Winnipeg | CentrePoint | Alt/Glasshouse | 20F | 21F | 72.5M | 70M | Completed

[beatlesque]

Originally Posted by kent_eh

Tower crane disappeared over the weekend

Nice photos kent_eh - I think if the Glasshouse ends up anything like its model, its lightness will nicely offset any darkness from this tower… Also the historical facade and fully glassed-in podium will provide more balance...

[beatlesque]

- poster

[Biff]

I know some here are critical of the finishes on this project and as some have said it may not age well, but I still stand by my assertion that I really like it for downtown. It really breaks up the monotony and blandness that our skyline currently displays. Wait for it to be lit up an fully animated before the final judgement is cast.

[trueviking]

concern about the colour of the dark EIFS is definitely legitimate....This is some kind of new wall system so hopefully its better than the typical strip mall stuff which fades quite quickly.

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

At least the new version has yuppies with lattes and smartphones. That's an upgrade

Smartphone? I think it's a slider or a flip.

[Flatland Metropolis]

I wonder what it would look like if it was more bold in its colouration, saaaaay barn red. Still waiting to see how it contrasts with glasshouse and how it looks in entirety (avec fin)

[kent_eh]

The parkade is moving along quickly.

I guess that's the big benefit of building with pre-cast pieces. Just truck 'em in and stack 'em up.

[pkirvan]

Originally Posted by Biff

I know some here are critical of the finishes on this project and as some have said it may not age well, but I still stand by my assertion that I really like it for downtown. It really breaks up the monotony and blandness that our skyline currently displays. Wait for it to be lit up an fully animated before the final judgement is cast.

Agreed. While concerns about how it will age are quite legitimate, I don't think anyone should be concerned about how it looks now (of course we can all have an opinion). Far, far too often in Canada we let everyone have their say about the aesthetics of new buildings- city councillors, neighbors, even people from across the city who have virtually no stake in it. The result is that the only thing that satisfies everyone is a dull, bland, who cares. You cannot make a great design in such a city- great works like the Eiffel tower or Sydney Opera House were once decried by neighbors as eye sores. Thankfully, those cities build them over these objections.

A good contrast to this for those of you who travel and love architecture is the parts of Barcelona from Gaudi's time 100 years ago. They had virtually no rules or approval process and people built their facade however the hell they felt like it. Yes, some of the buildings are ugly and yes, some of them clash with their neighbors, but the end result is one of the most diverse, stimulating urban areas in the world and it is full of gems.

At the end of the day, if you don't like the look of a building, you don't have to live there. But please refrain from supporting any laws/legislation telling other people what they can and cannot build on their own properties (I'm talking about aesthetics here, not zoning- ie. building height- which is obviously important to have rules about).

[buzzg]

Does anybody know if they're building the parkade to allow for a future condo tower on the north end like in the original plans? Or is that scrapped?

They ditched the street level retail... that corner is gonna be pretty brutal now.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Does anybody know if they're building the parkade to allow for a future condo tower on the north end like in the original plans? Or is that scrapped?

They ditched the street level retail... that corner is gonna be pretty brutal now.

Scrapped.

[Flatland Metropolis]

Any street level retail or condominium was going to be a tough sell there anyway. There are far more problems in that North Portage area than there are for the prospects of South Portage and the Exchange. It might of been better with it there but I bet they ran into problems and were advised against it.

[trueviking]

Considering the public investment in the parkade it is disappointing that the retail storefronts were deleted. It should really be against downtown design guidelines to build a parkade to the sidewalk.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by trueviking

Considering the public investment in the parkade it is disappointing that the retail storefronts were deleted. It should really be against downtown design guidelines to build a parkade to the sidewalk.

Agreed, especially when its along two streets, and both have storefronts across the street.

[Authentic_City]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Agreed, especially when its along two streets, and both have storefronts across the street.

And it's also especially disappointing considering a number of viable businesses were located in storefronts there prior to the development of the parkade.

[Winnipeg Architect]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

And it's also especially disappointing considering a number of viable businesses were located in storefronts there prior to the development of the parkade.

Centre Venture has the control.

They approved whatever the Chipmans want.

They vacated the Exchange and moved beside the Jets so the could mingle with the millionaires and billionaires.

CV gave up on Waterfront/Exchange many years ago.

[ediger]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

And it's also especially disappointing considering a number of viable businesses were located in storefronts there prior to the development of the parkade.

This is what bugs me. They could/should have worked in something where the previous business still had space available to them.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

And it's also especially disappointing considering a number of viable businesses were located in storefronts there prior to the development of the parkade.

Really? There’s empty storefronts all over that area. Expensive units available along Portage and cheaper units all along ellie and side streets. Looks like crap seeing all those empty spots.

[Authentic_City]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

Really? There’s empty storefronts all over that area. Expensive units available along Portage and cheaper units all along ellie and side streets. Looks like crap seeing all those empty spots.

Yes, but so what? The businesses along Hargrave simply disappeared. Where did they go? The parkade replaced a number of viable street level businesses. Hargrave will now be a dead zone dominated by a parkade (except in the fantasy render, where the street will be teeming with late clutching yuppies). This is disappointing considering the public subsidy that went into the development. When public money is involved, I think the public has a right to be disappointed when the development destroys rather that adds to the vibrancy of the street.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

Yes, but so what? The businesses along Hargrave simply disappeared. Where did they go? The parkade replaced a number of viable street level businesses. Hargrave will now be a dead zone dominated by a parkade (except in the fantasy render, where the street will be teeming with late clutching yuppies). This is disappointing considering the public subsidy that went into the development. When public money is involved, I think the public has a right to be disappointed when the development destroys rather that adds to the vibrancy of the street.

It is sad that virtually nothing ever gets built in downtown Winnipeg without something being demolished to make way for it, as opposed to building on a site that has been a vacant lot for over a decade. There are some exceptions to that rule, but there are very, very few of them.

For all the downtown development that has occurred since the turn of the century, the number of surface parking spaces has barely budged. The WCC expansion is probably the first solid dent in that overall total since 2000.

[Cyro]

Originally Posted by esquire

For all the downtown development that has occurred since the turn of the century, the number of surface parking spaces has barely budged. The WCC expansion is probably the first solid dent in that overall total since 2000.

Steady as she goes. WCC is one lot, SoPo potentially is 2. SkyCity, who knows, is three.
Winnipeg has a way to go, but it is finally moving in the right direction.

Although the Alt/GH parkade is not ideal it again shows forward movement after as you say a decade at least of stagnation.