Winnipeg Construction

[Boreal]

The Louis Riel conversion is huge. Biggest win in downtown since the York conversion! It also increases the attractiveness in the marketplace for a hotelier to build anew.

[headhorse]

Originally Posted by JamieDavid Exchange

So he says. Just wish there was more merit behind his "stay tuned" statements. I bet the next big project will be announced via the media or twitter, like it always is. I don't see the reasoning in saying something but not coughing up any details. If you can't say something due to confidentiality, don't say anything at all. Just my opinion and not to be taken personally.

I think there is merit behind his stay tuned statements... I appreciate the hints. I think we can be patient.

[Mininari]

Originally Posted by Boreal

The Louis Riel conversion is huge. Biggest win in downtown since the York conversion! It also increases the attractiveness in the marketplace for a hotelier to build anew.

I was thinking the same thing.

All this behind-the-scenes, 'wait for it' is definitely taking its toll on me too. I guess its a slow-go to get the wheels rolling on these projects since they are big investments on the part of the developers. The key is we need some of them built to start paying dividends (visible changes; more residents / visitors). Until that happens, we just have to be patient through the entire process... from rumour to drawings to construction.

[armorand93]

Originally Posted by Boreal

The Louis Riel conversion is huge. Biggest win in downtown since the York conversion! It also increases the attractiveness in the marketplace for a hotelier to build anew.

We better get something good too! No generic airport-area, waterpark, beige hotel crap...

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by JamieDavid Exchange

So he says. Just wish there was more merit behind his "stay tuned" statements. I bet the next big project will be announced via the media or twitter, like it always is. I don't see the reasoning in saying something but not coughing up any details. If you can't say something due to confidentiality, don't say anything at all. Just my opinion and not to be taken personally.

I too prefer to quietly celebrate the small successes rather than this "wait and see" windbaggery. We have a pretty big failure rate WRT big projects downtown, the biggest one ever just starting to hit the skids right now.

[Only The Lonely..]

Originally Posted by JamieDavid Exchange

So he says. Just wish there was more merit behind his "stay tuned" statements. I bet the next big project will be announced via the media or twitter, like it always is. I don't see the reasoning in saying something but not coughing up any details. If you can't say something due to confidentiality, don't say anything at all. Just my opinion and not to be taken personally.

Without hearsay and conjecture, SkyscraperPage just wouldn't be SkyscraperPage..

[rrskylar]

Will the Crystal Developers Ltd. project on Main ever leave the gravel lot stage? How many years has it been 4? 5? 7?

Some of these projects seem to stall about as badly as anything in Saskatoon.

[Biff]

The thing about these mystery projects is that there is an incredible amount of unpublicized interest in downtown Winnipeg right now. More than i have ever seen. If all would get built (undoubtedly some will not come to fruition) Winnipeg's downtown would be instantly transformed from a density stand point and a skyline altering standpoint. There could be a dozen or so tower cranes in downtown if all happened at the same time - something that never happens here.

All of this is good news here, where everyone cry's about every project being government funded or subsidized. These are private developments - huge private developments.

Be patient.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Will the Crystal Developers Ltd. project on Main ever leave the gravel lot stage? How many years has it been 4? 5? 7?

Some of these projects seem to stall about as badly as anything in Saskatoon.

What project are you referring too?

[Biff]

Originally Posted by inlp89

This is a perfect example of the old mind-set of Winnipeg. “Don’t make me get out of my car and walk” Drive everywhere… Imagine if Times Square was closed off to pedestrians, sure the traffic would flow better but thats not the point. I know Portage and Main is no Times Square but it is a pretty famous corner and when people look at it now, it is completely barren and kind of funny in a shameful kind of way. I don’t mean to call you out Bluenote, and I respect your opinion but pedestrian traffic is the heartbeat of any successful neighborhood/city and not underground, plus more visible pedestrians cuts down on street crime. Moving the barricades from P&M isn’t going to solve everything but it is a step in the right direction and maybe we could have a miniature “Times Square” of our own.

I have to say, as unpopular as it is, i am on the don't open side. I think the overlying issue with P&M is that it is also the main transportation thoroughfare for the downtown. Not to diminish Times Square but there are over 13 other MAJOR north-south streets and even more east-west streets that connect to either the FDR or other "freeways" out of Manhattan.

