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  #301  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2006, 5:06 PM
upinottawa upinottawa is offline
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^ I think most of us are cheering for the former, but it will probably be the latter.

As far as it being a transit hub, who owns the open land near the Tecumseh Mall?
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  #302  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2006, 9:52 PM
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The city owns some of it but not a lot.

Here's another drawing...

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  #303  
Old Posted Oct 14, 2006, 4:19 PM
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Downtown continues to put on a fresh face

The Windsor Star
Oct. 14, 2006

By Dave Hall
Star Business Reporter


Downtown’s shifting mix of retail, office and hospitality businesses has undergone more changes with the addition of two new bars, a restaurant, a bookshop and the headquarters of the AIDS Committee of Windsor.
While the majority of the changes have come along Pelissier Street near the former YM-YWCA building, others have occurred on Ouellette Avenue.
Most recently home of the New Canadians Centre at 511 Pelissier St., the building now houses the AIDS committee, which has moved from Drouillard Road.
Marilyn Weller, executive director of the committee, said the new location is “more central and more easily-accessible for our clients, many of whom don’t drive and require bus transportation.
“Some of our clients live in Chatham and come in by bus so this is much more convenient,” said Weller.
Employing 10-12 staff people, the AIDS committee office is among a number of additions to the street.
Adjacent to the former Y building, two new nightclubs/bars have joined Pelissier’s entertainment cluster and a new restaurant will open soon on the corner of Pelissier and Maiden Lane.
Pearl, at 485-489 Pelissier, opened its doors Friday night and Buckeyes, a sports bar/nightclub with large projection screens, will be open in the near future.
Buzz among staff
Weller said that “there’s a real buzz among our staff about moving downtown, particularly because we have more space and it’s a much brighter, more welcoming space because of the large windows which overlook the street.”
In addition to providing counselling, education services, a needle pick-up program, advocacy programs and support for those affected by HIV/AIDS, Weller said the committee is reaching out to Windsor’s diverse ethnic community by offering literature in 10 languages.
Meanwhile on the retail side, the city core is losing one bookstore on Ouellette Avenue and gaining another directly across the street.
Dan Wells, who has operated Biblioasis in the 500 block of Ouellette Avenue since 1998, is moving to Lakeshore, citing a challenging environment for downtown retailers.
Wells said his three-year-old publishing business is taking up more and more of his time and with business dropping off by 25 per cent this year, it’s time to go.
“I love downtown and I’ll still do readings and events down here but a lack of leadership from the city and the business improvement association, a perceived lack of parking and a high vacancy rate just isn’t conducive to a healthy retail climate,” said Wells, who is in the middle of a moving sale.
And while Wells, who has to vacate his store by Jan. 1, bemoaned the lack of customers, Bryan Russell, who opened Inklings on Wednesday at 500 Ouellette, said “foot traffic is one of the reasons I picked downtown.
“I’d looked in Riverside, on the west side and in LaSalle but given all the factors including cost, visibility, foot traffic and accessibility, I thought downtown was the right choice.”
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  #304  
Old Posted Oct 14, 2006, 10:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blitz
Adjacent to the former Y building, two new nightclubs/bars have joined Pelissier’s entertainment cluster and a new restaurant will open soon on the corner of Pelissier and Maiden Lane.
if this is the NE corner, then i swear... that resturant location must be cursed. when i was living in town, i must have seen at least four resturant move through there in four years. i hope this one fares a little better.

as for the rest of the stuff along pelissier, are they new store fronts or just replacing old buisness that have moved out?

i hope that pelissier does well. despite its kind of run-down and neglected appearance, it was amazing just how much i actually depended on that street. my dry cleaner, bike store, news agent, pizza joint and absolute favourite bar were all within two blocks of each other. it was a real resource to the people who live near by.

although, i could have lived without all of the drunk teenagers and 'massage parlours'...
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  #305  
Old Posted Oct 16, 2006, 7:11 PM
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Good to here that things are happening on Pelissier. I still think that the city should make the street a two-way road and make Ouellette one way north (heading North) of Wyandotte.

