Winnipeg Construction X - Page 548

WinCitySparky · #**10941** Posted **Jan 22, 2024, 11:49 PM**

Agreed, dumb idea

Biff · #**10942** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 2:55 PM**

So I was speaking with a high up development figure in the city and was lamenting the lack of significant new proposals in Winnipeg as opposed to what we are seeing in other communities like Halifax, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton, Edmonton and Vancouver (I left out Toronto because...well it is Toronto).

I mentioned that metro Vancouver for example as they have 60+ 150m (likely at least 300 units) or taller proposals in the pipeline. I realize that Vancouver is over 3 times the size of Winnipeg, but you would think that we should have at least a half a dozen or so proposals for say 300+ unit buildings in the pipeline.

This is when they said that actually there are 4 or 5 that are in planning that will hopefully get announced this year. That sounds promising. I would rather have a bunch that get proposed and don't succeed that have no proposals at all.

Our problem is the state of downtown. It really is perceived as an unattractive for big development - the crime and homelessness. I don't want to argue these points as this is what has been communicated by developers. That is a real issue if they feel it is an issue. The city really needs to work harder to change this perception/reality.

Anyways, I thought it was great news and hope to hear more about these as they hopefully become reality.

WinCitySparky · #**10943** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 3:41 PM**

Thanks for this.

I think once 300 St Mary and Sutton Place unpause, 634 Portage gets going, Portage Place redev gets going, the momentum will finally swing positive.

WildCake · #**10944** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 3:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biff

So I was speaking with a high up development figure in the city and was lamenting the lack of significant new proposals in Winnipeg as opposed to what we are seeing in other communities like Halifax, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton, Edmonton and Vancouver (I left out Toronto because...well it is Toronto).

I mentioned that metro Vancouver for example as they have 60+ 150m (likely at least 300 units) or taller proposals in the pipeline. I realize that Vancouver is over 3 times the size of Winnipeg, but you would think that we should have at least a half a dozen or so proposals for say 300+ unit buildings in the pipeline.

This is when they said that actually there are 4 or 5 that are in planning that will hopefully get announced this year. That sounds promising. I would rather have a bunch that get proposed and don't succeed that have no proposals at all.

Our problem is the state of downtown. It really is perceived as an unattractive for big development - the crime and homelessness. I don't want to argue these points as this is what has been communicated by developers. That is a real issue if they feel it is an issue. The city really needs to work harder to change this perception/reality.

Anyways, I thought it was great news and hope to hear more about these as they hopefully become reality.

Interested insight Biff, although I would challenge that line of thinking from the developer. Vancouver is not without its challenges with crime, homelessness, and drug abuse, albeit concentrated away from its downtown core. And a higher downtown population means those that are visibly homeless have a higher chance of blending in rather than standing out like they do here.

An advantage with developers is that Vancouver is effectively constrained in all directions and has higher land values, so naturally you can't stick to 6 story builds and expect to make a profit, so they have to build up higher.

I would like to know how many tall proposals are going on in Calgary or Edmonton, which are much more comparable geographically and in demographics, especially Edmonton.

Right now it's too easy to build in suburban Winnipeg, which I imagine have higher profit margins and especially lower risk than in high-rise residential builds. Lower COL and the comparatively easy commute to downtown Winnipeg here also means there can't be a huge disparity in prices for rentals or condos in downtown, so that adds risk and cuts profit margins of more expensive high-rises

Biff · #**10945** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 3:49 PM**

They did say lots of developers interested in building multi-family in suburban Winnipeg. I believe Edmonton has a significant number of downtown proposals, but I would have to investigate more.

drew · #**10946** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 3:50 PM**

^ Edmonton has been in the news lately for how they routinely "clean up" any temporary homeless encampments within City limits for safety reasons.

pspeid · #**10947** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 3:51 PM**

Good to hear there are some new projects in the works.

As for image problems, I'm really hoping to see the TNSE Portage Place redevelopment officially announced this year. Personally I think having a massive redevelopment whose purpose is to address some of those homelessness/addiction + crime issues will help with some of that developer reluctance, if that is indeed a reason for them to hold back on their projects.

Atrial78 · #**10948** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 7:27 PM**

The perception (?truth) of homelessness and crime is impacting people's decisions to go/live downtown and developers are following suit. The surrounding areas (Exchange, West Broadway, Osborne, St. B etc. are all growing).

The government needs to double down on its efforts to clean up downtown and should work with businesses there to do so. I wouldn't be opposed to tax breaks to entice developers downtown as building a critical mass will help with improving downtown as well. Finally, as much as I like towers, mid-size development is very pleasant and livable (think Paris) and perhaps more feasible for developers who are hesitant to commit as much capital.

kent_eh · #**10949** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 7:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildCake

Vancouver is not without its challenges with crime, homelessness, and drug abuse, albeit concentrated away from its downtown core.

Not even that far from the downtown core.

It's a very short walk from Canada Place to the less desirable parts of East Hastings.

cheswick · #**10950** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 8:12 PM**

When I was in Edmonton not long ago there was a large homeless encampment a block from their new arena. Certainly not a Winnipeg only problem.

FactaNV · #**10951** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 9:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheswick

When I was in Edmonton not long ago there was a large homeless encampment a block from their new arena. Certainly not a Winnipeg only problem.

I'll hazard to say our encampment problem is nowhere near as bad as most major cities in Canada. Encampments are six or seven tents on the riverside, not the dozens in plain view like you're seeing Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver.

