Winnipeg | Osborne Village & Corydon area

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by Jeff

^^^ it probably can't be developed now because the standing water in the pit is the breeding ground to some endangered mosquito species or something.

They're a precious part of our urban ecosystem. The rarest of all mosquitoes, the yellow-crested red river mosquito!

[WinCitySparky]

The Provincial bird

[Rutlander]

Originally Posted by Jeff

^^^ it probably can't be developed now because the standing water in the pit is the breeding ground to some endangered mosquito species or something.

Save our wetlands!

[Biff]

The people on Shaftsbury protesting against the proposed multi-family building would say "Save our Parks" regarding the open space behind this proposed Osborne building.

[Jeff]

and considering the nice little heritage building that they tore down for it as well....

[WinCitySparky]

Giant holes abandoned by developers and foundations with unstarted/unfinished buildings in them is quickly becoming part of our heritage though, so you could say it was an even trade.

[borkborkbork]

Looks like the project at Scott/Wardlaw is seeking to convert its ground floor CRUs into additional residential units mid-build.

Hearings item #5: https://clkapps.winnipeg.ca/DMIS/Vie...onId=&InitUrl=

Not sure if this is because of lots of demand for residential units... or just weakness in the retail/commercial market. It's a bit of a weird location for retail/commercial since it's a residential street without a lot of foot traffic or visibility. I could see one CRU with a convenience store or dentist's office or something locally focused but I'd imagine 3 CRUs in that location would be tough

[esquire]

^ New streetfront CRUs that aren't part of a strip mall or something else with a parking lot directly attached seem almost unleaseable IMO. For all the MURB development happening around town, so little of it seems to have any commercial space, and the ones that do often take forever to get leased. I assume this has to do with high lease rates for new space?

[Biff]

I have to say that as slow as Private Pension Partners Inc has been on the development of the ZU on Osborne - building fronting Osborne is now up to floor 5 and installing full floor glazing on the main floor - they are actually getting started on the phase 2 building across the street (Wardlaw). I figured that for sure it would become one of those typical future phases that never gets built in Winnipeg.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ New streetfront CRUs that aren't part of a strip mall or something else with a parking lot directly attached seem almost unleaseable IMO. For all the MURB development happening around town, so little of it seems to have any commercial space, and the ones that do often take forever to get leased. I assume this has to do with high lease rates for new space?

Here's the thing.

The city wants mixed use zoning. So it encourages CRUs as part of MFR buildings. The idea is that residential areas will have shopping and services in a walkable distance.

But they haven't done anything else, really, to restrict the development of large power centres and other single-use commercial zoning with heavy parking minimums. The focus of the city budget is still speeding up car traffic between neighbourhoods.

In other words, the city hopes that forcing residential developers to add commercial units to its buildings will create mixed neighbourhoods. But it undermines mixed neighbourhoods by zoning, planning, and spending in ways that encourages people to drive to shop. Even in OV, a purportedly "walkable" neighbourhood right near downtown, more than half of residents still commute by car to work. None of the mixed-use zoning will have much effect if the city as a whole still builds everything around the needs, preferences, and priorities of drivers.

[xubiqtss]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

Here's the thing.

The city wants mixed use zoning. So it encourages CRUs as part of MFR buildings. The idea is that residential areas will have shopping and services in a walkable distance.

But they haven't done anything else, really, to restrict the development of large power centres and other single-use commercial zoning with heavy parking minimums. The focus of the city budget is still speeding up car traffic between neighbourhoods.

In other words, the city hopes that forcing residential developers to add commercial units to its buildings will create mixed neighbourhoods. But it undermines mixed neighbourhoods by zoning, planning, and spending in ways that encourages people to drive to shop. Even in OV, a purportedly "walkable" neighbourhood right near downtown, more than half of residents still commute by car to work. None of the mixed-use zoning will have much effect if the city as a whole still builds everything around the needs, preferences, and priorities of drivers.

Forcing residential developers to include commercial may not change the city as a whole but it's still very important to fostering a finer grained neighbourhood. Not all businesses need tons of foot traffic. Small professionals' offices would be great there.

