Winnipeg Construction X

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Biff

I do like towers, but I really liked that render by Verne Reimer at that location and would much prefer to see those kinds of developments used to fill up downtown surface lots.

From the street perspective you wouldn't notice the difference between a 10-15 storey and a 45 storey building.

On one hand, I like the idea of filling up the entire block. But on the other, I like the idea of using half the site (i.e. twice as dense) and leaving the other site available for future development. Or would the cost of building dollar ruin the economics of the project?

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by esquire

Generally the renderings come out when there are zoning/variance applications with the city, or if those aren't needed, when marketing begins. It is possible that no such applications are necessary for the project, so the renderings might be awaiting the start of marketing.

yeah....the developer is a quiet guy...not a big development corporation or anything....didn't want to have variances so it's flown under the radar. It's been a slog to make work through the pandemic. It started a month before it hit. I feel really bad for him...the wild roller coaster ride on market forces....its been tough...i really hope its successful for him...a real quality person.

The basic idea is a 14 storey tower....mostly red brick....built to the corner property lines....fills half the site along donald. The other half is a three storey parkade hidden from the street by a large partially enclosed sidewalk patio for a very large destination restaurant that takes up most of the ground floor of the building.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I should be working back on St. Mary again in the near future and these 2 developments would be absolutely awesome. Is that Verne Reimer one dead and gone completely? I don't remember if that was a TNSE MPI thing that's just gone now.

I think it died, but MPI is moving to work from home largely, so that parking lot might become available again....i really hope so...

[GreyGarden]

Originally Posted by trueviking

The basic idea is a 14 storey tower....mostly red brick....built to the corner property lines....fills half the site along donald. The other half is a three storey parkade hidden from the street by a large partially enclosed sidewalk patio for a very large destination restaurant that takes up most of the ground floor of the building.

Woah that sounds fantastic. I'm excited to see it - and just about any project that makes good use of brick.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by GreyGarden

Woah that sounds fantastic. I'm excited to see it - and just about any project that makes good use of brick.

Yes, nice to see masonry making a comeback. I was floored when vike pointed out the minor cost difference between hardieboard and actual bricks.

[drew]

Originally Posted by esquire

Yes, nice to see masonry making a comeback. I was floored when vike pointed out the minor cost difference between hardieboard and actual bricks.

Brick is great - but he would have to clarify if that cost comparison was just the brick itself, or if that includes the extra's that come along with brick that other siding does not require - additional foundation costs, heavier back-up wall assembly to control lateral deflection of the brick, steel shelf supports at each floor, increased structure at all window/door openings, etc., etc.

[trueviking]

pfft....engineers.

I actually haven't found that the added structure has had much effect on the cost.

brick on this project was actually done as a cost savings measure, surprisingly enough.

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by trueviking

I think it died, but MPI is moving to work from home largely, so that parking lot might become available again....i really hope so...

Interesting. That is a managed pay lot. Do MPI employees get a discount there or something? I'm not connecting to the dots on why MPI work from home would affect that decision.

[trueviking]

I'm pretty sure that lot is owned by the provincial government and it is where MPI employees park....at a significant discount.

[bomberjet]

^Thanks. I parked in that lot whenever I drove downtown, if I didn't park in the brick tower lot. $14 a day. Not sure what it is now.

It was mentioned earlier about redevelopment of the former Pizza Hut. Is there something going on there or was that miscommunication?

With the hotel expansion across the street somewhere in the works, the MPI lot somewhere down the pipe, the brick tower in site prep. Could be a lot going on in that short stretch.

[drew]

Originally Posted by trueviking

pfft....engineers.

I actually haven't found that the added structure has had much effect on the cost.

brick on this project was actually done as a cost savings measure, surprisingly enough.

It's likely easier to absorb the costs for brick in a larger development versus smaller ones.

Everyone likes brick better, so the fact it doesn't get used more has to come down to $$.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by trueviking

I think it died, but MPI is moving to work from home largely, so that parking lot might become available again....i really hope so...

It was an unsuccessful bid as part of the MPI RFP process. So it was never a real project (unless it was chosen).

I have no idea why that parcel was offered up in the original proposal only to be eliminated after True North won. I believe TN was not interested in developing that parcel in their plan. I would have thought that MPI might have gone to some of the other applicants to see if they would like to proceed with that parcel only...unless all the business plans hinged on both MPI lots being developed together.

[bomberjet]

I feel like the south end of City Place needs a re-development. The loading dock area and food court annex type place. Seems like a mish mash of wasted space.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by drew

It's likely easier to absorb the costs for brick in a larger development versus smaller ones.

Everyone likes brick better, so the fact it doesn't get used more has to come down to $$.

I actually think it comes down to preconception that brick is unaffordable....I am all over it these days...every project....and when I propose it I always get opposition from the client....like I'm crazy.....until we go through the exercise.

I mean, if you are building the absolute cheapest EIFS or Hardie Board box possible, it won't happen, but if it is even just a reasonable building, the added cost of brick is easily manageable....in reality the cost of cladding is a small percentage of the overall cost of a building....its just the easiest to cut.

For buildings taller than 6 stories it seems to really make sense because most cheaper options (except EIFS ) aren't allowed because of wind loading, so you are forced into more expensive cladding...compared to metal and composite it is cheaper, even with the added structure.

[peg]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I feel like the south end of City Place needs a re-development. The loading dock area and food court annex type place. Seems like a mish mash of wasted space.

100% agree with you, there is a lot of room to reconfigure that corner/side and add more usable space.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by trueviking

I'm pretty sure that lot is owned by the provincial government and it is where MPI employees park....at a significant discount.

Only discount MPI staff is getting is due to covid for those staff that are declared essential to be in the building.

Once the govt declares its safe to work in the office for all staff the discount goes away. And the discount is only available in the City Place building lot because ID has to be shown to the booth attendant.

The 2 other lots owned by MPI are pay by pulling a parking ticket.

[cllew]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I feel like the south end of City Place needs a re-development. The loading dock area and food court annex type place. Seems like a mish mash of wasted space.

Many years ago it was suppose to be re-developed but the project never went thru. The open area above the loading dock was going to be covered in and I believe a large movie theater complex was going to be built to replace the small ones that were existing.

It had gotten all the zoning approvals etc and I don't know why it never went further.

[trueviking]

Ah. Thank you.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by cllew

Many years ago it was suppose to be re-developed but the project never went thru. The open area above the loading dock was going to be covered in and I believe a large movie theater complex was going to be built to replace the small ones that were existing.

It had gotten all the zoning approvals etc and I don't know why it never went further.

Very interesting. I had never heard of that before.

I could totally have seen something like that happening sometime in the early 90s... downtown cinemas still had some drawing power left and the shoebox Eaton Place cinemas were fairly outdated by then. It would have been a good use for the space at the time, which as bomberjet pointed out, is kind of wasted the way it is right now.

[Biff]

Heavy equipment and piling rig on the Mayfair site.