Winnipeg | James Avenue Pumping Station | ?M | 6F - 4F | Phase 1 | U/C
 

James Avenue Pumping Station plans include office, retail, homes..

Artists Renderings:
http://storage.winnipegsun.com/v1/dy...y=80&size=650x
http://storage.winnipegsun.com/v1/dy...y=80&size=650x
http://storage.winnipegsun.com/v1/dy...y=80&size=650x
http://storage.winnipegsun.com/v1/dy...y=80&size=650x

Image/News Source:

Significant proposal for the East Exchange, hence thread worthy in my opinion...

A bold design by 546. It's nice to see that the Pump House will be preserved after all.

In the bottom drawing I see the dreaded (in Winnipeg) P-word.

Phase.

I just went from very excited to very disappointed... And they haven't even begun construction!

I'll say the same thing I say for every phased project... "maybe this time!!!"

interesting
not what i had visioned for the front area but interesting

and thats right the pumps are not at st lvl they are sunken down 8-10feet and the area above the overhead crane is high enough to put a floor totaly forgot about this

That being said, Sky (next door) was 2 phases that were actually both built and basically on schedule.

They'll build what the market will bear.

Hey and if phase 1 means cleaning up the pump house with windows and lighting and some street scaping, that in it's self Is huge progress!

Yep. Phase 1 is the most important. Every dollar they sink into the pump house is a dollar someone down the line won't need. Makes the property easier to develop, even if this full plan never materializes.

Alston has leased a large amount of the office space in the pump house, so naturally that must come first. As that is underway, they will be designing the two apartment buildings, while trying to lease more commercial space.

Who/what is Alston?

its Alston Properties Ltd. and its one of the two companies developing it. They are working on 165 McDermot Ave currently if I am not mistaken.

Other company is Hofer Construction

Yeah... a 6 and four storey building PLUS renovation is going to be much more than $17M...

I'm pretty sure the province/city/CV grants will cover the restoration part of it. Plus heritage grants, etc.

Correct.

True, maybe I misread it. Did it say it will require 17M on top of the grants? That would make more sense. Otherwise, grants ot not, 17M won't build that.

I'm pretty sure the 17m is for what they are building: the two new buildings and the office space in the pumphouse.

Work happening today here, there were construction workers popping out bricks on the north side.

The architect is meeting with Sky residents to discuss the project on September 15.

Yes, and 17M is not a lot for a six storey and a 4 storey building plus renos.


EDIT:

What a late response from me...

Oh, do keep us posted on that one.

I see one southwest facing corner unit is up for sale and has been for some time. Price seems to keep dropping - I'm guessing because their skyline view will be directly affected by the project.

That could be. It seems that any unit ~1000 sq ft or less seems to get snapped up quite quickly, whereas the bigger units tend to sit for a long time before they sell. 113 has been for sale on and off since the building was built, I don't know if it ever actually sold initially.

An update in the Free Press today. Some preliminary work has begun while they await the city's approval of a 20 year tax freeze.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...392114121.html

This is very exciting, and will truly act as a catalyst for the area.

Phase 2 and 3 will make nice parking lots for phase 1.

At this point, even if phase two and three are parking lots - huge win.

I think with the two behind this project, we will see results, and completion.

That's true. I'm just saying they tell the officials anything just to get their foot in the door and then they do whatever the hell they want to do.

Have you not seen what these two have done for the Exchange?

No. Thanks for that positive thought. You have to trust some people to do the right thing. Your positive post and my negative post where simultaneous.

LOL, I would be the first to call them out if they did not have a solid track record.

I think the good thing with this project, compared to others, is there's no way it works at all (from the developers standpoint) if they don't finish the whole thing. There's no way they'll be able to make enough profit off just phase 1 to cover the massive restoration costs of the pumphouse, even with the subsidies. So I feel very confident that we'll get the whole project done, just don't see how it could work at all without the second building.

And yeah as recluse said, these guys are great. People that actually care about the area... willing to maybe make a lower profit to do a great project that benefits the city and its citizens.

^ That group certainly has a solid record of moving ahead with projects at sites that could otherwise never seem to find traction... most notably the Avenue Building, and also the Galpern Building.

The Galpern is a labour of love. Really shows the commitment of this group to the area.

I hope they don't stop. There are plenty of sites which could be redeveloped.

Mentioned this in the Exchange District thread, but lots of the boarding on windows is coming down today.

galpern looks amazing with the façade washed off, the black window trim and some new landscaping already put in along rorie. looks very "big city". also on my stroll today around 1pm, the exchange, main street and especially portage were humming with pedestrian activity of all walks of life. was great to see! if that could be sustained, it would be quite telling.

Any pics? I am so envious of Alston, as I have dreamed of doing what he does.

To see this building with new windows alone would be so wondrous.

They clearly put a lot of value on neighbourhood improvement and are willing to give up some profit for a great project. It's awesome.

After the dozens of proposals that were thrown around over the decades, this I will say, even though I try not to use many of the typical Winnipeg euphemisms...

I'm quite happy with what is proposed, I will settle, for what is planned, and won't loose any sleep over it....

any sky condo owners in this forum?

sasa from barcode architecture is having a information session on the pumphouse for sky condo owners this thursday. would have been nice to go to, but I relocated to Calgary and renting out my condo.

I'm going.

striping the roof has begun
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8043/2...78124d7d_b.jpg

interesting learned the roof is made of concreat panels that are in really good shape the grain exchange has simlar panels in its roof
i gues a test section for the skylight cut outs?
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8384/2...fbda51e9_b.jpg

So so nice to see work being done after years of failed schemes.

Apparently the new windows will be espresso colored, which will pop nicely against the light brick.

^Won't that make it difficult to see in?

Lol

What a fu*king joke.

CentreVenture hit with derelict-building order for James Avenue Pumping Station

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manito...dity-1.3836928