WINDSOR | Construction - News and Development

[Symz]

Originally Posted by north 42

I think this is a good use of this building, it adds more people living downtown, and helps the other hotels in the area by providing less competition, making them more profitable.
I hope they eventually paint or reclad this building in a new colour, it looks so dated, especially now that the aquatic centre is nearing completion, and the parking garage is looking really good in it's new colours.

I agree, this building needs a fresh coat of,.. something, paint or stucco, whichever. It still has the outlying traces of the word 'Radisson' from air pollution on the front of the building where the sign was.

[Symz]

source:http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windso...e-francis.html

Downtown Windsor marina promised by Mayor Francis

Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis says he can deliver a new marina to the city's downtown waterfront without raising taxes or municipal debt.

He says it's a project he won't give up without a fight.

He says there's no doubt that a new marina is feasible.

He's preparing to lead the battle to make sure it becomes a reality:

"I will be demonstrating to council that it's important to us to continue to have vision. And that vision needs to be demonstrated at the council table," he said.

Francis says a new marina would be good for the city.

"It would add value to the city, to our community. It would certainly generate tourism. It would bring more people to the city and allow them to stop over. I also think it will be a transformative project that will serve as a catalyst for other businesses to follow, spurring investment."

A new marina was first suggested in the Central Riverfront Implementation Plan developed for council 13 years ago.

He says it's been on hold as other projects, including the family aquatic centre now under construction, were built.

The proposed marina would be located along the waterfront, almost in front of the aquatic centre and just west of the art gallery.

Francis says council has a good track record in delivering projects that don't result in higher taxes or increasing the city's debt.

"I'll do it like I've always done it in the past with all of our projects; do it without your raising taxes, without raising debt, without raiding the reserves and without taking away from any other project," Francis said.

He believes the majority of people will support proposed plans for a new marina.

The mayor and councillors will find out for sure when public meetings will be held later in the year to hear from residents about development on the waterfront lands.

The origional location for the marina shown in the Central Riverfront Implementation Plan was in the location of the new rock beach that was constructed east of Aylmer along the waterfront.

The new location puts the marina directly in front of the 3 properties Farhi owns downtown. Hmm..

The origional plan drafted by the city can be seen here.
http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/...P-complete.pdf

[Symz]

Here's a little map I drew up to put this into perspective.

[north 42]

The new proposed location is much better, as it's closer to Ouellette Ave. and Dieppe Park. Hopefully this spurs some new condo developement on Farhi's properties. It's about time Windsor had a marina in its core, we have an amazing riverfront and it should be utilized to the fullest. I fully support this proposal!

[Symz]

I honestly can't stand the idea of a marina on the downtown riverfront. My concerns are boating as a leisure hobby in this area has dropped considerably over the years. With the rising price of fuel and the poor economy just take a look at the high number of marinas in Lasalle that are now boarded up and closed (easier to see when you take a boat ride out there). My father owned a few boats and docked them out in Lasalle about 20 years ago and nowadays my inlaws have a boat out there and let me tell ya when I take a boat ride out there now as compared to 20 years ago it's depressing how many marinas have closed and left that area.

People aren't likely to dock their boat at a marina if there's no reassurance their boat isn't safe and secure, so how do you do that at a marina? You usually limit access to the site with fences and gates. I don't want to see a portion of the riverfront the city has worked so hard to put together become inaccessible to the public. I fear a similar situation we had when the Holiday Inn was along the water.

Although I do understand there is no marina this side of the river between Lasalle and the Windsor Yacht Club on the east side opposite Peche Island, I just don't think I can stomach a marina along the city's downtown riverfront.

[north 42]

I can't wait for it to be built, it will add some interest to our extremely boring waterfront. This region is full of boaters who would love to have access to our downtown, I know of many myself. As for Lasalle marinas being slow, that's because it's just a suburb with nothing to draw people in, downtown windsor is completely different. I love visiting other waterfront cities, and one of their draws is usually a busy marina in their core, that's one of the things that make them special and different from their landlocked peers.

[william.l]

Why not test the waters with something smaller first? For example, they could allow boats to temporarily dock along the existing break-wall at designated locations and install parking meters to charge by the hour.

This would gauge the interest of boaters, increase visitors to the downtown core, and not cost much at all (install some gates in the fence, a few tie-off posts, and meters): if it is successful they could consider the full marina.

They could do something similar to what is done in the Kawartha lakes where boats can just pull up to the downtown of Bobcaygeon and dock for a few hours (this is the locks, but there are similar docking locations: http://www.anchorageworld.com/files/...Lock2-full.jpg).

[Jacob]

Maybe something like this? maybe this location is too small but I would prefer we not ruin the riverfront view.

[Symz]

That location the city already has a plan for in the Central Riverfront Implementation Plan. It is the location of the Legacy Beacon. It is one of 5 beacons that will be located along the river.

http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/...cy-Beacon.aspx

See the entire plan click the link on the page for the .pdf.
http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/...tion-Plan.aspx

[Blitz]

I'm open to the idea of a marina as well. Something needs to be done to make the riverfront less passive and this may help spur some development on the Farhi lands.

[Symz]

Aquatic Centre Cam

source: http://www.citywindsor.ca/mayorandco...ex-Camera.aspx

[Symz]

So the Windsor Family Credit Union won the naming rights for the competitive pool portion of the complex.

