Windsor talk

[Jacob]

Someone wrote an editorial complaining about the LCBO Downtown
Mike Graston's cartoon for April 3rd:


I'll start off by stating, i'm not of drinking age, but if i was, this store would probably not grab my attention. We do need a nicer LCBO in DOwntown that is more accessible, larger and nicer looking. My thought is how about the empty retail space at One Riverside Dr. facing Pitt?

It's adjacent to the downtown bus terminal, right off the busy Ouellette avenue, has relatively high visibility, and would attract more people onto Pitt Street, making it less "Dreary"

There is already plenty of on street parking, not to mention it is UNDER A PARKING GARAGE and across the street from another. If they need parking right in front, a lane could easily be stolen from the incredulously wide Pitt Street to make space for angle parking, like they did HERE

i'm sure the city of Windsor would "Hook them up" so to speak, as this would be a positive change for the downtown.

[Symz]

The Windsor Star wrote a good article about the dump that is the downtown LCBO. This was brought on in light of the new larger east side LCBO that opened recently near Tecumseh Mall.

I have to say that I agree with the article. I always thought of the downtown LCBO as it appears like some kind of afterthought. There is no glitz, no glamour. In fact the store looks rough, uninviting and cramped as compared to the newer stores we see in other parts of the city.

Why would the LCBO not want to have a showcase store in the downtown, or at least something more presentable to the public in the core of the city.

The cartoon Jacob posted from Mike Graston is pretty spot on, but for more reference here is the actual store.

https://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ll...298.89,,0,4.08

In the aerial view you can see how inadequate and difficult the parking lot at this location is

https://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ll...00075&t=h&z=21


source: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/03...-and-the-core/

With significant fanfare, the LCBO recently opened a new outlet at Windsor’s Tecumseh Mall. It’s a spacious 12,000-square-foot store that features more than 1,900 products and a large section dedicated to more than 500 Ontario wines. The store is customer friendly, and easily accessible by bus or car.

So cheers to residents on the city’s eastside, who appreciate the fact a government-controlled monopoly would do everything it can to look after its customers and provide the best service possible.

In fact, Bob Peter, the LCBO’s CEO and president, said the new Windsor store opens at a time when “we’re investing all over the province.”

But what’s also true in the Windsor area is that when you travel west, beyond the LCBO’s flagship store at the Roundhouse Centre, the few outlets you’ll find get older and smaller.

The LCBO’s tiny store on Front Road in LaSalle, for example, measures up to the type of outlet you’ll find in much smaller towns like Blenheim or Ridgetown.

Then there’s the LCBO store at the corner of University and Church in Windsor’s core.

It’s hard to imagine any major downtown in Ontario that has a drearier LCBO outlet. It’s cramped, has a limited selection, a hard-to-manoeuvre parking lot, an exterior with splotches of graffiti and an egress onto University Avenue that makes it difficult to see oncoming pedestrians or vehicles.

This is the face of the LCBO in a rapidly changing area of the city that’s near hotels, restaurants, Caesars Windsor and the soon-to-be-opened aquatic centre. And, in addition to St. Clair College, the University of Windsor will soon call the core home.

The LCBO already has a steady flow of regular customers in the downtown and can also tap into the tourism market. The potential to expand its business — particularly with so many new opportunities — would seem to be obvious.

However, when asked about the future of the downtown store, Peter would only say that the LCBO continues to evaluate its plans and markets.

That’s not particularly encouraging, given that the LCBO opened 35 stores this year, and expects to open another 35 next year.

Since 1990, the LCBO proudly says on its website that the corporation has won more than 200 awards for things like innovative retailing, corporate communications and store design.

Maybe it’s time to take that award-winning record to Windsor’s downtown and come up with plans for a store that its owners — the taxpayers of the city — deserve. Maybe it’s time to showcase Ontario wines at the busiest border crossing in Canada.

From a customer’s standpoint, the inside and outside of the downtown LCBO store seems, at best, an afterthought.

The LCBO could do better in Windsor’s core.

[north 42]

More good news on the city's unemployment rate. Hopefully this downward trend continues!

http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/04...falls-again-4/

[Jacob]

I really wish something more interesting than a "Cash Money" would have gone into that building at Ouellette and Wyandotte. I find it a bit of a let down that this happened to such a nice building in such a nice location.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Jacob

I really wish something more interesting than a "Cash Money" would have gone into that building at Ouellette and Wyandotte. I find it a bit of a let down that this happened to such a nice building in such a nice location.

Yup, it sucks, I had bigger hopes for that building. I hate all those parasitic loan places clustering in that area of DT.

