Winnipeg | Osborne Village & Corydon area

[CoryB]

Second Cup as a chain has been in trouble for years. Basically ever since Starbucks entered the Canadian market in a significant way. This is likely a case of the operation not making enough money to cover its costs.

As for Stella's taking over the Second Cup space, that seems doubtful before it even hits the ground. Stella's needs kitchen space and Second Cup doesn't have that. By the time you put a kitchen into that space the already small room will quickly disappear. Tim Hortons would have similar issues. If it was to stay a coffee shop a local independent like Little Sisters would be the best bet. That said it would get Little Sisters out of the basement unit and onto a highly visible corner.

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by headhorse

also the house on Scott St that was demoed has plans on it for two buildings I believe with some offices on the main floor.

When I drove by today there were cement trucks onsite. So, it looks like whatever is going in there has started.

Kind of sad that place couldn't be saved. The house was from 1887:

"Called “The Oaks” by the Forrest Family, this fine 2½-storey dwelling rests on rubblestone foundation walls with the ground floor clad in brick veneer and the upper floor in wood siding. The home was built in 1887, early in terms of residential development for this area of Winnipeg (known as Fort Rouge) and one of the neighbourhood’s oldest homes still standing today.

Elements like the enclosed entrance porch with delicate wood accenting and ornamental glasswork, carved wood detailing, fish scale shingling, bay windows and other wall projections and the complex roof with multiple slopes distinguish this building as an excellent example of the Queen Anne Revival style, one of the most popular of all the residential architectural styles from the 1880s until World War I. At its best, the style was known for its picturesqueness; a seemingly unconnected, unbalance attempt to fill or cover all flat surfaces on every façade. Bay windows, towers, wrap-around porches, irregular rooflines, dormers, cross gables, ornamented chimneystacks, projecting wings, balconies and varied materials and colours were applied in combination to animate the structures."

(Source)

Apparently they considered (though who knows how seriously) trying to save the building, but there was mould and rot:

Sputnik Architecture Inc.completed a series of studies in an effort to save the existing building, however, the discovery of mould and significant wood rot within the structure eliminated any hope of preserving the existing building.

It was rezoned as RMF in January. Sputnik has designed something called "Village House", which looks pretty atrocious (sorry if anyone involved is on this forum):

[tree]

Was on the Toad patio a few weekends ago on a Saturday night. A few places were packed but across the street its 75% off For Lease. Sad days in the Village. Hopefully this current decline is over and things start improving again - at least as far as the main strip goes.

[buzzg]

Basil will die soon and all will become whole again.

[cllew]

I have heard Basil come up a few time here, what is he doing to hold things back? Does he own a lot of the buildings in the area?

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Basil will die soon and all will become whole again.

If only. It'll then be the same garbage with Basil's son.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by cllew

I have heard Basil come up a few time here, what is he doing to hold things back? Does he own a lot of the buildings in the area?

Owns almost that entire block on the west side. Also the building the Toad is in I believe.

For one, that building with Rooster the top floor is still completely unfinished. Boarded up windows and open to the elements - apparently it's filled with dead animals (I know someone that went in there). He doesn't want to spend the money to finish it. All his buildings are in horrible shape and he doesn't even really let tenants do major upgrades.

At Black Rabbit he would come in before they were open, drink their coffee and read the paper. Wouldn't let them change the bar. Wouldn't let them hide his granddaughter's artwork that he embedded into a concrete pillar. Charges ridiculous rents and provides nothing back to the tenants for improvements. Slow at fixing any issues... I could go on...

He's essentially a slum landlord - even the real estate companies hate working with him. Claims to be a big supporter of the village and BIZ and wants good things for the area, but isn't willing to keep his own properties up to date and is actually one of the biggest things holding the Village back right now. He's asking $6k/month for the Desart space.

