Winnipeg | Osborne Village & Corydon area

[borkborkbork]

I just don't understand where the market demand for these ridiculous balconies comes from. It's not even really a Juliet balcony -- it's basically a patio door to nothing with a baby gate.

[EspionNoir]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

I just don't understand where the market demand for these ridiculous balconies comes from. It's not even really a Juliet balcony -- it's basically a patio door to nothing with a baby gate.

One benefit of this balcony i can think of is that it doesn't collect snow in the winter.

About that green......it's too radical, not too surprised if they nerfed it.

[ywgwalk]

I live on Waterfront and I have a decent balcony, but I'll admit, I basically never use it (although the cat likes it) but I nearly always have the door wide open. Those Juliet balconies and ones like it would be perfect for me, especially if it meant an extra 30 - 40 sq ft of indoor living space.

[Gm0ney]

Originally Posted by ywgwalk

I live on Waterfront and I have a decent balcony, but I'll admit, I basically never use it (although the cat likes it) but I nearly always have the door wide open. Those Juliet balconies and ones like it would be perfect for me, especially if it meant an extra 30 - 40 sq ft of indoor living space.

Yes, it's the appeal of throwing open a door to the outside.

[buzzg]

Don't think it was every really discussed here, but when Kai renovated the strip mall at Stradbrook and Osborne they actually closed off the vehicular access to the lane and lot behind the building to be pedestrian only. Appears like that was done with intention of being able to put a patio off the side of the corner unit. There's construction going on in that unit now, will be interesting to see if that's what goes in.

[Wpg_Guy]

https://www.instagram.com/ostationcafe/

[buzzg]

It's a nice space. I really hope they can survive there until the second tower is done and they have some built-in regulars. As it stands right now they have very little foot traffic in front. I'd imagine (if they/landlord were smart) they backloaded the lease so this first year is cheaper while they wait for office and eventually residential tenants to move in.

I also wonder, since Transit data is open source, if they could potentially install a digital bus stop sign/screen in the cafe that would display upcoming busses. Would be a nice feature to offer to bring people in if they can see the bus schedule from the cafe and leave with 5 mins to go etc.

[borkborkbork]

no idea if it's true but rumour on the Osborne Village facebook group is that the OV BIZ is in bad shape:

[buzzg]

The old ED of the Exchange BIZ is now the ED of Osborne BIZ as of Canada Day. Speaking to some business owners on the strip, many had no idea it was that bad, and it seems it’s all on Stephanie Meilleur. I believe she was also one of the civic election candidates who has yet to file her expense audits.... this could become something a lot bigger.

Don’t know if anyone was there in Canada Day this year, but there wasn’t a single Canadian flag. No decorations or extra expense from the BIZ. I was told it almost didn’t happen because no one was running the BIZ, then last minute some business owners stepped in to hire Ugly Duckling productions to execute the event as no one knew how.

It’s bad.

[esquire]

^ A reflection of the shambles that Osborne Village itself is becoming. It's sad, there's a lot of squandered potential. The good news is it probably wouldn't take a monumental effort to get things back on track quickly.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by buzzg

The old ED of the Exchange BIZ is now the ED of Osborne BIZ as of Canada Day.

Timmerman or Pensato? Hope the latter.

[michelleb]

Originally Posted by buzzg

The old ED of the Exchange BIZ is now the ED of Osborne BIZ as of Canada Day.

Thank god. I think I heard that someone from the Exchange BIZ got promoted into the executive director position, so that's why.

Originally Posted by buzzg

Speaking to some business owners on the strip, many had no idea it was that bad, and it seems it’s all on Stephanie Meilleur. I believe she was also one of the civic election candidates who has yet to file her expense audits.... this could become something a lot bigger.

Don’t know if anyone was there in Canada Day this year, but there wasn’t a single Canadian flag. No decorations or extra expense from the BIZ. I was told it almost didn’t happen because no one was running the BIZ, then last minute some business owners stepped in to hire Ugly Duckling productions to execute the event as no one knew how.

