WINDSOR | Construction - News and Development

[upinottawa]

I completely approve of the college taking over the Cleary as I believe it will be good for both the college and downtown -- not to mention that the Cleary-as-convention-centre will be redundant after the casino expansion. However, the article below just shows that the Windsor Star and the mayor appear to have been making a big deal out nothing with respect to the $1 million per year subsidy and the centre's lack of use.

Cleary wins award

canada.com
Published: Friday, June 16, 2006

The Cleary International Centre, which is expected to become a part of St. Clair College in September, has been named winner of the 2006 Convention Award, handed out annually by the local convention and visitors bureau.

The award recognizes an individual or organization that has been instrumental in securing convention/event business for the Windsor area.

“Despite our physical limitations, we have been able to do a good job in attracting business and it’s gratifying that our staff has been recognized in this way,” said Sergio Grando, executive director of hospitality services for the city.

The Cleary, which is subsidized by the city to the tune of almost $1 million annually, draws one of the lowest municipal subsidies per square foot in the province and has one of the highest usage ratios per square footage in Ontario, said Grando.

In addition, the Chrysler Theatre is the most cost-efficient municipally-owned theatre in Ontario, added Grando.

© Windsor Star 2006

[upinottawa]

Lee Palser, Windsor Star
Published: Saturday, June 17, 2006

Long-suffering Highway 3 commuters finally got the news they'd been waiting for Friday.

The widening of the heavily travelled road to four lanes is now officially part of provincial plans to spend $3.4 billion over five years on road work in southern Ontario.

No specific timeline has been announced.

Essex MPP Bruce Crozier, who's made the project an issue in Queen's Park and on the campaign trail since he was first elected in 1993, said "it's an important announcement for this area. ..."

"I'm pleased it's in the five-year plan. It's a big step."

Crozier said estimates for the work range from $24 million to $38 million -- "depending on what is going to be done" -- and that he'd have more specific information about the timing after meeting with transport ministry officials in about 10 days.

In an interview earlier this year, Crozier said he hoped to see a "shovel in the ground" by the end of 2006. "I still hope for that," he said Friday.

An environmental assessment has been done for the project, although there was one outstanding issue to be resolved, he said. "I hope that doesn't delay it."

Leamington Mayor John Adams said four lanes will make it easier and safer both for commuters and truck traffic. But, he added, an improved Highway 3 will also decrease the pressure on secondary roads.

"A lot of people try to avoid it," he said. "They take county roads that really weren't built to handle that kind of traffic.

"And it's possible that the widening will encourage some industries to come to Leamington if there's an easier connection."

Planning and property acquisition for the existing highway -- still called the Essex Bypass by many -- was undertaken more than three decades ago and roughly followed the old South Talbot Road. The first phase ended just south of Essex but was later punched through to Ruthven and finally Leamington in the 1980s as traffic volumes continued to build.

Frequently cited for creating dangerous driving conditions, the two-lane highway is heavily used by commuters. On any given workday, nearly 50,000 workers are heading into or out of Windsor, many of them on highways 3 and 401.

© The Windsor Star 2006

________________________________________________________

This project is long overdue and will make it easier for people to get from the county to the city and from the city to the county. The two lane road has been due for an expansion for years -- the road carries too many frustrated drivers during peak commute times, making the road less than safe at times.

[Freud]

The 555 University Ave West building, between Glengarry Ave and Aylmer Ave, is tear down Wednesday June 14, 2006

[Blitz]

Yeah that was a former nursing home, I don't believe anything is planned for that site at the moment. That part of town needs serious work.

[upinottawa]

Hospital unveils makeover plans

Don Lajoie, Windsor Star
Published: Friday, June 23, 2006

The final phase of the citywide hospital restructuring program is under way at Windsor Regional Hospital with an announcement Thursday that planning has begun on a multi-million-dollar makeover of the Western Campus off Prince Road.

Hospital officials outlined the scope of the renovations,which are expected to begin early in 2008 with demolition of a city block's worth of vacant campus buildings, including the former Regional Children's Centre. The "brick and mortar" work will follow in 2009, said Bill Marcotte, director of mental health services.

At the core of the master plan will be the construction of a mental health building to house 59 beds plus facilities for associated programs for patients requiring specialized mental health services. Completion of the new wing will mean these services will be made available in this community for the first time.

"Relocation of the 59 beds from London and St. Thomas means that the families of these patients will no longer have to face a two-hour drive," said Marcotte. "It makes things much easier for them."

