Winnipeg Construction VIII

[drew]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/I...-297818361.html?cx_navSource=d-top-story

'I've got to sue': Developer to launch legal action against city over Sargent building collapse
By: Aldo Santin
Posted: 2:26 PM

West End advocate and business owner Sal Infantino says he has no option but to launch legal action against the City of Winnipeg after its conclusion that work he authorized was responsible for the collapse of his Sargent Avenue building and the city sidewalk in front of it.

Infantino said the city has refused to provide him with the findings of an independent engineer’s assessment of the cause of the damage to his building at 543 Sargent Ave., adding the reasons provided to the Free Press make no sense to him.

Unfortunately for this guy, he's going to lose. If the City really does have engineers stating something, and they've put their stamp on it, this guy has nothing. No engineer, regardless of who their client is, would falsely seal something. Especially when it's obvious there is a legal battle ensuing over this.

It is fairly common to have both sides of a legal dispute each hire their own Engineer to provide a investigation/report.

The Engineer should be impartial in either case, however opinions as to the cause of structural failure - especially one based on water erosion and soil conditions - could be highly variable.

In any case, this owner should have retained the services of an Engineer long ago in this case. No matter whose fault it is.

EDIT: I just read the excerpt from the Engineers report in the Free Press. If true, I would tend to agree this guy doesn't really have a case. Never remove a basement slab until you excavate out the exterior backfill first!

[BAKGUY]

Developers revealed the latest rendering of SkyCity Centre, released a press statement that it is committed to seeing this through and revealed the latest artist rendering. It is better than the initial one.
I sure hope this moves forward. Imagine if this and the proposed nearby Garry St Hospitality Centre with well over 30 floors went ahead?
That would be a great addition to the Portage and main cluster of towers in our skyline.
I am thinking, between these 2 developments and True North Square, our Downtown would be ablaze with new fresh developments and on the way to see even more. surface lots disappear and see more cranes in the sky, the city centre becomes alive with many more people, the area becomes safer, this fosters more development and the skyline gets the infill it so desperately needs

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by drew

It is fairly common to have both sides of a legal dispute each hire their own Engineer to provide a investigation/report.

The Engineer should be impartial in either case, however opinions as to the cause of structural failure - especially one based on water erosion and soil conditions - could be highly variable.

In any case, this owner should have retained the services of an Engineer long ago in this case. No matter whose fault it is.

EDIT: I just read the excerpt from the Engineers report in the Free Press. If true, I would tend to agree this guy doesn't really have a case. Never remove a basement slab until you excavate out the exterior backfill first!

That's what I mean. From what I read, sounds like he's hooped.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by drew

It is fairly common to have both sides of a legal dispute each hire their own Engineer to provide a investigation/report.

The Engineer should be impartial in either case, however opinions as to the cause of structural failure - especially one based on water erosion and soil conditions - could be highly variable.

In any case, this owner should have retained the services of an Engineer long ago in this case. No matter whose fault it is.

EDIT: I just read the excerpt from the Engineers report in the Free Press. If true, I would tend to agree this guy doesn't really have a case. Never remove a basement slab until you excavate out the exterior backfill first!

Interesting, isn't it. On a building like this, you'd have no choice but to remove the sidewalk to get at that exterior backfill leaving that repair bill with the owner - not the city.

Rarely do you ever see professionals redeveloping heritage buildings and there's a reason for that. These buildings are fraught with more risk than any amateur developer can even fathom and they nearly always get themselves in trouble for it.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by drew

It is fairly common to have both sides of a legal dispute each hire their own Engineer to provide a investigation/report.

The Engineer should be impartial in either case, however opinions as to the cause of structural failure - especially one based on water erosion and soil conditions - could be highly variable.

In any case, this owner should have retained the services of an Engineer long ago in this case. No matter whose fault it is.

EDIT: I just read the excerpt from the Engineers report in the Free Press. If true, I would tend to agree this guy doesn't really have a case. Never remove a basement slab until you excavate out the exterior backfill first!

Just reading this got me thinking about the problems at City Place last summer.

The east side sidewalk on Hargrave was being replaced by the city for the Centerventure Shed beautification program and foundation problems were found that MPI as the building owner ultimately had to pay for and delayed the completion of the project.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by cllew

Just reading this got me thinking about the problems at City Place last summer.

The east side sidewalk on Hargrave was being replaced by the city for the Centerventure Shed beautification program and foundation problems were found that MPI as the building owner ultimately had to pay for and delayed the completion of the project.

Speaking of SHED beautification... is there anything happening/planned on this front for 2015? They did essentially nothing last year, other than redo that Hargrave sidewalk... which looks exactly the same as before.

I thought (/was hoping) when they were putting in the barriers outside MTS on Graham that they were doing that to put in separated bike lanes... god that would've been awesome.

[cllew]

There is still some ornamental stuff to put on the City Place side. It may take them a little longer because the threaded mounting rods were installed before the snow fell and not protected from damage properly. A plastic barrel that keeps blowing off does not keep the sidewalk snow plows from bending the rods.

