Winnipeg Construction IX

[esquire]

Total speculation on my part, but isn't (wasn't?) there a restaurant up there at some point? If so, it could have been a connection from dining room to kitchen or some such.

I agree though, it looks very awkward. Looks like a conveyor belt going between industrial buildings. The ones between Holiday Towers north/south are much shorter and less noticeable. I presume the Holiday Towers skywalks exist to provide access to the top-floor pool area... is there still a pool up there?

[Wpg_Guy]

There used to be restaurants and small banquet facilities at the top of both those complexes (Henderson & St.Vital). I remember walking across the sky bridge it was nothing more than a connection to each building.

[tree]

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

Perhaps under Expresso, but really, meh, who cares.

Another one for you:

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/20+Alpi...a29d0c5090!8m2!3d49.8560019!4d-97.100118

Thanks Yeah I have seen the one at Alpine but it looks shorter and more matches the rest of the building - or at least doesn't look completely out of place. But would probably serve the same purpose at that one.

Originally Posted by cheswick

Holiday towers on Hargrave also has the same thing.

My assumption has always been there are some amenities on the upper floor so they have the skywalk so people on the upper floors in one tower don't have to take the elevator all the way down walk across then take the elevator all the way back up.

Yeah Holiday Towers skybridge looks like it should be there though (ie - symmetrical)

I think your explanation explains it though (pool, gym, etc to be shared by both buildings) is on the top floor of one building. This does reduce the max travel time a tenant at the farthest point would have to travel to get to the pool vs if the connection between buildings was only at ground floor. (max 1 elevator ride vs max 2)

Originally Posted by esquire

Total speculation on my part, but isn't (wasn't?) there a restaurant up there at some point? If so, it could have been a connection from dining room to kitchen or some such.

I agree though, it looks very awkward. Looks like a conveyor belt going between industrial buildings. The ones between Holiday Towers north/south are much shorter and less noticeable. I presume the Holiday Towers skywalks exist to provide access to the top-floor pool area... is there still a pool up there?

Originally Posted by WpG_GuY

There used to be restaurants and small banquet facilities at the top of both those complexes (Henderson & St.Vital). I remember walking across the sky bridge it was nothing more than a connection to each building.

If its a banquet area guest can book out then it makes sense (accessible from both towers) - a restaurant as in a private business would be a weird one though (customers coming and going through the apartment lobby / elevators, etc).

[TimeFadesAway]

Originally Posted by WpG_GuY

There used to be restaurants and small banquet facilities at the top of both those complexes (Henderson & St.Vital). I remember walking across the sky bridge it was nothing more than a connection to each building.

Merteen's was in the Henderson building, Tiffani's in the Niakwa building.

[windypeg]

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

Thankfully you are not mayor of the city or president of Centreventure. Even they are of the opinion that the city is doing good, but there is a lot of work to be done.

It's their job to be cheerleaders. What are they supposed to do when they represent the city? Tell everybody it's a dump and nothing good ever happens there? Somehow I don't think that would bring any more investment here.

[Urban recluse]

No, but they could settle for the status quo and champion mediocrity like others in the past.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by tree

snip

If its a banquet area guest can book out then it makes sense (accessible from both towers) - a restaurant as in a private business would be a weird one though (customers coming and going through the apartment lobby / elevators, etc).

And that's happened at both of the apartment complexes when they were in business. I can't recall if you had to call the hostess desk to get buzzed in or not.

I know at the Henderson complex you were only able to get into Merteen's restaurant thru one of the buildings if you were not a resident.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

That "recent past" was due to complacency, lack of vision, and I would argue not looking at what other cities are doing.

Part of what will help downtown IMO is excluding it (and certain other neighborhoods) from the growth tax. If Bowman (and any future municipal government) is smart, this will be permanent, not temporary.

100% critical. Really this needs to happen for all infill.

Would be nice to have a TIF program again for downtown housing. We likely won't see much new construction downtown except existing building conversions.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by TimeFadesAway

Merteen's was in the Henderson building, Tiffani's in the Niakwa building.

Found the following phone numbers but not sure they are still in business:

Merteen's 204-334-2106
Tiffani's 204-256-7324

[TimeFadesAway]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Found the following phone numbers but not sure they are still in business:

Merteen's 204-334-2106
Tiffani's 204-256-7324

I'm pretty sure they've been closed for quite a while. They were part of the same chain as the Royal Crown in Fort Garry Place.

[trueviking]

All the complaints that there are no projects to talk about and nobody posts the twin tower project confirmed yesterday?!

[esquire]

Originally Posted by trueviking

All the complaints that there are no projects to talk about and nobody posts the twin tower project confirmed yesterday?!

Plenty of discussion in the True North Square project thread!

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by trueviking

All the complaints that there are no projects to talk about and nobody posts the twin tower project confirmed yesterday?!

I was thinking that - didn't really want to say it though.

[headhorse]

221 Stradbrook:


from http://waltechvis.com


from http://waltechvis.com

[Wpg_Guy]

As much as I like to see residential TOD development That building is so uninspiring.

I see the areas having so much potential to be a great dense urban neighbourhood.

[esquire]

Obviously not a spectacular design but at least it's breaking through the usual 6-8 storey lowrise heights we've been seeing in Osborne Village lately. It will be a nice filler project for an area (the stretch along Stradbrook east of Donald) which has a lot of empty voids, and the TOD factor is good too.

That's an awkward little wedge of property that this project will leave behind directly to the east of the tower, though... I wonder what might happen there eventually?

[WolselyMan]

Originally Posted by WpG_GuY

As much as I like to see residential TOD development That building is so uninspiring.

I see the areas having so much potential to be a great dense urban neighbourhood.

Sure beats this



https://www.google.ca/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&...8saATk3v1UW89kqClGQ&ust=1504398959350499

[esquire]

^ Disagree

[WolselyMan]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Disagree

How so? Is it because the Toronto ones are taller? If so forget about height and just imagine the stradbrook proposal but just as tall. Would you prefer that over a faceless curtain of glass that has clearly been designed by a computer algorithm? Sure, maybe one of those glass towers all on it's own surrounded by other unique looking high rises wouldn't look so bad in the village. But the next worse thing to having no high rise developments is having too many crappy high rise developments. I'd prefer neither for Winnipeg.

[esquire]

What's not to like about what you posted? Better materials, better overall standard of design, more density, and yes, the height doesn't hurt. With that many people you can sustain a pretty lively and vibrant urban neighbourhood. I'm not upset with what we're getting, but given a choice I'd take the buildings in that photo in a heartbeat.