Martin Girash, CEO of Windsor Regional, said no budget has been set for the project because of new procedures in the tendering process, which will see the contractors and financiers submit their cost projections for the work rather than being handed a pre-ordained budget target to shoot for.

He said that such a method, which will require that planning be done in detail before the hospital's requirements are released to the bidding companies, will ensure competition between potential builders and hopefully result in savings for the taxpayers and government. Money will also be provided under the Alternate Funding Plan recently announced by the province, which incorporates private sector funding sources.

Girash said the first phase of the restructuring is complete, with the transfer of 20 palliative-care patients from the Lower Tower Building to the Malden Park Continuing Care Centre, renovated over the past three months at a cost of about $600,000. The plan also includes the addition of 52 complex continuing care beds, bringing the total to 186.

© The Windsor Star 2006

[Freud]

Casino extention:

[y2k_pony]

Great Shots Freud!! that one pics is from the Demaris apartments no? This project is really starting to move now.

[Freud]

The second shot is from the Casino parking. The first one is from the 21th floor of the red and black building just right of the crane we see in the second photo. Might be called Demaris appartments, I don't know the city enought yet

[Freud]

Riverside Drive's Portofino, as of June 30, 2006

[Blitz]

The bloody billboards are still there.

[westerntragedy]

Up to the 14th floor now at Portofino! Drove near Detroit's Riverfront/Post Office building this weekend and I couldnt help but notice how wide Portofino is from the front and across the river... looks near square. Still, the structure itself really complements that end of our riverfront (minus the billboards..ha!).

[Blitz]

I was surprised by the wideness too, I noticed it when I was watching fireworks coverage on a Detroit tv station.

[upinottawa]

Commuter rail line studied: Lakeshore seeks talks on regional train service to cut car traffic

Sonja Puzic, Windsor Star
Published: Wednesday, July 05, 2006

LAKESHORE - Town council has approved a small feasibility study for an expanded railway commuter line to Windsor, but will have to wait for the results of a large-scale Transport Canada study of the region's existing railways before any blueprints are drawn.

Lakeshore Mayor Bob Croft said Monday he hopes talks of a regional commuter train service will finally materialize after months of debate.

"It might be a dream, but everything starts out as a dream," he said. "If we can eliminate 10 per cent of our traffic with the rail system, that would be great and environmentally friendly."

Croft said the feasibility study, approved about a month ago and headed by Lakeshore's manager of strategic services, James Snyder, will look into using the CN track that follows the Lake St.Clair shoreline. Via Rail hasn't picked up passengers in Belle River or Tecumseh for more than three decades on that track.

Another option is the freight-only Essex Terminal Railway with a connection from Windsor to Amherstburg, but its track beds would have to be upgraded for high-speed commuter service.

Croft said he's sent letters to the mayors of Tecumseh and Windsor asking for their input and received a positive reaction from Windsor Coun. Fulvio Valentinis.

"He thought it was a great idea," Croft said.

But Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis said no decisions will be made until Transport Canada releases its report on the usability of the region's rail lines sometime in October.

More rail lines per capita

"We've identified that we have more rails per capita than any other region in Ontario," Francis said Tuesday. "Based on that we've initiated a community-based strategic study with Transport Canada (to look at) strategic railway corridors as they are abandoned or consolidated."

Francis said although the railway studies are "a great initiative," they are only part of a bigger need for better co-operation between the city and county.

He said Lakeshore's refusal to join the efforts to establish a regional water system is an example of a "pick-and-choose" approach to collaboration.

"Regionalism can't be approached a la carte. It can't be something that applies to one issue one day and doesn't apply to another issue another day," Francis said. "We're anxious to sit down and have a discussion about what our regional priorities are. We have to put progress ahead of politics."

Valentinis agreed.

"This is all part of long-term planning for our region and I welcome the opportunity because it's not just about the railway," he said. "It's about developing a model of regional co-operation. That's significant."

Croft said Lakeshore's 2001 economic development report showed that 6,800 Lakeshore residents work in Windsor and commute on a daily basis. About 2,100 Windsor residents work in Lakeshore.

"The railway would encourage people from Windsor to come out to Belle River and explore the region," Croft said. "There's lots to see and do here.

"Maybe we could end up with something fantastic."