[north 42]

Another good ranking for the city.

http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/04...of-the-future/

[north 42]

CTV moving out of their Ouellete Ave location to historic Bell building on Goyeau.

http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/04...wned-building/

[Jacob]

Originally Posted by north 42

CTV moving out of their Ouellete Ave location to historic Bell building on Goyeau.

http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/04...wned-building/

I'm intrigued by the way they described the new tenant for their old location. My fingers are crossed it isn't another "Cash Money" or other payday loan shark.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Jacob

I'm intrigued by the way they described the new tenant for their old location. My fingers are crossed it isn't another "Cash Money" or other payday loan shark.

It couldn't be another cheque cashing place the way they explained it, but it wouldn't surprise me, lol. I hope it's something decent that will add to that corner.

[north 42]

I just found out that WFCU is moving into the CTV space when they move, which works for me.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by north 42

I just found out that WFCU is moving into the CTV space when they move, which works for me.

I agree, WFCU is not what I was expecting. I guess I was expecting some sort of retail but they are a solid tenant to have in the downtown core, no complaints.

[Symz]

I read this odd little article in the Windsor Star, well actually a reader letter. Anyway the letter is short but it talks about something possibly going on downtown with vacant lots but is rather vague.

source: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/04...have-some-use/

Vacant properties do have some use

It is always good to try and preserve our heritage property. But there is a time for one to use common sense and be practical.

Downtown Windsor has become run down with many vacant properties. Along comes a group of young professional young men who want to put time, effort and money into revitalizing an area that has been left to deteriorate and sadly, be of no use to others.

But yet, there is a use.

Dr. Christopher Blue and his associates have come up with a plan to build, improve and provide much needed medical facilities for the City of Windsor residents.

It sounds like a win-win situation to me!

MARJORIE BROWN, Windsor

[cbyrne2014]

Originally Posted by Symz

I read this odd little article in the Windsor Star, well actually a reader letter. Anyway the letter is short but it talks about something possibly going on downtown with vacant lots but is rather vague.

source: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/04...have-some-use/

Is this the physician that wants to tear down a heritage property for a parking lot?

[Symz]

So the Active Green + Ross auto shop located downtown at the corner of University & Dougall apparently closed. Another blow for downtown.

My wife works downtown and frequented this shop a lot. It was convenient having an auto shop downtown, heck I even just bought 4 new tires there about a month ago and had no clue they were closing.

Another empty building downtown on a main drag, and right near the aquatic centre too..

source: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/04...lumn-april-18/

Downtown tire and auto shop closes

The Active Green + Ross Tire and Auto Centre on University Avenue West in downtown Windsor closed its doors late last month.

The only company location left in Windsor is at 3430 Tecumseh Rd. E.

The company still has more than 70 tire and auto centres across Ontario.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by cbyrne2014

Is this the physician that wants to tear down a heritage property for a parking lot?

Yes I'm beginning to believe it is. This letter doesn't say much, but yes I believe it's the same project. The renders on the billboards show the 2 houses renovated and actually joined by a building in between them. I don't know when the plans got changed to tear one house down for a parking lot??

[Jacob]

Originally Posted by north 42

I just found out that WFCU is moving into the CTV space when they move, which works for me.

Confirmed: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/05...wntown-branch/

[Jacob]

BYD has yet to file the necessary paperwork to have their vehicles approved for use in Canada
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windso...?autoplay=true

[cbyrne2014]

I'm guessing this will put an end to the market concept at Windsor Arena?

What I don't understand here: wasn't the city's selling price of the property what was holding up the market development in the first place?

Source: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/05...n-high-school/

Windsor-Essex Catholic school board to build downtown High School

The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board will build a new downtown High School near the intersection of Wyandotte Street and McDougall Avenue — the site of Windsor Arena and Windsor Water World.

The property, along with a municipal parking lot, was offered by the city to the school board for $1 on the condition that the architecture of the arena be incorporated into the new school and that the community could still access the Water World property as a community centre. Paving over the pool would create a triple-gym, suggested school board director Paul Picard.

The new school will replace Catholic Central High School, which is more than 80-years-old. The city is not interested in that property, said Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis at a morning press conference at the Art Gallery of Windsor.

Other sites that were considered and dismissed included the old Grace Hospital site, Caron Avenue and the Paul Martin building.

More to come.

[Blitz]

Sounds like Farhi bought the Hilton and Riverside Inn. He's really gobbling up real estate in that part of town.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Blitz

Sounds like Farhi bought the Hilton and Riverside Inn. He's really gobbling up real estate in that part of town.

And I'm happy that he's actually doing renovations as opposed to just sitting on these properties. The parking garage is coming along nicely, and he's planning on renovating all rooms in the Hilton.
Now if he would just build a new condo on one the riverfront lots he owns!