Winnipeg Construction IX

[borkborkbork]

Speaking of the 160 Smith parkade, does anyone have any insight into what the deal is with the ground-floor CRU right next to the parkade entrance? If I recall right, it's been vacant since the building was renovated in... 2009? 2010?

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Donald and Smith definitely have a stroad sort of feel that kills whatever residential vibe those towers might otherwise lend to the area. It's unfortunate.

Yeah, especially since most of Donald is only 2 lanes + turning now, it's not like they've decided there shouldn't be bike lanes because of traffic capacity issues.

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

Speaking of the 160 Smith parkade, does anyone have any insight into what the deal is with the ground-floor CRU right next to the parkade entrance? If I recall right, it's been vacant since the building was renovated in... 2009? 2010?

I would guess it's just a matter of it being so undesirable of a design. Barely looks like it's even a retail unit, small windows and doors, building looks like a prison – just doesn't look like a good space.

[wardlow]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Yeah, especially since most of Donald is only 2 lanes + turning now, it's not like they've decided there shouldn't be bike lanes because of traffic capacity issues.

Donald and Smith have rush hour parking restrictions on I think both sides of the street, so they're four travel lanes some of the time. That doesn't mean that these streets shouldn't have cycling lanes and traffic calming... they should. But it means it's a little more challenging than it would be on a street like Garry, which is way under capacity.

With Donald and Smith, Donald seems so terrible because it's mostly surface parking from St. Mary to Broadway. But I find Smith is pretty bad, since a lot of cars and trucks still seem to be in speed mode as they race into downtown off of the Donald Street south and the Midtown Bridge.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by wardlow

Donald and Smith have rush hour parking restrictions on I think both sides of the street, so they're four travel lanes some of the time. That doesn't mean that these streets shouldn't have cycling lanes and traffic calming... they should. But it means it's a little more challenging than it would be on a street like Garry, which is way under capacity.

With Donald and Smith, Donald seems so terrible because it's mostly surface parking from St. Mary to Broadway. But I find Smith is pretty bad, since a lot of cars and trucks still seem to be in speed mode as they race into downtown off of the Donald Street south and the Midtown Bridge.

Donald is technically 3 through lanes from Ellice to Graham – except you can't turn left at Portage during rush hour, never at Graham, and the left lane ends at Graham (it's library loading 24/7) so there's really no reason for the parking restrictions as the left lane doesn't take you anywhere and just bottlenecks at Graham, which is 2 lanes.

South of Broadway, there's no parking restrictions in the left lane, and because the bridge is only 2 lanes, the right lane must turn onto Assiniboine.

So, other than the 2 blocks between St. Mary and Broadway, Donald is only 2 through lanes. Since the city added wide sidewalks flanking the library on Donald/Smith, there was plenty of room to put in bike lanes. Then, expand even just the east sidewalk on the Donald Bridge (like Osborne) and you have the primary N-S route through downtown connecting to the AT path along RT/Pembina. It's foolish.

[wardlow]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Donald is technically 3 through lanes from Ellice to Graham – except you can't turn left at Portage during rush hour, never at Graham, and the left lane ends at Graham (it's library loading 24/7) so there's really no reason for the parking restrictions as the left lane doesn't take you anywhere and just bottlenecks at Graham, which is 2 lanes.

South of Broadway, there's no parking restrictions in the left lane, and because the bridge is only 2 lanes, the right lane must turn onto Assiniboine.

So, other than the 2 blocks between St. Mary and Broadway, Donald is only 2 through lanes. Since the city added wide sidewalks flanking the library on Donald/Smith, there was plenty of room to put in bike lanes. Then, expand even just the east sidewalk on the Donald Bridge (like Osborne) and you have the primary N-S route through downtown connecting to the AT path along RT/Pembina. It's foolish.

Oh, yep, that's true. I forgot all about the sidewalks they put in beside the Library, but that's a good point. I'm sure the parking restrictions between St. Mary and Broadway are just holdovers from outdated plans and standards. If the City's engineers could part with a lane of both Donald and Smith (beside the Library), it makes you wonder how many other lanes on downtown's busy streets are actually necessary.

[buzzg]

Yeah. The non-turning curb lane on most downtown streets is pretty useless, could easily be closed off for crosswalk bumpouts, parking, making room for bike lanes, etc.

[lilwayne]

i think once true north square and 300 main are up downtown will be a much more appealing area for ppl to live

u of w has a few condo projects planned for dt... plus the richardson project wag project so downtown should see significant improvement in the next cpl years..

300 main and true north square are significant projects probably the biggest we ever had in downtown. . hopefully we elect a govt that supports downtown growth in the future..

[buzzg]

Update: Children’s Advocate sign on Portage was replaced by a Manitoba Advocates sign that is sooooo much worse.

Also, Dayton Building is for sale.

[Urban recluse]

F*ckin Dayton Building is cursed LOL.