© The Windsor Star 2006

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This is the second time in the last couple of months where the Windsor Star has mentioned that Lakeshore is interested in exploring commuter rail. Windsor-Essex certainly has an abundance of tracks and the tracks are reasonably placed to create a commuter rail system. However, as the article points out Mayor Francis has been prodding Transport Canada to consolidate Windsor's rail lines, with the idea that the current VIA line be abandoned and turned into parkland/trails.

Clearly, the VIA line would be the best line for commuter rail as it runs through the heart of Belle River, Tecumseh, etc. The CP line to the south is far removed from those towns, especially Tecumseh. A commuter line could run on the VIA track from Belle River to Jefferson, take the southbound track along Jefferson past the Ford Essex Plant to where that line connects with the CP line. This would allow for the majority of the Windsor portion of the VIA line to be abandoned and allow for access to the eastern burbs.

Number of riders will be the main issue next to cost.

It would be great to have a commuter line from Amherstburg to Belle River. However, I suspect that Ontario and Canada would not choose Windsor as the pilot for such a project.

[Blitz]

Downtown attracts 16 new businesses

The Windsor Star
July 13, 2006
By Dave Hall

At least 16 new businesses have opened in the city centre since January, covering such diverse sectors as food and hospitality, professional services, health, esthetics, clothing and videos.
The new businesses include Bamboo, Castle Restaurant, The Keg, Whiskey Bar & Grill, Downtown Diner, Le Steak at Filmore East, Pause Cafe, Pitt for Pasta, Mila’s Gelato, American Apparel, ON Studio, Park Street Video, Pre-Paid Legal Services, Royal Windsor Pharmacy, Windsor Beauty and Esthetics Supply and Sweet Life Health and Spa.
According to the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association, downtown Windsor now has more restaurants per capita than any other city in southwestern Ontario.
Meanwhile at the market this weekend, the WonderBroads will display the boat they’ll be using in the Dragon Boat Racing for Breast Cancer Survivors event and accepting donations.
Other newcomers to the market include local photographer Sue McKellar, who will display her works, and pharmacist Rocco D’Angelo from the Royal Windsor Pharmacy who will be available to answer health-related questions.

[upinottawa]

Anyone been to the downtown farmer's market?

[westerntragedy]

Been meaning to head down to the Farmers Market actually, maybe snap a few pictures too, but haven't had a chance yet. I wonder if business is good there.. they sure got that place setup fast though, it was in place only a few weeks after the Council decision eh?

In other news, Club Lofts in Walkerville is steadily advancing. Most of the tyvek wrap covering the rooms has been removed, and every day I see workers inside installing the 'loft' areas. But the biggest advancement at 'Lofts right now is on the exterior - the brickwork is going up on at least the south-side right now.. noticed it from a distance while driving west on Wyandotte near where the Drouillard train underpass runs.

Got close this morning and snapped a photo:

[arnold]

Originally Posted by Blitz

Downtown attracts 16 new businesses
The new businesses include Bamboo, Castle Restaurant, The Keg, Whiskey Bar & Grill, Downtown Diner, Le Steak at Filmore East, Pause Cafe, Pitt for Pasta, Mila’s Gelato, American Apparel, ON Studio, Park Street Video, Pre-Paid Legal Services, Royal Windsor Pharmacy, Windsor Beauty and Esthetics Supply and Sweet Life Health and Spa.

downtown windsor got a KEG? where is it? i can't believe news that big just slipped by unnoticed...

seriously though, those are some pretty substancial new additions to the core. and diverse. i'm glad to see that they're not just all nail salons and weekend clubs. good for windsor.




and is it just me, or is "the pitt for pasta" an awkward name for a resturant? i remember their old location, and pointing it out to friends who would come to town to visit... and we would all have a good laugh at the name.

there, and "crabby dicks". classic stuff...

[y2k_pony]

Originally Posted by arnold

downtown windsor got a KEG? where is it? i can't believe news that big just slipped by unnoticed...

Its situated in the shorter part of the Chysler Building complex. It faces the river and is right beside the cleary. I also know a girl who works there, She says that they are going building a huge patio out there as well! In similar news; the city is going to announce soon the final tennant for the Chysler building. The finally got that damn thing full!

[Blitz]

The Pitt for Pasta was named because of its location on Pitt Street but now that it's on Chatham Street the name makes no sense. It's a decent restaurant though. Crabby Dick's has closed and now that building houses a little medical centre.

[upinottawa]

^ I find a lot of non-Windsorites who have been to Windsor in the last 5-10 years seem to be aware of Crabby Dick's.

However, obviously "awareness" was not enough to keep that place in business.