Winnipeg Construction X - Page 459

zalf · #**9161** Posted **Mar 20, 2023, 4:33 PM**

Anecdotes:

One couple of friends moved to the province ~5 years ago and bought a house. Recently he expanded the amount of sod/grass in the yard even though he preferred to xeroscape it, with the reasoning being a future buyer would prefer grass. Possibly true, but they're not planning on moving for at least 5 years.

Another friend couple moved here and bought a SFD about a year ago after a lengthy house hunt. Houses they personally liked were rejected because they were worried that even though they liked it, others might not.

I had to talk my parents out of spending $25k replacing their perfectly serviceable asphalt driveway with concrete, with the sole justification being enhanced curb appeal. Their house is ~70 years old, and has plenty of real-but-invisible problems that could be solved with that money.

It's sheer madness. My homeowning friends and relatives justified their purchases on the grounds of "owning is great, I can do whatever I want on my own land", but constantly talk about every aspect of their houses in terms of either future buyers' preferences or what the neighbours will think. I feel way freer as a renter.

Edit: I pass by this house occasionally, and I respect its owners a lot. They're clearly making decisions based on what makes them happy, and not for imaginary future owners.

Biff · #**9162** Posted **Mar 22, 2023, 8:10 PM**

Curious news in the Free Press. Makes you go, Hmmmmm?

Seems like an easy way to get tenants that likely don't want to leave or have anywhere else to go, out.

Health hazard order shutters Windsor Hotel
Posted: 2:04 PM CDT Wednesday, Mar. 22, 2023

The 113-year-old downtown Winnipeg hotel where Charlie Chaplin once stayed and later became a jazz and blues music hot spot has been closed by the province’s health department.

Almost two dozen tenants had to be relocated after a health hazard order was issued last week due to numerous deficiencies found in the Windsor Hotel (187 Garry St.).

A provincial spokesperson said the health hazard order went into effect March 17, and tenants will not be allowed to return to the building until “minimum health and safety standards are met” and the new owner “meets all applicable building codes and occupancy requirements.”

“Tenants were relocated and social agencies, such as North End Community Renewal Corp., were on site finding relocation or shelter for all tenants, and working with EIA to provide income assistance for tenants having to relocate. Most found alternate accommodations and some had to go to a shelter until more permanent housing was found.”

Last month, the hotel was listed for sale by Colliers International at $2.5 million. The 22,800-square-foot building was called a “43-room full-service hotel, strategically located at Garry Street and St. Mary Avenue in downtown Winnipeg with 43 parking stalls… This prime downtown site offers prospective purchasers an exciting redevelopment opportunity.”

However, hotel tenants said it had already been sold and they had all been given eviction notices.

The building originally opened in 1903, as a boarding house.

In 1913, Chaplin was staying at the hotel (then called the LeClaire Hotel), when he decided to leave the British theatre company he was touring with and accept an offer from Keystone Studios to go to Hollywood. The future silent era film icon wrote to his brother, telling him about his plans, using hotel stationery.

The Chaplin connection is honoured with a large mural on the side of the building, depicting a scene from an early movie, and with a life-size cutout standing on an outdoor balcony.

trueviking · #**9163** Posted **Mar 22, 2023, 9:27 PM**

^ they also took away the life sized cut-out on the balcony.

BAKGUY · #**9164** Posted **Mar 22, 2023, 11:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biff

Construction staging for the 2 storey Carlton Hotel addition.

You must have meant The former Charterhouse Hotel/Best Western Plus about to become Hampton by Hilton?
The Carlton Inn was bulldozed 12- 15 years ago

Labroco · #**9165** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 4:25 AM**

The property was purchased for the existing 43 stall parking lot. The building will be demolished and the parking will slowly encroach onto the balance of the site.

We will see who the purchasers are but my guess the adjacent property owner.

WinCitySparky · #**9166** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 12:45 PM**

We need some heavy handed new rules on existing surface parking lots, like a 10% tax on new owners of existing lots, or even a ban on an existing lot downtown being used as a surface lot again once sold.

