Winnipeg | Forks Redevelopment | Parcel 4 - Rail Side Initiative | Proposals - Page 52

wags_in_the_peg · #**1021** Posted **Jan 20, 2019, 6:29 PM**

Loving Barber is setting up shop upstairs of Market building

buzzg · #**1022** Posted **Jan 29, 2019, 5:01 AM**

This is the closest thread to making sense for this post...

The centre of the second floor of Union Station (big round window facing main) is now being used as storage for someone. Lights were on tonight and holy hell it looks atrocious.

cheswick · #**1023** Posted **Jan 29, 2019, 2:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzg

This is the closest thread to making sense for this post...

The centre of the second floor of Union Station (big round window facing main) is now being used as storage for someone. Lights were on tonight and holy hell it looks atrocious.

Stats Can offices still up there?

buzzg · #**1024** Posted **Feb 14, 2019, 6:21 AM**

Amazon recently purchased Winnipeg's most influential (yet realtively unknown) tech companies. They developed a lot of software that Hollywood animation studios used, and their founder also helped found Frantic Films (one of Canada's biggest studios) and was the lead visual effects supervisor on Avatar...

It's called Thinkbox – currently being rebranded under the Amazon banner, and apparently they're currently building an office in the Johnston Terminal. I believe Customs and Immigration moved most (or all) of their offices out of there, so my guess is that's where they're going.

EspionNoir · #**1025** Posted **Feb 14, 2019, 6:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzg

Amazon recently purchased Winnipeg's most influential (yet realtively unknown) tech companies. They developed a lot of software that Hollywood animation studios used, and their founder also helped found Frantic Films (one of Canada's biggest studios) and was the lead visual effects supervisor on Avatar...

It's called Thinkbox – currently being rebranded under the Amazon banner, and apparently they're currently building an office in the Johnston Terminal. I believe Customs and Immigration moved most (or all) of their offices out of there, so my guess is that's where they're going.

Wow that means a lot. Can't be better!

Bdog · #**1026** Posted **Feb 14, 2019, 12:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzg

Amazon recently purchased Winnipeg's most influential (yet realtively unknown) tech companies. They developed a lot of software that Hollywood animation studios used, and their founder also helped found Frantic Films (one of Canada's biggest studios) and was the lead visual effects supervisor on Avatar...

It's called Thinkbox – currently being rebranded under the Amazon banner, and apparently they're currently building an office in the Johnston Terminal. I believe Customs and Immigration moved most (or all) of their offices out of there, so my guess is that's where they're going.

Yes. This actually happened 2 years ago and flew under the radar. I think their offices used to be in the building at the corner of River and Osborne.

esquire · #**1027** Posted **Feb 14, 2019, 5:12 PM**

Where did Customs and Immigration move to? They had a pretty big operation there, as I recall.

cllew · #**1028** Posted **Feb 14, 2019, 6:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Where did Customs and Immigration move to? They had a pretty big operation there, as I recall.

Are they now not out in the CBSA offices out by the airport on Wellington (old Eatons warehouse complex)?

buzzg · #**1029** Posted **Feb 19, 2019, 2:09 AM**

Was chatter in another thread – the possibility of a Skip campus on parcel 4 is very real, and their preferred location. The Bay and a few others are still very much in play.

A few people in the other thread seemed to think this is a bad idea. Personally I think its fantastic – and it's right in line with what Railside is supposed to be anyway – mixed use. They'd still have to follow the design principles and general site plan TFNP has created (even though its CoW land). What's wrong with some large buildings with main floor retail?

If anything, this would just fast-track the Railside North development.

Tacheguy · #**1030** Posted **Feb 19, 2019, 2:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzg

Was chatter in another thread – the possibility of a Skip campus on parcel 4 is very real, and their preferred location. The Bay and a few others are still very much in play.

A few people in the other thread seemed to think this is a bad idea. Personally I think its fantastic – and it's right in line with what Railside is supposed to be anyway – mixed use. They'd still have to follow the design principles and general site plan TFNP has created (even though its CoW land). What's wrong with some large buildings with main floor retail?

If anything, this would just fast-track the Railside North development.

I think it’s great too, as I am sure they are aware enough to get the street level stuff right. I think that this will have a tremendous impact on housing demand within a walkable radius. Places like north st. B and the east exchange.

esquire · #**1031** Posted **Feb 19, 2019, 2:58 AM**

I guess the nice thing about Skip the Dishes by The Forks is that could help provide the critical mass to get the other, sexier stuff (residential, retail/dining, cultural) moving forward. You get a big office tenant like that to pay the bills, and a lot of other collateral projects become feasible.