Portage and Main are Winnipeg's "freeways" and that intersection carries the highest volume of traffic in the downtown area. Times Square has stores and theaters as well as the spectacle that is the lights of the square itself. P&M is just historic and old with 4 office towers. I don't see the charm or desire to want to cross 9 lanes of traffic just to get to the other side.

.......just my opinion.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by Biff

I don't see the charm or desire to want to cross 9 lanes of traffic just to get to the other side.

I used to cross Portage at Fort as a pedistrean on a daily basis and it is a long distance from curb to curb. The Portage and Main intersection would be a similar distance and likely just as unappealing to pedistreans. The current version of the intersection is just ugly though and something should be done to dress it up, although simply removing the concrete barriers and letting pedistreans cross will not solve things.

[bryanscott]

Originally Posted by Bluenote

But Who really needs to use it????
What is one the other side???

Nonsense. Just...nonsense.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by Biff

What project are you referring too?

i think hes refering to 100 main

[Biff]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

i think hes refering to 100 main

The park portion is supposed to get going in Feb 2013. Crystal Developments is not involved in the Upper Fort Garry Development.

Regarding Heritage Landing & Crystal Construction - all trades are secured and construction is underway.

[flatlander]

I guess I have to disagree with the Place Louis conversion. I agree downtown needs residents - that's the first priority. But losing a hotel - which generates as much or more activity than permanent residents - sucks big time. It's bad for our convention business. It was hard enough making a conference work before the Sheraton re-converted. Now it's harder. Those people spent dollars in town - dollars that could easily be spent elsewhere.

We really need more downtown hotels, connected to the Convention Centre. And I'm tired of waiting for Lakeview to do it.

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by flatlander

I guess I have to disagree with the Place Louis conversion. I agree downtown needs residents - that's the first priority. But losing a hotel - which generates as much or more activity than permanent residents - sucks big time. It's bad for our convention business. It was hard enough making a conference work before the Sheraton re-converted. Now it's harder. Those people spent dollars in town - dollars that could easily be spent elsewhere.

We really need more downtown hotels, connected to the Convention Centre. And I'm tired of waiting for Lakeview to do it.

Considering there are several new downtown hotels being built or planned, I wouldn't worry about losing Place Louis Riel.

[inlp89]

Originally Posted by Biff

I have to say, as unpopular as it is, i am on the don't open side. I think the overlying issue with P&M is that it is also the main transportation thoroughfare for the downtown. Not to diminish Times Square but there are over 13 other MAJOR north-south streets and even more east-west streets that connect to either the FDR or other "freeways" out of Manhattan.

Portage and Main are Winnipeg's "freeways" and that intersection carries the highest volume of traffic in the downtown area. Times Square has stores and theaters as well as the spectacle that is the lights of the square itself. P&M is just historic and old with 4 office towers. I don't see the charm or desire to want to cross 9 lanes of traffic just to get to the other side.

.......just my opinion.

Hey biff, good point. I should have added that YES it would be a re-route of P&M. It would be a huge undertaking but if any DT has the empty parking lots and buildings that could be sacrificed in order to do so its Wpg. It's hard to imagine Wpg as less of a car first city but unless you want to move back in time to the 50's way of thinking, moving away from the automobile is what is taking place in forward thinking cities that want to feature and market historic places like P & M, but it takes a bit of a change in mind-set first... Cheers

[h0twired]

Originally Posted by inlp89

It's hard to imagine Wpg as less of a car first city but unless you want to move back in time to the 50's way of thinking, moving away from the automobile is what is taking place in forward thinking cities that want to feature and market historic places like P & M, but it takes a bit of a change in mind-set first... Cheers

Forward thinking cities? Not exactly.

Most of these "forward thinking cities" haven't moved away from the automobile. In fact they are embracing it more and more and are just building multi-level freeways around areas that are now considered "historic" or "cultural".

We are also talking about cities here where traffic is so bad, that it seems almost insane to want to drive through them. So people take subways and trains to avoid losing their mind stuck in traffic only to have to find a scarce parking spot and spend $50 for the two hours that they need to park their car.

[Riverman]

Originally Posted by Biff

These are private developments - huge private developments.

Be patient.

If this is true, and I have no reason to doubt you, this is very good news. A historic turning point almost.

[rrskylar]

Guess this was the project I was thinking of, forgot they had moved it from Main.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Green-light-given-to--96057199.html