The city’s $77 million aquatics facility will be named the Windsor International Aquatics and Training Centre Presented by Windsor Family Credit Union in exchange for $2.2 million in sponsorship over 25 years.

The family fun half of the aquatics centre, which has a wave pool and lazy river, remains unnamed and a competition in the community this fall will determine its moniker. The family fun side, which has an indoor playground, slides and splash pads, opens Dec. 31, while the competitive side opens next week.

Mayor Eddie Francis said..

source: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/08...naming-rights/




So Windsor will have it's Arena sponsored by the credit union (WFCU Centre) and now a portion of the new 'Windsor International Aquatics and Training Centre' Presented by Windsor Family Credit Union.

It looks like Captain Hook swimming.


Aquatic Centre today from the city's webcam

source:http://www.citywindsor.ca/mayorandco...ex-Camera.aspx

[Symz]

Today is the first day of the International Children's Games which Windsor is hosting and one of the driving reasons behind the new aquatic facility.

Anyhoo, a couple of websites, CBC, and another Windsorite.ca have put together some time lapse videos of the construction, here's 1 of them.

• Video Link
source: http://windsorite.ca/2013/08/watch-t...is-time-lapse/

Here's a link to the CBC one, it's done from a different angle, looking to the east.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windso...executive.html

[Symz]

I was out for a walk this morning after dropping my wife off at work and I snapped some pictures. Most pictures are of the aquatic centre which is only about half completed.





















Farhi garage reskin still WIP


They redid the sidewalks on University between Ouellette & Goyeau. New Windsor Star HQ looks good as well.

[Symz]

Lonely I'm Mr Lonely,
I have nobody,
For my own
I'm so lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely
I have nobody,
For my own
I'm so lonely,

[Chadillaccc]

Downtown Windsor is looking really great.

[Symz]

An interesting article in the local paper about the lack of development in Windsor over the years.

source: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/08...estate-broker/

The City of Windsor’s exorbitant development charges are turning off investors from building new condos here, says a local real estate broker.

“No one is building anything,” said Peter Valente of Valente Development Corporation in council chambers on Monday night.

“Instead of working with developers, the city is sending the message that you’re not interested in development.”

Valente is requesting a break on development charges — estimated in the amount of $185,000 — attached to a property he owns at 8475 Wyandotte St. East.

Valente Development Corporation wants to build a three-story 50-unit condo building on that land.

Peter Valente of the Valente Development Corporation attends council on Aug. 26, 2013. (The Windsor Star)
Peter Valente of the Valente Development Corporation attends council on Aug. 26, 2013. (The Windsor Star)
According to Valente, it’s been seven years since anyone has built a family-oriented multi-unit condo building in Windsor.

“That’s a long time,” Valente told council. “Why take the risk? …. The fact of the matter is that development fees in the city are too high.”

He warned that more and more developers are turning to building in surrounding municipalities, drawing new residents away from Windsor and eroding the tax base.

“It’s because (other municipalities) have kept their fees much lower,” Valente argued. “We need to work together, the politicians and the developers, to find the economic equilibrium — set the fees at a level that attracts development to the city, and brings in the most amount of money to the city on a yearly basis.”

“If you have a high (development) fee that very few will pay, then you’re actually costing the city.”

Valente is asking the city to bill him based on 2005 rates — which would reduce his development charges by nearly half, from $8,345 per unit to $4,639.

But Mayor Eddie Francis pointed out that Valente bought the land only last year — and knew full well what it would cost to develop it.

“You talk about escalation, creating this impression that you bought the property not knowing what the development charges were,” Francis said at Monday’s council meeting.

“Obviously, when you bought the property last year, the development charges were what they were — and what they are today.”

City administration is recommending that Valente’s request be denied.

“There is currently no legal option for the Valente Development Corporation to receive reduced development charges or a grant associated with its proposed condominium development,” an administrative report on the matter concludes.

At Monday night’s meeting, city solicitor George Wilkki pointed out that granting Valente’s request would likely result in a “nice trail outside the door” of other developers seeking similar breaks, or crying foul that they didn’t receive such breaks.

The issue has been deferred to a future council meeting.

[Blitz]

He just wants to pay less of a fee. The main reason we have little condo development is because housing prices are so cheap.

[Symz]

So after Eddie Francis began talking about a pedestrian underpass under riverside drive west of OUellette and received a cold response, and a luke warm response to adding a marina downtown he a council have decided to dust off the 13 year old Central Riverfront Implemenation Plan and call on the citizens to provide input as to what elements we would still like and if we would like to see changes to the plan.

The origional plan can be found here: http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/...l%20Report.pdf

The origional plan did call for a pedestrian underpass, a marina, a pedestrian overpass at Goyeau and many other features along the riverfront such as 'beacons' where people can stop, congregate, eat, use washrooms etc.

A recent Windsor Star article has drummed up the issue but interestingly also provided a number of artist renderings the mayor must have had done up to show off their idea of the underpass under Riverside drive west of Ouellette near the art gallery.

source article: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/09...fronts-future/

The renderings






















I have no real opinion on this just yet. I'm still kind of soaking it all in.

[north 42]

I really like those renderings, much better than what we have now. I especially want a marina to be built for sure too.
I think it's a smart idea to take a second look at the riverfront plan, things change and better ideas sometimes come along after implementation.