Windsor talk

[north 42]

^The Ramada is the hotel next to the CIBC building at Ouellette and Riverside Dr. They've been painting it in different shades of grey recently, covering up that ugly brownish brick.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Blitz

Hm, that Norwich block thing sounds interesting...even though it's in Tecumseh. What's the source on that?

This post. On this satirical site.

[Blitz]

Ah ok thanks...damn internet trolls.

The hotel next to the CIBC Building is a Travelodge (way back in the '80s it was a Relax Inn but never a Ramada). So, we're actually talking about the same building lol. The old plywood palace that burned down on the waterfront used to be a Ramada though.

[Odyssey]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

This post. On this satirical site.

damn... for a sec I thought they actually made a Norwich Block in Tecumseh, I was literally looking for it on google earth... and I didn't even look at the name of the people writing it, and it would have been in the Windsor Star... jeez I'm just silly.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Odyssey

damn... for a sec I thought they actually made a Norwich Block in Tecumseh, I was literally looking for it on google earth... and I didn't even look at the name of the people writing it, and it would have been in the Windsor Star... jeez I'm just silly.

They could have really had people going if they'd said this was going up at the corner of Tecumseh Rd. and Lesperance or Manning.

I don't recall seeing the Norwich Block in person, though I'm sure I did at some point during our family visits to Windsor when I was growing up. From a few old pics I've seen, it was very unfortunate that those buildings weren't saved.

[Odyssey]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

They could have really had people going if they'd said this was going up at the corner of Tecumseh Rd. and Lesperance or Manning.

I don't recall seeing the Norwich Block in person, though I'm sure I did at some point during our family visits to Windsor when I was growing up. From a few old pics I've seen, it was very unfortunate that those buildings weren't saved.

actually by the time they took Norwich Block down it was in very bad shape already.. the roofs were caving in and it just needed to happen. Not to say that the couldn't save it...

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Blitz

Ah ok thanks...damn internet trolls.

The hotel next to the CIBC Building is a Travelodge (way back in the '80s it was a Relax Inn but never a Ramada). So, we're actually talking about the same building lol. The old plywood palace that burned down on the waterfront used to be a Ramada though.

Shit, that's right. Well, the Travelodge is getting a new paint job regardless, lol.

The old Ramada is the old hotel next to the old Hilton, but Farhi converted that into student housing, called Club Riverside.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by Odyssey

I think we should agree to disagree, I think it will promote people to build in Sandwich South and beyond and expand the region. If they build in an already urban area (like East Windsor), then there will be no other expansion in the area beyond the new hospital. I think the current location will make there be a new hospital plus a new neighbourhood after awhile with access to the airport and a hospital, it will expand the city population wise and new businesses will start building along County Road 42 (which will probably get a name change).

The issue in Essex Cunty, and Windsor, is were not seeing a large net gain of new people and families, so by promoting sprawl in existing green fields you're only furthering the issue the city is already struggling with which is a migration of people from core neighborhoods to surrounding outlying neighborhoods that have yet to be built. It's a shell game with the population, not a big gain like you're imagining.

So instead of finding an existing lot in the city that is already serviced with hydro, sewers, roads, and bus routes, we have to pay out the ass to build it up in the middle of a corn field that is near nothing and has no services. It's assinine and it's going to cost us a fortune and it actually moves the new hospital away from a lot of the people who need the services the most, the less fortunate.

Ya, I agree to disagree.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by Blitz

Hm, that Norwich block thing sounds interesting...even though it's in Tecumseh. What's the source on that?

The Sandwich South area will grow whether or not a new hospital goes in there. The Tec/Lauzon Pkwy location was rejected only because it cost a couple more million dollars - it's absurd to base a decision this big on that tiny amount. It's better for a city to grow upward rather than outward especially when there is room for infill in the urban core.

Which one is the old Ramada building? I know the Holiday Inn on Ouellette used to be a Ramada...does Farhi own that hotel too?

Radisson I meant, my mistake. The building that is next to the former Hilton that is now a shabby looking student residence that has the dirty outline of the sign Radisson that you can still see on the top of the building. Looks fugly.

[Odyssey]

Originally Posted by Symz

The issue in Essex Cunty, and Windsor, is were not seeing a large net gain of new people and families, so by promoting sprawl in existing green fields you're only furthering the issue the city is already struggling with which is a migration of people from core neighborhoods to surrounding outlying neighborhoods that have yet to be built. It's a shell game with the population, not a big gain like you're imagining.

So instead of finding an existing lot in the city that is already serviced with hydro, sewers, roads, and bus routes, we have to pay out the ass to build it up in the middle of a corn field that is near nothing and has no services. It's assinine and it's going to cost us a fortune and it actually moves the new hospital away from a lot of the people who need the services the most, the less fortunate.

Ya, I agree to disagree.

I 'm actually starting to get your point, but I hope they don't build it in East Windsor since Windsor Regional Hospital is already in East Windsor. Actually not really, since Windsor Regional Hospital is in East Windsor but more near the core. so maybe the East End (like Forest Glade, Riverside) would actually be a good location... we'll se, I still think they're just gonna build it in its original place where they planned it anyway... But your point about the less fortunate could also work for maybe building it in West Windsor where they have a big empty lot on Wyandotte Rd W.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Symz

The issue in Essex Cunty, and Windsor, is were not seeing a large net gain of new people and families, so by promoting sprawl in existing green fields you're only furthering the issue the city is already struggling with which is a migration of people from core neighborhoods to surrounding outlying neighborhoods that have yet to be built. It's a shell game with the population, not a big gain like you're imagining.

