WINDSOR | Construction - News and Development

[Carlos_x3]

Some construction I've noticed this past month.

Large 3 storey apartment building under construction at the southwest corner of Ottawa st. and Parent ave.

Home Depot going up on Cabana rd. just before Walker rd.

Future Shop, TD Bank along with a plaza are in the final stages of construction on Walker road just South of Cabanda rd.

P.S. I read in a magazine The Top Hat restaurant has officially been sold to Burger King Canada.

[y2k_pony]

It would be really nice if those 2 developers who want to both build 14 story towers can get together. Double them up and add the 4 story bank building in there. Then we would have atleast a 32 storey office tower. It would be great to see something like London Place... here in Windsor.

[westerntragedy]

Yeah those condos on Ottawa Street are going up fast. I've been meaning to get some photos on here of all those things ya mentioned Carlos, including the new Tim Hortons on Wyandotte and Crawford.. here's the Crescent Manor sign on the property from back in March 2006.

[Carlos_x3]

Currently on the construction site there is a different rendering from the one back in 06'. You can see it driving South on Parent ave crossing Ottawa. Looks alot different from yours westerntragedy. And yeah it would be nice to see some pics of new development goin on around the city.

[Carlos_x3]

Builders wary of turbine locations
Windsor Star - Thursday, December 13, 2007

Municipalities in Essex County should be careful about where to allow wind farms, to avoid conflicts in areas where future residential growth is also expected, says a past president of the Greater Windsor Home Builders Association.

Room for expansion of urbanized areas has to be planned for decades to come, said Ben Klundert, owner of BK Cornerstone Design Build. He's been active as a builder in Lakeshore.

Klundert said residential property developers and home builders haven't paid much attention so far to the ongoing debate about wind energy and where new projects are best located.

That could change soon, he said.

Klundert said many home builders strive for energy efficiency in their projects and are generally supportive of wind energy as a green technology.

However, 100-metre-high wind turbines aren't going to enhance home sales if located too close to planned residential areas, he said.

Wind turbines are probably comparable to hydro transmission towers in terms of negative impacts on nearby property values, he said, although wind turbines are two to three times higher than hydro towers. Klundert said he could understand the logic of siting wind turbines on agricultural lands because they have a small footprint and farming can continue underneath.

The conflicts with future residential development could come in places like the Wallace Woods planning area along County Road 22 in Lakeshore, where there's potential for rezoning thousands of acres of farmland for residential, commercial and industrial development, Klundert said.

If a row of wind turbines goes up nearby, the Wallace Woods area may be less attractive for residential development, Klundert said.

Ray Duhamel, of Jones Consulting Group of Oakville, said the draft planning policies in the county for wind energy provide a one-kilometre buffer between existing "settlement areas" and wind turbines. Klundert wondered if one kilometre would be enough to accommodate future growth and still have a reasonable buffer for homeowners worried about property values.

Tom Storey, the planning consultant for Lakeshore, said the town hasn't yet heard anything from residential builders and developers regarding concerns about the locations of wind turbines.

In Chatham-Kent, a 600-metre buffer between existing homes and wind turbines now under construction seems to have satisfied residents, Storey said.

The Kruger Energy Port Alma project has 44 turbines over 4,800 hectares of farmland. It's expected to begin operating in late 2008.

Here, the $500-million Brookfield Power wind farm project over 8,900 hectares of Kingsville and Lakeshore farmland is poised to become Canada's biggest with its planned 151 turbines.

Storey said the Brookfield project appears to fit in well with the county's draft planning policies that were presented at a public meeting Wednesday.

Storey said Brookfield might have to check the siting of some of its turbines near Comber to meet the suggested one-kilometer buffer.

Of the large-scale projects locally, Brookfield's is the one furthest along in the planning and environmental assessment approval process.

[Carlos_x3]

Here's a link from The Windsor Star website on the recent public input meeting of the wind turbine projects. The last guy to speak at the end of the clip has some interesting dollar figures of benefit.

http://video.canada.com/VideoContent.aspx?&fl=&popup=1

[Border City Boy]

westerntradgedy. I drove by the other day and got some new shots of the Crescent Manor project. It's been crapped down big time.

[westerntragedy]

^ ahaha, small world. I was actually out there yesterday to get some shots of the place too. Place definitely looks very crapped-down, and what's this... no longer a 4 story condo complex? Now.......apartments? Like this city needs any more apartments!

I'm still holding out the hope that the retail space will attract some unique shops, but that area of Ottawa Street has not been known for retail in recent times. Fact that the edge of the building is set against the sidewalk is nice; at least we're not talking strip-mall-huge-parking lot style here!

