Winnipeg Construction IX

[Urban recluse]

Originally Posted by WolselyMan

Sure beats this



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

You're insane if you think that is inferior.

[WolselyMan]

Originally Posted by 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.

Better materials??? The entire outer shell of the buildings are made of glass! Hope you can afford all that heating and air conditioning bills for your condo, because those walls are gonna be as insulating as a $300 Siberian shack.

Better overall standard of design? These structures are barely a decade old and they're already falling apart! I don't know how familiar you are with this subject, but there has been massive controversy over the standards and practices of developers inside the massive condo booms undergoing in major Canadian cities. These buildings are often times constructed so fast, and in such a factory like fashion that there are major problems with pipe bursts, falling glass, non existent sound proofing and cracks in building foundations that have ballooned unit owners with ever growing condo fees. The Canadian high rise real estate sector is infested with these dumpy developers whose only objective is to provide a speedy return to investors and pocket the profits, as they abandon the unit owners to deal with the shabby construction work themselves.

I don't really think you understand the magnitude the problem here, so let me say it straight. Toronto is screwed. Within 20 years all of these towers will be having tremendous maintenance and repair issues. Doing something as simple as replacing the glass will bankrupt the condo boards responsible for tasks such as that. Add onto that the sheer number of these towers that have been built and you're looking at a massive infrastructure crash the likes of which you haven't ever seen before in the developed world. Some experts are predicting that these buildings are destined to turn into the slums of the future. And the newer the tower is, the lower standards it was probably built with. Any of Vancouver's condos that were built back in the 90s are still doing pretty well off. Meanwhile, many of the city's most recent new builds are already sprouting lawsuits against the developers from the poor citizens who happened to have bought those units. There was just recently a tower development in false creek that opened it's doors a couple years ago and there's already leakage problems inside it.

Winnipeg can do better. And It still has the opportunity wide open to do so.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by WolselyMan

Better materials??? The entire outer shell of the buildings are made of glass! Hope you can afford all that heating and air conditioning bills for your condo, because those walls are gonna be as insulating as a $300 Siberian shack.

Better overall standard of design? These structures are barely a decade old and they're already falling apart! I don't know how familiar you are with this subject, but there has been massive controversy over the standards and practices of developers inside the massive condo booms undergoing in major Canadian cities. These buildings are often times constructed so fast, and in such a factory like fashion that there are major problems with pipe bursts, falling glass, non existent sound proofing and cracks in building foundations that have ballooned unit owners with ever growing condo fees. The Canadian high rise real estate sector is infested with these dumpy developers whose only objective is to provide a speedy return to investors and pocket the profits, as they abandon the unit owners to deal with the shabby construction work themselves.

I don't really think you understand the magnitude the problem here, so let me say it straight. Toronto is screwed. Within 20 years all of these towers will be having tremendous maintenance and repair issues. Doing something as simple as replacing the glass will bankrupt the condo boards responsible for tasks such as that. Add onto that the sheer number of these towers that have been built and you're looking at a massive infrastructure crash the likes of which you haven't ever seen before in the developed world. Some experts are predicting that these buildings are destined to turn into the slums of the future. And the newer the tower is, the lower standards it was probably built with. Any of Vancouver's condos that were built back in the 90s are still doing pretty well off. Meanwhile, many of the city's most recent new builds are already sprouting lawsuits against the developers from the poor citizens who happened to have bought those units. There was just recently a tower development in false creek that opened it's doors a couple years ago and there's already leakage problems inside it.

Winnipeg can do better. And It still has the opportunity wide open to do so.

I agree, as a Torontonian who has watched these junky glass things shoot up like weeds. The Winnipeg one is better. I'm glad I live in a solidly built Toronto tower from the 1960s, with sensible floor plans as another big plus. Even replacing our normal-style windows last year, after 50 years, cost our management company a couple million. And they were all accessible from balconies, so much easier to do than these recent condos will be.

[tree]

Originally Posted by cllew

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.

lol thats bizarre. would have been interested to see how that worked.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Disagree

Partially disagree. As much as I love the glass curtain wall thing, I also think that if it's the only thing in a neighborhood it can be pretty blah. Everything kinda melds into a greenish turquoise sea of boring. Variety is key i think which is why i think this design is ok. We're not in a position to complain too much about the aesthetic of this one. Just look at heritage landing, has similar design and I find it looks decent enough.

But this city does suffer from a lack of glass so a few like those wouldn't hurt.

[tree]

Re: All Glass Condo

Do you guys think D Condo which is kind of reminiscent of those turquoise Toronto / Vancouver condos will have those same issues?

I'm an optimist / cornucopian and like to believe that the challenges those buildings face will be minimized or handled effectively but there certainly are a LOT of those damn things with lots of people already living in them..