Pelissier really suffers by terminating at Chatham rather than Riverside Drive. If Chatham was two-way between Caron and Ouelette, then people turning off Riverside on to Ferry could continue on Pelissier south of Chatham. In order for this to work, Victoria would need to be two-way as well (instead of acting as an expressway out of downtown).
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  #306  
Old Posted Oct 16, 2006, 9:32 PM
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^
i like the sound of that idea.

and i'm sure that one could argue that having two way traffic on pelissier would slow vehicles down... which would benefit everyone. store owners, drivers and pedestrians alike.
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  #307  
Old Posted Oct 17, 2006, 7:35 PM
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^ I definately agree.

Personally, I find it very easy to forget about Pelissier. I think the city needs to find ways to make that Street something special.
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  #308  
Old Posted Oct 17, 2006, 11:42 PM
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i read in todays windsor star that the huge "casino Windsor" signage over the main entrance on riverside drive is coming down. sounds like they're going to install a lounge with some pretty killer panoramic views of the river.

it sounds like a really great idea for a town with too few top-tier drinking establishments... but how ever will people be able to find the casino without the signs?...
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  #309  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2006, 12:59 AM
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It's kind of odd, they're not even going to have a sign for the next 2 years.
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  #310  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2006, 2:18 AM
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I have a feeling that people will still be able to find it....
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  #311  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2006, 1:48 PM
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Mayor unveils Tigers express

Craig Pearson, Windsor Star
Published: Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Windsor-area Tigers fans should find it easier to head to Comerica Park during the World Series.

Transit Windsor will increase the number of tunnel buses on the weekend and will provide special buses on which riders will be pre-processed to speed up border inspection.

Riders must still bring proper ID and will have to get off the buses to be cleared by American customs officials, though Mayor Eddie Francis said the process should be significantly quicker.

"What we're announcing today is a brainchild of Super Bowl XL" in February, Francis said. "We've implemented pre-manifesting of the passengers for seamless service."

CALL 311

Anyone wishing to use the special bus need only call 311, the city services number, in advance to register. Starting Thursday, riders can call to provide their names, birth dates, proof of citizenship, and, if they are neither Canadian nor American citizens, passport numbers.

"What we learned from Super Bowl is that it works," Francis said at a news conference which showcased a Transit Windsor bus with a lighted front-window sign reading Go Tigers!!!

"For Super Bowl we handled over 5,000 people who were crossing."

Callers in the surrounding area may call 255-CITY (2489). Operators will answer Thursday and Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The special bus costs $3.50 each way. The tunnel bus costs $2.75 each way.

The games are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. World Series buses will start leaving the downtown bus terminal at 44 University Ave. E. at 5 p.m. Tunnel buses will run throughout the day, though without pre-clearance officials warn there could be some delays.

"During the Super Bowl they were able to process a bus within five minutes," said Pat Delmore, Transit Windsor's director of operations.

"But they tell us we should be looking at three minutes per person if the bus is not manifested."

cpearson@thestar.canwest.com or 255-5777, ext. 437

© The Windsor Star 2006

________________________________________________

3 minutes per person for customs processing? I think the United States fails to give its officers enough credit: these officers are trained professionals capable of making an assessment with respect whether someone is or is not a baseball fan rather than a terrorist.

It is events like the World Series that highlight how important it is for the reinstatement of a Windsor-Detroit ferry link. Windsorites could walk down to a ferry terminal, preclear US Customs in Windsor, take the ferry to Detroit, hop on the peoplemover and get off at Comerica. Such a route could be extremely popular as it would add capacity during peak times and people would not get caught up in the tunnel traffic on game days.
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  #312  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2006, 6:20 PM
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Even in the past couple years, I've never experienced delays on the tunnel bus going to Tiger games. They spend about 10 seconds questioning each person, not 3 minutes.
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  #313  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2006, 6:49 PM
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To be honest, I cannot imagine a three minute per person (on average)primary inspection. Three minutes is a long time to ask a Canadian where they were born, where they live, where they are going, where are your tickets (have you ever heard of will call, sir?), how did you obtain your tickets, have you ever been arrested, are you employed, where do you work, when is the last time you entered the United States, have you ever been refused entry, etc.

There is no national security related reason (just because a baseball playoff game is being played) to conduct three minute primaries on Windsorites heading to a Tigers game on the tunnel bus.

The above being said, the lines usually move fairly well with primary ranging (from my experience) somewhere between 20 to 60 seconds with inspections running longer if a person is sent over for secondary inspection purposes.

