Winnipeg Construction VIII - Page 125

cheswick · #**2481** Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 4:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

I had no idea that this was in the works, but it appears that the Dreman Building has been/is being converted from office to residential condos. Here is a 2000 sf unit on the market for $599K:

http://beta.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?PropertyId=14169780

Not a bad idea... this is a sliver of an office building next to a large parkade on Portage Avenue, and it has had a hard time attracting/keeping tenants for as long as I've been paying attention to it. There have been other successful residential conversions in old office buildings nearby, most notably the Lindsay Building and the Avenue Building, so this makes pretty good sense. The suite on the market is definitely more upscale than anything in those two buildings, though... it looks like it is competing head-on with the posh condos on Waterfront Drive. Of course, the big downside is that if you live there, you only have a tiny strip of windows facing north to Portage.

Slowly but surely (and quite improbably) there is a significant cluster of residential emerging along Portage between Main and Hargrave.

Interesting. By the looks of it they are selling floors 3 and up as residential condos, floor two as an office condo (conditionally sold) and the main floor as a commercial condo.

Authentic_City · #**2482** Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 5:48 PM**

Looked like there was construction/demolition activity at the former Canada Bread bakery on Burnell this morning. Have there been any recent updates about that project?

Bdog · #**2483** Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 5:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveosnyder

Regarding the North Point Village "community" plan which can be seen here...

The community committee can't be that stupid, can they? Mixed use? Employment? Wow...

Technically, this is mixed-use. C4 will accommodate a variety of commercial uses, directly adjacent to multi-family developments. For a new suburb, it's actually got a high density target, and a high proportion of the residential is proposed RMF (Residential Multi-Family).

I'm not sure what else you guys want for greenfield development on the fringe. Parkades? Mixed-use buildings with main floor retail, 2nd floor offices and 4 storeys of apartments on top? Turning McPhillips into a Woonerf?

Kris22 · #**2484** Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 6:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

I had no idea that this was in the works, but it appears that the Dreman Building has been/is being converted from office to residential condos. Here is a 2000 sf unit on the market for $599K:

http://beta.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?PropertyId=14169780

Not a bad idea... this is a sliver of an office building next to a large parkade on Portage Avenue, and it has had a hard time attracting/keeping tenants for as long as I've been paying attention to it. There have been other successful residential conversions in old office buildings nearby, most notably the Lindsay Building and the Avenue Building, so this makes pretty good sense. The suite on the market is definitely more upscale than anything in those two buildings, though... it looks like it is competing head-on with the posh condos on Waterfront Drive. Of course, the big downside is that if you live there, you only have a tiny strip of windows facing north to Portage.

Slowly but surely (and quite improbably) there is a significant cluster of residential emerging along Portage between Main and Hargrave.

This is great news! However the window situation would be a turn off to me. Only windows on one side, and north-facing? They are big windows but a little direct sunlight goes a long way for brightening things up.

TR_Chick · #**2485** Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 6:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris22

This is great news! However the window situation would be a turn off to me. Only windows on one side, and north-facing? They are big windows but a little direct sunlight goes a long way for brightening things up.

I think the pallet choices they made were great to keep it fairly light through out... I just don't understand why the bath tub is in the bedroom!!!

Riverman · #**2486** Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 7:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TR_Chick

I just don't understand why the bath tub is in the bedroom!!!

This is a whacky new style. If you go to any of the "Parade of Homes" you will find that this is not uncommon.

DancingDuck · #**2487** Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 7:45 PM**

Rumor has it the Fort Richmond mall will be torn down to make way for a new Sobeys and condos

cllew · #**2488** Posted **Mar 17, 2014, 8:40 PM**

Board of Adjustment hearing next month regarding site changes for a grocery store at that site. Will have to wait to see what else if anything is in the submitted documentation at the hearing.

CoryB · #**2489** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 2:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris22

This is great news! However the window situation would be a turn off to me. Only windows on one side, and north-facing? They are big windows but a little direct sunlight goes a long way for brightening things up.

It would seem to be possible to put windows into the east wall however I am not sure how difficult that would be. There may also be a possibility to add south facing windows however I know there is a common stairway on the south side of the building that may limit that possibility.

The other thing I think might be off-putting to some people is the lobby outside your $600k luxury condo door is shared by a public parkade which carters to events at the MTS Centre. This potentially means you have people just outside your bedroom late at night potentially being rather loud. Now if they could somehow move the parkade elevator to be off the Garry St side that would improve the condo development significantly.

bomberjet · #**2490** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 4:24 PM**

The tub in the bedroom is so ridiculous. What is it, a theme suite or a bedroom?! And it's not even Jacuzzi! Nice project though.