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by lilwayne

i think once true north square and 300 main are up downtown will be a much more appealing area for ppl to live

u of w has a few condo projects planned for dt... plus the richardson project wag project so downtown should see significant improvement in the next cpl years..

300 main and true north square are significant projects probably the biggest we ever had in downtown. . hopefully we elect a govt that supports downtown growth in the future..

While true, TNS in huge, and 300 Main , Construction of Winnipeg Square would have been also, I think Lombard Place in the late 60's (3 buildings) and Holiday Square would have been huge as well. Holiday Square has many buildings plus more resulted from it back in the 70's.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Also, Dayton Building is for sale.

That has got to piss off True North Real Estate Development. I know they wanted that property back when they were designing Glasshouse. I wouldn't be surprised if they purchase it. It would 🞵🞵🞵🞵 for them if another development firm purchased it an built a residential tower blocking out Glasshouse...good for us though that like density however.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[GarryEllice]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Update: Children’s Advocate sign on Portage was replaced by a Manitoba Advocates sign that is sooooo much worse.

While the sign was down, it was neat to see the outline of an old Marks & Spencer sign underneath. Anyone happen to get a photo of that?

[plrh]

Originally Posted by Biff

That has got to piss off True North Real Estate Development. I know they wanted that property back when they were designing Glasshouse. I wouldn't be surprised if they purchase it. It would 🞵🞵🞵🞵 for them if another development firm purchased it an built a residential tower blocking out Glasshouse...good for us though that like density however.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I kinda like the fact that True North didn't get it. It's an ugly building, but it's better than a full square block podium. The building just needs a reclad and it is fine the way it is. O'Calcutta has to go though. I prefer fine-grained development.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Biff

That has got to piss off True North Real Estate Development. I know they wanted that property back when they were designing Glasshouse. I wouldn't be surprised if they purchase it. It would 🞵🞵🞵🞵 for them if another development firm purchased it an built a residential tower blocking out Glasshouse...good for us though that like density however.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Surely they must have realized what they were walking into there... that block of Portage (Dayton & Affleck Buildings) is a prime redevelopment site.

I guess the question is whether the condo buyers with southside facing units appreciated the risk of having a new highrise just across the backlane blocking out the sun. I feel badly for anyone who bought a unit on, say, the 7th floor to live in ends up in the shade for the rest of their lives. And before anyone storms in with the usual caveat emptor, all I can say is that people notice that sort of thing and remember it when making future decisions. The elevated risk of that sort of hassle will just push more people to the relative certainty of the suburbs where you know this would be very unlikely.

[bomberjet]

I'd think a nice 10 storey midrise would be a good fit there.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by GarryEllice

While the sign was down, it was neat to see the outline of an old Marks & Spencer sign underneath. Anyone happen to get a photo of that?

It was a Zellers before Marks & Spencer.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by esquire

push more people to the relative certainty of the suburbs where you know this type of situation would be very unlikely.

LOL Tell that to everyone suburban resident that is up in arms that the "future school" behind them is being developed into a 3+ story apartment/condo building.

The reality is the Dayton Building has been there for over 60 years and is largely unchanged. In recent timeframe there have only been two demolitions in downtown Winnipeg, the one for MTS Centre and the one for Hydro Place. As much as Glass Tower owners should have been aware of the caveat that is common is larger cities about views from their units not being protected it is also easy to see how Winnipeg residents might also overlook that. The reality of someone buying that property to demo and build new is extremely low. You just need to look no further than Graham at Garry to find two empty lots primed for development downtown if someone was willing to step forward with the bank account to bring a development forward.

End of the day I think those south facing views from Glass House are fairly safe and something our grandchildren might be discussing as a concern about new development on Portage Ave. That said if the Glass House residents are truly concerned about what might become of the Daytona Building now is the time for them to collective open their bank accounts and take control over the property and ensure their views for at least that slice of land stay protected.

[esquire]

^ You might be right and that building could very well be simply renovated or even left in its current state. But there's no question that the area around MTS Centre has become fairly busy with respect to development and it isn't out of the question that someone could end up building something new there.

I take your point regarding the suburbs too, but that's a far cry from the Glasshouse situation. Nowhere in the suburbs would you be faced with the potential of a highrise going up 25 feet from your balcony leaving you almost permanently in the shade, except possibly for late evening sunsets. No 4 storey school-lot condo development would bring about that result.

[bomberjet]

^ So you're sure whomever purchases the building will not be redeveloping? How are you so sure? Seems everything that's go in that building has failed.

It's the first curtain wall to be built in Winnipeg. Other than that there's nothing special about it from what I can tell.

[ywgwalk]

Originally Posted by CoryB

In recent timeframe there have only been two demolitions in downtown Winnipeg, the one for MTS Centre and the one for Hydro Place.

Seems strange to omit the demolitions to build Glasshouse/Centrepoint itself.