Winnipeg |390 on the river (d Condo) | ~81M | 24F | U/C - Page 22

LilZebra · #**421** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 3:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Agreed 100%. It is embarrassing how such prominent sites like NW Main and Broadway, the entire west side of Broadway and Garry and SE Broadway and Donald are given over to surface lots. I thought that the Cambrian CU building at Broadway and Fort would be the first of many projects when it was built 12 years ago or so, but it has been followed by absolutely nothing else along that strip... even though the area has changed a fair bit.

I'd like to see the area along 120 Donald be for an upper income shopping street - Saks 5th Avenue if you will. It already has that New York City feel.

http://www.accessoriesmagazine.com/7...hudsons-bay-co

BigG · #**422** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 3:41 PM**

^^That strip needs a lot of development. Surface lots across the street and directly to the North. So much potential...

esquire · #**423** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 3:53 PM**

Personally, I'd just love to see the corner of Broadway and Donald get filled in with buildings that have CRUs at the bottom. The SE corner is just crying out for one, and even that NW corner would be a good fit although I'm sure CRA would rather chop off its arm than part with that little parking lot.

BigG · #**424** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 4:55 PM**

^Yeah, that corner gets quite busy in the summer with the lunch hour crowds and food trucks all around. Can you imagine if those two corners you mentioned had meaningful CRUs?

Urban recluse · #**425** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 5:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimj_wpg

I'd like to see the area along 120 Donald be for an upper income shopping street - Saks 5th Avenue if you will. It already has that New York City feel.

http://www.accessoriesmagazine.com/7...hudsons-bay-co

Winnipeg does need such a neighborhood downtown, or close to it. Kansas City has a shopping district called Country Club Plaza, which even cities like Edmonton and Calgary do not have, let alone Winnipeg. I think a scaled down version of such would be wonderful for this area.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@39.04126...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.ca/maps/@39.04229...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.ca/maps/@39.04229...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.ca/maps/@39.04232...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.ca/maps/@39.04232...7i13312!8i6656

esquire · #**426** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 5:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigG

^Yeah, that corner gets quite busy in the summer with the lunch hour crowds and food trucks all around. Can you imagine if those two corners you mentioned had meaningful CRUs?

I tried to think of one example of a corner in Winnipeg that meets the following basic criteria of a walkable urban intersection that you would find hundreds of in a big city:

1) Multistorey buildings (even just 2 floors) on all 4 corners. No big setbacks, parking lots or turning lanes permitted, just 4 buildings built square to the corner.
2) Occupied CRUs at the bottom corner of all 4 buildings. Banks, stores, restaurants all count. Government offices or other offices largely closed to the public do not.
3) Traffic lights on the intersection.

McDermot and Albert is the only one I can think of. Are there any others? It's actually amazing how few there are in this city.

LilZebra · #**427** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 6:30 PM**

^^^

Too many shopping at IKEA, but yes, that's why I think an upper retail would work closer to 120 Donald because of the foot traffic there now - residences, daily workers.

The corners used to be The Bay & Eaton's, but they're gone now.

BigG · #**428** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 6:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

I tried to think of one example of a corner in Winnipeg that meets the following basic criteria of a walkable urban intersection that you would find hundreds of in a big city:

1) Multistorey buildings (even just 2 floors) on all 4 corners. No big setbacks, parking lots or turning lanes permitted, just 4 buildings built square to the corner.
2) Occupied CRUs at the bottom corner of all 4 buildings. Banks, stores, restaurants all count. Government offices or other offices largely closed to the public do not.
3) Traffic lights on the intersection.

McDermot and Albert is the only one I can think of. Are there any others? It's actually amazing how few there are in this city.

You know what? I'm stumped. I thought maybe in Osborne or Corydon Villages but it doesn't meet the three criterium you stated. That's sad. Maybe someone else can make this forumer a bit happier.

Urban recluse · #**429** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 7:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimj_wpg

^^^

Too many shopping at IKEA, but yes, that's why I think an upper retail would work closer to 120 Donald because of the foot traffic there now - residences, daily workers.

The corners used to be The Bay & Eaton's, but they're gone now.

Based on the number of employees who work along Broadway (with decent salaries), the increasing density of south Broadway/Assiniboine, and the hideous surface lots along Donald, this stretch would be wonderful for some classier retail.

esquire · #**430** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 7:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigG

You know what? I'm stumped. I thought maybe in Osborne or Corydon Villages but it doesn't meet the three criterium you stated. That's sad. Maybe someone else can make this forumer a bit happier.

