Winnipeg Construction X

[buzzg]

The Newport reclad has been moving at a crazy pace – they have 6 crews working on it some days, two sides have two crews working at once.

For Radisson – some sort of cladding could be cool, but even just a refresh of the main floor and replacing the windows and parkade vents with something modern would make a big impact. Then add decorative lighting back on, it's so dark and ugly at night. IIRC when the amazing downtown lighting strategy was released (and never implemented) yeeears ago, there was a rendering in it for what Radisson could do to light up the windows in a cool, economical way.

The Bay has 6 freight elevators in operation, with the main loading dock one being large enough to fit two cars. I believe at one time it was the largest in Canada. There's also 3 or 4 really old freight elevator cores that are boarded up and were never upgraded.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by optimusREIM

They could put up actual cladding to make it look a little less soviet.

The only thing worse than the status quo is anything CanadInns would choose to do to it. That company is the absolute worst.

[Spocket]

I've been arguing for years that the Radisson (formerly?) is horrible looking and has been in desperate need of something to make it look better.

Concrete only works for me when it's shaped in that 60's "futuristic" look. Barring that, some sort of topography can do wonders but even a simple paint job would be an improvement.

[buzzg]

It's 10:22 pm and crews are still working on the Newport reclad. They must have some deadline they want to make... Maybe related to Sportsnet and NHL season? Haha

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by buzzg

It's 10:22 pm and crews are still working on the Newport reclad. They must have some deadline they want to make... Maybe related to Sportsnet and NHL season? Haha

They have the podium renewal scheduled for Q4 of this year, they must be racing to get that completed so work can begin on the podium.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by buzzg

It's 10:22 pm and crews are still working on the Newport reclad. They must have some deadline they want to make... Maybe related to Sportsnet and NHL season? Haha

Tenants that don't want the noise during their workday so the work has to be done in the evening?

Public Utility Board is in Newport and I think they are doing the MPI rate hearing right now so maybe daytime noise from the reclad may be an issue for the people doing the transcripts

[bomberjet]

I am reserving judgement on the white spandrel panels until the work is complete. Or maybe that is my judgement.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by cllew

Tenants that don't want the noise during their workday so the work has to be done in the evening?

Public Utility Board is in Newport and I think they are doing the MPI rate hearing right now so maybe daytime noise from the reclad may be an issue for the people doing the transcripts

Nah, they've been working all day as well, on many floors.

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I am reserving judgement on the white spandrel panels until the work is complete. Or maybe that is my judgement.

I think it looks great.

[bomberjet]

I'm only seeing the building from the south side, where they have ~1 row done. the rest is a mish mash of insulation, black, or clear windows.

[Wpg_Guy]

Newport this morning from Glasshouse

[blueandgoldguy]

I wonder if improvements to Newport will still include the refurbishment to the Book Fair next door that we saw in the renders?

With the completion of the Women's Hospital at HSC, what will become of the space for the old one?

[buzzg]

Unless I missed it, don't think this was mentioned here. On top of Cadillac Fairview's residential plans for Polo, Towers realty wants to do residential on the west side of St. James as well. And, lo and behold, the WAA is adamantly against these developments. I hope the city says F off to the WAA and moves on with their lives.

Airport hopes city grounds plans for massive residential developments in Polo Park area

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/lo...558852262.html

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Unless I missed it, don't think this was mentioned here. On top of Cadillac Fairview's residential plans for Polo, Towers realty wants to do residential on the west side of St. James as well. And, lo and behold, the WAA is adamantly against these developments. I hope the city says F off to the WAA and moves on with their lives.

^^On the other hand, if you look at the Richardson Airport discussion, many people seem to urge the airport towards bigger, better, faster, more more more flights, terminals, you name it. I'm all about building up, but I can't see how changing the rules to allow buildings tall enough to potentially disrupt airport business helps the city as a whole.

[GarryEllice]

Originally Posted by buzzg

This could go in several threads but since we don't have a general downtown developments thread...

Another unit in the Dayton Building has been leased. "Karibu K Cafe" opening soon. Was on the bus and went by quick but appears to be some sort of African or Middle Eastern cafe... Would love a late night donair spot there.

Middle Eastern cafe and hookah lounge. But it's the Dreman building (Portage & Garry), not the Dayton Building (Portage & Hargrave). Glad they didn't decide to spell "cafe" with a K

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Unless I missed it, don't think this was mentioned here. On top of Cadillac Fairview's residential plans for Polo, Towers realty wants to do residential on the west side of St. James as well. And, lo and behold, the WAA is adamantly against these developments. I hope the city says F off to the WAA and moves on with their lives.

