WINDSOR | Construction - News and Development

[north 42]

Originally Posted by inter777

How many of these cookie cutter 6 storey condos can we build

I know, right? Seems to be only one basic design that everyone just slightly alters. Hopefully we will get some better designed proposals over the next few years.

[inter777]

Originally Posted by yupislyr

If the Morouns had their way, there'd be a new 8 lane at grade highway right through Sandwich right now.

CTC plans circa 2005

I recall seeing this back in the day. What a horrific flashback. The Morouns have no regard for anyone let alone whole neighbourhoods. I wish their bridge would get torn down once the Gordie is complete but that won't be happening for some time....

[north 42]

Absolutely appalling that they would even try to propose something so destructive to the oldest neighbourhood in the city, but that’s what they do, destroy neighbourhoods for their own greedy wants. Fuck that whole family!

[ScreamingViking]

I have to wonder how much they've been putting into maintaining the Ambassador Bridge. It's coming up on 95 years old.

Such a shame that such important infrastructure has been in private hands. Governments (in both Canada and the US) should have stepped up to acquire it when there was opportunity to do so. I wonder if they tried, but were simply outbid.

[inter777]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

I have to wonder how much they've been putting into maintaining the Ambassador Bridge.

A whole lot. Last year if I remember correctly they finished replacing all the suspension cables (300 total). The entire bridge deck was redone and completed around 10 years ago. They've done lots of strengthening over the years too with metal work on the towers and concrete work on the substructures. Buddy of mine was part of the improvements.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by inter777

A whole lot. Last year if I remember correctly they finished replacing all the suspension cables (300 total). The entire bridge deck was redone and completed around 10 years ago. They've done lots of strengthening over the years too with metal work on the towers and concrete work on the substructures. Buddy of mine was part of the improvements.

Good. Thank you.

I haven't been on that bridge in a while... maybe early 2010s was the last time. And I was thankful when the vehicle I was in got off the bridge and into the lineup for Canada customs.

While the Gordie Howe Bridge will certainly syphon off a lot of the truck traffic (especially those carrying cargo longer distances to/from beyond the Windsor-Detroit area), I think there's enough to keep the Ambassador in business. There just won't be the same kind of monopoly as before, which (unfortunately for the Marouns) makes ownership a less attractive proposition. Perhaps they'll offer to sell to government now?

Having a local alternative for either one in case of a closure is better than having the only alternative located ~95km away roughly north-east as the crow flies.

[ericmacm]

Originally Posted by yupislyr

That land was one of the proposed new crossing landings back during the DRIC study and the Schwartz report. Perhaps even before it.

And buying that land was just to block potential competition. If the Morouns had their way, there'd be a new 8 lane at grade highway right through Sandwich right now.

CTC plans circa 2005

I think this could actually work if need be, but I think it would have to be fully tunneled with no interchanges between E.C. ROW and the Ambassador to avoid having detrimental effects on Sandwich. Eight lanes would also be overkill, you could probably only comfortably fit 4 in that strip of land between the ETR and College Avenue without ripping anything else up.

Regardless, it doesn't matter now, such a thing is irrelevant with the Gordie Howe coming up on completion. I'm hoping that once the Gordie Howe takes on the bulk of the truck traffic, the Morouns will sell the Ambassador to the Canadian government (as they have expressed interest in buying in the past), and then the feds can work on improving the interaction of the bridge with the local neighbourhood (i.e., reducing border plaza size, freeing up land for neighbourhood and UWindsor campus development, reconfiguring the intersection at Huron Church, etc).

[inter777]

Unfortunately the morouns have plans to build a new truck inspection facility at the foot of the bridge. Wondering what the status is currently on this. Here's an article from a year ago.

https://windsor.ctvnews.ca/negotiati...ssue-1.6326342

[Antonio Mast]

A combined commercial and residential development is proposed for Huron Church next to Fred’s Farm Fresh Market.

https://windsorite.ca/2024/05/reside...-huron-church/

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by inter777

Unfortunately the morouns have plans to build a new truck inspection facility at the foot of the bridge. Wondering what the status is currently on this. Here's an article from a year ago.

I wonder if they're planning to incentivize truck use of the bridge? (e.g., cheaper tolls)

[inter777]

Around 1000 units approved today

https://archive.is/OqyFn

[Mick42]

Originally Posted by inter777

Around 1000 units approved today

https://archive.is/OqyFn

Really glad to see the 11 and 12 storey buildings on the East End were approved. Was worried those would be cut in half floor count wise, or worse.

[inter777]

Originally Posted by Mick42

Really glad to see the 11 and 12 storey buildings on the East End were approved. Was worried those would be cut in half floor count wise, or worse.

I believe they still need to go through council. Seems like most buildings 10 storeys or more are highly contested. The Bellevue tower (12 storeys) off Riverside drive comes to mind. It narrowly passed through council and even the mayor was against it who is head of the provincial housing action team and who gave up 30-70m in federal funding over 4 plexes. Yet we're building 6 storeys everywhere...

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

I wonder if they're planning to incentivize truck use of the bridge? (e.g., cheaper tolls)

They'll have to do something.

I cross into Michigan through Windsor 1-2 times a year. Once Gordie Howe opens, I imagine that I'll use it to go to Michigan and return through the Ambassador still.

Gordie Howe won't have duty-free or the gas station that the Ambassador does, so it'll be worth a few extra minutes of driving on Huronchurch to pick up my $17 two-fours of beer and top up on the discounted gas before crossing.

On the way into the US where I don't use those discounts, I'll use Gordie Howe.