Winnipeg Construction IX

[GreyGarden]

I know how you feel... it's so frustrating to always see the city trailing behind.

I'm really hoping that a significant part of our younger generation will learn to enjoy and want a more urban lifestyle. I worry about the older "never go/hate downtown" generation passing this mentality onto future generations.

[Urban recluse]

Yeah, the younger generation is where the hope lies.

[Urban recluse]

Aside from structural considerations (designs of the floors) hindering conversion, which I do not think exists in great numbers in downtown Winnipeg buildings, to not see more residential conversions of office space sitting vacant for years is ridiculous.

[CoryB]

^^ One of the other drivers on residential conversions will be the hyper localized vacancy rates on rentals. If 300 Main gets built and is running a 20% vacancy rate no one is going to be stupid enough to sink money into a conversion nearby. The business case has to make sense. In the case of the Sterling Building the rapid full occupancy of the Avenue Building played in favour of the conversion. With the downtown residential grants off the table currently and several projects announced I suspect things will be quite for a couple years with a possible one off exception for the Malbourgh.

[buzzg]

A little behind on a few of these...

- the GM of the HBC downtown is actually on the Downtown BIZ board and fairly active in the community. I do get the sense they want to be there, contribute, help the downtown, and start thriving again - but they definitely are not going to redevelop that building alone. Seems like a "support the community and hope an angel comes along" vibe.

- there's already a hotel going up at seasons, right beside the Audi dealership. It was actually the first building under construction on that side of Sterling Lyon, and I think it's a Hampton Inn or something under the Marriott chain.

- in terms of companies relocating downtown: Winnipeg is always slow to adopt trends - we're small and isolated. The reason it's happening other places is that they realize that "the best" young people often want to live in urban areas. To be the best company, you need to attract the best employees. Also, companies are realizing how it can affect their bottom lines. It doesn't cost the company money if employees need to start paying for parking; but being located so close to many other companies and services you work with can save the company a lot of money, and also time wasted by travelling to meetings. To start, you're more likely to see big companies make the switch, as lower-level employees have less input, and executives can just bundle in a spot for themselves.

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by buzzg

A little behind on a few of these...

- the GM of the HBC downtown is actually on the Downtown BIZ board and fairly active in the community. I do get the sense they want to be there, contribute, help the downtown, and start thriving again - but they definitely are not going to redevelop that building alone. Seems like a "support the community and hope an angel comes along" vibe.

- there's already a hotel going up at seasons, right beside the Audi dealership. It was actually the first building under construction on that side of Sterling Lyon, and I think it's a Hampton Inn or something under the Marriott chain.

- in terms of companies relocating downtown: Winnipeg is always slow to adopt trends - we're small and isolated. The reason it's happening other places is that they realize that "the best" young people often want to live in urban areas. To be the best company, you need to attract the best employees. Also, companies are realizing how it can affect their bottom lines. It doesn't cost the company money if employees need to start paying for parking; but being located so close to many other companies and services you work with can save the company a lot of money, and also time wasted by travelling to meetings. To start, you're more likely to see big companies make the switch, as lower-level employees have less input, and executives can just bundle in a spot for themselves.

HILTON GARDEN is the name of the 6 floor hotel.

[Urban recluse]

Yeah, I heard HBC wants to stay in the building but not own it.

[DavefromSt.Vital]

The hotel soon to open next to the Outlet Collection is a Hilton Garden Inn. It is not on the Hilton booking site yet as it is still a few months out, which is normal for Hilton.

[CoryB]

The reference to the proposed hotel near Cabela's leaving room on the ground level for a Lowe's is a reference back to the original site plan there that had Lowe's in nearly the same location. With Lowe's buying out Rona expansion plans are likely heavily chilled, especially where stores would be in too close proximity as would anything in the Kenaston retail corridor.

In terms of the Hilton Garden Inn, it looks like exterior construction is nearing completion. Not sure how they are doing it but it could be they are building the shell of the building including the bare rooms then the property gets turned over and a completely different team is coming in to built the interior to the brand spec. Gut feel is that it looks like a similar stage from the outside as Outlet Collection did about a month from opening.

[EndoftheBeginning]

The $35-million property will be the first Hilton Garden Inn in Manitoba and is being developed by local hotel developer-operator SK Developments, which will also manage the property once complete in late summer 2017. The 86,565 sq. ft. hotel will include a 3,740 sq. ft. beer vendor; indoor pool; a full-service restaurant, bar and patios, and 2,500 sq. ft. of meeting space to serve groups and businesses in the Winnipeg South area. The 127-room, six-storey property will be located off Sterling Lyon Parkway in Winnipeg's first large scale mixed-use development.

The hotel is being constructed by Thomas Design Builders Ltd. and will consist of Manitoba materials that will complement the SEASONS site. The building façade will be enhanced with a mix of red brick masonry and Manitoba Tyndall stone accents. The hotel's entryway will have a drive-through canopy and dedicated drop-off area for guests. Exterior patios will be linked to the restaurant, articulating the open-plan main floor pedestrian level where guests will enjoy flow between interior and exterior spaces. Hilton Garden Inn Winnipeg South guests will enjoy signature bedding, complimentary Wi-Fi, a 24-hour business centre, state-of-the-art fitness centre, Keurig coffeemakers and a full-service restaurant and bar with made-to-order breakfast, dinner and cocktails, and evening room service.

http://newsroom.hilton.com/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/30683

[LilZebra]

The 127-room, six-storey property will be located off Sterling Lyon Parkway in Winnipeg's first large scale mixed-use development.

WRONG. The Convention Centre-Holiday Inn-Holiday Towers-155-175 Carlton was Winnipeg's first large-scale mixed use development in the 1970s.

After that it was Portage Place-One Canada Centre-Air Canada-Place Promenade-Fred Douglas Place-IBM Building in the 1980s.

Hilton Garden Inn needs more glass.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by LilZebra

Hilton Garden Inn needs more glass.

I'm not too concerned about the aesthetics of this suburban hotel in a mall parking lot. If this had been downtown I would expect better

[Wolf13]

Originally Posted by LilZebra

Hilton Garden Inn needs more glass.

Trying to stay beneath the code's 29% glazing surface area threshold!

[esquire]

Somehow it seems amusing that this shiny new midrange hotel will have a beer vendor attached to it.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by esquire

Somehow it seems amusing that this shiny new midrange hotel will have a beer vendor attached to it.

Canad Inns would be so proud!

[esquire]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Canad Inns would be so proud!

Someday Winnipeg will get a true five star hotel, and it will be the world's first Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton or whatever with a vendor out in the rear parking lot.

[bomberjet]

Its a crappy suburban hotel. That's what you get.

[Flavelle103]

A propos of nothing, I walked by the Pantages addition today and can't for the life of me figure out what the architect was thinking with that sunken pit of grass on Main Street. Impossible to tend to the grass anyway with that slope and it's a pretty useless space all around.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by Flavelle103

A propos of nothing, I walked by the Pantages addition today and can't for the life of me figure out what the architect was thinking with that sunken pit of grass on Main Street. Impossible to tend to the grass anyway with that slope and it's a pretty useless space all around.

to bring light into the rehersal back stage area

[Wolf13]

LOLLLL did they just adverise Keurig coffee makers as an amenity?

Oh lawdy, this project is unhinged!!!