WINDSOR | Construction - News and Development - Page 31

arnold · #**601** Posted **Jun 9, 2007, 6:18 AM**

i know that its necessary to the tunnel operation, but does this facility have any impact on the downtown air quality?
it might just be my paranioa, but it kind of seems like it might not be the best neighbour to have for anyone interested in redeveloping the old bus staion land...

arnold · #**602** Posted **Jun 16, 2007, 6:20 AM**

with all of the talk in some of the other regional threads about the new GTA transit funding proposals, i was just wondering if windsor had anything in the works...
has anyone ever seen or heard of a windsor or essex county transit plan? i remember hearing a few brief sentances about a LRT into the east end on some old abandoned rail lines, but aside from that, has anyone heard anything?
it seems as though wyandotte could support a streetcar of some sort, no? it hits the university, downtown, walkerville, the VIA station and all other points east. anyone have any thoughts on this?

Blitz · #**603** Posted **Jun 16, 2007, 2:59 PM**

Nothing on that front...Transit Windsor is expecting to expand into Lakeshore (Belle River) within the next year so I guess that's a start.

Greco Roman · #**604** Posted **Jun 16, 2007, 3:15 PM**

I know this is waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy OT, but can someone please tell me why there isn't a sticky for developments in Toronto? Just curious.

Blitz · #**605** Posted **Jun 17, 2007, 1:11 AM**

....I think you'll find the Toronto construction thread in the City Compilations section, but I'm not positive.

westerntragedy · #**606** Posted **Jun 18, 2007, 1:20 AM**

Maybe I'm mistaken, but it looks like they just did a facelift on the Burger King downtown--complete with redone stucco and signage. Now, isn't that location expecting to be expropriated in a year or two for the expanded tunnel plaza? I also thought they were looking to move elsewhere, despite having their application to move to the Top Hat location denied by City Council.

Interesting waste of money on stuckofoam at face value, but there's gotta be more to the story...

westerntragedy · #**607** Posted **Jun 24, 2007, 9:28 PM**

The City Center Transit Terminal opened this morning, it looks amazing! I walked by but didn't go in, the place was crawling with people though. It'll be a treat to take the tunnel bus for Detroit events from now on!

y2k_pony · #**608** Posted **Jun 26, 2007, 11:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by westerntragedy

The City Center Transit Terminal opened this morning, it looks amazing! I walked by but didn't go in, the place was crawling with people though. It'll be a treat to take the tunnel bus for Detroit events from now on!

I took the tunnel Bus yesterday to go to the tigers game. I must say that I was very impressed with the new terminal. Although an out-house would probably look better than that old terminal that we had! Overall though Its good to see something like this built for Windsor!

westerntragedy · #**609** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 12:43 AM**

Not sure if any of you attended the Ambassador Bridge Enhancement Project open house last night. I must admit, some of the designs are very impressive and would look stunning on our waterfront. Here's a scan of a take home sheet displaying various design concepts that I picked up from the event:

(click for fullsize)

upinottawa · #**610** Posted **Jun 27, 2007, 1:52 PM**

I am not sure if I would use the fireworks as a test run, but the Peace Beacon (i.e. riverfront bistro with patio) opens tonight. Anyone have recent pictures?

Peace Beacon opens Wednesday night

Dave Battagello, Windsor Star
Published: Tuesday, June 26, 2007

The city's new $3.2-million riverfront Peace Beacon will be open for business Wednesday night, just in time to greet thousands attending the fireworks display.

"We are doing the last-minute work. We are right on schedule. We expected to be open for fireworks night and we will be," said Don Sadler, the city's parks commissioner, who has been overseeing the project.

He said full restaurant and washroom services, being operated by Naples Pizzeria, will be available at the new venue, which is located in Dieppe Gardens at the foot of Ouellette Avenue.

"It will be operating as much as a concession stand as a bistro because of the large number of people (for the fireworks)," Sadler said. "It will have to be fairly quick service."

