The Elmwood Hub
Location: 545 Watt St.
Neighbourhood: Munroe West -
Elmwood-East Kildonan Ward (East Kildonan-Transcona Community Committee)
Developer: Elmwood Community Resource Centre | Inuka
Architect: Cibinel Architecture Ltd
Status: In development
Documents:Media: Description: The Elmwood Community Resource Centre (ECRC), current leaseholder of the City-owned property at 545 Watt Street, is developing a new mixed-use neighbourhood hub on Proposed Lot 1 — a one-acre site (43,932 sq ft) selected for affordable housing through the City of Winnipeg’s Housing Accelerator Fund Land Enhancement Office. As part of the project, the City has subdivided the land and rezoned it from R1-S to CMU (Mature Communities PDO-1 Commercial Mixed Use). The existing one-storey building will be demolished to make way for a new 78-foot-tall, mixed-use building that will serve as ECRC’s expanded home while incorporating approximately 115 mixed-income residential units above the ground floor. Of these units, 46 will be affordable (at or below 80% of median market rent), 18 will be barrier-free, and 20 units on the third floor will provide second-stage housing for survivors of gender-based violence. The residential mix includes studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, supported by resident amenities such as a small gym, indoor games area, library, and sauna. The ground floor will house ECRC’s community spaces, including a gym, classroom, multipurpose room for youth programs and events, and a commercial kitchen. ECRC, a nonprofit Family Resource Centre with over 40 staff (70% from Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour communities, many of whom are local to Elmwood), currently serves more than 6,000 community members annually through programs focused on mental health, addiction recovery, immigrant settlement, employment training, and support for gender-based violence survivors. The development includes 71 vehicle parking stalls (five accessible), 77 bicycle parking spaces, and generous landscaping featuring 19 trees, 110 shrubs, and additional plantings. Outdoor amenities will include balconies, a pedestrian plaza with seating, a fenced play area, a healing garden, a contemplative garden, and a gathering plaza. This project will significantly enhance housing options in Elmwood while strengthening vital community services in a well-designed, pedestrian-friendly mixed-use building.
This development is one of five sites selected for sale or lease to build affordable housing on City-owned properties through the Housing Accelerator Funds Land Enhancement Office.
Permits:
• Video Link