Winnipeg Construction X

[GreyGarden]

Originally Posted by esquire

It certainly doesn't help the situation downtown having one of the most downtrodden and socially troubled neighbourhoods right next door.

I guess some might say I sound like a pro-gentrification snob and maybe there is some truth to that, but yeah, I wish that a neighbourhood like Centennial that has a great location and has such great bones wasn't so rough. I'd like to see it move a little in the direction of West Broadway where the area has improved to everyone's benefit, i.e. it's not like anyone lacking a 6 figure income has been removed from the area... there's still room for everyone.

I've often had this same thought. I've noticed, and personally know youngish people with post-secondary degrees buying houses north of portage in the West end and investing some money in them. So I think the trend that we're seeing in other cities is still happening here, just at a pace that is not all that noticeable. But in the long run, as people begin looking north of portage and Broadway for options to be in close proximity to Wolseley and West Broadway, and as the West Exchange continues to improve, its possible that it starts seeping into the Centennial neighbourhood. Possibly not in my lifetime. Also, for what its worth I'm not saying whether that would be a good thing or not, just a possible direction that the neighbourhood will go in based on what has happened in similar neighbourhoods in other cities.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by GreyGarden

I've often had this same thought. I've noticed, and personally know youngish people with post-secondary degrees buying houses north of portage in the West end and investing some money in them. So I think the trend that we're seeing in other cities is still happening here, just at a pace that is not all that noticeable. But in the long run, as people begin looking north of portage and Broadway for options to be in close proximity to Wolseley and West Broadway, and as the West Exchange continues to improve, its possible that it starts seeping into the Centennial neighbourhood. Possibly not in my lifetime. Also, for what its worth I'm not saying whether that would be a good thing or not, just a possible direction that the neighbourhood will go in based on what has happened in similar neighbourhoods in other cities.

That's promising. I remember sitting at a barber in Wolesly and him commenting on how ludicrous it was that south of Portage the same house was several thousands more than it would cost a couple blocks away north of Portage.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by cheswick

That's promising. I remember sitting at a barber in Wolesly and him commenting on how ludicrous it was that south of Portage the same house was several thousands more than it would cost a couple blocks away north of Portage.

I don't know how that's ludicrous, that's just literally how property values work.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by buzzg

I don't know how that's ludicrous, that's just literally how property values work.

What do you mean that's how property values work? He was commenting on how the demand is far less just north of Portage than just south of portage when for all intents and purposes its the same area. Portage Ave isn't some physical barrier to crime.

[drew]

Originally Posted by cheswick

What do you mean that's how property values work? He was commenting on how the demand is far less just north of Portage than just south of portage when for all intents and purposes its the same area. Portage Ave isn't some physical barrier to crime.

No - but that is certainly the general perception.

[GreyGarden]

I have an aunt that bought a house in Parkdale in 2008ish because she wanted to be close to the Queen West neighbourhood and Trinity Bellwoods but she couldn't afford that area. So she bought in what was a pretty rough area in 2007-2008 mainly because it was the closest she could get to the area she wanted to be in, but in her price range.

The point being, that eventually (long term) people should start buying north of portage and Broadway, and on the fringes of the Exchange because they want to be in those neighbourhoods, but its currently out of their price range. The people I know who bought north of portage wanted to live in Wolseley but couldn't afford it at the time. So they got as close as they could within their range.

[1ajs]

cause they also want to be closer to the river

[H2man]

Originally Posted by EdwardTH

A little development might help spruce up the appearance a bit but as long as the city and province continue to do jack squat when it comes to addictions, housing & mental health not much is gonna change. Unfortunately we're stuck with the current provincial gov't for at least a few more years so we'll see how much more damage they can do in that time.

The problem goes so, so, so much further than a provincial government that's been in power for less than 5 years. It's not like things were any better for this area or any other under the "other guys", who were in power for 17 years.

[CoryB]

Re HSC - imagine how different things would be if it was on the east side of Sherbroke and grew towards downtown overtime.

[H2man]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Re HSC - imagine how different things would be if it was on the east side of Sherbroke and grew towards downtown overtime.

It would have dovetailed very nicely with the critical mass of educational (and hence professional) institutions there already in RRC and U of W. It would have revitalized the westernmost part of the Exchange and brought numerous health care professionals downtown, and likely new hotels for e.g. families of folks in from up north there for medical treatment.

[optimusREIM]

No reason why it couldn't grow eastward. I think it's inevitable that eventually the two start to meet at some point

[H2man]

Originally Posted by optimusREIM

No reason why it couldn't grow eastward. I think it's inevitable that eventually the two start to meet at some point

Yes but that will require the huge swath of land between the HSC as it stands today and west exchange (Centennial). If HSC was just east of Sherbrook (or better yet, east of Isabel), that would have been the de facto revitalization of the west Exchange. You get two birds stoned at once.

