Winnipeg | Hudson’s Bay Building | Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn | U/C

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by T'Cona

I cannot imagine the city would grant permission to demolish the building anytime soon, and if a proposal was submitted for a tower to replace the building, it would have to be spectacular, and check off all the boxes.

1) I think The Bay will stop paying taxes.
2) I think they will drain the water pipes and shut off the water.
3) I think they will turn off the heat.
4) I think the guy who owns the parkade in Toronto has no interest in The Bay building even for a dollar.
5) I think the City will take it back for realty taxes. (Think Five Roses Mills on Higgins which was demolished 20 years ago with dynamite).
6) I think it will be given to Centre Ventures and the board of directors to deal with.
7) I think the City of Winnipeg will be floating a $100,000,000 Bond!

[1ajs]

always amazes me that our downtown store outlasted so many closures till covid came along

[zen-kz]

We need to change our downtown to be a better place live and it will create a demand for such huge department store as The Bay building. So let it sit empty for a couple years and invest money to downtown. The top concern is safety and the solution can be: lights, camera, action. I.e. light up downtown at night by adding more lights to sidewalks, historical buildings, and add light installations and sculptures. Adding cameras will allow to prevent crime or identify and arrest criminals. All this will not only make criminals to feel uncomfortable but also bring more people there at night, which is the final part of success - we need to bring people to downtown and organize festivals, events and more action. Once safety is there we can add schools and playgrounds, narrow and pedestrianize streets, plant more trees and here you are.

[Labroco]

Originally Posted by zen-kz

we need to change our downtown to be a better place live and it will create a demand for such huge department store as the bay building. So let it sit empty for a couple years and invest money to downtown. The top concern is safety and the solution can be: Lights, camera, action. I.e. Light up downtown at night by adding more lights to sidewalks, historical buildings, and add light installations and sculptures. Adding cameras will allow to prevent crime or identify and arrest criminals. All this will not only make criminals to feel uncomfortable but also bring more people there at night, which is the final part of success - we need to bring people to downtown and organize festivals, events and more action. Once safety is there we can add schools and playgrounds, narrow and pedestrianize streets, plant more trees and here you are.

yes!

[EdwardTH]

Originally Posted by zen-kz

We need to change our downtown to be a better place live and it will create a demand for such huge department store as The Bay building. So let it sit empty for a couple years and invest money to downtown. The top concern is safety and the solution can be: lights, camera, action. I.e. light up downtown at night by adding more lights to sidewalks, historical buildings, and add light installations and sculptures. Adding cameras will allow to prevent crime or identify and arrest criminals. All this will not only make criminals to feel uncomfortable but also bring more people there at night, which is the final part of success - we need to bring people to downtown and organize festivals, events and more action. Once safety is there we can add schools and playgrounds, narrow and pedestrianize streets, plant more trees and here you are.

Umm, lights are nice but what's really needed is an actual strategy to tackle social issues in the city.

[bomberjet]

haha when you're in the midst of something, it feels like eternity.

Remember when the country was falling apart and going to be taken over by China because the railways were partially blocked for 2 weeks.

[trueviking]

Most likely the bay will be handed to the city or province for nothing...if a redevelopment plan doesn’t surface shortly. But I’m confident one will. It will take contribution from al three levels of government likely. Similar money given to the portage place guys from the city and province would probably do it. There is likely more political will today than there has been in the past.

It’ll happen. It’s not an insurmountable challenge. The building is sturdy and it’s concrete structure makes it very flexible for redevelopment.

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by trueviking

Most likely the bay will be handed to the city or province for nothing...if a redevelopment plan doesn’t surface shortly. But I’m confident one will. It will take contribution from al three levels of government likely. Similar money given to the portage place guys from the city and province would probably do it. There is likely more political will today than there has been in the past.

It’ll happen. It’s not an insurmountable challenge. The building is sturdy and it’s concrete structure makes it very flexible for redevelopment.

For proponents of downtown re-development, the recent closure of The Bay combined with what looks like the imminent demise of the PP redevelopment deal have been pretty big emotional hits. I know it's difficult not to get discouraged, as these two site represent what could be argued as the core of west downtown.

When the PP redevelopment seemed to be a go (and I know it's not officially cancelled but It seems like it would take a miracle to save the Starlight proposal) I thought redeveloping PP would drive the redevelopment of The Bay. IMO I think it' possible a positive and energetic redevelopment of The Bay could be incentive for another developer to look seriously at PP. The Bay and Eaton's were, I believe, originally seen as anchor stores for PP. With The Bay re-developed, PP would have BellMTS Centre and whatever form The Bay takes as attractive "anchors" for some ind of mixed residential/commercial PP.

[Biff]

I get that, as you say we have known about the demise of the downtown bay for years but, I don't think I understand the correlation to there being no serious re-development proposals since it only officially closed a month or so ago.

It's not like there would be multiple developers drawing up plans when there was no definitive closure date. These kinds of things are fairly time sensitive. I think the clock has now been started and there are people investigating options as we speak. If we are in this same boat 5 years from now I would be concerned, but not yet.

[esquire]

^ We've been hearing rumours about behind the scenes machinations for some time now, as I recall HBC was shopping the building around, looking for someone to buy it. At one point U of W was rumoured to be interested as were other organizations. Never any takers though.

This is not a situation where business was going strong and everyone was blindsided by the store's closure. We all could see this day coming for quite some time. But that said, I hope you're right and that something will happen now that it's finally closed.

[Jeff]

no one is mentioning the now zombie 80's skywalk limb to nowhere between the bay and PP.. i know it connects to the Power Building as well, but will that be enough to even keep it open as things stand now?

[T'Cona]

I think we can all appreciate how much effort, money and time will be required redeveloping this building, and I am confident there is plenty of key players behind the scenes attempting to achieve this. We will have to have patience.

[thurmas]

i am not very confident in the redevelopment happening soon. we have brick and mortar retail dying globally, a provincial government in power who's voter base is rural manitoba, a downtown with severe issues of drug addiction and poverty that are only getting worse not better, a lame duck mayor for next 2 years and all 3 levels of government in massive debt due to the pandemic that will not have the resources to work on wish list projects such as this. i am very worried this could turn into another met theater or kapyong barracks that stay vacant for decades.

[cheswick]

Province announced a $25m trust to help develop the Bay building in it's new budget.

[esquire]

^ Interesting. That's about in the same ballpark as what the province committed to Starlight's Portage Place proposal.

[T'Cona]

Great news!

https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/i-was-el...ding-1.5378310

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by T'Cona

Great news!

https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/i-was-el...ding-1.5378310

The Bay hasn't been closed for that long, so it's good to see this step from the province so early in the process. Hopefully we'll see other interested parties step forward soon.

[trueviking]

This pretty much guarantees the building will be redeveloped quickly. Very good news.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Enough good news to ensure you vote PC (under different leader) and not NDP next election?

HBC funding and eliminating school tax!

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

Enough good news to ensure you vote PC (under different leader) and not NDP next election?

HBC funding and eliminating school tax!

Never have. Never will.

I don’t mind taxes. They pay for things I can’t.

I do mind them being used for dumb things like making roads bigger and such.