[EndoftheBeginning]

Looks like someone wants to build a 6 floor, 110 unit apartment at 281 River (currently a set of five low rise blocks). They need to get By-law approval to change the Osborne Neighbourhood Plan since the max height on River east of Osborne is currently set at 5 floors. No renders posted yet that I can see.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Owns almost that entire block on the west side. Also the building the Toad is in I believe.

For one, that building with Rooster the top floor is still completely unfinished. Boarded up windows and open to the elements - apparently it's filled with dead animals (I know someone that went in there). He doesn't want to spend the money to finish it. All his buildings are in horrible shape and he doesn't even really let tenants do major upgrades.

At Black Rabbit he would come in before they were open, drink their coffee and read the paper. Wouldn't let them change the bar. Wouldn't let them hide his granddaughter's artwork that he embedded into a concrete pillar. Charges ridiculous rents and provides nothing back to the tenants for improvements. Slow at fixing any issues... I could go on...

He's essentially a slum landlord - even the real estate companies hate working with him. Claims to be a big supporter of the village and BIZ and wants good things for the area, but isn't willing to keep his own properties up to date and is actually one of the biggest things holding the Village back right now. He's asking $6k/month for the Desart space.

Someone should text/email that whole thing to him.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by EndoftheBeginning

Looks like someone wants to build a 6 floor, 110 unit apartment at 281 River (currently a set of five low rise blocks). They need to get By-law approval to change the Osborne Neighbourhood Plan since the max height on River east of Osborne is currently set at 5 floors. No renders posted yet that I can see.

Seems a little surprising to me since that’s a pretty well developed plot. I wonder if the buildings are in such a bad state of disrepair that they figure it makes more sense to start fresh? Would be nice if it’s the same owner as the lot to the East and they could build a small apt at the front of the gaping parking lot to hide it a bit.

It’s not like there aren’t some more ripe properties for redevelopment in the area.

Synergy 1 + 2 on Wardlaw are nearing completion and look good.

[MG922]

That might be a pretty smart move by whoever is proposing it. I'd imagine property values going up and that area will be more desirable to live in when the new pedestrian/cycling bridge over the assiniboine gets built in the park right beside it.

[Tacheguy]

Originally Posted by MG922

That might be a pretty smart move by whoever is proposing it. I'd imagine property values going up and that area will be more desirable to live in when the new pedestrian/cycling bridge over the assiniboine gets built in the park right beside it.

I haven't heard of that. when will it be built?

[MG922]

Originally Posted by Tacheguy

I haven't heard of that. when will it be built?

Tender for Preliminary Design just closed, so give it at least a year for prelim and then detailed design. Maybe start construction in winter 2018 / spring 2019.

http://www.winnipeg.ca/finance/finda...r_Proposal.pdf

[Tacheguy]

cool. thanks

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by MG922

Tender for Preliminary Design just closed, so give it at least a year for prelim and then detailed design. Maybe start construction in winter 2018 / spring 2019.

http://www.winnipeg.ca/finance/finda...r_Proposal.pdf

that's awesome! please tell me this isn't one of the AT projects that's getting the cut by the city? (like the Pembina cycling overpass they just axed)?

[MG922]

i don't have any insider info on this assiniboine bridge; prelim design hasn't been awarded yet, but it should go forward. Detailed design and then construction would be contingent on additional funds.

As for the pembina AT bridge, the Prelim design should be complete soon. The project may be cancelled for now, but the prelim design report will still be finished. The city can pick it up and award detailed design whenever they get funding and/or change their infrastructure priorities.

[buzzg]

The Pembina/Bishop AT bridge is getting cut due to the province, not the city.

As for this River AT bridge, I wouldn't be surprised to see it prioritized by the city as right now the other options at Osborne and Donald bridges are dangerous at best, yet getting downtown is a key missing link to the whole AT plan, lol.

Key tho this whole thing though will be finding a sensible, simple place to put a bike connection from River to Stradbrook, to connect with an eventual bike track on Stradbrook. As we've discussed before, there's PLENTY of room on Stradbrook (east of Osborne at least) for a 2-way cycle track that can connect with the AT path along the RT line, so connecting this to River and the future AT path will be CRITICAL for its success/usefulness.

