Winnipeg Construction VIII

[bomberjet]

^Awesome, thanks Cyro! You da man!

[drew]

Originally Posted by Labroco

Apparently everyone thinks a couple of run down bars with pigeon lofts is a better way to start off the rebirth of South Main. Ya I know, urban fabric etc...

To me, that's the value of these buildings.

The fact you can take a building that has basically been left to deteriorate and rot for decades and (other than the complications meeting modern Codes) it is relatively easy to bring them back to life.

There is a certain vintage of building that are built sturdy enough (and without any sort of building envelope) where this is possible. This vintage is not common on this stretch of Main, and these buildings are basically the only ones left.

Fix these buildings up, give them life and direct this hotel developer somewhere else. Hell, there are probably 3 or 4 suitable empty lots visible from this part of Main. They don't have to go far.

[CoryB]

I would suspect anything on the east side of Main would require additional noise remediation due to the proximity of the train. There would also likely be higher insurance costs over the long term.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by Labroco

Well a 10 storey hotel would have been a great start!

Apparently everyone thinks a couple of run down bars with pigeon lofts is a better way to start off the rebirth of South Main. Ya I know, urban fabric etc...

I hope to be buying the beer but I don't think so...������

There is no proposal for a ten storey hotel. Let's be clear about that. This is not a decision between redeveloped old buildings or a new building. That is not the debate.

Also. If you want o build a real neighbourhood, those buildings have as much or more value as a new building. Times changed and other small business is not going in a new building. Great cities have both old and new.

[esquire]

Province announces $120 million for critical infrastructure at U of M

http://news.umanitoba.ca/province-announces-120-million-for-critical-infrastructure-at-u-of-m/

...the Manitoba government announced that it is providing $120 million in targeted infrastructure funding as part of the $150 million provincial contribution to the University of Manitoba’s Front and Centre campaign, making strategic capital investments in the university so students can study in state-of-the-art research facilities.

...

Premier Selinger announced that part of this funding is the provincial contribution to the new Inter-Professional Health Education Complex at the University of Manitoba’s Bannatyne campus. This new building will consolidate health researchers from the U of M into one space and act as a catalyst for research and innovation in public health. The new centre would see the college of nursing join medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, rehabilitation sciences and other health-care programs in a single, purpose-built location.

[trueviking]

Nice image. Doesn't meet the energy code.

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by trueviking

There is no proposal for a ten storey hotel. Let's be clear about that. This is not a decision between redeveloped old buildings or a new building. That is not the debate.

Sorry, but I believe your incorrect..

There is a proposal for a new 10 storey extended stay hotel on this site. It's by real people with real money with a real long track record. The site is under contract to them and until yesterday not designated. The reason they want this site is because its the right location and it's available. There are no parking lots for sale down town period.
Until Mr Pollard has the site under contract these buildings might as well be windmills. While I applaud his largeness and civic mindness I feel it's better directed of the Royal Albert or St Charles. That my friends is ground zero in Winnipeg's Historic Preservation fight. If we loose the St Charles we have a very big problem.

For the city to simply turn its back on this development is more about ensuring the proposed hotel in the SHED does not have its lunch eaten from someone out of town. No one said boo about the Carlton Inn an excellent example of 60's modernism designed by the original principals of No. 10 (I'm not kidding) from being pulled down. The hotel was always full but apparently by the wrong people for the SHED's preferred demographic.

No one has offered an alternative location for them...

I wonder why?

There is no public money available for the restoration of these buildings nor the new proposed hotel but there appears to be plenty of city / provincial funds about to be made available for true north as mentioned in FP today...

Who drew these SHED boundries anyway?






Also. If you want o build a real neighbourhood, those buildings have as much or more value as a new building. Times changed and other small business is not going in a new building. Great cities have both old and new.

..

[trueviking]

There is no real plan for a hotel. Council was very clear in saying what was presented was ideas. If there was a real development, council would not have recommended heritage designation. If there is a real development it can easily be de-listed.

How many $35m phantom developments have been used as a smokescreen.

Hotels don't work in downtown Winnipeg. This group from another city might think that is the perfect site for whatever reason but trust me when they start crunching the numbers, they will end their investigation.

[trueviking]

I totally agree with you about the Carlton and the two Albert street hotels. 100%.

[TimeFadesAway]

Originally Posted by trueviking

There is no proposal for a ten storey hotel. Let's be clear about that. This is not a decision between redeveloped old buildings or a new building. That is not the debate.

Exactly. If this was a firm proposal, where are the architectural drawings, permit applications, etc.

The status of these buildings has been in question for years, and now the first time we are hearing about this hotel 'proposal' is on the very day that the heritage designation hearings are occurring? Give me a break.

I seem to remember a discussion about downtown Winnipeg hotel viability with Simplicity a while back in the TN Square thread where he made a compelling argument for the economic case preventing hotel construction. Where did the demand for this hotel magically appear from, then?

[Biff]

Those are some amazingly tall floor heights in that Nursing Building (i know it is a preliminary rendering ). The top 3 floors appear between 15 and 18 ft high.