The bases will probably have to be reinstalled as I don't think the rods could be bent back into the right position without damaging the threads.

[Labroco]

Could someone tell me again where all the proceeds from the Trizec portage and main parkade sale went?

[trueviking]

did we know this is what the U of W building is going to look like?

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by Labroco

Could someone tell me again where all the proceeds from the Trizec portage and main parkade sale went?

I thought the chipman's got a chunk for their parkade and the rest was going to the james avenue parkade that should have been built 5 years ago.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by drew

Never remove a basement slab until you excavate out the exterior backfill first!

This essentially happened at the building I work in on bannatyne a couple years ago. They dug out the basement and the walls that were held in place by inertia after the wood piles disappeared 50 years ago, started moving. The building almost collapsed. They had to immediately pump the basement full with concrete through the windows to keep it from coming down. Luckily it was a sunday and nobody was in the building. Spent at least a year chipping it all out. The building moved so much you could put your fist through the wall to the exterior in some places.

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by trueviking

did we know this is what the U of W building is going to look like?

Student housing with a little bit of new building code thrown in...

It's a typical Winnipeg mid priced solution ...

They really should explore Scandinavian solutions to weather and architecture.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by Labroco

Could someone tell me again where all the proceeds from the Trizec portage and main parkade sale went?

Centrepoint Parkade....

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by trueviking

I thought the chipman's got a chunk for their parkade and the rest was going to the james avenue parkade that should have been built 5 years ago.

Likely never going to happen. The civic incentive is now off the table and the province has apparently been set to release the offer any day now going on five years.

The equity only wants in until turnover (ie. Graham) and the province isn't prepared to pay a risk premium on a build they're guaranteeing. In other words, nobody believes it's a success in the making so nobody can align their incentives.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by trueviking

did we know this is what the U of W building is going to look like?

I don't remember seeing that drawing before.

For what it's worth, none of the renderings really had this building looking like a beauty. But for mostly student housing that isn't in a very prominent location, I'll take it. Certainly beats the surface parking lot there now.

[Andy6]

It's like a slightly tarted up University College residence building at U of M.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/I...-297818361.html?cx_navSource=d-top-story

'I've got to sue': Developer to launch legal action against city over Sargent building collapse
By: Aldo Santin
Posted: 2:26 PM

West End advocate and business owner Sal Infantino says he has no option but to launch legal action against the City of Winnipeg after its conclusion that work he authorized was responsible for the collapse of his Sargent Avenue building and the city sidewalk in front of it.

Infantino said the city has refused to provide him with the findings of an independent engineer’s assessment of the cause of the damage to his building at 543 Sargent Ave., adding the reasons provided to the Free Press make no sense to him.

Unfortunately for this guy, he's going to lose. If the City really does have engineers stating something, and they've put their stamp on it, this guy has nothing. No engineer, regardless of who their client is, would falsely seal something. Especially when it's obvious there is a legal battle ensuing over this.

Weren't the Elliot Lake Ontario reports stamped saying the mall was not going to fall in? That engineer produced a bad report, he admitted in the hearing producing a report to keep the owner happy.

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Likely never going to happen. The civic incentive is now off the table and the province has apparently been set to release the offer any day now going on five years.

The equity only wants in until turnover (ie. Graham) and the province isn't prepared to pay a risk premium on a build they're guaranteeing. In other words, nobody believes it's a success in the making so nobody can align their incentives.

So are we saying it has all been spent on a new parking lot and sidewalk for True North along with some singing lights on Market avenue?

Yet nothing for the Alexander Docks or a string of lighs for the inside of the pump house so one could actually see it... It's a real shame...

On a positive note...

A new micro brewery is opening in the East Exchange with NO money from CV for facade improvements, sidewalk renovation or landscaping ...

(It's all been spent elsewhere I guess).

It's going to be absolutely great for the area and the city !

Stay tuned!!

[Tacheguy]

Originally Posted by Labroco

So are we saying it has all been spent on a new parking lot and sidewalk for True North along with some singing lights on Market avenue?

Yet nothing for the Alexander Docks or a string of lighs for the inside of the pump house so one could actually see it... It's a real shame...

On a positive note...

A new micro brewery is opening in the East Exchange with NO money from CV for facade improvements, sidewalk renovation or landscaping ...

(It's all been spent elsewhere I guess).

It's going to be absolutely great for the area and the city !

Stay tuned!!

whoa! Now that has made my day.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by Labroco

So are we saying it has all been spent on a new parking lot and sidewalk for True North along with some singing lights on Market avenue?

Yet nothing for the Alexander Docks or a string of lighs for the inside of the pump house so one could actually see it... It's a real shame...

On a positive note...

A new micro brewery is opening in the East Exchange with NO money from CV for facade improvements, sidewalk renovation or landscaping ...

(It's all been spent elsewhere I guess).

It's going to be absolutely great for the area and the city !

Stay tuned!!

The city provided a $5MM interest free loan repayable over 15 years to True North for their parkade. I doubt there was much left after legal fees and commissions on the sale...