Winnipeg Construction X

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by CoryB

The Marlborough ballroom is definitely up there with the Fort Garry and Fort Garry Place rooms. Not sure exactly when Marlborough was at its peak but the stories I have heard suggest it was into the 80s if not later. I think the biggest issue with the ballroom is the lack of lobby space for when an event like a wedding is wanting to not open the doors to a certain time. Also being on an upper floor the limited elevator capacity and relatively slow speed is a minor issue too.

The Hotel was at its peak many periods in time for the 1910's into the late 1990's.
The ballrooms have had some big name acts & events even into the early 2010's.

[cllew]

There is a skywalk over back lane to the event center. Not sure of its current accessibility status between the 2 buildings.

The Garrick event center was being used as a Covid 19 test center for a while over the last few years

[P&M40BELOW]

For those that have been to London, the London Andaz is basically an extreme example of what could be the Marlborough completely redeveloped. They kept the facade and dinning rooms original. Everything else is redone and contemporary. Would probably cost $40 mil to get there; but it’s beautiful.

[wags_in_the_peg]

I'm not convinced there's a huge market for Malborough style hotel rooms unless they get affiliated w a chain. Business traveller's like their points and tourists like either points or smal boutique hotels. In past years, Marlborough has been used for fire and flood evacuees.

My 1991 grad in the ballroom was nice!

[esquire]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

I'm not convinced there's a huge market for Malborough style hotel rooms unless they get affiliated w a chain. Business traveller's like their points and tourists like either points or smal boutique hotels. In past years, Marlborough has been used for fire and flood evacuees.

My 1991 grad in the ballroom was nice!

The Marlborough and the Best Western by the airport seem to be used so often and for constantly for various public urgencies (the Best Western in particular... annual fire and flood evacuees, COVID isolation, refugees from abroad, foster care) to the point where I wonder if the provincial government shouldn't just buy a hotel.

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by P&M40BELOW

For those that have been to London, the London Andaz is basically an extreme example of what could be the Marlborough completely redeveloped. They kept the facade and dinning rooms original. Everything else is redone and contemporary. Would probably cost $40 mil to get there; but it’s beautiful.

Yes, I agree. Something like that or close to it would be ideal.
At first when you said contemporary, I was kind of concerned but the look @ The Andaz is fresh & sensitive to a character building.
Havin this hotel restored & brought back to 1st class status is the most exciting thing to me so far this year in the Downtown area.
I was curious what they will do with the former fashion mall, the older section?
I guess they could convert either the older or newer section into condos? Or just go full throttle over time & go upscale hotel. I agree it would be wise if the restoration meets requirements for a good chain brand. It might fit into a brand that Marriott has? Hyatt? Hilton? There are many levels in large brands.

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by esquire

The Marlborough and the Best Western by the airport seem to be used so often and for constantly for various public urgencies (the Best Western in particular... annual fire and flood evacuees, COVID isolation, refugees from abroad, foster care) to the point where I wonder if the provincial government shouldn't just buy a hotel.

The Clarion Polo Park is also used that way lately as well.
Viscount Gort has part fire/flood evacuees and part Ukrainian refugees, recent arrivals.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Signage up on the building being renovated at the SW corner of Polo Park. TD Bank. Looks like they've taken half the site.

[WinCitySparky]

Weird to see a bank opening new branches in an older area, when the current trend seems to be to close as many branches as possible with the advent of online banking.

[pegster]

Demolition equipment and Imrie signs are up at the old fire-damaged house at 123 Mayfair Ave. Anyone know if there is something planned for that spot?

[WinCitySparky]

Originally Posted by pegster

Demolition equipment and Imrie signs are up at the old fire-damaged house at 123 Mayfair Ave. Anyone know if there is something planned for that spot?

Interesting! I wonder if they were granted a precautionary demolition under the city’s new rules regarding abandoned fire hazard structures. I have a friend that lives in the building next door to the west and we take guesses all the time whether fire or development will be the winner in taking it down.

[WinCitySparky]

Update on 123 Mayfair — It is now torn down. My buddy sent me a pic of the machine with half the house gone at noon today.

[Malcsta]

Has anyone heard any updates on 285 Smith ?

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by esquire

The Marlborough and the Best Western by the airport seem to be used so often and for constantly for various public urgencies (the Best Western in particular... annual fire and flood evacuees, COVID isolation, refugees from abroad, foster care) to the point where I wonder if the provincial government shouldn't just buy a hotel.

I know the Marlborough and Best Western are in horrible, decrepit condition.

But while the province might be most of these hotels' business, they still do have to sell rooms to actual travellers, and their Yelp/Tripadvisor ratings are an incentive for them to try and manage the hotel as well as possible (given all the challenges of their long-term stay residents).

However, imagine what it would be like run by the provincial government. I'd imagine it would be the hotel version of Centre Village -- built at great initial cost, then allowed to fall apart and ultimately be abandoned. In other words, bad as the Marl and BW are... I would imagine that a hotel run by the government, especially for refugees and flood displaced FN citizens (who our government is happy to forget about), would be even worse.

[city_slicker]

Originally Posted by pegster

Demolition equipment and Imrie signs are up at the old fire-damaged house at 123 Mayfair Ave. Anyone know if there is something planned for that spot?

…

[Biff]

Originally Posted by Malcsta

Has anyone heard any updates on 285 Smith ?

Thoughts are that the parkade portion will start in the next couple of months.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

I know the Marlborough and Best Western are in horrible, decrepit condition.

But while the province might be most of these hotels' business, they still do have to sell rooms to actual travellers, and their Yelp/Tripadvisor ratings are an incentive for them to try and manage the hotel as well as possible (given all the challenges of their long-term stay residents).

However, imagine what it would be like run by the provincial government. I'd imagine it would be the hotel version of Centre Village -- built at great initial cost, then allowed to fall apart and ultimately be abandoned. In other words, bad as the Marl and BW are... I would imagine that a hotel run by the government, especially for refugees and flood displaced FN citizens (who our government is happy to forget about), would be even worse.

That's fair. But man. It's hard not to wonder about the vast amounts of money that have been dumped into these hotels over the years by the province and various provincially-funded agencies. Probably enough to buy them a couple times over.

[Wpg_Guy]

^ buy them maybe by they would never be able to deliver the services contracting the hotels does.

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by Biff

Thoughts are that the parkade portion will start in the next couple of months.

So then this will be the dreaded "phase1/phase 2"? Oh poop.

[WinCitySparky]

Originally Posted by pspeid

So then this will be the dreaded "phase1/phase 2"? Oh poop.

What an absolute joke if so, can’t believe CV is letting this happen