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  #81  
Old Posted Apr 6, 2018, 4:47 AM
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Whoever the hell is bashing the Richardsons... why? They've done so much good for the city for generations. Winnipeg wouldn't be where they are today if it weren't for them.

With that out of the way, looking at the design of the building really matches the motif with the surrounding neighbourhood, if you will. Not too much glass, but modern enough to blend in.

I'd say roughly similar to City Hall, how its brutalist and modernist design actually matches well with the surrounding area. This new Innovation Centre will do that just fine.
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  #82  
Old Posted Apr 6, 2018, 1:27 PM
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anyone slaming the richardsons is off their rocker...

that family does allot around town more then they let be known they are very private and old school but very down to earth people that will tell u like it is if u ask.
Then he should’ve admitted he liked the money that surface lot made him over 30 years, and not he was waiting for the right project. I do like the lab, but it took 30 years, only to build something underwhelming?
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  #83  
Old Posted Apr 6, 2018, 1:43 PM
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Then he should’ve admitted he liked the money that surface lot made him over 30 years, and not he was waiting for the right project. I do like the lab, but it took 30 years, only to build something underwhelming?
It's literally none of our business if someone likes to make money. You know just as well as anyone that that's a PR nightmare waiting to happen. And if you're so confident in downtown why don't you have a large company that develops all the surface lots? I mean, no one is gonna stop you from getting rich and sanctimoniously developing every lot just to satisfy your utopia vision.

I want to see these lots filled as much as anyone but there's got to be a solid financial case to do so. These people take all the risk and we reap all the aesthetic reward, maybe we could be a little more thankful that there's anyone interested in making downtown a better place!
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  #84  
Old Posted Apr 6, 2018, 2:41 PM
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Oh, but he will tell people like it is...

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And if you're so confident in downtown why don't you have a large company that develops all the surface lots
Wow, that is so original.
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  #85  
Old Posted Apr 6, 2018, 5:48 PM
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Originally Posted by trueviking View Post
Criticizing what the Richardsons do for Winnipeg is so far out of line it’s not even worth addressing.

They are not a REIT. They don’t make their money building buildings, but to question their commitment to Winnipeg or downtown is offside. There is more to it than real estate.
This is true. The Richardson's contribution to this city since they first arrived here in 1923 is without measure. Full stop. And they don't need to justify their business decisions to anyone.

However, and this is more of a minor quibble, I think it's a bit rich when someone justifies proposed landscaped setbacks because adjacent properties that they own are so visually harsh, ugly, and barren.

Leaving the site of this development aside, they own 1.3 acres of surface parking, right across Westbrook St. This parking area doesn't have a single linear foot of landscaping or some other type of buffer, or any internal pedestrian walkways, and hardly any lighting. Not the worst parking lot downtown (it's actually paved), but it probably doesn't conform to by-law standards, and definitely is a blight. Also on this property is a 230-foot blank wall of a parkade that absolutely kills the south side of Lombard Ave.

Like, the people who will fly in from all over the world to visit this facility and be unimpressed by Winnipeg's ugliness when they look out the window? A lot of the ugliness they'll see is land owned by Richardson.

The causes of this part of downtown's sorry visual state are incredibly numerous and complex, but they are not totally external to property owners, and certainly do not exist in a vacuum. So while Richardson clearly isn't 'holding back' on developing because they've simply felt like it, I would hope that landowners (and the people they hire) recognize that they do in fact play a role in how things are.

