West Broadway Area | Winnipeg | Development - Page 22

OTA in Winnipeg · #**421** Posted **May 1, 2020, 4:14 PM**

Verna's was there too along with My Place Pie Place I believe.

drew · #**422** Posted **May 1, 2020, 4:34 PM**

I did some quick searches online, but couldn't find any pictures of what the building that used to be there.

plrh · #**423** Posted **May 2, 2020, 4:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lbnevs

What used to be there? Google Street View seems to only go back as far as 2007, where you can see the vacant lot...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/christ...57603719880943

esquire · #**424** Posted **May 2, 2020, 3:46 PM**

I would think there is some significant value attached to that accessory parking lot now that it's there... as much as I'd love to see it get filled in with a building, I'd be pretty surprised to see it happen.

plrh · #**425** Posted **May 2, 2020, 5:03 PM**

$2.5m buys the whole thing. The block to the north is much more of a problem than one parking lot. This property is no worse than the shell or the tim hortons.

drew · #**426** Posted **May 2, 2020, 6:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by plrh

https://www.flickr.com/photos/christ...57603719880943

Thanks for finding that.

Well, to be sure that previous building certainty wasn't a stunner. But it's value was definitely in that it was built up to the sidewalk and wrapped around the corner.

I am also in agreement that lot is now too valuable as parking for the nygard eyesore.

Too bad, that single storey building could have been repurpose as a restaurant, office or maybe a brew pub.

buzzg · #**427** Posted **May 3, 2020, 10:08 PM**

In a perfect world you could acquire the 2 storey office behind it and build a new tall mixed use building there that could incorporate parking for the whole developement.

plrh · #**428** Posted **May 3, 2020, 10:20 PM**

I really like Sherbrook these days. It's the best it's been in years. The entire length has been doing well. I just really hate that block between Broadway and Portage. If my wife threw me out I would move to West Broadway. I will have to live with River Heights I guess.

buzzg · #**429** Posted **May 4, 2020, 1:42 AM**

I hate how Shell stations have massive negative impacts on some of our most prominent streets: Sherbrook, Osborne, Corydon.

esquire · #**430** Posted **May 4, 2020, 12:02 PM**

At least the ones on Sherbrook and Osborne are relatively compact... the one Corydon though takes up probably double the amount of space that it really has to. I always found that one irritating.

plrh · #**431** Posted **May 4, 2020, 1:20 PM**

I was thinking about urban gas stations. They are way larger than they need to be, I guess that's from the history of service stations requiring bays and such. There is a big Shell on Portage and Maryland too, the one on Sherbrook and Broadway probably makes more money as a convenience store than on gas.

When I was in China, I noticed a lot of gas stations were down small back lanes. They had minimal signage, you would pull up to an overhead door and they would run a hose out. I'm not saying we should be like China, but it's nice that they hide their ugly stuff (in this particular case). Ideally I don't think gas stations should be at prominent, visible locations, but that's commerce.

esquire · #**432** Posted **May 4, 2020, 1:42 PM**

^ I agree, the size of gas stations probably has to do with their legacy as 'service stations' when they might have actually needed the space. I can live with the Shell on Osborne since as you point out it's basically a convenience store with pumps out front. But massive ones like the Co-op farther south along Osborne are just absurd... they take up double the footprint that they need to. The City could arguably stand to prevent that kind of thing from happening.

buzzg · #**433** Posted **May 4, 2020, 2:15 PM**

The Corydon Shell is much bigger than Osborne and Sherbrook because it has a car wash. I'm very curious to see how much longer the two autobody shops across from Shell on Corydon last. While it's sad to lose businesses that have been around for decades, I'd love to see them replaced with something better. At least the one beside Kristina's because it's big and all along the sidewalk, the one on the corner isn't nearly as bad.

esquire · #**434** Posted **May 4, 2020, 3:20 PM**

I realize that there is a car wash at the Corydon location but I have a hard time believing that it couldn't be set up in a more compact way. Or they could lose the car wash and make the site significantly smaller. Having such a huge gas station lot really hinders that side of the street.

