Winnipeg | 300 Main St.- Phase II / 360 Main St. | ~142M | 465 Ft | 42F | U/C - Page 44

Ando · #**861** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 6:32 PM**

More heritage bitching by Artis and Albo about the Vendome Hotel designation. They claim that the designation for the "flea bag" hotel could jeopardize future redevelopment of the block, even though they claim to have no plans. Where is Pollard when you need him?

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...394907631.html

Urban recluse · #**862** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 6:42 PM**

I would love to see this building restored, complete with a new cornice; it looks pretty sad right now.

esquire · #**863** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 6:43 PM**

^ I am extremely gratified to hear that serious thought is being given to improving Fort Street. It's horrendous how the commercial hub of Winnipeg basically presents as a walled off fortress to Fort Street, with a bunch of parking lots and underutilized buildings on the west side of the street. There is a lot of potential along that block.

That said, what do Bel/Albo/Martens intend to do with the Vendome, assuming that they acquire it? Demolition for a new tower is one thing, demolition for surface parking is quite another. Sounds like they're being a little vague.

Urban recluse · #**864** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 6:47 PM**

Let it sit as is for another 20 years? Get serious. Besides, the building could be delisted and demolished if some amazing plan was brought forward. We may end up with a demolition by neglect example.

esquire · #**865** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 6:55 PM**

^ I think we've all had enough of developers demolishing buildings based on vague plans that never materialize. That said, the proponents of this Fort Street thing aren't actually asking to demolish anything yet.

Urban recluse · #**866** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 7:12 PM**

My comment was directed towards the trio bitching about designation LOL. Crying foul when there is no plan in place.

Ando · #**867** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 7:17 PM**

This is what the Albo/Bel representative said in the FP article:

"Rick (Bel) looked at it and thought maybe there is an opportunity here to do a land assembly and part and parcel of that would be the restoration or redevelopment, which could be demolition, of the Vendome," Storey said. "That’s not to say the building (the Vendome) has to be demolished. One of the options we’re looking at is redevelopment into a night club, possibly a craft brewery. There’s a lot of opportunities for it and then as you go farther south down the street, there might be the opportunities for another tower, for an office tower…"

So it could be demolished or not demolished. It seems to me that, with a little outside the box thinking, they could integrate a heritage structure into any development plan for the block. The irony of course is that they own one of the largest heritage structures in the city.

Urban recluse · #**868** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 7:19 PM**

They could, but that would add to the cost; they do not want that. For me, I saw what was done with the St. Louis Hotel in Calgary, and the Vendome could become just as amazing.

esquire · #**869** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 7:40 PM**

It's one thing to integrate a jewel of a building into a new development...a good example might be the Bank of Nova Scotia at Portage and Garry. However, the Vendome is a runt of a building... it's hard to imagine how well it could mesh with a new building. It would look out of place.

That said, renovating it as a standalone building could be good.

pegcityfan · #**870** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 7:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ando

More heritage bitching by Artis and Albo about the Vendome Hotel designation. They claim that the designation for the "flea bag" hotel could jeopardize future redevelopment of the block, even though they claim to have no plans. Where is Pollard when you need him?

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...394907631.html

As awesome as it was that Pollard bought the Fortune Block. Pretty sure he did it to save his brother in law's business. Not because he was in love with the building or on some heritage crusade.

Urban recluse · #**871** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 7:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

It's one thing to integrate a jewel of a building into a new development...a good example might be the Bank of Nova Scotia at Portage and Garry. However, the Vendome is a runt of a building... it's hard to imagine how well it could mesh with a new building. It would look out of place.

That said, renovating it as a standalone building could be good.

http://www.bldup.com/projects/the-boston-boutique-hotel

esquire · #**872** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 8:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pegcityfan

As awesome as it was that Pollard bought the Fortune Block. Pretty sure he did it to save his brother in law's business. Not because he was in love with the building or on some heritage crusade.

Which business is his brother in law's? Times Changed?

Also, that hotel in Boston is a fair bit more elegant than the Vendome which is pretty unimpressive even by Winnipeg fleabag hotel standards (Winnipeg, McLaren, Garrick, St. Charles and several others are much nicer). Honestly as long as there is some legitimate redevelopment of the site planned such that it it wouldn't become a parking lot, I'd be A-OK with demolition.

Urban recluse · #**873** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 8:15 PM**

I am not so attached to it either, but if a plan is presented, it better be a good one.

esquire · #**874** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 8:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

I am not so attached to it either, but if a plan is presented, it better be a good one.

I'd kiss the Vendome goodbye in exchange for a single storey Subway/Money Mart combo. But only if they use cultured stone on the façade and no stucco.

pegcityfan · #**875** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 8:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

Which business is his brother in law's? Times Changed?

Also, that hotel in Boston is a fair bit more elegant than the Vendome which is pretty unimpressive even by Winnipeg fleabag hotel standards (Winnipeg, McLaren, Garrick, St. Charles and several others are much nicer). Honestly as long as there is some legitimate redevelopment of the site planned such that it it wouldn't become a parking lot, I'd be A-OK with demolition.

Yes.

Urban recluse · #**876** Posted **Sep 27, 2016, 8:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

I'd kiss the Vendome goodbye in exchange for a single storey Subway/Money Mart combo. But only if they use cultured stone on the façade and no stucco.

Oh my God

LMFAO

Look at it:

http://media.winnipegfreepress.com/i...NEP1409723.jpg

Chemically strip the nastiness off, replace the windows with larger ones, replace the cornice, remove the horrible canopy, replace entrances, etc.