Winnipeg | Restaurants

[esquire]

^ Well said, biguc. And I couldn't give a crap if Earls boarded up their existing restaurant. What they proposed sucks so bad that a surface parking lot would barely be any worse.

The "give us a variance to build something the zoning bylaw doesn't allow or we'll just walk away" game only works when you're proposing something that has at least some semblance of desirability. You can't really use that tactic when you're proposing a piece of junk that is only more desirable than, say, a Domo station.

I'd rather hold out for the bird in the bush even if it means 10 more years of Impark. At least the Impark lot makes it look like we haven't completely given up by allowing totally inappropriate development on a downtown thoroughfare.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Well said, biguc. And I couldn't give a crap if Earls boarded up their existing restaurant. What they proposed sucks so bad that a surface parking lot would barely be any worse.

The "give us a variance to build something the zoning bylaw doesn't allow or we'll just walk away" game only works when you're proposing something that has at least some semblance of desirability. You can't really use that tactic when you're proposing a piece of junk that is only more desirable than, say, a Domo station.

I'd rather hold out for the bird in the bush even if it means 10 more years of Impark. At least the Impark lot makes it look like we haven't completely given up by allowing totally inappropriate development on a downtown thoroughfare.

I think what's coloring the opinions like this is what and who Earls are as opposed to what it is they're actually planning to do. There's nothing about South Main that makes it anywhere remotely open to the sort of urban environment everybody would like to pretend exists or will. It's an urban highway and it's always been. Even in the halcyon days it was just a line of car dealerships.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by esquire

The "give us a variance to build something the zoning bylaw doesn't allow or we'll just walk away" game only works when you're proposing something that has at least some semblance of desirability. You can't really use that tactic when you're proposing a piece of junk that is only more desirable than, say, a Domo station.

To be fair to Earls — they never did this, everyone's painting them with a poor brush here. They're completely understanding of why the rule is in place. The rule wasn't in place when they submitted these plans though, so that's why they tried to appeal. It's just a lot of wasted money to throw out all those plans.

It'll set them back a year to plan, but it's not gonna kill them and they're not up in arms over it.

[biguc]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I think what's coloring the opinions like this is what and who Earls are as opposed to what it is they're actually planning to do. There's nothing about South Main that makes it anywhere remotely open to the sort of urban environment everybody would like to pretend exists or will. It's an urban highway and it's always been. Even in the halcyon days it was just a line of car dealerships.

Right, but it should be better. And just because a restaurant is better than a car dealership, doesn't mean that's improvement. Look at what happened at Portage and Sherbrook. The city got a bunch of drive throughs that it's never going to get rid of. That corner should be the cornerstone Winnipeg's renascent west end neighborhoods. Instead it's an uninviting, dangerous void. And I'm not saying it's realistic for anyone to expect a Vancouver style forest of glass condos. But it is realistic to expect the kind of low-midrise residential and mixed-use buildings that are starting to crop up further south on Sherbrook and Maryland. Unfortunately, that kind of development will hit a wall at Broadway, because Horton's and McD's don't want to part with their lucrative drive throughs.

Cities develop incrementally. Suburbs are built in tracts. It's fine if Winnipeg doesn't have a boom, as long as actual urban development can happen. For that to happen, we can't mistake suburban tract development--even in the city--as anything that can develop incrementally.

[CoryB]

I know it won't happen but I still feel Earl's moving from Main St to CentrePoint could solve two issues. Sure it leaves behind a surface lot that could have been developed but it leaves that possibility open to an easier future than a single story restaurant.

My other concern though is who owns the land where the expansion was going to be built? If it is Earl's themselves they could very stubbornly resist all other efforts to ever develop the site. If we pick a fight with the owner instead of the tenant it is possible it will stay a surface lot forever.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by CoryB

I know it won't happen but I still feel Earl's moving from Main St to CentrePoint could solve two issues. Sure it leaves behind a surface lot that could have been developed but it leaves that possibility open to an easier future than a single story restaurant.

My other concern though is who owns the land where the expansion was going to be built? If it is Earl's themselves they could very stubbornly resist all other efforts to ever develop the site. If we pick a fight with the owner instead of the tenant it is possible it will stay a surface lot forever.

The owner is Sabino who has less interest than even Earls in parting with the land. I tried to make this point the other day. Nobody - ever - is going to be able to give him the value he sees from Earls strictly because of the usage. He sees more value leaving it as a parking lot than he does from anybody coming to develop some half vacant commercial build-out. This isn't banked land sitting on deposit with CenterVenture waiting for the right proposal. It's privately held land that has a value to hurdle. If that value can't be hurdled today given interest rates and land values, it won't be in our life times.

[Tacheguy]

New Stella's open now at 340 Provencher. Yippee!

[1ajs]

some hipster restraunt opened at beaverly and notre dame interesting anyone els been to it yet?

also some knew sandwitch shop opened on william in the old subway. neat

[Tacheguy]

On my morning stroll today I noticed that the original Chez Sophie is to reopen soon as La Belle Baguette..boulangerie and Cafe. Such a charming neighbourhood in there; full of life with all the international students. I am happy to see something like that go in there. Still miss the Sophie's pizza though..

[BKB]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

some hipster restraunt opened at beaverly and notre dame interesting anyone els been to it yet?

also some knew sandwitch shop opened on william in the old subway. neat

I went to Beet Happening on Notre Dame Avenue about an hour ago. Great looking place with pretty good food and friendly service.

From a non-hipster.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by BKB

From a non-hipster.

That's what they all say

[Riverman]

What kind of food?

[BKB]

Originally Posted by Riverman

What kind of food?

Little pizzas, soups, stews, chili, sausage rolls, etc.
Lots of vegetarian and with some meat options.

[BKB]

Originally Posted by esquire

That's what they all say

My beard would be more Homer Simpson than hipster.

[buzzg]

The Merchant Kitchen (@ Centrepoint) opens next week.

[headhorse]

the people behind Segovia are opening a new breakfast spot at 123 Princess in August called Clementine.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by headhorse

the people behind Segovia are opening a new breakfast spot at 123 Princess in August called Clementine.

Isn't that currently a Subway?

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by h0twired

Isn't that currently a Subway?

It's the door on the right, beside Subway.

Also, it looks like Kitchen Sync (370 Donald) is about to open, just waiting on final permits. Website is down but you can check it out on their Facebook page.

It's a commercial kitchen rental/teaching and demo space/event space. Looks pretty cool.

[rypinion]

Here's a blog post about it I spotted on twitter this morning:

http://pepperandvine.com/segovia-exchange-rumour/

[CoryB]

It was announced yesterday NuBurger is opening a second location. This one is located in Kennaston Commons (aka where Sobey's is).