[WolselyMan]

You guys are really gonna be pissed with my opinion, but I don't think the 6 story tower is actually the best idea. Ask me 6 months ago what I would have thought of this and I would be very enthusiastic about a new riverfront tower anywhere, but my views have changed since then.

I really feel that the highest possible utility of any riverbank property is simply as a green space now. You can argue all you want about how much green space is enough for Winnipeg. But I thinks it's easy to see that if there is a place for parkland in Winnipeg it's along the rivers. Just let me ask you this; what do feel gets enhanced more when it's located on the river rather than inland? A high rise building, or a park? Most people here are happy just to see a development get built anywhere, regardless of whether it's a riverfront or not. I don't think anyone would be any less enamored with the D condo if it was being built near Broadway rather than on assiniboine, but I don't think you could do the same with a park. Placing a park on the river seriously improves it's quality and natural beauty by an order of magnitude. If there ever is a place to put green space, it's along natural bodies of water. That's just the type of land use that would benefit the most out of all other zones if it were located near a river, and is the most utilitarian choice that will maximize the amount of value it will give to the highest amount of people.

If you really wanna see what excessive high density developments do to the riverbank then just look at the Wellington Crescent strip across from Armstrong Point. I love the look of all those differently varying apartment towers and condos rising above the Assiniboine, until I look down on the river bank and see nothing but a giant sea of grey parking lots, parking garages, and parkade ramps that extend almost all the way to the very edge of the river. Is that really the best way that we could be using that strip of riverbank? As a parking lot for a bunch of wealthy YUPPIES? All of those high rises could have simply been built on the other side of Wellington and they would have the exact same aesthetic impact that they'd have on the edge of the river! The only difference is that now you've opened up the riverbank for more greenery and recreational value, something that probably only increase the property values of the adjacent residential towers.

(And in case you're wondering. No. It's not as if all those towers were built on the river side because the land there was more developable, as if it is was former vacant industrial property. What existed before those towers were some of the biggest historical mansions in the city, that developers simply bought up one by one. They could have just as easily bought up the buildings on the opposite side of wellington, but they didn't because they thought that if the developments were right on the riverbank that would give them the highest possible property values. And the buildings on the south side of wellington probably were even cheaper to buy than all the turn of the century mansions they bough t up and destroyed instead.)

[GlassCity]

But it can't be all park space adjacent to the river - that doesn't do much to animate it either. People need a reason to go besides looking at the water and there needs to be a certain amount of people that live close enough to venture out to the river relatively frequently.

I definitely see your point, but leaving too much open space around the river I think could actually have a harmful effect. If this site is to be redeveloped, maybe it could allow for more public space behind it. That is, don't give these condo dwellers exclusive access to it. But maybe have a secondary entrance from the riverside as well. Animate the space there.

[MG922]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Key tho this whole thing though will be finding a sensible, simple place to put a bike connection from River to Stradbrook, to connect with an eventual bike track on Stradbrook. As we've discussed before, there's PLENTY of room on Stradbrook (east of Osborne at least) for a 2-way cycle track that can connect with the AT path along the RT line, so connecting this to River and the future AT path will be CRITICAL for its success/usefulness.

Part of the bridge assignment for preliminary design is also to figure out a functional design for a bike network connection from Fort Rouge Park to Osborne station and the new bike lanes on Pembina at confusion corner. That will be tricky, but like you said, critical for the success of the bike network in the area.

WolselyMan, I do kinda agree with you about those Wellington towers, that was a missed opportunity. That's a bit of a tangent to this tho. Fort Rouge Park will still be there. Also, The Forks and City have the "go to the Waterfront" guidelines for the whole waterfront area, and if you look on pg 32 and 38, they have considered the concept for putting in pathway connections along the south side of the river. That would be awesome if they could make that happen. Here's a link to the document, it says Draft, i'll try and find the final.

http://www.theforks.com/uploads/ck/f...front_2014.pdf