Winnipeg Construction X

[trueviking]

I do really like the look of that second last one. I think it’s Verne Reimer. He somehow got around Bridgwater’s stupid faux Victorian design rules.

[Gravity Wins]

I don't understand the need to build hotel rooms in Bridgwater

[borkborkbork]

are those five-storey walkups?! trying to imagine a bridgewaterian getting their costco order up that many stairs...

guessing it's just an exterior fire escape or something, and that these buildings would have elevators?

[cllew]

Originally Posted by Biff

I noticed yesterday that they have finally removed the south facing "SkyCity" advertising on it's proposed site as I was driving down Smith St.

Why take it down now?

Something upcoming???

Its been down for a while. I can't remember though if it was December or January when I noticed that it was down while I was doing a lunch time walk in the skywalk.

[thebasketballgeek]

Originally Posted by Gravity Wins

I don't understand the need to build hotel rooms in Bridgwater

There’s a few reasons why it makes sense.

1. The construction of the South Winnipeg Recreation centre is going to mean there will be a lot of youth tournaments in which people from out of town will visit and probably want a place to stay nearby.

2. Proximity to the University and more importantly IGF field.

3. All 3 levels of government have invested so much in the area of course they want to show off the area because at full-build it’s going to be quite walkable especially for the suburbs without any of the safety concerns tourists would have in the inner-city (I know it’s overblown but people from out of town tend to exaggerate Winnipeg’s problems which is a self inflicted wound from Winnipeggers themselves).

[pegcityboy]

Anyone have any updates on proposal for St Regis site ? Driving by there yesterday with that empty lot plus the Graham Ave lots really looks like a barren wasteland and needs some development soon , IMO then the lot beside 201 Portage and then the Donald street parking lots south of York ( at least 1 going to be developed soon ) .

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by thebasketballgeek

There’s a few reasons why it makes sense.

1. The construction of the South Winnipeg Recreation centre is going to mean there will be a lot of youth tournaments in which people from out of town will visit and probably want a place to stay nearby.

2. Proximity to the University and more importantly IGF field.

3. All 3 levels of government have invested so much in the area of course they want to show off the area because at full-build it’s going to be quite walkable especially for the suburbs without any of the safety concerns tourists would have in the inner-city (I know it’s overblown but people from out of town tend to exaggerate Winnipeg’s problems which is a self inflicted wound from Winnipeggers themselves).

Why would a tourist want to hang out in a dime a dozen suburb in Winnipeg. The entire appeal is in the historic areas.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by Gravity Wins

I don't understand the need to build hotel rooms in Bridgwater

Short term rentals for visiting workers, (construction/UofM) and family visiting.

[thebasketballgeek]

Originally Posted by optimusREIM

Why would a tourist want to hang out in a dime a dozen suburb in Winnipeg. The entire appeal is in the historic areas.

Yes as urbanists in this sub we would usually do that but visitors care a lot more about convenience then about built form especially once Bridgwater Centre is complete they want Centre St to have a comparable built form with urban inner city areas without the preconceived notions about Winnipeg’s inner cities lack of safety. The only other area with a bunch of 5 over 1’s in this city is Waterfront Drive, and I’m assuming Sage Creek and Provencher Blvd will develop in this mold.

My question is when you take a trip to Fargo or the Twin Cities do you go out of your way to book a hotel near Broadway in Fargo or Summit avenue in St Paul? Personally, my family with a suburban lifestyle finds it much easier to stay near West Acres Mall or Mall of America. We booked a hotel in Downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul a few times but nooo the holiday inn or motel 6 is more appealing to them because of its lack of authenticity and sterile activity where it’s much easier to drive everywhere. It drives me nuts!

So even though this new hotel will have 43 rooms and 49 dwelling units it will still have 150 parking spots because it’s pretending to be urbanism but it still accommodates the car. Faux urbanism is basically heaven for suburbanites.