Re; New Stradbook



I don't mind it at all. I guess the 2/3 story townhouse type homes will parkade access through the top floor? It looks like there is a parkade up there. I wonder how loud that will be with the trains and BRT though. Surprised they wouldn't make them face the other way?

Are there some North American cities with lots of new developments that don't go with the all glass type condo approach? It seems really common but are there any good examples of alternatives - must be. If so would be cool and probably practical for Winnipeg to maybe go an alternative route.

[Urban recluse]

I agree about variety in that a variety of great designs and glass is needed, but the Stradbrook proposal is neither. It looks incredibly cheap.

[trueviking]

Glass condo towers aren't allowed anymore in Winnipeg with the new energy code.

To me, the success of this project will be those townhouses. Really like that. Towers are towers. It's very hard to do something special within our economics. I think this is nice.

D Condo will be torn down in 50 years. It is built with balconies that are just extensions of the floor. They used electrical heat trace in the concrete to counteract the thermal bridge but each tenant can turn it off. The walls are something like R7. The solid walls. They are held on with four screws into the concrete.

[Urban recluse]

Yes to the townhomes.

[borkborkbork]

There's a giant parkade off the back, and yet the front still has to be a surface parking lot?

I guess it faces onto the wedge-shaped land that will eventually be another development at some future time, and I guess a building of that size needs some spaces for delivery/courier/trades to park while dropping stuff off, but still...

[Wigglez]

Originally Posted by trueviking

Glass condo towers aren't allowed anymore in Winnipeg with the new energy code.

To me, the success of this project will be those townhouses. Really like that. Towers are towers. It's very hard to do something special within our economics. I think this is nice.

D Condo will be torn down in 50 years. It is built with balconies that are just extensions of the floor. They used electrical heat trace in the concrete to counteract the thermal bridge but each tenant can turn it off. The walls are something like R7. The solid walls. They are held on with four screws into the concrete.

Are we 100% sure those are townhouses or are they a fake facade for a parkade? it looks like the roof of those townhouses is a parking lot.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by Wigglez

Are we 100% sure those are townhouses or are they a fake facade for a parkade? it looks like the roof of those townhouses is a parking lot.

Random speculation but I could be that the town houses don't occupy the full depth of the building and the parkade takes up maybe half ?

[Phil's neighbour]

Originally Posted by Wigglez

Are we 100% sure those are townhouses or are they a fake facade for a parkade? it looks like the roof of those townhouses is a parking lot.

The plans filed with the city show three storey live/work spaces along that edge, with parking behind.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by Phil's neighbour

The plans filed with the city show three storey live/work spaces along that edge, with parking behind.

Great news. Thanks!

[Wigglez]

Originally Posted by Phil's neighbour

The plans filed with the city show three storey live/work spaces along that edge, with parking behind.

Good enough then!

[robertocarlos]

Why would you want cars parked 3 feet from your bedroom? Isn't it enough that 1000s of cars pass by your living room every day.

[LilZebra]

Originally Posted by tree

Are there some North American cities with lots of new developments that don't go with the all glass type condo approach? It seems really common but are there any good examples of alternatives - must be. If so would be cool and probably practical for Winnipeg to maybe go an alternative route.

We've tried regular brick, glass, Limestone is local to this part of the continent.

How about Adobe brick?

[biguc]

Originally Posted by tree

[B]
Are there some North American cities with lots of new developments that don't go with the all glass type condo approach? It seems really common but are there any good examples of alternatives - must be. If so would be cool and probably practical for Winnipeg to maybe go an alternative route.

New York builds very few glass-clad residential buildings, relative to their total building output. Ironically, Miami builds a lot of residential towers without glass cladding while Canadian cities build many.

The Stradbrook proposal looks a lot like a mini 300 Assiniboine, which may not be exciting but it is just fine. It fits in well with its neighbouring buildings and I'll be happy to see it rise. Hopefully someone does come up with something good for that odd shaped lot. With the growing number of residences there focused on the transit station, some retail space would do well.

[robertocarlos]

The front triangle should be sodded and turned into a dog park.

[tree]

Originally Posted by LilZebra

We've tried regular brick, glass, Limestone is local to this part of the continent.

How about Adobe brick?

Any high rose adobe-style buildings? lol. Worth a shot.

Originally Posted by biguc

New York builds very few glass-clad residential buildings, relative to their total building output. Ironically, Miami builds a lot of residential towers without glass cladding while Canadian cities build many.

Miami has a great skyline. Am surprised by how little generic glass type buildings there are (at least at quick glance - maybe I'm looking at the commercial downtown area) and some decent designs overall.

The Stradbrook proposal looks a lot like a mini 300 Assiniboine, which may not be exciting but it is just fine. It fits in well with its neighbouring buildings and I'll be happy to see it rise. Hopefully someone does come up with something good for that odd shaped lot. With the growing number of residences there focused on the transit station, some retail space would do well.

Agree.