It’s bad.

So the Osborne Canada Day event was never put on by the city. Huh. What DOES the city do? Besides delay and reject everything.

[Wpg_Guy]

Fuel up at O Station
Cafe joins Confusion Corner transit oriented development
By: Danielle Da Silva Posted: 07/8/2019 11:58 AM


Commuters passing through Osborne Village now have a new caffeine destination in the neighbourhood.

Felicia Lundgren opened O Station Cafe just a few hundred metres north of the Osborne rapid transit bus station in mid-June at 257 Osborne St., in one of the first developments to rise in the neighbourhood’s transit-oriented district development area.

"The space is a great location," Lundgren said. "I knew the building was coming up, and I looked into the space, and here I am."

Some 91,000 cars pass through Osborne Junction daily, and Lundgren said foot traffic has been steady with folks heading to the bus station, and she’ll be pleased when new active transportation infrastructure is added at Pembina Highway and Osborne Street.

Lundgren is also counting on having a captive audience as the new six-storey building is occupied by tenants and a residential tower is constructed next door. A second phase of development by Imperial Properties on the lot at Confusion Corner is underway, with a 15 storey, residential mixed-use complex — complete with robotic car parking — proposed for the site, south of the cafe.

"It’s quick to grab something and take the rapid transit, there’s convenience for the tenants above, and all those factors is what made this a cafe," Lundgren said.

The stark, modern exterior of the newly built mixed-use building stands in contrast to the warm and rustic tones inside O Station Cafe.

Designed by Lundgren, the cafe features recycled wood beams from an old Winnipeg warehouse, raw-edge wood counters and stool seating for a dozen or more, while old barrel tops, refinished and emblazoned with the cafe logo, double for tables.

"I’ve always had a vision of what I wanted, and pulling it all together, it actually worked," she said with a laugh.

Lundgren, who calls St. James home, said she picked up the entrepreneurial spirit from her father, working in his independently owned business, and had for many years contemplated starting something of her own.

As a side gig, Lundgren would bake for family and friends, selling her pastries and cakes for special occasions. For a time, the self-taught baker considered opening up her own bake shop but when the Osborne Street space came on her radar, she decided to diversify her offerings.

"When it turned into the cafe dream, I wanted a space that was cozy, inviting and friendly," she said. "I love working and meeting new people — what better place to do that than a cafe.

"I get to feature some of my baking and caffeinate the community."

On the menu, Lundgren has straightforward Italian-style coffee, both drip and espresso (beans are locally roasted from De Luca’s), peppered with the popular treat drinks, including her salted-caramel mocha coconut latte. Homestyle sandwiches (Italian Stallion is one such offering), cupcakes, bars, and Lundgren’s popular red velvet cake are in the pastry case adjacent to the bar.

O Station Cafe is open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., though Lundgren says she may expand her weekend and evening hours in the future.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ou...512421271.html

[Wpg_Guy]

This garnered some media attention after Canada Day

Summer-long Osborne pedestrian mall touted
By: Tessa Vanderhart Posted: 07/2/2019 4:00 AM

Every summer weekend could be like Canada Day in Osborne Village, as local retailers consider turning Osborne Street into a pedestrian mall more often.

On Sunday and Monday, Osborne Street was closed to vehicles between River and Stradbrook avenues, welcoming an estimated 70,000 people for the Canada Day Street Festival.

Derek Collins, owner of PK Sports Pub and the Poutine King, was excited to open a giant outdoor patio for his first street festival since his business launched in October. But, he wondered, why stop there?

"Why don’t we do this for the summertime?" Collins said.

"Why don’t we ask the city to block from River to Stradbrook, and all the restaurants and bars could have permanent patios?"

He pitched the idea to the Osborne Village BIZ, which is excited to explore the idea of holding the patio party every summer weekend.

"There’s this community, festive atmosphere that comes from having street closures," said BIZ chairman Justin Paquin.