[Carlos_x3]

Essex council votes to build $15.3M twin-pad arena
The Windsor Star: Tuesday, December 18, 2007

ESSEX -- Council confirmed Tuesday in a 4-3 vote it will go ahead with a $15.3-million project to build a new twin-pad arena to replace 50-year-old Essex Memorial Arena.

But the fundraising drive led by the Essex Kinsmen Club will be held to the original goal of raising $1.5 million in the community. They're now almost $1 million short.

Mayor Ron McDermott was beaming after the go-ahead vote and said he might go to a fundraising meeting later Tuesday night to give the assurance the Kinsmen needed that the full project was going ahead.

With the resolution passed, the mayor was confident the fundraising goal could now be met.

The final decision came after 90-minute meeting that was remarkably calm, considering some of the past angry debates over the arena project.

McDermott even invited Coun. Paul Innes, a steadfast opponent of spending anything close to $15.3 million on an arena, to come to the fundraising meeting with him.

Deputy Mayor Richard Meloche, who made the final motion, said council wouldn't sign a construction contract until the $1.5 million goal has been met.

The town has an $11.75-million low bid for the bulk of the arena project from Loaring Construction of Windsor that will expire Feb. 28. That gives the fundraising effort another two months.

Meloche originally proposed setting a deadline of Jan. 21 but agreed to a suggestion from Innes that the tender expiry date makes more sense.

Before Meloche's motion passed, councillors weighed several options but all were turned down with the same 4-3 vote -- four councillors from the north section of the town versus three from the south.

Innes, for example, initially proposed spending only the $2.5 million received in a provincial grant to upgrade Essex arena, as demanded in a petition of about 5,000 residents from the Colchester South and Harrow wards.

The mayor, Meloche and Essex ward councillors Randy Voakes and Morley Bowman voted that down. Colchester South Coun. Ron Rogers and Harrow Coun. Peter Timmins supported Innes.

Another motion to limit spending on the Essex arena to close to $5 million was defeated by the same 4-3 vote.

Meloche said if the town only did recreational or other projects with just grant money, nothing would be done. He also disputed arguments that recreational needs, like arenas, were non-essential frills in tough times.

Timmins said Essex's already high taxes and debt levels made spending on the order of $15.3 million out of the question.

Voakes said the town's debt levels may appear high now compared to other municipalities, but that's only because the bulk of its major infrastructure needs in water and sewage have been completed.

With some funding coming from neighbouring municipalities for the arena and the prospect of more grants in the years to come, Meloche was confident the town could pull off the project without a significant impact on tax rates.

Meloche said consultants and other municipalities have warned against trying to expand the current Essex arena. "It was built cheap and it was not well maintained," he said.

[Aylmer]

With all the (illegal) immigration is Windsor gaining population?

[Carlos_x3]

I believe since the last census we gained 3.5% of our population. Suprisingly Windsor has a great outlook on population growth in the future. I read this in a credible study on future population growth for Canadian cites in the Windsor Star months ago. 50 years from now supposedly Windsor will be at 700,000+.

[Aylmer]

from what?

[Carlos_x3]

Immigration. We are one of the most diverse communities in Canada. "Immigrants bring more immigrants". My family alone has brought about 20 lol. Also, the relatively cheap housing market here. We have some of the cheapest real estate in all of Canada. I think the quality of life here attracts alot of retirees and families who want to settle down in the well serviced neighbourhoods here. I think Riverside/ Pillette Village area is quite attractive for seniors. Thats just to name a few things off the top of my head...Believe it or not, I see a big turnaround in our local economy in the near future, boomtimes hopefully.

[Aylmer]

No...
From what population?

[Carlos_x3]

Originally Posted by AylmerOptimist

No...
From what population?

Greater Windsor Area

[y2k_pony]

Originally Posted by AylmerOptimist

No...
From what population?

The population of windsor city limits is approx 220,000

the metro area including tecumseh, lasalle etc bumps the population up to about 325,000.

If Windsor had the square mileage that London has in its city limits then the population between the 2 would be fairly close.

[Carlos_x3]

Capitol doors to open again as fight rages
Proposals sought for shows
Windsor Star, Friday, December 21, 2007
The bankruptcy trustee for the shuttered Capitol Theatre says he is opening the doors and will entertain bids for performances despite his legal fight with the city over the downtown landmark.

"Whether the city and (the theatre's creditors) have a disagreement, the right thing for the community is for the Capitol to be open," said trustee Stephen Funtig, who represents the creditors.

He expects it will take at least a month before the first performance can hit the stage, but says the theatre remains in good condition and ready for business.