ColdRain&Snow · #**10952** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 10:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FactaNV

I'll hazard to say our encampment problem is nowhere near as bad as most major cities in Canada. Encampments are six or seven tents on the riverside, not the dozens in plain view like you're seeing Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver.

I frequent the subreddits of other Canadian cities and people often post pictures/news about their homeless encampments. The encampments we have here are much smaller than other cities such as Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. I would say the perception of high violent crime harms our downtown development more than homelessness.

FactaNV · #**10953** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 10:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColdRain&Snow

I frequent the subreddits of other Canadian cities and people often post pictures/news about their homeless encampments. The encampments we have here are much smaller than other cities such as Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. I would say the perception of high violent crime harms our downtown development more than homelessness.

I honestly think it's a reporting thing. Obviously our crime rate is higher than the norm but it's almost exclusively gang on gang in Winnipeg for violent crime. There are rare outliers but they're just that, outliers. That said, that doesn't absolve the city, province and federal government from their respective responsibilities on the poverty file and that needs immediate attention.

pspeid · #**10954** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 11:09 PM**

I have to say agree, agree, agree with the above comments. IMO media focus is a huge contributor to the perception of crime/homelessness in the city. Our national media tends to characterize cities by giving repeated exposure to certain types of stories. I was talking to someone this morning who was surprised to hear that Calgary had an issue with homelessness, as they only ever heard recently of Edmonton's struggles in the national media.

Of course, as people have said, the provincial and civic governments really have to get on this aggressively, working with downtown businesses and developers.

Spocket · #**10955** Posted **Jan 24, 2024, 11:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FactaNV

I'll hazard to say our encampment problem is nowhere near as bad as most major cities in Canada. Encampments are six or seven tents on the riverside, not the dozens in plain view like you're seeing Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver.

There are homeless encampments in Edmonton but hardly dozens in plain view. I should know considering I live in Edmonton now and am constantly circulating around the city. In fact, there are none in "plain view" so I don't know where that came from.

FactaNV · #**10956** Posted **Jan 25, 2024, 12:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spocket

There are homeless encampments in Edmonton but hardly dozens in plain view. I should know considering I live in Edmonton now and am constantly circulating around the city. In fact, there are none in "plain view" so I don't know where that came from.

I was thinking of the last time I was town with the CAF, down by the ball diamond in the valley. I could be misremembering things but I remembered seeing at least two dozen tents.

Justanothermember · #**10957** Posted **Jan 25, 2024, 1:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spocket

There are homeless encampments in Edmonton but hardly dozens in plain view. I should know considering I live in Edmonton now and am constantly circulating around the city. In fact, there are none in "plain view" so I don't know where that came from.

But there are homeless encampments in Edmonton. I was there last summer and I saw a few of them close to the city centre. Just because they aren't in 'plain view' doesn't mean they don't exist, or does not having them in 'plain view' make it better somehow?

Seriously, Edmonton is just as bad with regards to crime and homelessness. The whole country knows it. For those who don't, take a walk through their downtown and surroundings and ride the LRT and buses, and it will be glaringly obvious. There is no need for Edmontonians to come here and try to defend/deflect on the shittiness of their city to us.

With that said, we still need to deal with our own issues as a city.

FactaNV · #**10958** Posted **Jan 25, 2024, 1:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

But there are homeless encampments in Edmonton. I was there last summer and I saw a few of them close to the city centre. Just because their aren't in 'plain view' doesn't mean they don't exist, or does not having them in 'plain view' make it better somehow?

Seriously, Edmonton is just as bad with regards to crime and homelessness. The whole country knows it. There is no need for Edmontonians to come here and try to defend/deflect on the shittiness of their city to us.

For the record, I really like Edmonton. Bigger Winnipeg, same good people. Imo we have better culture and food but they have better infrastructure and the River Valley is top notch. Edmontonians are our homies against the true enemy...

Calgary.

Justanothermember · #**10959** Posted **Jan 25, 2024, 1:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biff

So I was speaking with a high up development figure in the city and was lamenting the lack of significant new proposals in Winnipeg as opposed to what we are seeing in other communities like Halifax, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton, Edmonton and Vancouver (I left out Toronto because...well it is Toronto).

I mentioned that metro Vancouver for example as they have 60+ 150m (likely at least 300 units) or taller proposals in the pipeline. I realize that Vancouver is over 3 times the size of Winnipeg, but you would think that we should have at least a half a dozen or so proposals for say 300+ unit buildings in the pipeline.

This is when they said that actually there are 4 or 5 that are in planning that will hopefully get announced this year. That sounds promising. I would rather have a bunch that get proposed and don't succeed that have no proposals at all.

Our problem is the state of downtown. It really is perceived as an unattractive for big development - the crime and homelessness. I don't want to argue these points as this is what has been communicated by developers. That is a real issue if they feel it is an issue. The city really needs to work harder to change this perception/reality.

Anyways, I thought it was great news and hope to hear more about these as they hopefully become reality.

Do you have connections with any councillors or the mayor? If you do it might be beneficial to relay this info to them, maybe then more action will take place if these observations come from potential investors.

FactaNV · #**10960** Posted **Jan 25, 2024, 1:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justanothermember

Do you have connections with any councillors or the mayor? If you do it might be beneficial to relay this info to them, maybe then more action will take place if these observations come from potential investors.

All it takes is a call to your local councillor. I've found councillor Rollins very responsive.