Again, this is a minor quibble. Overall, Richardson should be applauded for starting to do something good on one vacant piece of land they own. I hope this inspires a little bit of confidence among nearby properties owners and potential buyers.
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  #86  
Old Posted Apr 6, 2018, 6:11 PM
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^ I'm willing to bet that unlike with nearly all surface lot owners in this city, there is probably a drawer somewhere in this city with dusty, years-old plans in it for a spectacular new tower or two that the Richardsons theoretically one day plan to build on that site when the conditions for it emerge. That's the difference with the Richardsons.
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  #87  
Old Posted Apr 6, 2018, 6:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Andy6 View Post
It's a really nice building. Reminds me a bit of the McKinsey Canada headquarters near where I live in Toronto. The complaints that a research lab doesn't include retail outlets strike me as a little daft. Corporate research is a high-security activity -- this is not a shopping mall. It's actually quite impressive that it hasn't ended up looking like a fortress. Also, I couldn't care less about the "setback" ... this isn't Portage Avenue. It's a peripheral part of downtown where it's perfectly normal to have human-scale buildings of this kind. (And god forbid that there should actually be somewhere to park around the back.)
Well said

It's a really nice looking building. The big thing for me is the jobs it will bring, 100 jobs right off the bat is a lot of people with the aim for 200...add that to Ubisoft's recent big reveal and suddenly this week we have 65ish million dollars investment and potentially 300 more jobs downtown.

That is incredible!

Im sure a lot of the younger workforce will look to downtown living as well, which is even more awesome. Fantastic growth on the march towards 850k CMA
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  #88  
Old Posted Apr 6, 2018, 6:37 PM
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Some of you need to wake up, and look at other threads about projects in other cities: criticizing projects, designs, companies, etc is normal. There are too many snowflakes here who get bent out of shape when this very normal phenomenon occurs in the MB threads. Like lay off the kale guys and get some testosterone in your system.
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  #89  
Old Posted Apr 6, 2018, 7:34 PM
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Originally Posted by esquire View Post
^ I'm willing to bet that unlike with nearly all surface lot owners in this city, there is probably a drawer somewhere in this city with dusty, years-old plans in it for a spectacular new tower or two that the Richardsons theoretically one day plan to build on that site when the conditions for it emerge. That's the difference with the Richardsons.
Haha, I'm sure. And I'm sure there's other owners of long-standing parking lots downtown that just have the following written on a greasy cocktail napkin in their office drawer:
Step 1: knock down whatever building is on the property
Step 2: wait 50 years
Step 3: ???
Step 4: profit
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  #90  
Old Posted Apr 7, 2018, 11:34 PM
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please keep on topic of this proejct this has gotten way to derailed thanks
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  #91  
Old Posted Apr 8, 2018, 2:38 PM
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I like it. Well done.
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  #92  
Old Posted Apr 8, 2018, 5:13 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wardlow View Post
This is true. The Richardson's contribution to this city since they first arrived here in 1923 is without measure. Full stop. And they don't need to justify their business decisions to anyone.

However, and this is more of a minor quibble, I think it's a bit rich when someone justifies proposed landscaped setbacks because adjacent properties that they own are so visually harsh, ugly, and barren.

Leaving the site of this development aside, they own 1.3 acres of surface parking, right across Westbrook St. This parking area doesn't have a single linear foot of landscaping or some other type of buffer, or any internal pedestrian walkways, and hardly any lighting. Not the worst parking lot downtown (it's actually paved), but it probably doesn't conform to by-law standards, and definitely is a blight. Also on this property is a 230-foot blank wall of a parkade that absolutely kills the south side of Lombard Ave.

Like, the people who will fly in from all over the world to visit this facility and be unimpressed by Winnipeg's ugliness when they look out the window? A lot of the ugliness they'll see is land owned by Richardson.

The causes of this part of downtown's sorry visual state are incredibly numerous and complex, but they are not totally external to property owners, and certainly do not exist in a vacuum. So while Richardson clearly isn't 'holding back' on developing because they've simply felt like it, I would hope that landowners (and the people they hire) recognize that they do in fact play a role in how things are.

Again, this is a minor quibble. Overall, Richardson should be applauded for starting to do something good on one vacant piece of land they own. I hope this inspires a little bit of confidence among nearby properties owners and potential buyers.
Very fair points.
Urban development is not their comfort zone or their business, and they are not sophisticated urbanists as a company. They own parking lots, generally purchased decades ago to provide cheap parking for their offices, in a different era. They haven’t owned them looking for development opportunity like a REIT. They have not been in the development game. But things are changing downtown and in this area specifically. I am very confident that this is the first of other things to come.