"Whenever you close down a street and you allow the community to walk and enjoy the area, it really promotes the retail, it promotes the restaurant industry, and it creates a central hub for everyone to come and enjoy."

Paquin cited pedestrian malls in Montreal, Calgary and Toronto as examples Winnipeg could follow. Coun. Sherri Rollins, who represents the area, added Quebec City to the list.

"Holy cow, yes," Rollins said when asked about the idea. She spent the afternoon at the street festival, tweeting pictures of the inaugural Great Canadian Patriotic Pet Parade and other events. "In other cities, days like today are every day, every weekend," she said.

"This type of feel is something we should be aiming for, not just on the national party day, Canada Day, but on the weekend when folks want a beautiful space to walk, take their bikes, shop, have a meal."

When the street festival opened Monday, revellers began enjoying the kilometre-long street that was packed with patios outside the restaurants and bars, and street vendors selling their wares.

"It’s nice, with kids, to have somewhere we can sit and be outside," said Amanda Jorundson.

"There’s not a lot of outdoor seating options in this entire area (so) having something like this would be beneficial," said Justin Livingstone. "You’ve got four yeays here."

"And three more from the kids," Jorundson added for their group of two couples and three kids.

As of July 1, Brian Timmerman is the executive director of the Osborne Biz. He’s worked for the Winnipeg Police Service and numerous Winnipeg BIZ organizations. Paquin hopes he’ll advance the idea of closing Osborne Street more often.

Paquin said they’ll see if it’s feasible to close the streets for a party one weekend near the end of August. If not, they hope to try it out next year.

"We don’t see there being any reason why there can’t be a street closure on weekends, or at least a few weekends during the summer," Paquin said.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/lo...512097842.html

[esquire]

O Station Café looks great but as buzzg said, I hope they can survive long enough until the towers are occupied. It looks like an awkward location for the moment with nothing else really on that corner apart from some people walking to and from Osborne Station.

Any word on when tenants will start moving into the office building?

[buzzg]

I can't imagine anyone moving in until the parkade is done. Unless it's a smaller tenant that the landlord can reserve some surface spots for in the meantime. Or maybe a call centre or something similar that would have lots of employees taking transit.

[esquire]

^ I take your point, but it's kind of weird that a building that big would sit vacant for months, possibly years until the parking garage is built. There are plenty of big parking lots nearby where you could potentially lease a few rows of spaces... in front of Dollarama, at the Masonic Centre, behind the various businesses on Pembina... that would surely be cheaper than absorbing the costs of that building without anyone paying rent.

[buzzg]

I wouldn't be so sure of that. There isn't really anywhere on Pembina, and the Confusion lots are quite busy during the day now. Only other potential ones are the old Ozzy's lots, but they're going to be developed soon. And with Winnipeg's spotty "Phase 2" history, I can't imagine many tenants wanting to sign a 3+ year lease on hope...

[GarryEllice]

Originally Posted by buzzg

I also wonder, since Transit data is open source, if they could potentially install a digital bus stop sign/screen in the cafe that would display upcoming busses. Would be a nice feature to offer to bring people in if they can see the bus schedule from the cafe and leave with 5 mins to go etc.

That's a fantastic idea, and definitely possible. St. Vital Centre has a TV screen with live bus info.

I have a bad feeling about the viability of that location. Even though it's so close to the village, it's a complete no-man's-land, sandwiched between Confusion Corner and the Osborne underpass, neither of which is a pleasant place to stroll through.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by GarryEllice

That's a fantastic idea, and definitely possible. St. Vital Centre has a TV screen with live bus info.

I have a bad feeling about the viability of that location. Even though it's so close to the village, it's a complete no-man's-land, sandwiched between Confusion Corner and the Osborne underpass, neither of which is a pleasant place to stroll through.

Pembina tunnel would take care of that Imagine a nice urban intersection between Osborne and Corydon with a dense cluster of development near the station. Now that would be something.