"People can get in their proposals and we'll see how quickly we can put a show in," Funtig said. "The risk is theirs for whoever is putting a show on, but at least it will get the Capitol back open."

Deb Stanson, president of the recently appointed theatre board, was stunned Thursday to hear the trustee's news that the theatre doors could soon be open again.

"It's a wonderful Christmas present," she said. "I will need to understand more. I'm totally sideswiped as this is coming out of nowhere."

"But to have the doors open is a terrific idea, even with uncertainty of ownership."

The bankrupt theatre closed its doors in March. The city maintains it should own the historic landmark because the $1.8 million it provided the theatre in the mid-1990s was a mortgage.

"We are just trying to protect the taxpayers' investment," Mayor Eddie Francis said on Thursday.

But Funtig has disputed that claim on behalf of the theatre's creditors. He has appealed to bankruptcy court to dismiss the city's claim to the building, claiming the city's money wasn't a valid mortgage but a grant.

Funtig pointed the finger of blame for the theatre's ongoing closure at the city. He claimed to have been granted one licence by the city in the summer so Les Miserables could be staged and has since been denied any others.

"The city was not prepared to grant any more hall licences, so we couldn't have any more shows because the city was not letting us.

"The city is now letting us, so we take that as great news."

But Francis said the theatre has remained closed because it was deemed a fire hazard after inspectors learned sprinklers were not operating during the Les Miserables performances.

"They were told they could not have more shows until the deficiency was corrected," the mayor said.

"That's why there hasn't been any other shows. You can't have shows in a theatre if it's a fire trap.

"(Funtig) is in control of the theatre. He was told once if that was corrected he could have as many shows as he wanted.

"Our position is that it should be open. As long as it complies with fire and safety codes, he has always had the opportunity to open it back up."

Brian Raisbeck is the director of Windsor's Theatre Alive, the first theatre group to perform in the Capitol after it was saved from demolition in 1993.

"We love the Capitol. We support the Capitol totally, and yeah -- I plan to rent it again, someday. Absolutely," Raisbeck said.

However, Raisbeck said Theatre Alive is busy with a production of Elton John's Aida, to be performed at the St. Clair Centre for the Arts in late March. Raisbeck said he doesn't think Theatre Alive will have the time to make any proposals to Funtig over the next five months.

Asked for his thoughts on the Capitol's situation, Raisbeck declined to offer an opinion. "That's a touchy, touchy subject," he said.

COUNTDOWN

A Superior Court hearing earlier this month to decide the theatre's fate was adjourned until Jan. 10 by Justice Richard Gates to give lawyers more time to gather evidence.

[Carlos_x3]

Assumption crumbling
$9.8M in repairs needed
Windsor Star, December 21, 2007

Assumption Church, the oldest Catholic parish in Canada west of Montreal, may close due to mounting costs to repair crumbling walls, the church's pastor said Thursday.

A report completed last week, based on a half year of exploratory work which ended in November, pegged the cost of repairs at $9.8 million, significantly higher than an earlier $6.1-million estimate.

The architectural report suggests that the outside walls should be repaired by no later than the end of 2009, warning that falling pieces could pose a danger to passersby.

"It's a real concern," said Rev. Paul Walsh, who intends to discuss the situation further with his parishioners on the weekend.

"At some point the building would have to be closed. Whether that happens two years from now or 10 years from now, who knows?

"But if no work is done, then the damage will escalate."

"And at some point, pieces will start falling."

Water damage worsens at the top of the building, where the stone cornice is visibly falling apart and pinnacles must be rebuilt.

Walsh said the Roman Catholic diocese of London, which oversees churches in Windsor, cannot likely afford such a costly refurbishment.

"The funding resources are not at all clear," Walsh said. "This is just a parish of 800 families. A parish of this size could be expected to raise only $1 million or $2 million, perhaps, if it's a well-off parish. And the diocese has very serious financial considerations."

The London diocese has been closing and reorganizing churches in the wake of declining membership, a lack of priests, and settlements in recent sex-abuse lawsuits. The diocese's outstanding debt includes half the projected $5.2-million cost of a restoration project for St. Peter's cathedral in London and $1.2 million for its contribution to the Pope's World Youth Day in Canada in 2002.

Larry Brennan, spokesman for the diocese, said the issue must be further investigated.

"This is a huge estimate, in terms of projected costs," he said. "We just received the report. So we need to discuss it further internally. Then we need to meet with Father Walsh and parish representatives to fully investigate what our options are."

