Building a Community in Winnipeg's Historic Exchange District

First Fridays in the Exchange - Sept 3rd

Call me crazy if you want, but I love living downtown!

by David Connors, R:ED member
as published in the Winnipeg Free Press, Aug 1, 2010

I am a downtowner.

There, I said it. And what a feeling of release it gives me to finally admit it.

Yes, I am one of those crazy people some of our blessed commentators love to diss on the Free Press website. As in “you’ve got to be insane to live downtown,” or “if I have to go downtown, I get in and out as quickly as possible,” or “the downtown is dirty, dangerous and disgusting.Who in their right mind spends anymore time there than they need to?”

Well, meet me.  Married white male of an age when I guess I should know better.

So, what’s my excuse? I don’t have any. But let me tell you about the Neil Young concert my wife and I attended last week. It was great, of course. Neil somehow survived downtown long enough to deliver a totally satisfying retrospective on his legendary career. When it was over, we slipped out of the side door of the concert hall, walked home, shook up a couple of martinis and from our patio we watched the rest of you walk to your cars for your 25-minute commute to the suburbs. It was very pleasant.

Congratulations on finding parking, by the way. On the rare days when we can’t make it to whatever is on at the concert hall, MTC, or the Pantages Playhouse Theatre, it’s almost as pleasant to sit on the patio and watch you drive around and around looking for parking.   full article

YouCube - Extending WaterFront Drive

On June 25th, it was ribbon cutting time for the new YouCube development at the end of WaterFront.  John Giavedoni (R:ED Chair) was invited to represent local residents and say a few words at the ceremony.

The developer, a young entrepreneur named Mark Penner was beaming with pride showing off his latest development (although the biggest smile was when he held his tiny baby after the ceremony!)

The development, with nine units in phase I will effectively extend Waterfront Drive towards Higgins.  The bright, airy condos were designed by 5468796 Architecture.  Architects Sasa Radulovik and Johanna  Hurme (both R:ED members) were in attendance.

Councillor Scott Fielding spoke on behalf of the city, and Ross McGowan on behalf of CentreVenture.

CUBE - Unveiled

"Cube", the new stage in Old Market Square was unveiled on June 17.  The new stage has been designed by two R:ED members: Johanna Hurme and Sasa Radulovik of 5468796 Architecture an Exchange District architecture firm that has been winning some very prestigious awards.  The new design has create some WOW in the newly refurbished Old Market Square and some contraversy (Global video).

You can decide for yourself by checking it out in person, or viewing these images taken during the unveiling.

The new Peter Nygard?

For those who regularly walk down Lily Street (behind the Concert Hall or across from MTC), the huge mural on the side of the former Nygard store looks relatively unchanged.  However, the property is no longer owned by Nygard, having been purchased by Qualico and is being developed by Streetside Development into residential condos.

If you looked closely in the past, the mural, a concept of an atrium covered walkway between the buildings on Market and James Avenues, used to prominently display the smiling face of Peter Nygard on a white sign attached to a pillar in the painting.  For a couple of weeks, the face of the former owner was replaced with a new face -- click on the picture below for a better look.

Solid Brick

A recent Winnipeg Free Press article, highlighted the amazing 41 year career of Cynthia and Fred Brick in the furniture business.  Brick's Fine Furniture started on Princess, then moved to Lombard Avenue, and this past year, to their current location at 145 Market Avenue. 

In spite of the location changes (always wanting to be downtown), the economy and a long naming battle with The Brick, Cynthia has thrived.  Her passion for downtown goes beyond her store location, Cynthia and Fred live in the Exchange District too.

If you have not been to the new location of Brick's Fine Furniture -- you should, it is large, gorgeous and filled with elegant furnishings. 

Cynthia is a devoted R:ED member, and has volunteered to host our next meeting at her store.  The meeting will feature a talk by Martin Maykut of StreetSide (a Qualico company) about the new development of a whole block of buildings on Market Avenue (including the building that houses Brick's Fine Furniture) and a block on Market Avenue.  Register now for the R:ED event on June 9th.

City Ignores Heritage

Without any review, announcement or public input, the City has approved demolition of the oldest portion of the Smart Bag Co. building, built in 1884, just on the fringe of the Exchange District National Historic Site.

Sport Manitoba purchased a 5 story building on Pacific Ave, and have just recently opened their doors.  They initially announced plans to demolish the Grade III heritage building next door to make room for a sports complex.  Now through some clever maneuvering, they have managed to avoid any public input and even prevented Heritage Winnipeg from having any say -- it was all internal to the City and the planning, property and development department has just given the okay to tear it down (Winnipeg Free Press article).