I agree that the lots should at least look better. Like the portage and main lot, I wish there was a way the city could demand parking lot owners keep their properties to a required level of appearance, meeting the requirements of a new lot at least.

Last edited by trueviking; Apr 8, 2018 at 5:49 PM.
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  #93  
Old Posted Apr 8, 2018, 5:16 PM
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Originally Posted by esquire View Post
^ I'm willing to bet that unlike with nearly all surface lot owners in this city, there is probably a drawer somewhere in this city with dusty, years-old plans in it for a spectacular new tower or two that the Richardsons theoretically one day plan to build on that site when the conditions for it emerge. That's the difference with the Richardsons.
Yup. I’ve seen them.

Opening portage and main will be an important catalyst for the parking lots in this area. I know people who oppose don’t buy that but working with the land owners there, it is changing the attitude in the area.

Last edited by trueviking; Apr 8, 2018 at 5:52 PM.
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  #94  
Old Posted Apr 8, 2018, 5:39 PM
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Just to add some context. These are the open lots owned by the Richardson’s. The one on the right is now gone. So much potential in that area. The Railside development will also hopefully help create development pressure. The nutty club guy owns the two adjacent corner lots and the city owns the Impark lot.



This is the remaining area left to parking. Railway owns the land along the tracks. It’s something like 15 cars now.


Last edited by trueviking; Apr 8, 2018 at 8:41 PM.
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  #95  
Old Posted Apr 8, 2018, 5:46 PM
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Just for interest. This is the list of parking lots that have been built on without government subsidy in the last 30 years.








.
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  #96  
Old Posted Apr 8, 2018, 11:57 PM
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I am really hoping Railside spurs additional developments. It goes without saying that critical mass is a necessity.
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  #97  
Old Posted Apr 9, 2018, 1:33 PM
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Originally Posted by esquire View Post
^ I'm willing to bet that unlike with nearly all surface lot owners in this city, there is probably a drawer somewhere in this city with dusty, years-old plans in it for a spectacular new tower or two that the Richardsons theoretically one day plan to build on that site when the conditions for it emerge. That's the difference with the Richardsons.

Quote:
Originally Posted by trueviking View Post
Yup. I’ve seen them.
In my mind I believe I have seen a Richardson proposal years (I mean years) ago of a black glass clad, 40 something storey tower for one of their existing surface lots east of the Lombard....again, I believe this was reality and not some wishful thinking on my part.
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  #98  
Old Posted Apr 9, 2018, 1:41 PM
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In my mind I believe I have seen a Richardson proposal years (I mean years) ago of a black glass clad, 40 something storey tower for one of their existing surface lots east of the Lombard....again, I believe this was reality and not some wishful thinking on my part.
Very interesting. As a design issue, it would be interesting to see how any further tower construction on that block would tie in with the rest of the Lombard Place development. The Bank of Canada Building and the parkade would interrupt the visual plane from the Richardson Building/Fairmont, and there wouldn't be much more than a narrow path connecting the two areas.

Underground would be a lot easier as they'd just push the concourse east into the new complex, if and when that occurs.

I wonder if the new building going up contemplates an eventual underground connection, or is that a no-no for a building that has a role as sensitive as this one will?

In any event, it would be awesome to see something tall go up at that end of Portage Avenue. I always thought it was a little anticlimactic how Portage just kind of quickly peters out into a handful of parking lots and underused warehouses the moment you get east of Main.
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  #99  
Old Posted Apr 9, 2018, 1:49 PM
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the nutty club buildings on portage ave east are used
the one on the corner is a phone company and internet provider the one beside it is used for making popcorn
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  #100  
Old Posted Apr 9, 2018, 1:49 PM
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For some reason I believe it was in 80's. Something along the lines of Devon Tower (Canterra) in Calgary.



of course maybe I was wanting them to build the Canterra Tower for the Richardson project.
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