Winnipeg Construction X

[Brule-le]

Firm no thank you.

[plrh]

Originally Posted by esquire

Are you trying to manage our expectations?

Seriously, the suburban thing reminds me of the bad old days in the 90s and early 00s when nothing was getting built in prairie downtowns, except Calgary. In particular, I remember the excitement in Edmonton when suburban stuff like this would go up downtown... now it just seems kind of lame.

Do you remember when 99 Gerard went up? I was excited. Those were pretty slow times. 2003 I think. If it weren't for the trees blocking it now it would look pretty bad.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by plrh

Do you remember when 99 Gerard went up? I was excited. Those were pretty slow times. 2003 I think. If it weren't for the trees blocking it now it would look pretty bad.

Oh yeah, that project was a major topic of conversation in the Winnipeg threads circa 20 years ago!

[Jeff]

this is right up there with the "opportunities" sign on the lot at portage and furby. on that note, i'm curious if anyone is kicking the tires to redevelop the old club morocco/kirkwood block. the site needs a vague sign placed on it at the very minimum.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by esquire

Are you trying to manage our expectations?

Seriously, the suburban thing reminds me of the bad old days in the 90s and early 00s when nothing was getting built in prairie downtowns, except Calgary. In particular, I remember the excitement in Edmonton when suburban stuff like this would go up downtown... now it just seems kind of lame.

Ha ha. Not at all. I’d love for every downtown parking lot to be filled with a six storey building. I’m not sure what makes that suburban. I was in Minneapolis recently and every new building downtown was six storeys. It was great.

I’d take downtown streets like this all day long.

[rrskylar]

^ Looks modern European!

The city should be pushing for this, not everything downtown needs to be 15+ stories!

[thebasketballgeek]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

^ Looks modern European!

The city should be pushing for this, not everything downtown needs to be 15+ stories!

100% agree and we should be looking for more 6-8 storey midrises because they are more human-scaled anyway. The Exchange District is our homegrown example of what good urbanism can look like without needing that imposing scale a lot of new builds in Downtown bring to the table.

Don’t get me wrong I love highrises and think there should be more of them. That’s why I’m on this forum lol. But any residential that fills a surface parking lot is always a plus and the faster we can fill them up the more desirable living in Downtown would be.

[WinCitySparky]

197 Osborne is a perfect example of what we need more of everywhere built right to the sidewalk

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by esquire

I'd certainly prefer the monolith to the suburban style lowrise building pictured above...

Absolutely The tall one giving some height to the skyline.
& my friends with BID's also agree.
Who wants a low-rise smack in the middle of downtown?
On the outskirts of the city centre sure but not such a prominent spot.
I agree on some streets where the land is not this costly some 8 - 14 floor residential is fine.
It would have to be taller to make it profitable.
The land costs a fortune.
Plus, there going to be some changes to the design.
It will not be the most glamorous tower in the world, so we need to keep it real.
This is not NYC nor the T Dot.
It will need to be somewhat affordable to succeed.

[BAKGUY]

Originally Posted by Jeff

this is right up there with the "opportunities" sign on the lot at portage and furby. on that note, i'm curious if anyone is kicking the tires to redevelop the old club morocco/kirkwood block. the site needs a vague sign placed on it at the very minimum.

I am unsure why the main floor of those buildings were not demolished? Kirkwood +
Is it far more attractive leaving it as is?
Does it have more curb/eye appeal this way>? Asking for a friend. lol

[The Jabroni]

Originally Posted by drew

"Another Project"...

Don't you need a first project before you can have another project?

Before Biff had to drop a truth bomb, I was gonna say that the first project leading to another project was building their website.

It seems that they're not finished yet.

[trueviking]

^BAKGUY

I’m not opposed to a 40 storey tower, but I would be happy if it turned out to be a nice 6 storey building. Skylines don’t impress me.

I would definitely prefer that to a 12 storey parkade.