[drew]

^ agreed - but this space comes at a premium because it is new construction. It makes it hard to find tenants willing to pay higher rates and hard for the developer to justify the loss of doors on the residential side.

High interest rates and construction costs make all developments go on razor thin margins right now, and requiring CRUs (that will likely just sit empty) can make or break projects.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by Biff

I have to say that as slow as Private Pension Partners Inc has been on the development of the ZU on Osborne - building fronting Osborne is now up to floor 5 and installing full floor glazing on the main floor - they are actually getting started on the phase 2 building across the street (Wardlaw). I figured that for sure it would become one of those typical future phases that never gets built in Winnipeg.

really?!....that is great news! I was also not holding hope that it would happen soon....that's going to be a game changer development.

[lbnevs]

Originally Posted by trueviking

really?!....that is great news! I was also not holding hope that it would happen soon....that's going to be a game changer development.

They cleared the site on the south side of Wardlaw (Vitahealth parking lot) a few weeks back and moved a pile driver onto the site.

However, they've now moved construction materials back onto the site. The pile driver is just sitting there. That's gotta be an expensive rental!

That said, even though it's slow, it's looking good. The retail unit on the main level has super high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows along Osborne. I hope they find a tenant, because it would be an amazing restaurant location. The little "woonerf" type alley between the buildings looks like it's going to be good.

More than anything, it's amazing how much building there is. You don't realize how wasted parking lots etc are until you see what can fit in the same footprint.

[WinCitySparky]

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

Here's the thing.

The city wants mixed use zoning. So it encourages CRUs as part of MFR buildings. The idea is that residential areas will have shopping and services in a walkable distance.

But they haven't done anything else, really, to restrict the development of large power centres and other single-use commercial zoning with heavy parking minimums. The focus of the city budget is still speeding up car traffic between neighbourhoods.

In other words, the city hopes that forcing residential developers to add commercial units to its buildings will create mixed neighbourhoods. But it undermines mixed neighbourhoods by zoning, planning, and spending in ways that encourages people to drive to shop. Even in OV, a purportedly "walkable" neighbourhood right near downtown, more than half of residents still commute by car to work. None of the mixed-use zoning will have much effect if the city as a whole still builds everything around the needs, preferences, and priorities of drivers.

agreed.

It will be interesting to see how the ground floor commercial leases in the two new buildings on Osborne.

My experience on Des Meurons is that the mom and pop shops can't afford a complete tenant fit up cost and chains demand dedicated parking....that building isn't on a commercial strip per se, so we will see if Osborne has enough draw to overcome that....i really hope it does. I would be totally fine with a few chain stores on Osborne....as long as its not another seriues of pot stores.

[trueviking]

I'm definitely ok with a building at Scott/Wardlaw not having retail storefronts.

[ColdRain&Snow]

Anyone know what's going on with the proposed building at 350 River Ave? The old building was knocked down back in December and the lot has been an empty pit ever since.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by ColdRain&Snow

Anyone know what's going on with the proposed building at 350 River Ave? The old building was knocked down back in December and the lot has been an empty pit ever since.

Most recently approved and permit issued in June 2021, after years of wrangling with the city, appeals from neighbours, etc.

What was approved is 5 regular units and 10 single-room-occupancy units (small half bathroom in each, shared main bathroom and shared kitchen). At the project's inception, the idea was that these would be affordable units priced at $600 a month.

Here was the rendering as of 2021:



I don't know anything about the economics of this project, but the original plan was 30 SRO units and the approved plan was only 10 SRO + 5 MFR. That's a lot fewer doors, and meanwhile we've had two years of double-digit construction inflation.

I wonder if the feasibility just isn't there anymore.

[lbnevs]

Last night I walked by that white office building at confusion corner. The sign says 80% leased. But looking up, it still appears like there's at least three floors that are just empty shells.

Has a lot been leased, and is just in the process of being fitted out for the tenants? I otherwise can't reconcile what appears to be a nearly fully leased and yet completely vacant building, lol