So instead of finding an existing lot in the city that is already serviced with hydro, sewers, roads, and bus routes, we have to pay out the ass to build it up in the middle of a corn field that is near nothing and has no services. It's assinine and it's going to cost us a fortune and it actually moves the new hospital away from a lot of the people who need the services the most, the less fortunate.

Ya, I agree to disagree.

Windsor is growing at 1% a year now, same growth as London.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/lfss04h-eng.htm

[South248]

Been hearing rumours that The Box is turning into a full-fledged No Frills (and presumably occupying the whole building that it now only uses at 2/3 capacity).

Has anyone heard anything on this? Would be nice for those who like the PC products, but don't like Zehrs prices or live near Superstore.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by north 42

Windsor is growing at 1% a year now, same growth as London.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/lfss04h-eng.htm

Ok, but as of 2010 our populatoin in Windsor was approximately the same as it was in 1971 if you check some internet sources, yet the footprint of the city and its neighborhoods has expanded tremendously since 1971. So basically, the same amount of people spread out over more land needing more sewers, hydro lines, roads, etc. Sprawl is not cost effective and it has hurt us in regards to just trying to maintain ratructure. We should be intensifying, builing density and walkable neighborhoods, instead we sprawl out and build smart centres.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by South248

Been hearing rumours that The Box is turning into a full-fledged No Frills (and presumably occupying the whole building that it now only uses at 2/3 capacity).

Has anyone heard anything on this? Would be nice for those who like the PC products, but don't like Zehrs prices or live near Superstore.

Ya know, I just drove by there the other day and something looked a little different like something might be happening but I thought nothing of it. If it's true, I'll welcome another budget grocery store in the Riverside area. The Metro down the street the other way was just redone (although I don't shop there $$).

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Symz

Ok, but as of 2010 our populatoin in Windsor was approximately the same as it was in 1971 if you check some internet sources, yet the footprint of the city and its neighborhoods has expanded tremendously since 1971. So basically, the same amount of people spread out over more land needing more sewers, hydro lines, roads, etc. Sprawl is not cost effective and it has hurt us in regards to just trying to maintain ratructure. We should be intensifying, builing density and walkable neighborhoods, instead we sprawl out and build smart centres.

Thats city population, our metro population is far higher now than 1971! I'm sure our city's population will have spiked quite a bit when the new census numbers come out in February, much like our metro numbers.
There are so many new families moving into Windsor and Essex County now that residential construction is booming in both the city and the county. Just look how low our apartment vacancy rate is now, 2.9%. This should also hopefully get some developers to start building both rental and condo highrises soon.
The land out by the airport and new hospital site is the only real greenfield place left to grow for the city now, but I'm optimistic that we will start to see more infill and brownfield developement in the urban areas of the city now that developement charges have been dropped. The much better economy will make this happen much quicker than in the past.

[South248]

New York Fries has closed up shop in Tecumseh Mall. Not that anything closing in Tecumseh Mall is a surprise anymore, but it was one of the original food court tenants if I recall right.

I wish there was some easy answer to saving that mall from dying a slow painful death. It's been the victim of circumstances beyond its control (Zellers shutting down nationally, Sobeys being the most expensive/least popular supermarket in that stretch of Tecumseh Rd resulting in its own demise). The grocery sector in this area is pretty much full, so I'm not even sure what could serve as a new anchor at this point.

[north 42]

^^ You'd think with all the growth that has taken place in east Windsor over the years that Tecumseh Mall would have benifitted from its proximity, but that has not taken place.
I guess it's hard to compete against the largest mall in Southwestern Ontario (Devonshire) and all of the local Metro Detroit malls.
Still, I feel that if a strong anchor tenant would open up and the whole mall was renovated, it could prosper and be relevant once again. I'm not holding my breath though, lol.

[Blitz]

It will be interesting to see the population numbers from last year's census - StatsCan is releasing those next Tuesday.

The city has essentially waived most or all development fees in a large area essentially from Tecumseh Rd northward all the way east to Pillette Rd I think. Given that, the influx of people moving to the area looking for work in the auto sector, and the low vacancy rates there has to be some sort of residential highrise development coming soon.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Blitz

It will be interesting to see the population numbers from last year's census - StatsCan is releasing those next Tuesday.

The city has essentially waived most or all development fees in a large area essentially from Tecumseh Rd northward all the way east to Pillette Rd I think. Given that, the influx of people moving to the area looking for work in the auto sector, and the low vacancy rates there has to be some sort of residential highrise development coming soon.

I'm pretty optimistic that those fees being waved will really get things going in the central part of the city, and once it starts, other developers will take notice and start looking at the core as a viable option when it comes to residential developement.

I'm really looking foreword to the census numbers, I think things are looking good for the city, with a growing and diverse population, and more growth in the city proper.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by north 42

Shit, that's right. Well, the Travelodge is getting a new paint job regardless, lol.

The old Ramada is the old hotel next to the old Hilton, but Farhi converted that into student housing, called Club Riverside.

Club Riverside failed and is no more. WTF is going on with that building now I have no clue.

You can read a 2 page interview by Alan Halberstat with Schmuel Farhi on pages 6 & 7 of last month's issue of BizX Windsor.

Link
https://issuu.com/bizxmagazine/docs/biz_x_magazine_january_2017/1?ff=true&e=22803371/42664019