WINDSOR | Construction - News and Development

[north 42]

It sure is taking a long time to get those LCD screens up!

[Symz]

Originally Posted by north 42

It sure is taking a long time to get those LCD screens up!

I know! The excitement over the project has kind of ground to a halt due to the length of time that has passed waiting for those screens. By the time they're installed we Windsorites will be watching the University of Windsor projects develop.

[Symz]

I was downtown today and took a few pics of the aquatic centre, the tunnel expansion and I also noticed they have begun to tear down the old Windsor Star annex along Pitt. They were tearing down the back side facing Chatham street.

pics by me

Aquatic Centre






Tunnel Expansion












Old Windsor Star HQ being torn down for the new U of W School of Social Work. And so it begins..

(these old facades of the buildings are staying)

[Riversideguy]

Originally Posted by Symz

I miss having Speaker's Corner on the corner there. I know that after they got rid of it London still had their Speaker's Corner. I wonder if they still have theirs, or if Much Music even still has Speaker's Corner in Toronto??

I'm curious if anything is going to move into where the Snooty Rooster is vacating. I like the idea of having a breakfast diner downtown. I know that Biscuit's n' Gravy closed on Pelissier and I'm not sure if The United Grill is open or not? I never see anyone coming or going from that place..

The Snooty Rooster had an excellent idea with the children’s play area. My family and I went in there to have Lunch one day. Problem is they only had pre-made sandwiches in a fridge. This was not too appetizing, especially when there is a subway restaurant next door and for half the price. They had a Great idea just lacked in others. I do not for a minute believe it closed because of construction to the building, but it does play as a nice excuse for a poorly run operation.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by Riversideguy

The Snooty Rooster had an excellent idea with the children’s play area. My family and I went in there to have Lunch one day. Problem is they only had pre-made sandwiches in a fridge. This was not too appetizing, especially when there is a subway restaurant next door and for half the price. They had a Great idea just lacked in others. I do not for a minute believe it closed because of construction to the building, but it does play as a nice excuse for a poorly run operation.

I hear ya. I believe that construction is often thrown around as an excuse as well.

[Jacob]

Arena urban market still in question:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windso...ket-limbo.html

[Riversideguy]

So Symz. I noticed Papa Cheney's is closing as well. I guess that must be due to construction as well seeing as how it is the same owner as the Snooty Rooster.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by Riversideguy

So Symz. I noticed Papa Cheney's is closing as well. I guess that must be due to construction as well seeing as how it is the same owner as the Snooty Rooster.

I heard about this as well today.

I guess their businesses aren't doing well. Let's hope that something else moves in.

Ya know, it seems the Mikhails had plans for this site but nothing's ever happened.

http://www.mikhailholdings.com/prope...nt-Towers.html

[north 42]

I remember when they wanted to build that office building, of coarse, they didn't get enough interest to make it happen. Too bad, it would have been a good fit for that spot, filling in our skyline a bit.

[Jacob]

Some important notes from the budget deliberations tonight:

$18million is going towards a new Windsor City Hall to be built immediately south of the existing city hall.

Transit Windsor is getting it's desprately needed budget increase and funding for an AVS system

Cabana Road is getting $1.8 to be redone with sidewalks and bike lanes

$2million for cameras to detect cars at intersections

$20million for road rehabilitation

Read the WindsoriteDOTca article: http://windsorite.ca/2013/03/christm...ity-hall-more/

[Symz]

Originally Posted by Jacob

Some important notes from the budget deliberations tonight:

$18million is going towards a new Windsor City Hall to be built immediately south of the existing city hall.

Transit Windsor is getting it's desprately needed budget increase and funding for an AVS system

Cabana Road is getting $1.8 to be redone with sidewalks and bike lanes

$2million for cameras to detect cars at intersections

$20million for road rehabilitation

Read the WindsoriteDOTca article: http://windsorite.ca/2013/03/christm...ity-hall-more/

You forgot to mention this

$1.4 million for a tunnel under Riverside Drive that connects the Riverfront Trail to Downtown

It will pop up near the Art Gallery & Aquatic Centre

source: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2013/03...ht-tax-freeze/

Oh and another thing to add. They are adding $18 million in this budgets to an already $12 million + $4.7 million set aside for a new city hall totalling $34.7 million.

[Jacob]

I'm interested in that tunnel, i think it will be very cool (and useful) to have and make it easier to get to the buses after my run at the river (I live in the south side and have to take a bus to go for a run because of the rude drivers here)
I am curious, is that plan to have it built this year or later? i am hoping sooner than later.
as for the city hall, i had no idea ours was in such rough shape. I knew it was ugly beyond belief, but the way Eddie described it made it seem downright dangerous.
And i am happy they are investing in transit, we still need more new buses, though.

[Riversideguy]

I don’t know about the rest of you, but last night I kept hearing the council talk about how the people won’t like a new city hall. I don’t know if I am just odd, however I feel a city is defined by its City Hall, and would personally like to see a nice modern looking building instead of another square block. I guess it’s just me.

[north 42]

Nothing screams hicktown like an old shitty city hall from the 1950s! I agree Riversideguy, that a city is sometimes judged by it's city hall, and our mayor knows that. I'm all for a new one, and if it can also have tenants as well as city departments occupying it, we could in theory have a new, multi story office tower, possibly ten floors, I heard. Of coarse, all the mayor haters will go crazy, accusing him of monument building at the expense of roads and infrastructure. Same shit from the peanut gallery, fake accusations and refusal to believe the truth are their hallmarks.

[Symz]

I have never really cared for the design of the Windsor City Hall. I wish we could have even kept the old that preceded the blue and brown 60's one we have now!

source:http://www.google.ca/imgres?hl=en&sa...3&tx=130&ty=49


source:http://www.google.ca/imgres?start=82...&tx=132&ty=111


source:https://www.google.ca/search?q=old+w...2F%3B575%3B462

[north 42]

So many of our grand old structures have been levelled and replaced with cheap, ugly boxes with no redeeming qualities. The 50s through to the 80s were dismal times in Windsor and most of North America, in terms of design.

[north 42]

I'm really curious about the new city hall. I'm hoping that even though it won't be an expensive, grand build, it can still be designed to be pleasing to look at and have a sleek, modern design. Hopefully they also get some other tenants on board as well to increase the size and esthetics. I have no clue as to with whom the mayor has had talks with, but I would bet it's either the Provincial or Federal government.guess we'll find out soon.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by north 42

I'm really curious about the new city hall. I'm hoping that even though it won't be an expensive, grand build, it can still be designed to be pleasing to look at and have a sleek, modern design. Hopefully they also get some other tenants on board as well to increase the size and esthetics. I have no clue as to with whom the mayor has had talks with, but I would bet it's either the Provincial or Federal government.guess we'll find out soon.

My biggest worry is the Feds seem to be unsure of what they want to do with the Paul Martin Building. As you can see it's falling apart and it's too important a building to downtown Windsor to let it rot away.

My fear is if the feds buy into this new government building they'll pull out of the Paul Martin Building..

[north 42]

Yeah, that would be really bad for us to be stuck with a heritage structure right on our main drag that is empty and dangerous. I would rather see a smaller city hall built, and have the Feds fix the building they already own, than have them just walk away from their responsibilities and create more potential blight.

[Riversideguy]

Well I am glad to see I am not the only one that feels that way. I am sure even with little money they could make it nice. They are guessing around the same cost as the 400 building.