of value in the car so now he leaves it unlocked and if someone wants to rifle through, they wont find anything but at least he wont be paying for a new window.

I had my car smashed in in Waverly heights (my own fault for leaving a bunch of stuff in the back seat). My current home on Grandmont, we've had no issues but previous homeowner had their car stolen from in front. GF had her car broken into in Cityplace parkade. I was so angry, went looking all over the parkade for the culprits to no avail.

Crime seems random in many places. My parents live in Waverly Heights, have done so for about 35 years. Never had a break in at their house. But a neighbour was broken into three times. Couple of stolen cars every now and then. Some jerk stole the propane tanks off our trailer. Other times, bikes etc are left out and no one touches them.

[Cyro]

Similar experiences as others already discussed..The Heights, Tux.. Charles Wood ,Village, Corydon, Windsor..etc. when it comes to areas not related to the downtown core exclusively.

Looking at the whole Winnipeg region in general, the trend in property crime has seen a decrease. Immobilizers,(car theft) have been a huge factor and car alarm systems have helped to a degree,(there's ways around them), Smash and grab..as the most obvious example.
Some may argue the fact that many of these crimes go unreported but the damage to a vehicle is never going to be less than the deductible for any forced entry to a vehicle,(reported immediately), unless of course you leave the car door open, no damage. theft yes, if items left in plain view.

Trends Current up until 2012:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law,_government,_and_crime_in_Winnipeg