Along the way, and engineer's report and fire officials report were supposedly obtained that said the building was "unsafe."  Is that sufficient reason to tear it down?  How many of the heritage buildings in and around the Exchange District could fail to meet today's code and thus be considered "unsafe?"  And why is it unsafe -- did the owner not maintain it?  How much would it cost to make it "safe?"  Well, as this demolition order was issued without any involvement of the public or heritage officials, we will never know the answers.

What we do know is that the City as recently as 2008 felt there were many elements of this building that deserved the level III heritage status. Listed on the City's conservation list, their heritage assessment of this, the oldest portion of the Smart Bag Co. building stated:

"Elements of the building that would require approval if alterations were planned are:
Exterior-

• The three masonry walls (north, south and west) of the three-storey, north facing structure
• The metal decorative cornice of the main façade
• The paired and arched second and third storey windows with continuous stone sills and brick accenting
• Other main façade details including pilasters with decorative metal caps and decorative brick panels
• The railway track lintels on the ground floor windows and the original windows on the third floor of the west façade

Interior-

• The structural elements (wood beams and posts) and wood floors of the second and third floors"

New Biz Boss

Brian Timmerman has been appointed Executive Director of the Exchange District Business Improvement Zone. Timmerman, a 25 year veteran of the Winnipeg Police Service, has been the Director of Operations with the organization since 2003.

Derek Manaigre has been hired as the new Director of Operations, and Jarrett Storey continues as manager, marketing & communications.

Earth Day Cleanup

R:ED residents organized our own Earth Day cleanup on Saturday April 24th.  With a turnout of more than a dozen eager residents, we spread out to cover off Stephen Juba park / riverbank area, Waterfront Drive and the streets leading west including Bannatyne, John Hirsch, Market and James.

After filling a few dozen garbage bags (donated by the Exchange Biz) we gathered and enjoyed coffee and some great freshly baked treats that residents had donated.

Thanks to all who came out, those who donated baked goods, and a special thanks to Mavis  Bollman, David Thompson and Merv  Pritchard who organized this event -- their third!

Forks Announces Residential Development

The Forks has announced plans for residential development.  It is still very preliminary, but plans call for a 10 story residential building to be built across from the new museum.  The main floor and promenade area will be commercial.  The building will hold about 350 residential units.

Hidden between the building and the train track will be a parking structure that will hold 600 - 700 cars.  While that sounds like a good addition to the Forks parking needs, the building of the structure will result in the loss of about 350 existing surface parking spots.  Even if not all of the 350 new residential units get a single parking spot, it will not leave more than a few net new spots for the museum or Forks use.

There has been controversy about having residential development at the Forks site.  I was interviewed on CBC Radio on April 19th where I voiced general support for having more residents "downtown."  My one caution -- the $100+ million project could take away from the funds for downtown development.  The recent City / Province announcement of the TIFF program was for only $20 million over three years to build over 500 residential units. 

The TIFF program (see article below) is expected to spur considerable development in the Exchange, but it is just a start -- it will need to be expanded and extended.  I would hate to think that a "mega-project" at the Forks could dry up available government funding, but we know that governments love mega-projects.

Grocery Update: Bay Food Mart

The TIF of the Iceberg

After a year of speculation and waiting, the City and Province has unveiled their new "Downtown Residential Development Grant" program.  Premier Sellinger and Mayor Katz, in a press conference on Waterfront Street, announced that $20 million would be available over the next three years to developers to help stimulate residential housing in the downtown.

The announcement is a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program, that essentially recognizes that the new development will increase property values and taxes, creating higher tax revenues in the future; a portion of these increased tax revenues are granted to the developer at the time the building is finished to assist with the cost of the development.

Recognizing that the cost of development in downtown (and especially in the Exchange District) is high due to existing buildings, new building codes, heritage restrictions, etc, the grant will make available to the developers up to $40,000 per residential unit.

To qualify, the developments must meet minimum requirements for "affordability" and accessibility to the disabled.  Details were not released.

At the maximum payout of $40,000 per door, the three year program could help finance 500 units, or maybe 1,000 - 1,500 new downtown residents.

Its not a lot, but its a start.

The way to maximize the benefit is to focus the funds.  The "downtown" is too big - 500 units will have negligible effect on creating vibrancy.  We need to focus the $20 million on the Exchange District and Portage Ave.  When the first 500 units are built, let's fund the next 500 and 500 after that...

This $20 million is not a cost.  Its an investment, one that will be easily repaid in 10 - 15 years through the higher property taxes that will result from the development.  Its a good investment, not only from a financial point of view, but from the social aspect as well.

Many Winnipegers want to live downtown.  Those that don't want to at least feel proud of their downtown.  Downtown residential investment is the single best way to build an urban environment that is vibrant, fun, funky and alive.

We need to build a community.

