Winnipeg Construction VIII

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by biguc

I remember Archiseek refering to St. B as the French City, rather than the French quarter. It was a valid delineation, as we've discussed recently, even if the parochial characteristics of St. B are consistent with every Winnipeg suburb. People in Charleshood or Trashcona live and die by their shitty boroughs, and it's all they can do to move to St. James or East K, and they think going to a decent restaurant like the Peasant Cookery is transgressive when you could go to a dump like Sorrentos or the Royal Fork.

The upshot, though, is that St. B has a small-city development pattern. I actually like how its lack of zoning is reaping development benefits, in spite of Winnipeg's bureaucratic underpinnings--all those junk yards in the middle of residential areas can't do anything but upzone.




I've railed on idiots from Toronto in the Canada section for their delusional opinions on what "taste" can accomplish with shitty materials in shitty climates with shitty soil conditions. But Torontonians are delusional idiots, without exception, and EIFs can look ok. There are some solid examples throughout northern Europe. Some people like to think Winnipeg is comparable only to Siberia and that anything that isn't built by gulag workers is impossible, but I think we both know that isn't the case. There are shining examples of what Winnipeg can accomplish in places like Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Sapporo. What Winnipeg can't reasonably accomplish is what happens in Houston, Carmel, or even Vancouver.

We can accomplish these things as long as people are willing to settle for less space. That's always been the issue. If you can pack 40% more suites into a building because everybody is willing to settle in at 480 sq ft instead 680 then you'd be able to make more expensive finishing decisions. Of course, you'd still have to pay the same for the unit, you'd just pay more on a per-square-foot basis and that's where markets become difficult. The first thing most people consider is what value they're receiving in exchange and the vast majority of Winnipeggers value space.

That's always been the uphill battle with new housing in the suburbs. It's easy for a realtor to convince somebody of everything they're getting in a larger new home than they would in a resale home if you ignore the myriad other variables associated with living in the far flung suburbs.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by biguc

Torontonians are delusional idiots, without exception,

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by Andy6

hey u grew up here

[Riverman]

Biguc has obviously never been beyond the perimeter.

[steveosnyder]

It's a sad day for all us '80s kids... The old Wheelie's Roller Rink on McPhillips is getting demo-d, or at least it looks that way. A Kia dealership is asking for approval of a conditional use on the lot.

[steveosnyder]

Can I ask a question of someone who knows a lot more about this stuff than I... Why would a developer ask for a rezoning to R2 instead of RMF when they further ask to build a multi-family dwelling on the property with a conditional use and a variance? Is this all just a presidence thing? They don't want at some point in the future for someone to add even more units?

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by steveosnyder

Can I ask a question of someone who knows a lot more about this stuff than I... Why would a developer ask for a rezoning to R2 instead of RMF when they further ask to build a multi-family dwelling on the property with a conditional use and a variance? Is this all just a presidence thing? They don't want at some point in the future for someone to add even more units?

If you're asking about the lots on Chevrier, going to an RMF zoning from an R1 is two steps. As such, it's a 'major' zoning change. But going to R2 is simply one step up and considered more characteristic of the area.

But really, this is poorly thought through. The idea behind not having vastly different zonings next to each other without significant buffering is to keep vastly different densities from happening (at least in the residential context). Except that rezoning to R2 and applying for conditional multi-famiy use actually gives you more density than if you were to just rezone to RMF-S because R2 multi-family conditional use utilizes the RMF-M development standards. It's completely senseless.

The only argument might be for 100 years from now when the building is torn down and somebody would need to reapply for the multi-family usage under the new context of the neighbourhood.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by steveosnyder

It's a sad day for all us '80s kids... The old Wheelie's Roller Rink on McPhillips is getting demo-d, or at least it looks that way. A Kia dealership is asking for approval of a conditional use on the lot.

Last time I was in there was about a year ago and it was some sort of discount clear out store chain that I think has since closed down in Canada.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by cllew

Last time I was in there was about a year ago and it was some sort of discount clear out store chain that I think has since closed down in Canada.