[TimeFadesAway]

Originally Posted by trueviking

There is no real plan for a hotel.

How many $35m phantom developments have been used as a smokescreen.

This is what happens in Winnipeg and the history is too strong to ignore.

How's the development at Shanghai doing? 5 years on it's still an empty field.

The Tribune building was to be replaced...Maybe well see SkyCity there 35 years later.

The McIntyre Block, basically right at our most prominent intersection, had it's removal justified by the promise that something would be built there "soon" and it's a gravel parking lot.

I stumbled across an article a while back discussing the demolition of Grace United Church, a beautiful building at the corner of Ellice and Notre Dame. They interviewed the developer who was discussing his exciting plans for replacing the building with something new and fantastic. It's still a parking lot and the article was written in 1957 or 58.

It's bs. A desperate last second move on the part of the owners.

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by TimeFadesAway

Exactly. If this was a firm proposal, where are the architectural drawings, permit applications, etc.

The status of these buildings has been in question for years, and now the first time we are hearing about this hotel 'proposal' is on the very day that the heritage designation hearings are occurring? Give me a break.


The owners asked for a demo permit as a precondition of the sale...
Once the request was made suddenly there was an issue. The designation happened because of the demo permit not the other way around.


Hotels do work downtown as seen by a new one at health science and Humphrys on Main. Many have been built by the airport where land is expensive too...

The issue is really no parking lots are available to build on and everyone believed what true north said to make their case for more public money...

Part of this forum is to discuss and share opinions and ideas.

I really believe the city's inconsistent positions hold back a tremendous amount of potential development.

Well I'm talked out on this for now.... I'll come back to it I owe everyone a beer or if we are laughing or crying about the ultimate outcome ...

Cheers

I seem to remember a discussion about downtown Winnipeg hotel viability with Simplicity a while back in the TN Square thread where he made a compelling argument for the economic case preventing hotel construction. Where did the demand for this hotel magically appear from, then?

Originally Posted by TimeFadesAway

This is what happens in Winnipeg and the history is too strong to ignore.

How's the development at Shanghai doing? 5 years on it's still an empty field.

The Tribune building was to be replaced...Maybe well see SkyCity there 35 years later.

The McIntyre Block, basically right at our most prominent intersection, had it's removal justified by the promise that something would be built there "soon" and it's a gravel parking lot.

I stumbled across an article a while back discussing the demolition of Grace United Church, a beautiful building at the corner of Ellice and Notre Dame. They interviewed the developer who was discussing his exciting plans for replacing the building with something new and fantastic. It's still a parking lot and the article was written in 1957 or 58.

It's bs. A desperate last second move on the part of the owners.

..

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by trueviking

Nice image. Doesn't meet the energy code.

Gets rid of a couple surface lots though.

[esquire]

^ The U of M has a much more noticeable presence around HSC than when I was a student. Before the Brodie Centre you'd hardly know the U of M was there at all, but this new building will really create a critical mass.

The only unfortunate thing is that the Bannatyne Campus is basically a fortress. There is absolutely no surrounding "university district" with apartments/shops/cafes geared to students.

[Urban recluse]

That is a direction which should be focused on; the area could be quite vibrant if housing was constructed. Also, seeing homes along McDermot, Bannatyne and William renovated or redeveloped would be wonderful.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by Biff

Those are some amazingly tall floor heights in that Nursing Building (i know it is a preliminary rendering ). The top 3 floors appear between 15 and 18 ft high.

Not being involved in building design I might be missing some details. Part of the university building design often has lecture halls with tiered theater style seating. I suspect that might be part of the reason for the taller floor heights in the render.

Separately, the announcement is interesting as it talks about bringing all the medicine programs to the HSC campus and talks heavily about the nursing program yet no mention is made of what will happen to the old Human Ecology programs which moved into the new combined medicine faculty which still have all their classes on the Fort Garry campus.

[Cyro]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Separately, the announcement is interesting as it talks about bringing all the medicine programs to the HSC campus and talks heavily about the nursing program yet no mention is made of what will happen to the old Human Ecology programs which moved into the new combined medicine faculty which still have all their classes on the Fort Garry campus.

I believe, it may be the faculty of engineering taking over the vacated space once the move into the new facility at HSC happens.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Not being involved in building design I might be missing some details. Part of the university building design often has lecture halls with tiered theater style seating. I suspect that might be part of the reason for the taller floor heights in the render.

Separately, the announcement is interesting as it talks about bringing all the medicine programs to the HSC campus and talks heavily about the nursing program yet no mention is made of what will happen to the old Human Ecology programs which moved into the new combined medicine faculty which still have all their classes on the Fort Garry campus.

that rendering is purely fiction for the announcement. The RFP for a design team will come out in the following months.

I agree totally with the point that the HSC is a fortress. Such a massive entity with zero influence on its neighbourhood.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by Cyro

I believe, it may be the faculty of engineering taking over the vacated space once the move into the new facility at HSC happens.

great...that's all the world needs...more engineers.