The beacon's restaurant will remain available to visitors permanently following tonight's opening with daily hours of operation expected to be between 8 a.m. and 1 a.m.

The restaurant has not yet acquired a liquor licence.

City council last week also told administration to renegotiate the terms of a tentative agreement with the restaurant operator changing it from a 10-year deal to a five-year agreement with an option for an additional five years at the city's discretion.

The Greater Windsor Foundation pitched in to fund the 20-metre granite and stainless steel beacon which will sit on top of the restaurant - a fully illuminated tower that will soon be installed.

"I believe people will be impressed," Sadler said. "It's a tremendous change. We are encouraging everybody to come down to the site."

arnold · #**611** Posted **Jun 28, 2007, 8:30 PM**

any chance someone can grab (and then post) some photos of either the peace beacon or the transit building? i'd love to see how they turned out...

westerntragedy · #**612** Posted **Jun 30, 2007, 4:11 AM**

Ask and ye shall receive, Arnold.

Peace Beacon:

The "Beacon" is apparently still on order, and not even close to being installed yet.

Looking up at where the "Beacon" will be:

Bus Terminal Inside:

Fire schematic:

Greyhound transit pad (east side):

Viewing the Radisson:

Typical seating and floral arrangements:

The main Transit Windsor bus pad:

Even the washrooms look amazing:

And the old bus terminal, may it rest in peace:

upinottawa · #**613** Posted **Jun 30, 2007, 5:45 PM**

Actually, may the old terminal rest in dust!

Border City Boy · #**614** Posted **Jun 30, 2007, 6:15 PM**

It's a shame that even here Windsor residents display the hatred for historical buildings.

The Windsor Greyhound Station was built in 1939 (opened in 1940) and was desiged by the firm of Bonfield and Cummings. They also designed the Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo, MI stations. Only Ann Arbor is still standing.

The building looked like this:

And still does under all this crap:

I find it hard to believe that the platforms in the rear couldn't be torn down and the front part restored and build a museum on the land to the rear, or make it the visitor centre.

It's a classic example of streamlined architecture, and it will be demolished or sit vacant like the armouries for no good reason.

arnold · #**615** Posted **Jul 1, 2007, 1:52 AM**

hey westerntragdey, thanks for the pics. they both look great. especially the peace beacon, which i'm sure will really add to the character of the riverfront during the summer months.

and it is a shame that the old bus station was so disfigured over the years, but what are the chances that anyone will want to pay to rehab it? and given that whoever buys the property will probably want to build high on that downtown parcel... it looks like its curtans for the old place...

westerntragedy · #**616** Posted **Jul 1, 2007, 3:37 AM**

I like the Peace Beacon site, it's a little ostentatious for our riverfront, and the parking lot/sidewalk platform have some unreal slopes; but the architecture of the building itself is fresh. I have to say now though that the Cleary Guest House should have been rehabilitated and reworked into the Peace Beacon's design (no stucco though!). The footprint where it stood is now wiped and seriously void of life.... it really looks like something is missing

The Bus Station though,... hmm, I bet the City will pass it on to the highest bidder. Or then, I remember reading somewhere that Burger King may move there, ugh.

arnold · #**617** Posted **Jul 1, 2007, 8:17 AM**

^ what's the cleary guest house?

westerntragedy · #**618** Posted **Jul 1, 2007, 6:03 PM**

Otherwise known as the Welcome Center/Snack Stand. Here's a link: Cleary Guest House (click)

Border City Boy · #**619** Posted **Jul 1, 2007, 6:12 PM**

(double post)

Border City Boy · #**620** Posted **Jul 1, 2007, 6:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by arnold

..and it is a shame that the old bus station was so disfigured over the years, but what are the chances that anyone will want to pay to rehab it? and given that whoever buys the property will probably want to build high on that downtown parcel... it looks like its curtans for the old place...

No can do... It's kind of a useless parcel as the tunnel runs directly under it. Whatever gets built here will be probably single story...