Winnipeg Police Headquarters | Graham Ave.

BigG · #1 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 1:06 PM**

Now that the Winnipeg Police Service is set to move into their digs in December, I'm just thinking if there are already plans on what to do with the former site. Someone must know or heard of rumours concerning this area. Seems like the perfect time to develop this prime and historical piece of real estate - tucked in in the heart of the Exchange and flanked by Chinatown, RRC and City Hall. Can somebody, kindly, throw us a bone?

Simplicity · #2 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 1:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigG

Now that the Winnipeg Police Service is set to move into their digs in December, I'm just thinking if there are already plans on what to do with the former site. Someone must know or heard of rumours concerning this area. Seems like the perfect time to develop this prime and historical piece of real estate - tucked in in the heart of the Exchange and flanked by Chinatown, RRC and City Hall. Can somebody, kindly, throw us a bone?

There's a more than 100 year old caveat on the title that has the land reverting back to the original family that gifted it to the city unless it is expressly used for the public benefit. In other words, it has to be a government institution of sorts - it doesn't specify. But from what I understand of it, it can't be sold. It can only be assigned for the purposes of a qualifying public agency in the pursuit of the public good.

The Police HQ debacle just seems to get worse with every issue, doesn't it?

trebor204 · #3 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 2:02 PM**

I heard that some of the City Halls offices are moving there temporary, when City Hall is being renovated.

LilZebra · #4 Posted **Sep 20, 2015, 3:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebor204

I heard that some of the City Halls offices are moving there temporary, when City Hall is being renovated.

It's an ugly eyesore of a building.

Putting people in there again now, when the bldg. surely needs demoing will just delay the sites redevelopment.

Sorry, heritage nuts. The old PSB is not worth saving.

It was literally falling apart before our very eyes.

Time for something different on the site.

Simplicity · #5 Posted **Sep 20, 2015, 5:52 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimj_wpg

It's an ugly eyesore of a building.

Putting people in there again now, when the bldg. surely needs demoing will just delay the sites redevelopment.

Except that there's more value to the city - and consequently the taxpayer - to keep the building intact and productive. If there weren't a restrictive caveat on the property, I might encourage the city to explore the options that might exist out there. But as it is, that's not really a practical consideration.

esquire · #6 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 2:14 PM**

If only the city were in a position to replace the PSB with a civic administration complex to centralize the various civic offices scattered around town. I'd love to see a new 10 to 15 storey building on the PSB's footprint.

Simplicity · #7 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 2:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

If only the city were in a position to replace the PSB with a civic administration complex to centralize the various civic offices scattered around town. I'd love to see a new 10 to 15 storey building on the PSB's footprint.

That would actually be great. Unfortunately, you'd hollow out a few places they're the only tenants, but whatever.

There's also the issue of historical significance here. The heritage community has tried to have the building listed as an important representation of brutalist architecture that should be protected, so there's that for what it's worth.

Truthfully, the city just needs to retrofit the thing and get on with it. For what members of the civic service are doing, it's perfectly fine. If they can do it in a windowless strip mall or equally dreary bunker on Fort, they'll manage to push paper there with equal efficacy.

esquire · #8 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 2:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplicity

That would actually be great. Unfortunately, you'd hollow out a few places they're the only tenants, but whatever.

There's also the issue of historical significance here. The heritage community has tried to have the building listed as an important representation of brutalist architecture that should be protected, so there's that for what it's worth.

Truthfully, the city just needs to retrofit the thing and get on with it. For what members of the civic service are doing, it's perfectly fine. If they can do it in a windowless strip mall or equally dreary bunker on Fort, they'll manage to push paper there with equal efficacy.

Actually, preserving the PSB and converting it into civic administration space would be pretty good too, but I thought retrofitting was cost-prohibitive?

Which places would take the hardest hit if the City left? The Hamilton Building on Main would be nearly empty... surely Artis could line up new tenants? Fort Garry Place's office space would take a hit but frankly, who cares?

I guess my comment is driven mainly by Edmonton-envy given that they're building this to accommodate civic staff. And their city hall is not even 25 years old!

Source:globalnews.ca

CoryB · #9 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 2:50 PM**

I thought the PSB upgrades where only cost prohibitive if it remained the police hq as it required extra levels above the standard building code, like being harden against a bomb, etc. A conversion to civic office or the RRC space would be a possibility.

It would seem to short term plan now as a light renovation to allow the relocation of the city hall staff while their own complex is renovated. This could be the first hint that RRC is not taking on the building, at least in the short term.