DancingDuck · #**1032** Posted **Feb 19, 2019, 3:30 AM**

Skip the Dishes would be great in Parcel 4, however I think I'd rather see them go into the Bay. If not Skip it might be a long time before another group even considers doing something with the building

esquire · #**1033** Posted **Feb 19, 2019, 2:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DancingDuck

Skip the Dishes would be great in Parcel 4, however I think I'd rather see them go into the Bay. If not Skip it might be a long time before another group even considers doing something with the building

I agree. You could probably make parcel 4 come together with a bunch of smaller parts, but it would take something massive, like Skip the Dishes, to trigger redevelopment of The Bay.

bomberjet · #**1034** Posted **Feb 19, 2019, 4:04 PM**

https://twitter.com/bkives/status/1097883011310325760

Bartley Kives
7:38 AM - 19 Feb 2019
I'm at the final EPC of the month (and my last as a city hall reporter). Forks CEO Paul Jordan is giving a presentation about Railside and Parcel 4 development. Says latter site is heavily contaminated by diesel dumping from 1930s. #wpgpoli

https://twitter.com/bkives/status/1097889155831513089

Bartley Kives
8:02 AM - 19 Feb 2019
The Forks wants to purchase Parcel 4 from the city this year as a prelude to the develpment of the Railside parcel. One reason is the Forks needs to move parking from Railside to Parcel 4. The Wpg Parking Authority manages Parcel 4 right now. #wpgpoli

headhorse · #**1035** Posted **Feb 19, 2019, 5:59 PM**

so that doesn't sound like anything is imminent.. no mention of office space in phase one of railside, and still a 20+ year build out for the second phase on lot 4.

Tacheguy · #**1036** Posted **Feb 19, 2019, 7:44 PM**

I was hoping this was further along. Maybe Forks ownership will help unlock things.

Biff · #**1037** Posted **Feb 19, 2019, 8:04 PM**

^^^All of the residential buildings for Railside are/could be ready to start shortly but are being held up by some politics happening with the City and Forks (presumably this exchange regarding parking and Parcel 4).

I have talked to a few of the architects and contractors and they are just "waiting".....frustratingly.

Wpg_Guy · #**1038** Posted **Feb 20, 2019, 1:43 AM**

Quote:

Forks development stalled until purchase of city parking lot
Aldo Santin By: Aldo Santin
Posted: 02/19/2019 5:18 PM

The Forks is ready to start negotiations on a city-owned gravel parking lot that will trigger significant development on the remaining 12 acres of undeveloped land on the site.

Paul Jordan, CEO of The Forks Renewal Corporation, appeared at city hall Tuesday to kick-start negotiations on the lot, known as Parcel 4.

"We have developers lined up and ready to go," Jordan told Mayor Brian Bowman and members of his executive policy committee.

While council has on at least two occasions agreed to sell the lot, located at the southwest corner of William Stephenson Way and Waterfront Drive, The Forks hasn’t been ready to buy it — until now.

Jordan said owning and controlling the property is key to development of that site along with the paved parking lot abutting the CN Rail line, known as the Railside Lands.

Parcel 4 has been a controversial property for city hall. Overwhelming public opposition in 2012 killed a proposal from the administration of former Mayor Sam Katz for a hotel and water park. In 2014, council agreed to turn it over to The Forks and renewed that commitment in 2017. An audit into the controversial water park deal found the property had been appraised at $10 million in 2009.

Jordan said The Forks is prepared to pay fair market value for the property but the question of when and how the two parking lots will be developed can’t be determined until the land is formally owned by The Forks.

Jordan said no decision has been made on where development will start, adding that will be determined in negotiations with developers.

"There’s way more parking than we need so between (the two parcels), we need to be able to manage the public parking," Jordan told the Free Press. "If we’re going to start on what we call Railside South, we need to move parkers into Parcel 4. We’re ready to start doing deals with developers but it’s all predicated on Parcel 4 transferring over to The Forks — otherwise we just can’t move."

The Forks went through a three-year public consultation period ending in 2017 on development on the site, followed by a request for proposals that attracted submissions from about 100 developers from across the globe.

The Forks has narrowed down the list of the potential developers and Jordan told EPC it’s ready to make deals.

Jordan told EPC that development of the two parking lots will not involve the sale of any portion of both sites, explaining that all development will be done on a lease basis.

Jordan was tight-lipped about how development will occur, explaining to the committee that "the plan is very, very detailed and too much for this presentation."

No building on the site will exceed six or seven storeys in height, Jordan told the Free Press. It is expected to be a mix of housing, shops and public spaces.

In plans released midway through 2017, Jordan described the development as European in scale occurring over a 20- to 25-year period, with about 30 buildings on the two parking lots, connected with a series of walkways, fountains and piazzas.

Jordan told EPC that The Forks remains committed to reducing Waterfront Drive from four to two lanes, with the creation of a linear promenade.

While the 2017 plans called for the construction of a parkade on Main Street, just south of York Avenue, Jordan said the location, the timing of its construction, and whether it will be constructed, is all still to be determined.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/lo...506066462.html

wags_in_the_peg · #**1039** Posted **Feb 20, 2019, 1:54 AM**

Sitting on pins and needles waiting for the release of what they are building.

OTA in Winnipeg · #**1040** Posted **Feb 20, 2019, 2:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

Jordan told EPC that The Forks remains committed to reducing Waterfront Drive from four to two lanes, with the creation of a linear promenade.

Just my opinion but I think that could be a really bad idea. The congestion, given the parking reconfiguration, could kill The Forks as a destination. Does transit even touch the site yet? Maybe if rapid transit happens at the Via Station simultaneously? Just thinking out loud here.