Walsh thinks the church holds sufficient cultural and historic significance that senior levels of government should provide a lifeline. The parish, after all, started in 1728 in Detroit and moved briefly to Boblo Island, before settling in 1742 at its current site as a mission church for Huron natives -- for which Huron Church Road was named.

It also formed the foundation for Assumption University, a forerunner of the University of Windsor.

With the oldest section of the current church completed in 1846, it is the fourth church built on the site, and is remarkable in the area for a number of reasons, including its age and size -- it can hold 900 people.

Details include figures of white stone carved into the altar, the ends of wooden pews in the sanctuary carved into angels, woodwork of vines carved into the altar backdrop, tiles decorated in fleur-de-lis and crosses, a painting from 1845, and the church's oldest artifact: a wooden pulpit from the third church.

"Losing it would be hard to measure. It would be a tragedy," Walsh said. "This is national heritage. It's French Canadian and Canadian heritage dating back to the settlement of this area."

MP Brian Masse (NDP -- Windsor West) agrees the federal government should help preserve the building on cultural grounds.

"It's a significant icon, not just locally but also for the country," said Masse. "We're the oldest European settlement in Canada west of Montreal. It was aboriginal, then French, then later British, and now multicultural. That parish has seen everything Canada has seen.

"It represents the history of Canada".

[Carlos_x3]

Symphony $40,000 closer to armoury dream
Woodslee Credit Union antes up, city to be asked for $15,000
Monica Wolfson, Windsor Star
Published: Saturday, December 22, 2007
The Woodslee Credit Union gave $40,000 Friday to the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, which has come a long way in a short time gathering donations for its $100,000 feasibility study to convert the Windsor armouries building into a world-class concert hall.

The symphony is now only $15,000 short of its goal, despite the fact city council has not yet dealt with a request that it provide $60,000.

Symphony organizers said Friday they now plan to ask the city for the remaining $15,000.

Donations have come from a wide range of sponsors: $10,000 from the Downtown Business Improvement Association, $10,000 from symphony donors, $5,000 from Essex County and $20,000 expected from provincial and federal grants.

LARGEST DONATION

The credit union's is the largest single donation. The symphony began actively campaigning at the start of this month.

"We recognize that this region of Windsor-Essex is experiencing difficult times," said Paul Mullins, chairman of the credit union.

"Some might suggest that we cannot afford to undertake a project such as a recommissioning of the armouries.

However, one of the significant facts that was identified at the economic summit last summer was that arts and culture are top growth areas for employment."

Coun. Alan Halberstadt said it's been an uphill battle getting council support, but that might change.

"There is momentum now and it's been brought to the fore with the county kicking in money," Halberstadt said. The county made the $5,000 commitment Wednesday. "I think it would be difficult for council to turn down $15,000."

Restaurateur Mark Boscariol said people have misunderstood the project, which calls for the renovation of the armouries to create a 1,500-seat venue for the symphony. The armouries was built as a drill hall and stable between 1900 and 1902. Symphony conductor John Morris Russell has said the armouries have concert-hall-like acoustics. Project supporters maintain the new facility will give a boost to downtown.

"People say we can't afford it," Boscariol said. "But we have to plan for the future. If we don't (preserve the armouries) now we'll lose it. People are being short-sighted. It may take a decade to complete this project, but we need to get started now."

Once the symphony gets the money to do the feasibility study, it has to decide what kind of analysis it wants, put it out for bids and give consultants about six months to complete it, said Vicky Kyriaco-Wilson, chairwoman of the symphony.

"First things first, everyone is so worried about paying for the facility," she said. "Let's get the study."

While the renovations could cost anywhere between $40 million and $100 million based on the costs of similar projects in North America, Kyriaco-Wilson said the symphony might not need any city money to build its state-of-the art music temple.

"We think we can leverage the site to get funding," Kyriaco-Wilson said. "It's possible to get funding from private and other public donors. Heritage Canada is looking to give away money. It recently asked (a Toronto arts organization) to apply for a $10-million grant. The money is there. We just have to find creative ways to access that money."

If the facility is built as an environmentally friendly building with recycled materials that might help it qualify for a whole array of environmental grants, she suggested.

While there are other music venues in the city, they are all inappropriate for the symphony's October-to-May season, she said. The 800-seat Capital Theatre, which is closed and the subject of an ownership battle between the city and the theatre's creditors, is too small.

The soon-to-open Casino Windsor 5,000-seat auditorium is too big. And the 1,100-seat Chrysler Theatre, the symphony's current home, needs acoustic upgrades that organizers believe aren't economically feasible because the venue can't be expanded.

[Aylmer]

You have a beautiful skyline!


What is that modern looking glass building in the center?