WINNIPEG | Portage Place Redevelopment

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

It'll be interesting to hear how much this is going to cost taxpayers....

Dress it up as a TIF an apparently no one other than me will care how much the government is giving away to projects like this.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by drew

Pad site foundations were designed for mid-rise office (15ish floors).

Similar to 300 Main, assuming they do some reinforcing of the existing core, they can theoretically go up to 20 to 25 floors in height for residential.

EDIT: the renders have changed a bit from what I saw last year, but the major components (towers, courtyards and skywalk along Portage) are the same.

I do wonder if the courtyards result with unintended consequences...

By the looks of it around 20 or so floors each. Should be cool when complete.

[Winnipeg Grump]

Have to remember that these are very preliminary conceptual drawings.


not sure if this link will work for you, but you can get there from the Global site.

scribd link:
[URL="https://www.scribd.com/document/440398850/Portage-Place#fullscreen&from_embed"[/URL]

[BuildUpWpg]

Originally Posted by drew

Pad site foundations were designed for mid-rise office (15ish floors).

Similar to 300 Main, assuming they do some reinforcing of the existing core, they can theoretically go up to 20 to 25 floors in height for residential.

EDIT: the renders have changed a bit from what I saw last year, but the major components (towers, courtyards and skywalk along Portage) are the same.

I do wonder if the courtyards result with unintended consequences...

Yeah is dressing up the place really going to stop the shady characters from hanging out at Portage Place? Is having more glass really going make it feel more safe?

[pspeid]

Wow-some very exciting and progressive ideas here!

I really like the overall concept. IMO it really tries to address the issue Portage Place has been dealing with.

I like the idea of the staggered heights in the middle section of the mall, even though it looks like the building is losing some overall height. It removes the blank forbidding look of the Portage Ave facade.

I love the continuous glass-fronted skywalk!

I like the open Edmonton Court and what looks like a rooftop garden. Opens the views to the back of the building.

It looks most or like all the retail is being moved to ground level. I like the idea; it could improve street-level foot traffic.

Will some retail be displaced? probably, but there is a lot of potential retail space downtown for it to move to-wouldn't Staples fit nicely on one of the floors of the Bay building?

Wouldn't PTE fit nicely somewhere else within the SHED district?

Towers-love 'em!!

[dam_well]

Originally Posted by BuildUpWpg

Yeah is dressing up the place really going to stop the shady characters from hanging out at Portage Place? Is having more glass really going make it feel more safe?

I think this is a bit more than just dressing the mall up, its a pretty significant redesign in the layout which (as discussed in this thread before the announcement) should reduce the sketchyness, at least in front and inside of the mall

That said, I wonder what the plan is for the area behind, I think it would be tough to convince pedestrians to walk through there more than they do now because there isn't that much to walk to in that direction.

[BuildUpWpg]

Originally Posted by dam_well

I think this is a bit more than just dressing the mall up, its a pretty significant redesign in the layout which (as discussed in this thread before the announcement) should reduce the sketchyness, at least in front and inside of the mall

That said, I wonder what the plan is for the area behind, I think it would be tough to convince pedestrians to walk through there more than they do now because there isn't that much to walk to in that direction.

Also, I wonder what they are thinking the direction will be for the food court?

[drew]

^ the interior layout (based on previous renders I saw) is getting completely redone, as pedestrian through traffic is directed along Portage Ave.

I think the food court will end up getting replaced by something closer to what just opened in True North Square.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Dress it up as a TIF an apparently no one other than me will care how much the government is giving away to projects like this.

Is a TIF part of this development?

[esquire]

Originally Posted by pspeid

Will some retail be displaced? probably, but there is a lot of potential retail space downtown for it to move to-wouldn't Staples fit nicely on one of the floors of the Bay building?

It will be interesting to see how much retail is left in the new Portage Place. The current format clearly has way too much space, lots of those shops aren't much more than filler and will close when construction begins. But some shops might displace elsewhere downtown... It would be nice to see some set up as street front operations, or possibly move into Winnipeg Square/Cityplace and breathe some new life into those malls.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Towers look amazing, hope this happens.

[Wpg_Guy]

Page 1 updated:

Portage Place Redevelopment
Location: 393 Portage Ave
Architects: ARK / PETROFF
Developer: Starlight Investments
Status: In development stage
Media: Portage Place to undergo up to $400-M retrofit, multi-income residential towers added
Description: $400m+ retrofit of exisiting mall; two 20-storey rental residential towers with 500 to 550, new shopping, office spaces, and as a pedestrian-friendly courtyard



• Development of a Complete Community | • Active Mixed-useUrban Landmark | • Diverse Mixed-use Programthat integrates live, work,learn, shop and pla
• Local Markets,Pop-up Programming,Seasonal Events,Concerts and Gatherings
• Purpose-built Multi-Familyand Student Rentals;+/-600 units | • Indigenous StudentFamily Housing• Seniors Aging-in-Place Model
• Purpose-built Market and Targeted Rental Housing as a catalyst forlive/work/play model increasing vibrancy, activity,security and safety in the downtown core
• CPTED principles | • Street-related Retail | • Illuminated Elevated Exterior Skywalk | • Eyes and Ears on the Streetwith Outward Facing Retailand Commercial Spaces | • Street Linkage
• Elevated Skywalk system relocates circulation from the building interior to the exterior public realm
• Ground-related Pedestrian Walkways relocates circulation from the building interior to the exterior public realm integrating street fabric and transit
• Grocery Store and Local Markets | • Child Care and Elder Care | • Community Health Hub and Professional Services | • Community Gardens, Green Roofs, Urban Farm
• Commercial and Office Spaces
• Adaptive Re-use of Major Downtown Facility | • LEED Gold or Equivalent targeted | • Micro climate Support for year-round public comfort-wind, solar and shadow | • Green and Reflective Roof
• Locally Sourced Durable Materials | • Focus on Health and Well-being, Daylight, Building Orientation