(News reports: Free Press story, CBC story, CBC video)

Confessions of a former sprawl addict

Hi, my name is Hazel, and I’m an addict.

For the last 25 years, I’ve been addicted to a string of takers. Time-draining, money-grubbing, fat-building, resource-depleting, toxic machines. For the last 18 months, I’ve been clean. Ever since our move to Canada. And this last weekend, I realized I may be cured.

That’s right, when we moved here 18 months ago, I decided to get rid of my car. This past weekend, my in-laws offered me their sweet little Audi on loan as they fled the cold for the winter. But living without a car for the first time since I was 16, I realize it’s a much better way. I just said, “No.”

Living in the heart of Winnipeg, I’m surrounded by walkable neighbourhoods on every side. Going from a golf course community in Florida — let’s call it an experiment, shall we? — with a Walk Score of 9 to Winnipeg’s Exchange District with a Walk Score of 88 quickly ended my auto addiction. And the score should actually be more like 98, but Canadian transit is not yet reflected, nor are the new Exchange retail establishments that have been opening one per month ever since I’ve lived here. It’s rich.

So I’d call this a lifestyle within sustainable urbanism — walkable, transit-served urbanism integrated with high-performance buildings and infrastructure, that balances environmental, social, and economic requirements — and it also makes extreme climates livable.

The principal barrier to greening where we live is how we live. Misguided transportation planning, home and infrastructure financing systems, and zoning practices incentivize sprawling, disconnected lifestyles, and are increasingly unaffordable, unfulfilling, and unhealthy. To reverse sprawl’s unintended consequences we should incentivize compact, diverse, transit-oriented development. The foundation of Real Green is neighbourhood, district, corridor, and regional design, with high-performance infrastructure and green architecture layered upon that base. It’s cost-effective, since even $1 million invested in planning a city is less than gadget-greening a handful of buildings to which everyone drives.

So what does this mean to me personally to have kicked the habit?

My family’s average car miles per month decreased by 90%, going from a 3 car family driving 530 miles per week, to a 1 car family driving 55 miles per week. The AAA Your Driving Costs 2009 lists our combination of three cars costing $0.702/mile. Walkable, transit rich urbanism got us a 90% emissions reduction and saved us $17,206 per year. It also freed up 700 hours per year, which are entirely more fulfilling to spend in other ways than on my addiction. Oh, and all that walking has started dispensing with the weight gain that averages 10 pounds per person living in sprawl. Last Saturday’s New York Times article and CEOs for Cities study intone that my new house, with it’s above-average Walk Score will likely commanded a premium, as much as $30,000. Judging by local real estate prices, they’ve more or less pegged it.

Yearly savings tally:

- 90% less carbon emissions

- $17,206 car savings

- $30,000 house savings

- 700 hours

- 10 pounds

- Real community — priceless

Walkability isn’t about doing your duty for others. It’s about a better life for you. Or as Ken Groves put it, “I dwell small and live large.”

It feels great to come clean.

–Hazel Borys  (R:ED Member)

New Condos for Exchange

Qualico Developments has purchased the buildings formerly owned by Nygard International and has confirmed that they will be developing the properties.  This should mean about 150 new condos built behind the Concert Hall.

Qualico has stated that they expect the condos to be in the 500 - 600 sq foot range and sell for under $200,000.

There are strong rumours that a new parking structure will be built across James Street from the Qualico Development condos, with a mix of retail/commercial space on the main floor.  The parking structure would provide much needed capacity for the concert hall, the Sport Manitoba building and the new condos.

The new condos will be developed in phases, with the first expected as soon as late 2010.

The fine print: similar to a number of other projects, the developers are waiting for details on the Manitoba government's new TIF program.  The Tax Incentive Financing program, has been long awaited, and if positive, will drive a lot of downtown development over the next few years. (link: Exchange development in the media)

Never Boring

In addition to being surrounded by the historical architecture of the Exchange, a walk through the district is never dull.  A few weeks back, walking to work, I happened upon this 'couple' sitting on a bench on Albert St. at McDermot. 

I have no explanation, but to note that the artist community in the Exchange is alive and well!

W E B   U P D A T E S

8/15: Posted article by David Connors; posted pics from Death & Debauchery Tour in Gallery

6/18: Article & pics from Cube unveiling

6/14: Pictures from Brazilian BBQ #2 and June 9th R:ED Mtg added

6/8: Item on Nygard mural added

5/18: Pictures from Brazilian BBQ #1 added to R:ED Gallery

5/10: Article on Cynthia Brick added.

4/28: Smart Bag Bldg article, New Biz Boss, Earth Day Cleanup

M E M B E R S H I P

We now have over 100 members!  If you know someone living in the Exchange, they can apply for membership here.