Winnipeg | 90 - 100 Alexander Ave | Exchange District | The Bend | Completed

[NewIreland]

Originally Posted by Labroco

The demolition is now complete. It’s a huge site at 44,000ft2. I had a good look at the site plan and circulation and see it as a transformative development. It will pull pedestrians through the site onto Alexander. The residents will add vitality and customers for Nonsuch and Patent 5 on Pacific and Alexander. The two smallish retail spaces will be successful as well.

I believe what is still needed though is some movement on the Alexander Docks as a venue / destination.

Would anyone be interested in a Bocci Ball Club on George Street now that the gang house has been removed and the site cleared? I’ll spring for the benches, balls and beer. Someone will have to keep a look out for the city inspectors though. I’m sure there would be some infraction or fee we are guilty of as one tries to build true urban community interest in Waterfront North.

What about a pedestrian bridge at Alexander Docks?

[Alexander 90]

Originally Posted by Labroco

The demolition is now complete. It’s a huge site at 44,000ft2. I had a good look at the site plan and circulation and see it as a transformative development. It will pull pedestrians through the site onto Alexander. The residents will add vitality and customers for Nonsuch and Patent 5 on Pacific and Alexander. The two smallish retail spaces will be successful as well.

I believe what is still needed though is some movement on the Alexander Docks as a venue / destination.

Would anyone be interested in a Bocci Ball Club on George Street now that the gang house has been removed and the site cleared? I’ll spring for the benches, balls and beer. Someone will have to keep a look out for the city inspectors though. I’m sure there would be some infraction or fee we are guilty of as one tries to build true urban community interest in Waterfront North.

It will pull in all the homeless and Meth Heads. Nice hiding spaces for them to wait for the cars to pull in and then they will break into them. They will bring their own balls to throw thru windows. This will not be what you think it will be.

[buzzg]

They got rid of that massive concrete slab pretty quickly. Exciting times. With so much of the block empty right now and Patent 5 the only public business, it sure would be a great time to bury those power lines.

[Spocket]

Actually, something about having overhead wires seems appropriate for the Exchange. I don't know why they get buried in the first place but I imagine aesthetics aren't the only reason for it. If they can leave them up, it just seems like a better fit.

[buzzg]

I hate how they kept them when they redid James, so on the south side, which is all residential, there is no sidewalk lighting.

[NewIreland]

Originally Posted by buzzg

I hate how they kept them when they redid James, so on the south side, which is all residential, there is no sidewalk lighting.

I found that extremely puzzling. Why on earth would the city do something so completely asinine?

[cllew]

Originally Posted by NewIreland

I found that extremely puzzling. Why on earth would the city do something so completely asinine?

Probably because nobody wanted to pay Manitoba Hydro to put them underground. Cost I believe is $40 a frontage foot for ornamental lights.

[oftheMoon]

Originally Posted by buzzg

I hate how they kept them when they redid James, so on the south side, which is all residential, there is no sidewalk lighting.

and no trees of any sorts or planters or anything aesthetic like that at all. One of the most residential streets in the Exchange and the redo of the road and sidewalks are the blandest of all. Yeah the north side is an improvement, but still could have been so much better.

[NewIreland]

***

[NewIreland]

Originally Posted by oftheMoon

and no trees of any sorts or planters or anything aesthetic like that at all. One of the most residential streets in the Exchange and the redo of the road and sidewalks are the blandest of all. Yeah the north side is an improvement, but still could have been so much better.

Not only that, but it's an emerging residential area in the center of the theatre district; a focal point if you will. I really don't understand this city sometimes. At least they did lily? BTW... are there any plans to relocate the substation? Why would they put it there in the first place?

[cllew]

Originally Posted by NewIreland

Not only that, but it's an emerging residential area in the center of the theatre district; a focal point if you will. I really don't understand this city sometimes. At least they did lily? BTW... are there any plans to relocate the substation? Why would they put it there in the first place?

That is a fairly new substation as Winnipeg substations go, as it was built in the late 1980's/ early1990's as a replacement for the substation that was part of the old Amy St coal fired electric plant on Waterfront that was demolished.

At the time it was a Winnipeg Hydro station and is an interconnect point with high voltage transmission lines from the Manitoba Hydro Transcona Terminal station. The view in the area could have been worse as the interconnect line was on old ugly steel towers with lines that crossed the Red River that ran from this station back thru north St. Boniface to along the CN low line back to Transcona. It was replaced with an underground feeder that comes back up to the towers by the rail crossing at Provencher.

At the time it was a warehouse area so there was probably less thought given to hide the lattice structure than the visible substations like the one one on York Ave or the new one on Notre Dame Ave which have everything enclosed from view.

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by NewIreland

Not only that, but it's an emerging residential area in the center of the theatre district; a focal point if you will. I really don't understand this city sometimes. At least they did lily? BTW... are there any plans to relocate the substation? Why would they put it there in the first place?

It’s been there for 75 years beside the coal hydro plant that was next door. Before you were born perhaps..

[bomberjet]

A family friend, fellow Winnipeg who moved to Calgary in 1980. Noted how during the flood in Calgary, all the powerlines, transformers, equipment, etc are underground. Would've been nice to be overhead, like downtown Winnipeg they said.

[Labroco]

Drill and pile driver on site. 6 piles underway. They’re off!

Great start to 2021!

[Alexander 90]

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/life-on-the-strip/misery-loved-company-573474461.html

[Biff]

Piles starting to go in. I was told the project pricing came in on budget. Concord is a good contractor.

[DonaldSmith]

Crane on site too.

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by Biff

Piles starting to go in. I was told the project pricing came in on budget. Concord is a good contractor.

I agree...

They reached out and came by to discuss the project as adjacent property owners prior to commencement. Very professional.

It will be very interesting to see if the structure will be wood or steel. Also, with only 24 parking stalls on site, my instincts tell me tremendous pressure will build on the surrounding parking lots. This may only increase parking rates as opposed to stimulate more construction. As I have often said, new development DT happens most of the time on a site which previously had a building as opposed to a pre existing parking lot.

I am very much in favour of relaxed parking on new sites. Will be interesting to see if their gamble pays off with limited parking.

[esquire]

^ If that's the case, are we getting closer to the tipping point where the long-discussed James Avenue parkade might become a reality? And if so, will it facilitate more development in the area?

[trueviking]

I wouldn’t hold my breath. My recent experience is that parkades are getting more and more expensive and there is no reasonable pay-back for a stand alone structure. It would have to be subsidized by the city but I think the money that was put aside for that is long gone. Too bad.