[GreyGarden]

I’ve posted it so many times but I’d much rather 5 buildings that are 7 floors rather than one building that is 40 floors. I understand the economics of urban development and appreciate that it’s not that simple.

I’d be thrilled with a few 5-10 storey buildings in the inner city and downtown. I just want Winnipeg to get with the program and start building them like everybody else. Why is no one building anything like this:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/46...hj15l?hl=en-ca

This type of development is so common in Canada. It seems very cookie-cutter in Ontario these days, but they seem to be really successful. Definitely not the most beautiful mid rise, but it seems like it should be realistically achievable for Winnipeg.

[GreyGarden]

Those views of streets in Minneapolis are incredible. I’d love to see some streets like that in Winnipeg’s inner city.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by GreyGarden

I’ve posted it so many times but I’d much rather 5 buildings that are 7 floors rather than one building that is 40 floors. I understand the economics of urban development and appreciate that it’s not that simple.

I’d be thrilled with a few 5-10 storey buildings in the inner city and downtown. I just want Winnipeg to get with the program and start building them like everybody else. Why is no one building anything like this:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/46...hj15l?hl=en-ca

This type of development is so common in Canada. It seems very cookie-cutter in Ontario these days, but they seem to be really successful. Definitely not the most beautiful mid rise, but it seems like it should be realistically achievable for Winnipeg.

well this will piss off many in the forum a it's not downtown or OV, but Sage Creek has built similar, not exact. pic is from 2021, but all that main floor is occupied with Physio, Empty Cup coffee, Medical Centre and across the street has dance studio upstairs, main level has Mary Brown Chicken, bakery, fitness, eye doc, etc.

https://www.google.com/maps/@49.8343...7i16384!8i8192

[esquire]

I don't mind a good lowrise building in the downtown area... there are many newer ones that are well done. But they fit in best in places that have a lowrise character, like the Exchange District or Bro-Ass. Putting a suburban looking lowrise across from the Radisson, of all buildings, just makes it look like a fish out of water.

I mean, this is not a great building for a downtown setting... this will not turn Smith Street into that strip in Minneapolis:

Originally Posted by trueviking

They have built one residential building. To be honest I’d be fine if this is what they build there.

I guess if all downtown Winnipeg can get is that then have at 'er, it's better than a surface parking lot. But I'd much rather that the developers, such as they are, be encouraged to realize their somewhat more ambitious plans.

[dmacc]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

well this will piss off many in the forum a it's not downtown or OV, but Sage Creek has built similar, not exact. pic is from 2021, but all that main floor is occupied with Physio, Empty Cup coffee, Medical Centre and across the street has dance studio upstairs, main level has Mary Brown Chicken, bakery, fitness, eye doc, etc.

https://www.google.com/maps/@49.8343...7i16384!8i8192

Sage Creek has done a great job with that street. Even if you cross the other side of Sage Creek Blvd one side is lined with street front businesses. The other side was recently rezoned and should include street front commercial with a couple apartments behind and next to it.

Though the street front commercial on Sage Creek Blvd doesn't actually have access from the sidewalks which is disappointing, all of Burning Glass commercial is accessible from the sidewalk.

[esquire]

That Sage Creek area is still a car-centric jumbled mess, but at least it's better than the typical suburban development commercial area of the 1970s-2000s.

[GreyGarden]

That’s true. Sage Creek is not an attractive lifestyle for me but it seems to be working for many.

I’d love to see more of this style of development on corners in West Broadway. Osborne is finally starting to get it. I’d love a development like the ones shown above anchor a liquor store and a Shoppers Drugmart. I feel like every third development in Ontario has either an LCBO or Shoppers/Rexall as a tenant.

[Sheepish]

One building doesn't achieve anything...definite fish out of water. A series of buildings...along Smith, Donald, Graham creates a neighborhood with density, street activity...and most importantly eliminates the damned parking lots. That is what our Mayor and council and planning dept should be encouraging.