I guess McDermot and Arthur qualifies too, if you accept a basement gym as a main-level CRU. Corydon and Lilac qualifies if you forgo the multistorey building requirement.

But it's really kind of amazing... so few of a basic urban feature in a city as big as this.

Urban recluse · #**431** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 7:27 PM**

A city of 800,000? I am inclined to replace amazing with pathetic. Even Boise (I say even, but it is a beautiful city) has a more vibrant downtown, and as I giggle, more of what you are questioning.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.61656...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.61693...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.61339...7i13312!8i6656

Without the multi-storey requirement, Stafford & Grosvenor.

esquire · #**432** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 7:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

A city of 800,000? I am inclined to replace amazing with pathetic. Even Boise (I say even, but it is a beautiful city) has a more vibrant downtown, and as I giggle, more of what you are questioning.

Here's an example from Fargo:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@46.87695...8i6656!6m1!1e1

I know it's not a be-all and end-all, but having activity on all 4 corners is a good indicator of a vibrant downtown. This is why I hate whenever the idea to create a new "plaza" downtown comes up... it just ends up being a windswept void that prevents the use of the site for something that would create a good urban environment.

Urban recluse · #**433** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 7:52 PM**

Yes, Fargo has come a long way, baby. City officials and the business community have created a charming downtown.

The potential here...

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.89855...7i13312!8i6656

What is with the horrible paint job on the Galt Block?

BigG · #**434** Posted **Nov 18, 2015, 9:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

A city of 800,000? I am inclined to replace amazing with pathetic. Even Boise (I say even, but it is a beautiful city) has a more vibrant downtown, and as I giggle, more of what you are questioning.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.61656...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.61693...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.61339...7i13312!8i6656

Without the multi-storey requirement, Stafford & Grosvenor.

That came to mind also. The Grove gets quite busy on weekends including the Saturday/Sunday brunch hours. It's actually hard to get a parking spot in the evening on weekends. It's worth walking half a block, though, just to be part of the action. That corner has a nice feel to it whenever it's busy like that.

steveosnyder · #**435** Posted **Nov 19, 2015, 3:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

A city of 800,000? I am inclined to replace amazing with pathetic. Even Boise (I say even, but it is a beautiful city) has a more vibrant downtown, and as I giggle, more of what you are questioning.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.61656...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.61693...7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.61339...7i13312!8i6656

Without the multi-storey requirement, Stafford & Grosvenor.

Without multi-storey you could look in former downtown transcona, charleswood or along Selkirk Ave and still find intersections like this too... These areas have a lot of potential, but everyone usually ignores them (except perhaps charleswood).

PS: I like all the pictures except the one that's the intersection of 2 one-way streets... You can see the difference between the 2 along narrow streets and the one with the wide one-ways.

esquire · #**436** Posted **Nov 19, 2015, 4:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveosnyder

Without multi-storey you could look in former downtown transcona, charleswood or along Selkirk Ave and still find intersections like this too... These areas have a lot of potential, but everyone usually ignores them (except perhaps charleswood).

Selkirk is hands down the most urban street in all of Winnipeg outside the downtown area. That's even in spite of all the demolitions that have taken place in the last 20 years... the potential that this avenue holds is immense... I just hope it starts to get realized before too many more buildings come down.

BigG · #**437** Posted **Nov 19, 2015, 4:48 PM**

There are also bits and pieces of it on Sargent and Ellice avenues.

esquire · #**438** Posted **Nov 19, 2015, 4:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigG

There are also bits and pieces of it on Sargent and Ellice avenues.

A number of intersections with CRUs on 3 corners but none with 4 to my knowledge. Definitely two of the better streets when it comes to urban form, even if they are a bit down at the heels.

BigG · #**439** Posted **Nov 19, 2015, 4:59 PM**

This corner has so much potential with the WECC and Cafe and theatre across the street. It's just that used car lot that kills it, but that stretch from the UofW to Maryland can be something else given the opportunity.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.89296...2!8i6656?hl=en

steveosnyder · #**440** Posted **Nov 19, 2015, 5:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Selkirk is hands down the most urban street in all of Winnipeg outside the downtown area. That's even in spite of all the demolitions that have taken place in the last 20 years... the potential that this avenue holds is immense... I just hope it starts to get realized before too many more buildings come down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigG

There are also bits and pieces of it on Sargent and Ellice avenues.

I can think of a few that have a bit of potential aside from what was mentioned already... In all seriousness, a lot of streets have potential...

Let's see if we can give a list, I'll see if I can start something in Expresso.