Historical Winnipeg discussion - Page 143

wardlow · #**2841** Posted **Mar 24, 2020, 1:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueviking

those are amazing. Looks like the spire in the distance on that first one is Young United Church on Broadway.

It definitely does look like Young United (or Methodist, as it would have been then). This means this photo was likely taken somewhere around Sherbrook and Westminster. Almost unrecognizable today, after decades of gradually transitioning to commercial.

drew · #**2842** Posted **Mar 24, 2020, 1:58 PM**

Because that spire is still there, it might be possible to roughly recreate that photo from a similar vantage point today.

My guess is that it was taken from near Sherbrook and Sara Ave.

https://www.google.com/maps/@49.8837...7i13312!8i6656

drew · #**2843** Posted **Mar 24, 2020, 2:09 PM**

Also, too bad the Mis lost that dome.

https://www.google.com/maps/@49.8796...7i13312!8i6656

davequanbury · #**2844** Posted **Mar 24, 2020, 6:28 PM**

Here are a couple other shots from the days when GWL swung the wrecking ball.

drew · #**2845** Posted **Mar 24, 2020, 6:40 PM**

^ wow, less than 50% of that proposed complex was constructed. Really a shame that all that area on the east side of Balmoral got leveled for what we ultimately ended up with.

esquire · #**2846** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 2:51 AM**

Amazing. First that I've ever seen that. Looks like it must have been an expansion plan beyond the original building.

What were all those buildings on the east side of Balmoral intended to be? They look residential in character.

trueviking · #**2847** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 4:34 AM**

Edit.......

esquire · #**2848** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 1:22 PM**

Further thoughts on this...

The plan for the GWL Building at Osborne and Broadway sort of resembles a lopped off First Canadian Place.

Also, I always wondered why the building at Broadway and Colony had that unusual triangular form... it's interesting to see how there was supposed to be a square to the west. It makes sense when you look at it that way.

Biff · #**2849** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 1:56 PM**

Very cool. I find it strange though that they expanded the campus footprint across Colony to that small little triangle building before continuing to develop the main property.

Would have been very interesting if it had all been built out.

bomberjet · #**2850** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 2:37 PM**

Almost looks like there would've been an underground mall type thing where the long slanty windows are. To let light down into the basement. Maybe a cafeteria for employees. Overall much better than what's been there for the last number of decades.

OTA in Winnipeg · #**2851** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 5:37 PM**

^^That triangle building was originally a CIBC.

joshlemer · #**2852** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 6:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTA in Winnipeg

^^That triangle building was originally a CIBC.

What is it now?

cllew · #**2853** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 6:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by joshlemer

What is it now?

The building is now office space for GWL. At one time a local independent travel agency was looking to relocate into there but it never happened.

CIBC was the 2nd bank on the property. There was a full service Bank of Montreal in the north end of the 100 Osborne building. It was closed down a few years ago as part of BMO reducing locations and replaced with a BMO ATM for the staff to use.

I don't think when CIBC moved out of the standalone building they provided an ATM anywhere on the GWL property.

davequanbury · #**2854** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 6:51 PM**

glad you guys find the model interesting. I think its interesting that there are 0 parking in the design. Like did they not realize everyone would be driving to work, or was the model just a 'concept'?

TimeFadesAway · #**2855** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 7:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by davequanbury

Here are a couple other shots from the days when GWL swung the wrecking ball.

Where is this photo taken? It is well east of the GWL HQ site because you can see the east wall of the Roslyn in the background. Also, what is the large building in the top left corner that seems to have turrets?

cllew · #**2856** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 7:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by davequanbury

glad you guys find the model interesting. I think its interesting that there are 0 parking in the design. Like did they not realize everyone would be driving to work, or was the model just a 'concept'?

Probably underground parking as I see the Colony St. right of way go between the "new office building" and the former CIBC and into the other buildings. That street is currently there but goes into the surface lots.

cllew · #**2857** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 7:21 PM**

And talking about GWL staff taking cars to work, at one time there was a private service garage operating out of leased space in the parking lot for the staff (and probably people in the area) to use. It was operated by Sid Minuk (of the CJOB car service talk show from years ago) and I think run by one of his son's as Sid ran the main repair shop on Fife St.

LilZebra · #**2858** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 9:26 PM**

Moloney, Paul (September 12, 1979). "New complex hailed as major job builder". Winnipeg Free Press. p. 24.

The developer of a $62 million office building and housing and retail/commercial complex on land owned by Great-West Life Assurance Company near Osborne St. and Broadway says the project will create 200-400 jobs during the construction period.

Work will begin immediately on the $10 million office building for use by Great-West while the other sectors will be phased in over a period of time, said Donald Love, chairman of Oxford Development Group Ltd. of Edmonton.

Love added he hoped the housing and retail/commercial components will be built without delay but a construction start hinges on market conditions.

Love said the starting date is flexible, adding Oxford would hope to bring the project on stream at a time when demand is buoyant for housing and retail space.

"We'd like to get them going as soon as possible. I would hope we'd complete it in five years, but the market will decide that," Love said.

Good news

Oxford is developing the housing/retail project in a joint venture with Great-West Life, which has owned the land for many years.

Harvey Patterson, executive-secretary of the Winnipeg Labour Council, said the development "has got to be good news because the construction trades have been in the doldrums in the past 18 months."

...

This part of the project, which will be managed by Oxford, but wholly owned by Great-West, should be completed in 1981.

Great-West and Oxford plan to build about 160,000 square feet of retail shops and commercial space fronting on the south side of Broadway between Colony and Balmoral Streets.

Immediately south of this development, the partners will erect about 350 units of apartments, townhouses and condominiums stretching south to Mostyn Place, a street which runs alongside the Assiniboine River.

Parking will be provided under the residential phase.

Over the longer term, Great-West sketched in plans to build a long, rectangular office building immediately behind the current head office building.

A go-ahead on the work hinges on development of a need for office space in addition to the 220,000 square feet contained in the existing head office, and the 125,000 square feet planned for the new headquarters building.

Office space needed

The decision to build additional office space near the existing building means Great-West Life has abandoned any ideas of moving its headquarters to the proposed East Yards development at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers.

LilZebra · #**2859** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 10:03 PM**

^^^

I guess what postponed the residential and commercial developments was the early 1980s recession. No reason why Canada Life couldn't dust off the original plan and construct it now.

joshlemer · #**2860** Posted **Mar 25, 2020, 10:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilZebra

^^^

I guess what postponed the residential and commercial developments was the early 1980s recession. No reason why Canada Life couldn't dust off the original plan and construct it now.

Now that the Winnipeg office is a branch of Canada Life and not a Headquarters, I wonder if we won't see a gradual thinning out of their operations here as responsibility moves to Toronto