[esquire]

I don't think there is one single thing driving demand for hotels in south Winnipeg so much as it is a bit of this, a bit of that, like for instance:

-the U of M would have to be one of the bigger drivers, not just academics and students but also athletes, vendors, conference attendees, etc.
-sports on campus at IG Field, the soccer complex and Wayne Fleming Arena
-industrial parks nearby
-a busy highway leading up from southern Manitoba and the US - if I'm driving in another city I will often opt for a suburban hotel with easy car access

You add all of those things up and it makes sense. For what it's worth there are not all that many hotel rooms in south Winnipeg... downtown and the airport/Polo Park area still dominate that market.

Otherwise, a nice rundown by thebasketballgeek. My expectations of Bridgwater/Waverley West are not that high, it is what it is. But at least we're starting to see some decent density and gaps filling in a bit. Some parts might actually even become walkable.

[trueviking]

^ agreed...definitely better with some density than without, but it will always be a car-centric neighbourhood.

[kattiff]

maybe they are thinking a lot of owners of one bedroom apartments will have family members stay in the hotel….???? Or maybe something else… just to have one in the middle between Sterling Lyon and Pembina
Only random thing I can think of as I can’t get my head around a hotel in Bridgwater lol

[thebasketballgeek]

Originally Posted by kattiff

maybe they are thinking a lot of owners of one bedroom apartments will have family members stay in the hotel….???? Or maybe something else… just to have one in the middle between Sterling Lyon and Pembina
Only random thing I can think of as I can’t get my head around a hotel in Bridgwater lol

Oh one other point I didn’t mention is that due to its proximity to the south perimeter it would be quite accessible to Americans taking the road trip here. Either way I bet that the hotel will have good occupancy and the developer probably thinks similar.

[thebasketballgeek]

Anyways moving on from the topic of Bridgwater hotels the Parker Lands saga is back on the menu. The public service is still against the project this time because the townhouse portion of the development doesn’t promote enough walkability. This is because the design of these townhomes include a bunch of driveways in the front which will fragment the sideways and introduce another point of contact between cars and pedestrians. This seems logical yet the developer insists they don’t want to build back lanes...

https://clkapps.winnipeg.ca/DMIS/ViewPdf.asp?SectionId=632872&isMobile=yes

It’s just one thing after another with this one.

[WinCitySparky]

^ I can’t believe how long that development has sat idle. What’s it been now, 6 years? 8?

[pegcityboy]

They shouldn’t have cut down all the trees and forested areas until they were ready to build , makes me furious when I drive by that barren wasteland now .

[Authentic_City]

Originally Posted by BAKGUY

Speak for yourself...The Night club (The Club Morocco) has been sadly missed for decades.
I was not a patron of late but a few years ago the space was well designed by an architectural firm inside the club.

I’m not talking about the original Club Morocco from the 50s and 60s. That place was a gem, but it’s been long gone for decades. I’m talking about the last incarnation of the club. It created lots of disruption in the community. There were two shootings in that bar since 2020. That place won’t be missed by neighbours.

[Rutlander]

I recall doing a few hours of maintenance work there back in the late '80s or so. It was quite the dump back then. Sad that these types of buildings go on for so long without significant upgrades- I know there's a cost involved that not every owner can afford but this is the end result.

[esquire]

I wonder who owned the building? The news articles focused on the tenants but I don't recall any mentioning who owns the property.

[zalf]

Originally Posted by thebasketballgeek

Anyways moving on from the topic of Bridgwater hotels the Parker Lands saga is back on the menu. The public service is still against the project this time because the townhouse portion of the development doesn’t promote enough walkability. This is because the design of these townhomes include a bunch of driveways in the front which will fragment the sideways and introduce another point of contact between cars and pedestrians. This seems logical yet the developer insists they don’t want to build back lanes...

https://clkapps.winnipeg.ca/DMIS/ViewPdf.asp?SectionId=632872&isMobile=yes

It’s just one thing after another with this one.

Councillors sided with the public service on this one. There's hope yet for some actual TOD

Santos asked a variation of the old Winnipeg battlecry, "But where will we park?"