It would be so nice, if people back home would stop shitting all over eachother, to stop probably the ONLY economic progress and growth that Winnipegs getting, amidst what might become another recession in the next couple of years...

Literally, without the NIMBY's, community rights groups, WAA and the government constantly flinging shit at eachother for as long as 40-50 years, there could've been tons of other progress made.

Only in the past few days, has Kapyong finally got out of the ditch, and now that the Berlin Walls falling around Polo Park, it seems Winnipeg is finally on a roll economically.

If the WAA shuts this down, we can basically watch as St James Street, Empress, and the entire Polo/St James area starts looking like Detroit, Baltimore or even Flint... from a guy that was born and raised in the Polo area, Winnipeg NEEDS THIS. The neighborhood NEEDS this. West End and Brooklands kids that need jobs, NEED. THIS.

I'm seriously hoping someone shuts these clowns out of the economic development finally coming to Winnipeg, and stick to the airport that they can barely make to function. Which if they really cared, they would try to attract flights and travellers, NOT enforce capital flight and give any more reasons for the rest of my friends back home to book it out of the Perimetre, if not directly out of the province.

Somethings gotta change.

[GarryEllice]

Originally Posted by armorand93

If the WAA shuts this down, we can basically watch as St James Street, Empress, and the entire Polo/St James area starts looking like Detroit, Baltimore or even Flint

Uh...what? It would be great to have a high-density housing development there, but what makes you think the area is going to go downhill without it, as opposed to just remaining as it currently is?

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by GarryEllice

Uh...what? It would be great to have a high-density housing development there, but what makes you think the area is going to go downhill without it, as opposed to just remaining as it currently is?

I've worked retail in the area, grew up in the area, saw it over 20+ years, and started to see new developments - yes, there has been some new ones - but with retail getting oversaturated and replaced with online shopping to the point where entire chains go bankrupt overnight, the ONLY thing thats going to save it (minus getting rid of the internet and reverting back to the 80s), is residential development near Polo Park. Without residential, if it all comes crashing, there wouldn't even be a baseline or a coma condition for retail, as it would all just pull a Target and close their doors.

For the future sake of the entire area, for employment and not having it turn into any more of a shitshow, this residential development HAS to proceed. If not residential, high-tech industry around Polo Park. At the VERY least. Without it, the areas gonna sink like a stone in the Red. With it, even in a worst case recession scenario, at least Polo Park and St James wont take such a big hit. Combined with Kapyong Barracks redeveloping and Seasons built out, it might just guarantee enough economic growth, jobs and stuff to come for the next 10-15 years at LEAST, and help Winnipeg maybe keep people from pulling an all-out exodus.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by pspeid

^^On the other hand, if you look at the Richardson Airport discussion, many people seem to urge the airport towards bigger, better, faster, more more more flights, terminals, you name it. I'm all about building up, but I can't see how changing the rules to allow buildings tall enough to potentially disrupt airport business helps the city as a whole.

This has nothing to do with building height though. Have a look at the surrounding "topography" and you'll notice that there are high rises in the area. Theres also already plenty of residential development in the area already that dont disrupt airport business. This whole development isnt so much about building up as it is about revitalizing an area that is going to be facing increasing pressure from changing market trends and keeping it commercially viable. So there's a big intensification push which I suppose you could characterize as building "up", but not so much that it would disrupt the flight path. They already have rules in place that restrict vertical development. This is all about the WAA being bad community players and not wanting to accept that they actually have to operate in an urban environment.

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by optimusREIM

This has nothing to do with building height though. Have a look at the surrounding "topography" and you'll notice that there are high rises in the area. Theres also already plenty of residential development in the area already that dont disrupt airport business. This whole development isnt so much about building up as it is about revitalizing an area that is going to be facing increasing pressure from changing market trends and keeping it commercially viable. So there's a big intensification push which I suppose you could characterize as building "up", but not so much that it would disrupt the flight path. They already have rules in place that restrict vertical development. This is all about the WAA being bad community players and not wanting to accept that they actually have to operate in an urban environment.

Has there been any kind of official statement from WAA about what they base their opposition on? No offense, but I'd like to read their side of the story from their perspective before making a personal judgment on which side I think has the better argument.

[Wpg_Guy]

I don’t understand the logic of restricting development based on noise complaints alone when there’s already thousands of people that live in the area so what happens today if one of those residents complained about airport noise?