As far as my ferry idea -- the tunnel tends to be very slow around game time even during the regular season. The ferry would allow people to jump the queue caused by all the cars jamming the tunnel prior to game time. The ferry would also be useful to promote cross border tourism (you mean for only $3 I can take a boat ride to another country?).
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  #314  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2006, 8:02 PM
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I'm not planning on taking the tunnel bus.

Last edited by Blitz; Apr 30, 2008 at 2:54 AM.
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  #315  
Old Posted Oct 20, 2006, 6:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blitz
I have tickets to Game 1 of the World Series but I'm not planning on taking the tunnel bus.
I wonder what it will cost to park downtown (Detroit) on Saturday. I assume the Lions are not playing at home on Sunday....
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  #316  
Old Posted Oct 20, 2006, 6:24 PM
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Ha, after careful consideration we've decided to take the tunnel bus. They're setting up special buses where fans have to pre-register so that should quicken the border process.
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  #317  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2006, 6:14 PM
Happy Habib Happy Habib is offline
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Hey folks, I've been following this thread for a while, I am a downtown Windsor resident and I too am interested in all things "Windsor construction" I find myself strangely attached to this town (moved here 5 yrs ago) with all its known pitfalls and issues - I’m a sucker for underdogs. I just think Windsor - especially downtown has potential to be a really cool city- it just hasn't hit critical mass yet but is so tantalizingly close- I hop you don't mind if I join in ???
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  #318  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2006, 9:00 PM
upinottawa upinottawa is offline
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Welcome to the forum, Habib.

Article from Saturday's Windsor Star. The article is fairly ambiguous as to what company may be setting up shop. Anyone familiar with this building? Too bad these workers (if and when they come) will not be working downtown....

City lures high-tech venture
West-side building expected to be home to business that may employ 500


Dalson Chen and Dave Hall, Windsor Star
Published: Saturday, October 21, 2006

A new high-tech business venture adjacent to the Ambassador Bridge is likely to be announced soon by Mayor Eddie Francis and MPP Sandra Pupatello.

Local developer and property owner Joe Mikhail, who owns a three-storey, 40,000-square-foot building at 2970 College Ave. where the new venture will be located, said "It's an exciting project and this may be the moment when the city begins to diversify its economy at a time when it desperately needs it."

Mikhail said he couldn't confirm the name of the tenant until cleared to do so and added an "announcement should be forthcoming very soon" from the mayor and Pupatello.

"I can say that the building has been fully tendered," said Mikhail, who has owned the site for 10 years.

Another source in the real estate industry says he's heard the business could employ up to 500, but The Star has been unable to confirm that figure.

Francis and Pupatello both declined to confirm the identity of the building's tenants and the nature of the project.

"I can't comment on rumour," Francis said.

"There's nothing that I can confirm. I can tell you that the mayor and I have been working diligently on a number of projects, but there's nothing I can confirm," Pupatello said.

There have been reports from some of the building's former tenants that computer giant Hewlett Packard Canada is already carrying out renovations in the building.

However, an HP spokesman said this week his company has "no plans to open any operations in Windsor."

Mehboob Jaffer, a corporate spokesman for HP, said "we have recently been looking at our real estate holdings and closing and consolidating sites but there are no plans to open an operation in Windsor."

But a local real estate agent said he'd been told that "there's HP staff on-site already."

Don Merrifield Jr., a sales representative with RE/MAX Realty, said "I guess HP is already there, redoing the building."

The multiple-unit structure with a dozen loading bays is adjacent to the McDonald's restaurant on the corner of College and Huron Church Road.

Mikhail said the existing loading bays will be converted to office space.

Built in 1989, the H.T. Bondy building has been home to a succession of customs brokers, freight companies and the Ontario Business College.

In recent years, the tenants have included Thompson Emergency Freight, Arrowhead Expediters, Card Wizard and DSS Wholesalers.

© The Windsor Star 2006
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  #319  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2006, 9:02 PM
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Blitz, how did the manifested tunnel (Comerica Park) buses go on Saturday? Hopefully better than the Tigers....

I still cannot believe how good Rogers has been pitching.
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  #320  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2006, 9:42 PM
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It went really well. We just showed the customs officer our id, he found our name on the pre-made list and said "you're ok". The whole interaction lasted 10 seconds per person.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Happy Habib
I find myself strangely attached to this town (moved here 5 yrs ago) with all its known pitfalls and issues.
Ha, Windsor can definitely do that to a person, can't it?

Last edited by Blitz; Apr 30, 2008 at 2:55 AM.
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