• Local Markets, Pop-up Programming, Seasonal Events, Concerts and Gatherings


• Pedestrian linkages at grade reconnect the city and bring a human-scale to Portage Place, dividing the existing massing into distinct elements


• Existing street fabric –Kennedy and Edmonton Streets extend through the site as pedestrian connections knitting north and south Winnipeg together


• Urban Squares and Courtyards transform the new pedestrian connections into all-season public realm open space
• Landscaped Public Realm | • Welcoming spaces and amenities for local community including public spaces for gathering, sitting,relaxing and visiting

A downtown mall will soon see a major upgrade in hopes of alleviating its worsening woes.

Portage Place mall will be “retrofitted” starting in 2021, and replaced with two 20-storey rental residential towers. New shopping and office spaces, as well as a pedestrian-friendly courtyard, are also included in the plans.

In an exclusive interview with Global News and 680 CJOB, Starlight Investments, which bought Portage Place earlier this year, says it’s time the embattled downtown mall gets a major overhaul.

“Well, it’s exciting,” said Glen Hirsch, chief operating officer of Starlight Investments. “We are looking at a meaningful revitalization of the SHED (Sports, Hospitality, Entertainment District) district in Winnipeg.”

The retrofit and addition of the rental housing towers will cost anywhere from $300-400 million and take four to five years, said Hirsch, and the towers will have 500 to 550 rental units of varying sizes. Starlight is also looking at finding a grocery chain for the space, he added.

It’s their hope, he said, that the new development will connect both ends of the mall and bring communities together in a safe environment, said Hirsch.

The glass and glazing effect means that “you have no choice but to see the people around you, walking with you and walking on the street below you,” he said.

The skywalk system attached to the mall will stay, but will be placed on the outside of the structure, said Hirsch.

Other elements, like eliminating closed-off spaces, will make the area safer, he added.

Hirsch said despite the many issues with Portage Place, the mall does not need to be demolished.

“I would say that it needs a lot of work. We’ve got a lot of ideas of how to reconfigure the space, particularly as we look at the interior,” said Hirsch.

“The mall was built in the late ’80s. The utilization of space like that has evolved.”

Josh Kauffman, head of development and construction for Starlight Investments, said there is opportunity with rental apartments in downtown Winnipeg.

“We’re going after a diverse demographic,” said Kauffman. Community consultations will include feedback from various groups that may want to rent the apartments, including students, Indigenous families, downtown workers and more.

That feedback will help the group determine sizes for the apartment buildings and how many bedrooms there will be. As for rent costs, it will depend on sizes and consultation, according to Kauffman.

[lilwayne]

Winnipeg dt will be a thing of beauty in 5 years

Wawaneesa bldg and portage place should be going up in 2021 by than 300 main st and sutton place towers should be complete

Market lands project and the forks projects should also be under way away this time

All these projects combined Winnipeg dt will be a desirable area to work And live.. there's probably other projects in the works aswell that we are unaware of..

But if pp towers go through that'll be 9 towers in the shed area in last 8 years not bad

[Kris22]

I don't expect this PP renovation to really change much as far as making the mall a destination, but I have to say that just the aesthetic update is much welcomed. It's such an eyesore right now. The new residential is great, and I like the idea of opening up Edmonton to make this thing feel less monolithic. (Also as a pedestrian it is annoying when streets just end for no apparent reason).

[lilwayne]

Adding 2 20 story towers will add much needed density in the area.. the combo of the forks pp true north convention cntre will make that district a destination for sure

The wag and student residence there will also add some density

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by Kris22

I don't expect this PP renovation to really change much as far as making the mall a destination, but I have to say that just the aesthetic update is much welcomed. It's such an eyesore right now. The new residential is great, and I like the idea of opening up Edmonton to make this thing feel less monolithic. (Also as a pedestrian it is annoying when streets just end for no apparent reason).

I think slicing the mall in two separate places - Kennedy and Edmonton - effectively puts an end to it being a mall. It'll be like three standalone buildings joined by two outdoor courtyards and an external walkway if I'm reading this correctly. Outward facing retail just adds to this. I can't wait to see the end product. Shutting down that food court is hopefully one of their first things on the list.

[scryer]

Now THIS is a hell of a great proposal. Get 'er done.

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Dress it up as a TIF an apparently no one other than me will care how much the government is giving away to projects like this.

My cousin lives in st louis and they're having this debate over a soccer stadium. No TIF, no stadium. So there is no money anyways. With tif theres a stadium, jobs, team , taxes, etc.

Its the same debate, same comments.

[Spocket]

I think that people in Winnipeg are just going to have to accept that government money is what gets things moving downtown. Remember, before these agreements were in place there was...uh...*crickets*...yeah.

[robertocarlos]

I like it very much.