On another, more sprawling, note. Drove down Peguis a few times lately and noticed some activity in the field west of Peguis, east of Lagimodiere, north of Ravelston. Now that they've removed the huge snow banks along the road, you can see the topsoil is stripped and a large amount of gravel has been stockpiled throughout the site. Also large amount of old rail car type shoring on site.

So looks like the first phase of Crocus Meadows is getting underway. No website available, but Qualico, A & S, and Discovery look like they're i on that development.

I'm torn on this one. A lot of your typical urban sprawl development, which is bad. But it'll be filling a large tract of land already surrounded by development within city limits... And with the Park City Plaza high density residential going up nearby, a lot of extra tax dollars coming in.

drew · #**2491** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 4:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

Looked like there was construction/demolition activity at the former Canada Bread bakery on Burnell this morning. Have there been any recent updates about that project?

Not sure about updates, but they have been demo'ing for a long time now.

rrskylar · #**2492** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 6:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

The tub in the bedroom is so ridiculous. What is it, a theme suite or a bedroom?! And it's not even Jacuzzi! Nice project though.

On another, more sprawling, note. Drove down Peguis a few times lately and noticed some activity in the field west of Peguis, east of Lagimodiere, north of Ravelston. Now that they've removed the huge snow banks along the road, you can see the topsoil is stripped and a large amount of gravel has been stockpiled throughout the site. Also large amount of old rail car type shoring on site.

So looks like the first phase of Crocus Meadows is getting underway. No website available, but Qualico, A & S, and Discovery look like they're i on that development.

I'm torn on this one. A lot of your typical urban sprawl development, which is bad. But it'll be filling a large tract of land already surrounded by development within city limits... And with the Park City Plaza high density residential going up nearby, a lot of extra tax dollars coming in.

Come on man, it's vacant city land, developers are always crying that there is no land to build on and a lot of new developments are springing up outside city limits so what exactly is wrong with this?

bomberjet · #**2493** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 8:20 PM**

Exactly. That's why I'm torn.

On one hand, more infrastructure for the city to maintain. And by all accounts, the city get's hosed on that front regularly. Look at Waverley West for example. Last I heard it was $75M for the Kenaston and Waverley extensions. And the developer paid squat. They got out of building flyovers at Bison/Kenaston, North & South Town Roads/Kenaston, Waverley/Kenaston interchange.

In Saskatoon, the Stonebridge Development. It's being done properly. Interchanges paid for by the developer.

Not sure about other Cities, but all I keep hearing from Transcona West is the developer builds the roads, and the City pays them back in 5 years plus interest. What the hell is that? Even the Reenders extension. That's just stupid.

But on the other hand, like you said, it's vacant land up for development. More tax dollars, etc. etc. More people living in the City.

Wigglez · #**2494** Posted **Mar 18, 2014, 11:57 PM**

that THIS is currently the only response to vikings interview (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/A...-in-Spur-talk-at-News-Caf-250822691.html) reminds me why this city is so frustrating.

Quote:

ve4mm
2:04 PM on 3/18/2014

Old buildings are crap.

Too high cost to convert to residential.

Higher rents then new construction.

Give me a break.

Sigh....

Great interview tho.

Rudiger · #**2495** Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 12:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wigglez

that THIS is currently the only response to vikings interview (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/A...-in-Spur-talk-at-News-Caf-250822691.html) reminds me why this city is so frustrating.

Sigh....

Great interview tho.

Michael Mark strikes again.

Flatland Metropolis · #**2496** Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 3:29 AM**

University of Winnipeg field house construction

esquire · #**2497** Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 3:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flatland Metropolis

University of Winnipeg field house construction

To be known as the United Health & Recplex. I wonder if the U of W shouldn't hit up United Airlines for a donation given that it sounds as though the building is named after them?

Bdog · #**2498** Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 4:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

To be known as the United Health & Recplex. I wonder if the U of W shouldn't hit up United Airlines for a donation given that it sounds as though the building is named after them?

If that doesn't pan out, maybe United Furniture Warehouse.

Cyro · #**2499** Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 2:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flatland Metropolis

University of Winnipeg field house construction

Thanks for the image. This is a great addition to the campus and area as a whole.

Simplicity · #**2500** Posted **Mar 19, 2014, 3:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wigglez

that THIS is currently the only response to vikings interview (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/A...-in-Spur-talk-at-News-Caf-250822691.html) reminds me why this city is so frustrating.

Sigh....

Great interview tho.

I hate to admit this if this is in fact Michael Mark, but he's right. The costs of conversion are just simply too high to justify the return right now.

Add to that the nonsense of dealing with the heritage department that watches your every move and all of the budget uncertainty of undertaking the renovation of a building that just keeps revealing deficiencies with every new day, I have no idea how this stock of buildings ever becomes anything other than vacant relics of time long past...