Bdog · #**435** Posted **May 5, 2020, 12:03 AM**

Small 4 pump and even 8 pump gas bars aren't feasible anymore, which is why they've been closing all over the city for decades now. The only ones that can actually be built are the 16 plus pump monoliths that Co-op and the other big players have been building in the last 20 years. Economies of scale and all that.

It's not like these gas stations are holding back development. There are countless abandoned stations along every major street that have yet to be redeveloped. There are also less gas stations now than there have ever been in the city since probably the 50s or 60s. As much as they seem to be hated, gas stations are still a needed amenity in all neighbourhoods since every neighbourhood has drivers. Yes, even Osborne Village, Corydon Village and West Broadway.

buzzg · #**436** Posted **May 5, 2020, 12:07 AM**

Convenience stores are needed on local high streets, gas stations are not. By definition only vehicles (which can travel “far” easily) need gas pumps. No reason locating them around the way off high streets couldn’t happen. Stafford and Pembina both good places to replace Osborne, Corydon ones.

Authentic_City · #**437** Posted **May 5, 2020, 1:52 PM**

Who says smaller gas stations are no longer feasible? My local go to gas station is a smaller Husky with maybe 8 pumps and it’s always busy. Same goes for the West End Husky on Ellice and Arlington. These operations seem appropriately scaled for older neighbourhoods. I think there is a corporate preference on the part of Coop to develop huge stations, while the smaller Husky stations may be owner operated franchises. Also, Domo seems to survive with very small stations. I think gas stations can adapt to a variety of forms, including small format.

drew · #**438** Posted **May 5, 2020, 1:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bdog

Small 4 pump and even 8 pump gas bars aren't feasible anymore, which is why they've been closing all over the city for decades now. The only ones that can actually be built are the 16 plus pump monoliths that Co-op and the other big players have been building in the last 20 years. Economies of scale and all that.

It's not like these gas stations are holding back development. There are countless abandoned stations along every major street that have yet to be redeveloped. There are also less gas stations now than there have ever been in the city since probably the 50s or 60s. As much as they seem to be hated, gas stations are still a needed amenity in all neighbourhoods since every neighbourhood has drivers. Yes, even Osborne Village, Corydon Village and West Broadway.

Often with these old service stations, there is a substantial ($$) amount of environmental remediation required on these sites prior to redevelopment that may be one of the reasons they remain vacant long after the old buildings/pumps have been demo'd and removed. This is especially the case for service stations along streets where land values are comparatively low.

Bdog · #**439** Posted **May 5, 2020, 4:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

Often with these old service stations, there is a substantial ($$) amount of environmental remediation required on these sites prior to redevelopment that may be one of the reasons they remain vacant long after the old buildings/pumps have been demo'd and removed. This is especially the case for service stations along streets where land values are comparatively low.

For sure. And that's part of the point. If the Corydon or Sherbook Shell were demolished tomorrow, some expect that developers would be clamouring to build a mixed use building up to the sidewalk right away. I doubt that would be the case.

Bdog · #**440** Posted **May 5, 2020, 4:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Authentic_City

Who says smaller gas stations are no longer feasible? My local go to gas station is a smaller Husky with maybe 8 pumps and it’s always busy. Same goes for the West End Husky on Ellice and Arlington. These operations seem appropriately scaled for older neighbourhoods. I think there is a corporate preference on the part of Coop to develop huge stations, while the smaller Husky stations may be owner operated franchises. Also, Domo seems to survive with very small stations. I think gas stations can adapt to a variety of forms, including small format.

Gas stations are a low margin business. The profit isn't in selling gas, but in the extras. The more customers you can churn through your convenience store buying high margin hot rods, windshield washer fluid, chocolate bars, and car washes, the more profitable your location. Yes, there are still 4 pump gas stations that survive, but almost no new ones being built. Dozens of small gas stations, including Domos, have shut down over the past 30 years.