Winnipeg Construction IX

[Jeff]

Originally Posted by buzzg

All it would take for Broadway to have its own visual identity (at a very low cost):
- Stop replacing poles and street lights with unpainted steel. Make everything either black/rod iron or green on Broadway
- A nice unique street sign design that shows off the boulevard and trees

And, ASAP, new landscaping – those centre median pavers look like crap. Maybe an AT path all the way down the centre. The path would split close to intersections and the crossing point would be at the edge of the boulevard, for safety.

fixing the aqueduct anniversary fountain would be a great start! cant believe it has been two summers since it last worked unified light pole design would go a long way as well!

[dmacc]

This is great news, this all this development we will have so much happening downtown over the next couple years. With all this development I find it very strange that Donald between St. Mary and Broadway has nothing in the works. Surface lots that would be nice blank slates for any development.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by armorand93

Minus bulldozing the church... all I can immediately think of (on Graham west of Smith), is: Hull's Books, the parking lot in front of what-was Medical Arts, plopping a tower on top of the Millenium Library, or something to do with the Bay.

Medical Arts lot would make some sense I would think with the conversion of the building? Hulls is being used as the construction office for True North Square, assume it's being used for the other phase as well?

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Could be demoing any of the smaller buildings towards the west end of Graham and replacing with larger development too.

Herirtage and NIMBY's may fight tooth and nail, if the proposals happen to be bulldozing any historical buildings - so anticipated what I mentioned in the earlier post, unless the ~25 storey tower going up, decides to pull an ALT/Fort Garry/Forks and incorporate the old facade. Would be very nice to see, though!

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by dmacc

This is great news, this all this development we will have so much happening downtown over the next couple years. With all this development I find it very strange that Donald between St. Mary and Broadway has nothing in the works. Surface lots that would be nice blank slates for any development.

Seriously though. Imagine the one south of City Place being developed out. A project or series of projects that spanned the block would be a huge piece of the CBD puzzle being filled in.

That being said the area between Broadway and York, especially east of smith needs a lot of help.

[DonaldSmith]

Originally Posted by Biff

I have on my radar, something similar. Mine is on Graham west of Smith is all I can say.

My guess would be Timbercreek's development of the lot north of Medical Arts.

[wardlow]

Originally Posted by Biff

I have on my radar, something similar. Mine is on Graham west of Smith is all I can say.

Ooh, that's different from the one I'm hearing about... This one is south of Graham Ave (and not on Main or Broadway).

[peg]

I wonder if it is the old (abandoned?) \ Legion building on St. Mary and Smith? Or is that going to be part of the adjacent former MB housing buildings plans?

[CoryB]

^^ The former Legion on St Marys was sold. Not sure who bought it but I wouldn't rule out the Chipman companies as they own the building next door.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by Jeff

fixing the aqueduct anniversary fountain would be a great start! cant believe it has been two summers since it last worked unified light pole design would go a long way as well!

I'd be in favour of getting rid of that fountain and re-landscaping the whole boulevard to include a path, more benches, and art. Make better use of that space. The light pole thing is an issue everywhere now – the west Exchange looks horrendous now. I don't understand how heritage people can cry about the "historic feel" of the Exchange, only in a building context, and completely ignore the streetscaping.

Originally Posted by Biff

I have on my radar, something similar. Mine is on Graham west of Smith is all I can say.

Originally Posted by armorand93

Minus bulldozing the church... all I can immediately think of (on Graham west of Smith), is: Hull's Books, the parking lot in front of what-was Medical Arts, plopping a tower on top of the Millenium Library, or something to do with the Bay.

Aside from Medical Arts, I'd love a nice tall replacement for the building on the NE corner of Graham & Vaughn. Tons of potential there. A well-designed, busy building could also help the Bay, and there's been lots of development at that end of Graham lately. It would be great if it could allow for/incorporate more room for a large transit stop, as that's a very busy stop and the sidewalk gets crazy congested.

[Wpg_Guy]

Graham is starting to look good.

[city_slicker]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

Someone posted on here that a climbing facility is going to be built there.

It was intended for a climbing gym for a while. Now, the intention is a higher intensity use - mixed use. When I hear something more firm I'll update..

[EspionNoir]

By the way, since the intention of that housing project is to displace those currently living in the Winnipeg Hotel, does it mean Winnipeg Hotel will undergo development soon?

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by armorand93

Did they ever build up the old gas station lot, across the street from it?

But yes, curious as well. Nice to see that place finally getting some care, after all these years.

Sure did!
https://www.google.ca/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!...h&imagekey=!1e2!2sJ1B6MdEwRjWBb9Yv71p-jQ

[LilZebra]

Originally Posted by buzzg

I'd be in favour of getting rid of that fountain and re-landscaping the whole boulevard to include a path, more benches, and art. Make better use of that space. The light pole thing is an issue everywhere now – the west Exchange looks horrendous now. I don't understand how heritage people can cry about the "historic feel" of the Exchange, only in a building context, and completely ignore the streetscaping.

Yes, get rid of the fountain and put a Bombardier Flexity tram down Broadway, replacing the Spirit Bus.

Aside from Medical Arts, I'd love a nice tall replacement for the building on the NE corner of Graham & Vaughn. Tons of potential there.

Aluminum Sound bldg.? Yes, maybe 10 storeys.

Also, as that stretch of street now stands its not the safest as a pedestrian at night. Lots of crazy people walking thru there. Much better lighting would be nice. At one time there was good lighting from The Bay's window display, and more decent people like those old ladies with the paper Bay shopping bags from the 60s. Now there are more thugs in their place.

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

Graham is starting to look good.

Ugh... another “black” building ...

One might as well well paint it seafoam green.

This is such a tired trend already. Sorry but you never paint over brick.

I promise you I will NEVER paint 399 Graham...

EVER...

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by Labroco

Ugh... another “black” building ...

One might as well well paint it seafoam green.

This is such a tired trend already. Sorry but you never paint over brick.

I promise you I will NEVER paint 399 Graham...

EVER...

To be fair that building has been black for like 5 years already, it was one of the first. They just finally put signs up on it recently.

Do you own 399 Graham? If so... can you open up the main floor windows please?

[DavefromSt.Vital]

As far as south of Graham but not Main or Broadway I recall someone mentioning that the lot adjacent to the Best Western Plus (Charter House) had soil testing done.

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by buzzg

To be fair that building has been black for like 5 years already, it was one of the first. They just finally put signs up on it recently.

Do you own 399 Graham? If so... can you open up the main floor windows please?

That drives me crazy how many main floor windows are covered downtown, most notably the Paris building, the Curry building, CDI College, Portage Place...

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by EspionNoir

By the way, since the intention of that housing project is to displace those currently living in the Winnipeg Hotel, does it mean Winnipeg Hotel will undergo development soon?

i would assume they are going ahead if residents living there are going to be displaced.

This cbc article from January 17, 2018 says:

He also purchased the Winnipeg Hotel, south of the Macdonald Block on Main Street, and the empty lot between them. The future of the hotel — built in 1872, two years after Manitoba joined Confederation — might not be as auspicious.

"It's still to be determined if it's really salvageable. We don't know yet," Pollard said.

He won't know until he officially gets the title to the property this year and can go inside for a closer look.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/fortune-macdonald-block-renovations-1.4487674



It would be cool if the lot in between could get a modern looking building similar to the warehouse 1885 development, that would bridge the properties together nicely and fill in the streetscape,