They could grow into each over time like you said, but.....a long, long period of time. Bit of a missed opportunity IMO.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by H2man

The problem goes so, so, so much further than a provincial government that's been in power for less than 5 years. It's not like things were any better for this area or any other under the "other guys", who were in power for 17 years.

well actualy hsc was is midle of a major inferstrcuture program that got scraped when Pallisters gov came in. hsc has a missive asbestos problem and they had been focusing on cleaning it out and rehabing / and or buildings new buildings.
when womens hospital was done the old one was to get rehabed and another department moved there for rehabing of thier building and another one was suppost to get built as well on the campus. witch would be close to done now and i think there woulda been an anoucement about now for some campus apartments to fit in with a caviate the city put in with development of the hsc campus witch the city should call the province on....

[bomberjet]

There's been a bunch of work going on in the old women's. Drove by there the other day and trades were there.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

There's been a bunch of work going on in the old women's. Drove by there the other day and trades were there.

I wonder if what you saw is related to this part of a MB Govt news release from March 19 2020. Maybe it took 10 months to design and tender out?

"Preparations continue to ensure acute care facilities are prepared in the event of COVID-19 patients requiring admissions. Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg (HSC) has begun a series of moves as part of the provincially co-ordinated response. A medicine unit will today be relocated to existing clinical space in the former HSC Women’s Pavilion at 735 Notre Dame Ave. to enable the movement of patients within the hospital campus to create a 30-bed isolation unit."

Full text here https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=47097

[buzzg]

North northern portion of Princess and surrounding area is going to be a completely different place in 3-5 years. Boyce & RRC developments, several heritage restorations, apartments on Princess, then Market Lands. William west of Princess has improved a lot the last few years and East Alexander seems to be cleaning up a bit – which will only continue as exchange pushes east and north.

[flatlander]

Originally Posted by H2man

The problem goes so, so, so much further than a provincial government that's been in power for less than 5 years. It's not like things were any better for this area or any other under the "other guys", who were in power for 17 years.

Disagree. The previous government funded Neighbourhoods Alive programs and funded the West Broadway Development Corporation and other neighbourhood renewal corporations around the city. That's when things started to turn around in West Broadway. That wasn't the only reason, but they made it a policy and financial priority and other investment followed. Private investment follows public.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by buzzg

North northern portion of Princess and surrounding area is going to be a completely different place in 3-5 years. Boyce & RRC developments, several heritage restorations, apartments on Princess, then Market Lands. William west of Princess has improved a lot the last few years and East Alexander seems to be cleaning up a bit – which will only continue as exchange pushes east and north.

I wish I shared your optimism... when you walk 100 metres west of RRC (doesn't matter which street), things look the same as they did 20 years ago.
I find it somewhat amazing that RRC still seems to have had no discernible effect on the Centennial area.

That said, the area north of RRC along Princess has improved slowly but surely.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by optimusREIM

No reason why it couldn't grow eastward. I think it's inevitable that eventually the two start to meet at some point

That a public school was sold and demolished to make way for a privately owned Shoppers on Sherbroke makes it clear the the plan is not to grow the campus east ever. Recent announcement has been the new Women's north of campus, a new clinical building in a conversion of a school north of campus, the new Manitoba Clinic south of campus, the hotel and attached research centre built on space within the campus as did the new ER, a mothballed Cancer Care plans on the former Manitoba Clinic site, and a series of U of M buildings on the western side of the campus.

Further, when Manitoba Possible (formerly SMD) joined other agencies in SSCY expanding east of HSC wasn't even on the table and they actually moved a fair bit west of the HSC campus.

Going even further back the Blood Service building and the federal lab both didn't look at the eastern side of the campus.

[bomberjet]

HSC seems to have ample land available in the current form. They have empty spaces, old buildings, etc. They can build up as well.

Originally Posted by cllew

I wonder if what you saw is related to this part of a MB Govt news release from March 19 2020. Maybe it took 10 months to design and tender out?

"Preparations continue to ensure acute care facilities are prepared in the event of COVID-19 patients requiring admissions. Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg (HSC) has begun a series of moves as part of the provincially co-ordinated response. A medicine unit will today be relocated to existing clinical space in the former HSC Women’s Pavilion at 735 Notre Dame Ave. to enable the movement of patients within the hospital campus to create a 30-bed isolation unit."

Full text here https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=47097

Could be. I was driving by so didn't really get a good look.