Quote:
Originally Posted by trueviking
Criticizing what the Richardsons do for Winnipeg is so far out of line it’s not even worth addressing.
They are not a REIT. They don’t make their money building buildings, but to question their commitment to Winnipeg or downtown is offside. There is more to it than real estate.
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This is true. The Richardson's contribution to this city since they first arrived here in 1923 is without measure. Full stop. And they don't need to justify their business decisions to anyone.
However, and this is more of a minor quibble, I think it's a bit rich when someone justifies proposed landscaped setbacks because adjacent properties
that they own are so visually harsh, ugly, and barren.
Leaving the site of this development aside, they own 1.3 acres of
surface parking, right across Westbrook St. This parking area doesn't have a single linear foot of landscaping or some other type of buffer, or any internal pedestrian walkways, and hardly any lighting. Not the worst parking lot downtown (it's actually paved), but it probably doesn't conform to by-law standards, and definitely is a blight. Also on this property is a
230-foot blank wall of a parkade that absolutely kills the south side of Lombard Ave.
Like, the people who will fly in from all over the world to visit this facility and be unimpressed by Winnipeg's ugliness when they look out the window? A lot of the ugliness they'll see is land owned by Richardson.
The causes of this part of downtown's sorry visual state are incredibly numerous and complex, but they are not totally external to property owners, and certainly do not exist in a vacuum. So while Richardson clearly isn't 'holding back' on developing because they've simply felt like it, I would hope that landowners (and the people they hire) recognize that they do in fact play a role in how things are.
Again, this is a minor quibble. Overall, Richardson should be applauded for starting to do something good on one vacant piece of land they own. I hope this inspires a little bit of confidence among nearby properties owners and potential buyers.