Separately though, if the Civic Centre Parkade is an unsafe building and remediation too costly why don't they bring in the dynamite and get rid of it already.

esquire · #10 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 2:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoryB

I thought the PSB upgrades where only cost prohibitive if it remained the police hq as it required extra levels above the standard building code, like being harden against a bomb, etc. A conversion to civic office or the RRC space would be a possibility.

It would seem to short term plan now as a light renovation to allow the relocation of the city hall staff while their own complex is renovated. This could be the first hint that RRC is not taking on the building, at least in the short term.

Separately though, if the Civic Centre Parkade is an unsafe building and remediation too costly why don't they bring in the dynamite and get rid of it already.

PSB renovation and conversion to office space would be great... the building is good and it has architectural merit, so keeping it around would be for the best. However, the parkade clearly needs replacement... I think it's quite reasonable for the civic centre to have its own parkade.

So if the city chooses that option, the PSB block won't look that much different than before... a renovated PSB and a new replacement parkade.

I'd love to see that lousy park north of the PSB filled in with some appropriate development, though. Can that be done or is there something underneath which prevents that?

drew · #11 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 2:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplicity

equally dreary bunker on Fort

The City offices in Fort Garry Place just seem to suck the life right out of me whenever I visit. Couldn't imagine working in there.

Who knows, maybe a nice new building with lots of glass and natural light would help City staff do their jobs better - which in the end, would help us all!

esquire · #12 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 6:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

If only the city were in a position to replace the PSB with a civic administration complex to centralize the various civic offices scattered around town. I'd love to see a new 10 to 15 storey building on the PSB's footprint.

Oops, I forgot that the city just bought a big office tower that's vacant at the moment... I guess it won't be building anything anytime soon.

Did the city ever consider just putting civic departments into the former Canada Post Building and just pulling out of the leased space it currently occupies?

CoryB · #13 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 6:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Did the city ever consider just putting civic departments into the former Canada Post Building and just pulling out of the leased space it currently occupies?

An excellent idea that seems to make sense so I doubt it will ever happen. After all, who will move into the privately owned Fort Garry Place offices if the City moves out? We wouldn't want to have full taxpayer owned buildings while private landlords are left with vacancies.

esquire · #14 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 6:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoryB

An excellent idea that seems to make sense so I doubt it will ever happen. After all, who will move into the privately owned Fort Garry Place offices if the City moves out? We wouldn't want to have full taxpayer owned buildings while private landlords are left with vacancies.

LOL. I guess it would be hard to pry the employees away from the old-world architectural splendour of Fort Garry Place.

Is it Milan or Winnipeg?

Source: downtownwinnipegbiz.com

biguc · #15 Posted **Sep 20, 2015, 1:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoryB

An excellent idea that seems to make sense so I doubt it will ever happen. After all, who will move into the privately owned Fort Garry Place offices if the City moves out? We wouldn't want to have full taxpayer owned buildings while private landlords are left with vacancies.

The primary duty of the state is to fill vacant space--especially streetfront retail--in order to keep rents too high for any uppity small businesses.

rrskylar · #16 Posted **Sep 20, 2015, 3:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by biguc

The primary duty of the state is to fill vacant space--especially streetfront retail--in order to keep rents too high for any uppity small businesses.

Probably didn't take much to get (buy)a deal from slippery Sam and his band, probably as little as a meal a year at the revolving restaurant in Bergen's poorly conceived faux Euro aberration!

Simplicity · #17 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 7:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Oops, I forgot that the city just bought a big office tower that's vacant at the moment... I guess it won't be building anything anytime soon.

Did the city ever consider just putting civic departments into the former Canada Post Building and just pulling out of the leased space it currently occupies?

Pretty sure the city re-upped a bunch of leases before Katz walked out the door...

esquire · #18 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 7:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplicity

Pretty sure the city re-upped a bunch of leases before Katz walked out the door...

Of course...

CoryB · #19 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 7:35 PM**

Maybe Fort Garry Place can take another run at being an upscale mall...

Cyro · #20 Posted **Sep 18, 2015, 2:56 PM**

Just a few additional facts on the PSB form earlier studies in 2014 at the cost of aprx: 275 K

$40 Million to refurbish for any other uses..exterior cladding,etc.. No choice but to: (demolish the parkade and remediate the site)

Reg: the Land usage deed: 1/3 of the parkade and structure must go to civic use as mentioned above
Anything North of the building up to James St can be sold or used for private use.