Biff · #**9167** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 12:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAKGUY

You must have meant The former Charterhouse Hotel/Best Western Plus about to become Hampton by Hilton?
The Carlton Inn was bulldozed 12- 15 years ago

Yes, you are right. My mistake.

bomberjet · #**9168** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 2:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labroco

The property was purchased for the existing 43 stall parking lot. The building will be demolished and the parking will slowly encroach onto the balance of the site.

We will see who the purchasers are but my guess the adjacent property owner.

You're talking about the Windsor and not the Hilton right?

borkborkbork · #**9169** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 2:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labroco

The property was purchased for the existing 43 stall parking lot. The building will be demolished and the parking will slowly encroach onto the balance of the site.

We will see who the purchasers are but my guess the adjacent property owner.

So the city allows you to buy a property with a parking lot and a building, demo the building, and turn the entire property into a parking lot with no approvals, variances, anything?

And what adjacent property owner? That side of the block has Mitzi's (the chicken place), a convenience store, a little class C 2-storey office, and another parking lot. This isn't like there's a giant office tower next door.

Agree with Sparky that there needs to be some serious tax disincentives from people just parking (ha ha) their money in surface lots

trueviking · #**9170** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 4:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by borkborkbork

So the city allows you to buy a property with a parking lot and a building, demo the building, and turn the entire property into a parking lot with no approvals, variances, anything?

No, they don't. Parking is a conditional use and would need approval from city council to re-zone the property.

You will notice the precast parking curbs that prevent people from parking on the previous footprint of the buildings that burned down on Albert Street that fronted a parking lot. This is why they are there.

The only place this has happened is the triangle lot beside old market square, but it is an illegal parking lot that will likely be enforced at some point. It would be unlikely that zoning would look the other way for a large property like the Windsor.

They also are not allowed to demolish without a building permit in hand.

Wasn't it a tax sale through the city? If it is sold, I'd be surprised if they sold it to someone without a plan.....although it is the city i guess.

pegster · #**9171** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 4:35 PM**

Saw the old building at 308 Colony, next to the Downtown Commons apartments and across from the WAG, being demolished today. Believe it's to make way for this: http://uwcrc.ca/308-colony

zalf · #**9172** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 5:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pegster

Saw the old building at 308 Colony, next to the Downtown Commons apartments and across from the WAG, being demolished today. Believe it's to make way for this: http://uwcrc.ca/308-colony

I was wondering what happened to that project. Good to see it (probably) coming along!

Biff · #**9173** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 5:05 PM**

Supposed to start in late fall.

trueviking · #**9174** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 5:11 PM**

that's going to be wild to watch them wedge a building like that into such a tiny space.

zalf · #**9175** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 5:12 PM**

What's leading to them letting the summer slip past? Capacity constraints?

1ajs · #**9176** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinCitySparky

We need some heavy handed new rules on existing surface parking lots, like a 10% tax on new owners of existing lots, or even a ban on an existing lot downtown being used as a surface lot again once sold.

How about we inforce actual building codes on these hôtels befor they get run into the ground. And incurage them for single retireres again vs being slums

1ajs · #**9177** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 5:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueviking

that's going to be wild to watch them wedge a building like that into such a tiny space.

Crazy how dens that area became adding to the docs affect the wag boat has

WinCitySparky · #**9178** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 5:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1ajs

How about we inforce actual building codes on these hôtels befor they get run into the ground. And incurage them for single retireres again vs being slums

Any action in that direction I am for

WinCitySparky · #**9179** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 5:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biff

Supposed to start in late fall.

Awesome!!

borkborkbork · #**9180** Posted **Mar 23, 2023, 7:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pegster

Saw the old building at 308 Colony, next to the Downtown Commons apartments and across from the WAG, being demolished today. Believe it's to make way for this: http://uwcrc.ca/308-colony

Gotta say it's a bummer that they didn't go with white to complete a nice complete string of white buildings - Buhler Centre, Downtown Commons, this, Muse Flats... apartment-block Santorini