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.
Whatever happened to our mayor, anyway? I guess he's working out his first budget, but usually there's some kind of public statement on what we might see, isn't there?
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"Opinion is really the lowest form of intelligence"-Bill Bullard
"Naysayers are always predicting the present"-Anon.
I was certain someone said no building demolition downtown without a building permit?
There must have been a building permit in place for the St Regis to be demolished last year by CV right?
I’m sure that’s what was said …
Someone must have signed off on that from CV and the City.
There is a sign up on the fence for goodness sake!
I’m certain something substantial is coming soon…
Realty taxes on the site for the first time in years. That’s potentially good news.
On a serious note, if a real substantial building can go up on St Mary’s there is no reason to assume this group cannot finance and retain knowledgeable builders and architects to create a similar positive outcome. Here’s hoping …
The cost of the land was in the same range as St Mary’s and is not a material cost to a project.
government owned property does not have the same rules as privately owned property. The reason a building permit is required for private land owners is to prevent the things you claim will always happen….parking lots, lower tax bills etc…..Being locked into a development agreement with CentreVenture acts the same as a building permit in this case because there is no opportunity to bait and switch to make parking lots or empty sites with lower taxes.
I share your confidence that something will happen there because of this development agreement with CentreVenture....if they are unable to make a project work, the property reverts to public ownership and a new development opportunity will be sought...in fact, another great thing about having CentreVenture involved is that they were able to put the cost of demolition on the developer while maintaining a strict development agreement that says if the project doesn’t materialize, the property returns to public ownership. In this situation the public will have essentially gotten the demolition for free and the site will be even more attractive to the next opportunity….maybe Red River College will buy it.
land is a material cost to development.
also...it wasn't the same cost.....St. Mary's should not be held up as an example of what a slam dunk it is to do downtown development.
Last edited by trueviking; Jan 27, 2023 at 6:07 PM.
Looks like a nice spot for a building. But what's that huge riverfront parking lot for between the houses and buildings to the east? Does that belong to Deer Lodge?
Looks like a nice spot for a building. But what's that huge riverfront parking lot for between the houses and buildings to the east? Does that belong to Deer Lodge?
Yep, that’s the Deer Lodge Hospital parking lot. Such an ugly waste of riverfront property.
Its hard to believe developers haven't yet bought out those remaining SFH nearest the park entrance. To me that would seem like prime land for some multi-family apartments.
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"But a city can be smothered by too much reverence for its past. The skyline must keep acquiring new peaks, because the day we consider it complete and untouchable is the day the city begins to die." - Justin Davidson - May 2010 Issue of New York
Its hard to believe developers haven't yet bought out those remaining SFH nearest the park entrance. To me that would seem like prime land for some multi-family apartments.
Yeah, you're right. Seems like it would be a very appealing site... right on Portage Ave with the City's main park next door. It's basically as close as you can get to living next to the park without paying stratospheric Old Tuxedo prices.
That would be a very cool place to have a house IMO. I had an opportunity to buy a house on the river along Portage closer to Moray street 20 years ago or so. $160k for a huge riverfront lot with a house and massive garage. It was about $20k over our budget...but hindsight and all.
"But a city can be smothered by too much reverence for its past. The skyline must keep acquiring new peaks, because the day we consider it complete and untouchable is the day the city begins to die." - Justin Davidson - May 2010 Issue of New York
This is Winnipeg after all. Its probably the reality to make a new building work, the developer can only afford to pay the owner market value from 1926.
that's also gotta be the only stretch of SFHs on portage. i seem to be noticing this when i drive around more.. the hold out SFHs on winnipeg's main thoroughfares. Pembina has one left at thatcher! and they're quickly being munched away on st. mary's and st. anne's.
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