Winnipeg Construction VIII

[headhorse]

this is kind of surprising. st. charles hotel liquor license application for vendor/lounge/patio/dining room.

http://lgamanitoba.ca/documents/public-notice-st-charles-hotel-december-15.pdf

[trueviking]

Wow. Good find!!! I wonder what's up.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by h0twired

The problem with the pump house is that people still have the stupid idea that the pumping equipment be retained.

This is probably the greatest hurdle in its development.

Without the equipment the heritage value of the building is completely lost. If that isn't part of a redevelopment, might as well tear it down and start new. You would be losing 99% of what makes the building important, so why bother keeping the rest. It would cost a fortune to remove and seal the equipment as well.

[Urban recluse]

I would argue enough time has been granted, and there has been extensive conferring; demolish it and build something spectacular on the site.

[BigG]

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

What we need to see--at this point anyway--are many low-rise infills lining the downtown streets. They do not all need to have retail components, as long as the design is appropriate and the sidewalks have trees/planters along them.

We also need a hotel or two in the west Exchange (preferably along Princess) to get more people out and about eating and shopping in the area. If I had the resources, I would purchase and convert the Peck Building into a boutique hotel, perhaps adding a few floors above in glass.


http://www.icom-cc.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=207


http://www.tripadvisor.it/LocationPhotoD...-i99417247-Novotel_Wien_City-Vienna.html

If the Galt Block on Princess is ever up for redevelopment, something like this IMO would look stunning.


http://vibrantbayarea.org/2013/07/finding-ways-for-history-to-accommodate-urbanism/

What about renovating the exterior of the former Dreman parkade into something like this?


http://www.urbanrealm.com/news/4344/Coun..._Scottish_Provident_demolition_plan.html

Maybe converting the St. Charles to one of these would do wonders to this area. That whole block is so vital to the linkage of the exchange to P&M that it's amazing that no development has been done to that triangular surface parking lot which, in my eyes, is screaming for something big.

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by trueviking

Wow. Good find!!! I wonder what's up.

One must be very cautious with this...

And concerned...

A retail vendor licence for this location recreates the woodbine vendor challenges for the area as well as a beer drive through. Both are not appropriate for this location.

I have no issue with the patio restaraunt licence but what is happening here is an attempt to have off sales without restoring the building.

Don't be fooled...

Planning, centre ventures and the Biz need to be firm on this.

There is a great opportunity with this property but I am unconvinced the current owner is up to the task. Why the city has not or did not take the property back is a mystery. This could just be another stalling tactic as well.


A new owner with some help could move the property in a better direction.

[Urban recluse]

Originally Posted by BigG

Maybe converting the St. Charles to one of these would do wonders to this area. That whole block is so vital to the linkage of the exchange to P&M that it's amazing that no development has been done to that triangular surface parking lot which, in my eyes, is screaming for something big.

I raise my glass to you fine sir.

[Urban recluse]

Originally Posted by Labroco

One must be very cautious with this...

And concerned...

A retail vendor licence for this location recreates the woodbine vendor challenges for the area as well as a beer drive through. Both are not appropriate for this location.

I have no issue with the patio restaraunt licence but what is happening here is an attempt to have off sales without restoring the building.

Don't be fooled...

Planning, centre ventures and the Biz need to be firm on this.

There is a great opportunity with this property but I am unconvinced the current owner is up to the task. Why the city has not or did not take the property back is a mystery. This could just be another stalling tactic as well.


A new owner with some help could move the property in a better direction.

Agreed.

[windypeg]

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

I would argue enough time has been granted, and there has been extensive conferring; demolish it and build something spectacular on the site.

I'm afraid we've already seen that the NIMBY-ism of people living in the East Exchange will make any project difficult on that site. But I'm assuming the last proposal fell through because no one could figure out the parkade situation. Hopefully if that gets figured out the NIMBYs can be overcome.

[Urban recluse]

I would have to assume height is no longer an issue? What about closing most of Amy Street behind the building, and building a parkade that covers both surface lots on either side?

[oftheMoon]

Originally Posted by windypeg

I'm afraid we've already seen that the NIMBY-ism of people living in the East Exchange will make any project difficult on that site. But I'm assuming the last proposal fell through because no one could figure out the parkade situation. Hopefully if that gets figured out the NIMBYs can be overcome.

Any project on that corner that's appropriate for the area would be largely supported. The proposed tower was unreasonably out of scale.

[Urban recluse]

The city approved the size though. I would welcome a design in the 10 to 20 storey range. Also, the sidewalks along the District condos should we replaced, widened, trees planted, planters built in and perhaps even a centre median with landscaping. I much prefer downtowns with narrow streets, and more landscaping.

[bomberjet]

I'm liking the design the City is implementing in the exchange, with the sidewalks and streets. More please.

[Urban recluse]

Kitchener and Waterloo are seeing some beautiful downtown sidewalks being developed. IMO downtown Winnipeg needs to emulate what those cities are doing. The Indianapolis cultural trail is amazing, too.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Centre court being the fountain?

Looks like a couple U of W offices and iMarketing Solutions. The rest are little shops.

Edit:
Oops, east of centre court. What I said above was at the west end. Again though, the dental centre and the FNP office. The blank Buck or Two wall makes it look pretty empty though.

Unless it has changed recently the east wing second floor also had an insurance broker, a couple long empty store fronts and two actual stores which have been there forever and will likely relocate as space frees up on their leases expire.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Unless it has changed recently the east wing second floor also had an insurance broker, a couple long empty store fronts and two actual stores which have been there forever and will likely relocate as space frees up on their leases expire.

Depends what you consider recent, since that insurance broker relocated to the skywalk years ago. Currently on that wing there's the FNP offices on the very far side, a money sending western union type place where the insurance used to be. Some clothing store that sells like "urban" clothes, Bentley luggage, MTS Connect, and a nail salon. There are currently zero empty store fronts as there's been some sort of pop up shop in the only available space for what must be at least a year now.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by trueviking

Without the equipment the heritage value of the building is completely lost. If that isn't part of a redevelopment, might as well tear it down and start new. You would be losing 99% of what makes the building important, so why bother keeping the rest. It would cost a fortune to remove and seal the equipment as well.

I am fine with removing the building as well (provided the replacement goes up immediately).

It has never been that appealing to me from the street.

[Urban recluse]

It is time. If this were a grander building, I would be inclined to champion its survival.

[CoryB]

Re Portage Place, short term pop up shops assisted by the downtown biz to make a vacant store front more active doesn't change its a vacant store front. If someone came calling tomorrow wanting to sign a multi-year lease to put something permanent in that space Portage Place would be all over it.

--

Separately, I was buy the Manitoba Clinic again last night and noticed that the stairs/elevator tower were built to accommodate about five floors yet before the current construction there were only about three. It seems the current expansion that is happening was on the books for some time. It is still exciting that they purchased and demod the gas station on the corner though as it indicates they are planning for more than just expanded the parkade.

[Urban recluse]

I did not realize the original design for the addition to the Marlborough included a scalloped roof; I prefer that. Also, interesting to the left, there is a building where the triangular lot is; was that a proposal?


http://www.winnipegarchitecture.ca/321-331-smith-street/