Wheelies relocated to Logan a number of years ago. I beleive it had to do with the lease on the McPhillips building increasing substantionally.

[Authentic_City]

Originally Posted by cheswick

Wheelies relocated to Logan a number of years ago. I beleive it had to do with the lease on the McPhillips building increasing substantionally.

Was recently at the Wheelies on Logan. I'm surprised they can keep going. It's a real shoe-string operation in a less than ideal facility with extremely worn out equipment. Too bad, because it seems like indoor roller skating should be a lot more popular in our winter climate.

[bomberjet]

Wheelies on McPhillips was a good place. Never been to the Logan location. But I could see it being a plywood table/wall, white lawn chair and red solo cup type place; all under the amazing glow of fluorescent tube lighting. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Wheelies on McPhillips was a good place. Never been to the Logan location. But I could see it being a plywood table/wall, white lawn chair and red solo cup type place; all under the amazing glow of fluorescent tube lighting. Maybe I'm wrong.

Picnic tables, everything else is fairly accurate.

[Jimbo]

So Brian Bowman isn't our second openly gay mayor?

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

So Brian Bowman isn't our second openly gay mayor?

Not sure what this means? I thought he was married to a woman and had children.

[esquire]

I think Jimbo may be starting happy hour a little early today?!

[steveosnyder]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Wheelies on McPhillips was a good place. Never been to the Logan location. But I could see it being a plywood table/wall, white lawn chair and red solo cup type place; all under the amazing glow of fluorescent tube lighting. Maybe I'm wrong.

The new Wheelies site has some bitchin badminton drop-in, if that's your sort of thing...

http://www.badminton.mb.ca/page.aspx?id=22457

[Labroco]

Would like to redirect the discussion to south point douglas and I think simplicity in particular...

While water front drive is starting to fill in I keep thinking about the opportunities through to the Point.

I know there was some talk about a secondary plan that went nowhere..


The city says very little to us and have been unable to figure out how much of these lands are owned by the city.

Scatliff did prepare some images in their River City presentation to council last January during the Pumphouse fiasco..

I think it's time to revisit the area and welcome every one's mature and thoughtful thoughts and ideas on how to move forward..

If a new thread was created I would be please to contribute ...

There are a number of sites in the area I would like to start talking about..

If someone could add the link to river city for reference that would be great...

Thx

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by rypinion

Old St. B (specifically bordered by Provencher/Marion/Tache/Des Meurons) is likely one of the higher density areas of the city. Every other home has been turned into a duplex or triplex to house students of CUSB. There's small apartments all over the place as well. It's exactly what many on this board suggest other areas of the city should become in terms of density.

That's interesting. Certainly never thought of the St. B area as one of the most densely populated areas in the city, but it would appear to be the case.

I wonder if it's the third greatest density in the city next to Osborne Village and downtown area between Main and Leg, and Broadway and the River?

Maybe 4th with all the large apartments in the Grant Park area.

[Tacheguy]

Originally Posted by rypinion

Old St. B (specifically bordered by Provencher/Marion/Tache/Des Meurons) is likely one of the higher density areas of the city. Every other home has been turned into a duplex or triplex to house students of CUSB. There's small apartments all over the place as well. It's exactly what many on this board suggest other areas of the city should become in terms of density.

This is a good insight. USB (they recently dropped the C) seems to be drawing in much larger numbers of international students in recent years, and they are providing a much needed shot of life into the hood. The indigenous francophone community is comparatively old, hence all the seniors residences and nursing homes.
I have often felt that Central Winnipeg has suffered as a result of the location of the U of M. Of course that location made sense given the importance of the ag faculty, but we are seeing how other post secondary institutions animate an area. Red River, USB, u of W. are strategic assets and their growth has pretty clear external benefits.

[biguc]

Originally Posted by Riverman

Biguc has obviously never been beyond the perimeter.

And your head has obviously never been beyond your sphincter