310 Broadway - Centennial House

Place: Centennial House
Location: 310 Broadway Avenue (Map)
Opened: July 1, 1970
Developer: M.E.P.C. Canadian Properties Limited
Contractor: Bentall Construction
Cost: $5.3 m (total project cost with Chateau 100)

Background

Artist's drawing, March 14 1969, Winnipeg Free Press.

Despite their distinct appearances, Chateau 100 (see next post) and Centennial House were constructed as one complex. Their names reference the Manitoba Centennial year of 1970.

Construction was to go ahead in 1964. The MEPC Group, a national real estate development and management company that had a number of holdings in Winnipeg, purchased the land and demolished the existing properties, mostly old apartment blocks. MEPC, however, got into a dispute with the province and city over the high rate of property taxes so they put a moratorium on new projects in the city.

A proposed tax freeze on new construction in the downtown brought MEPC back to the table. On March 14, 1969 Mayor Juba and Premier Weir stood together with MEPC president Peter Anker as the $5.3 project was announced at the Charter House Hotel.

Winnipeg Tribune, December 1969 (source)

Construction began in 1969. Centennial House, the eight storey office portion facing Broadway, was the first to open on July 1 1970. Display suites for the 26 storey Chateau 100 opened the following month and tenants began moving in in the fall.

Initial retail tenants included Mackie Travel. office Boeing of Canada , Xerox, Bentall Construction,
and the Canadian Acceptance Corporation. Current tenants include The Fyxx coffee shop and the Canadian Diabetes Association.

MEPC also was responsible for covering most of the cost of Centennial Fountain located on the boulevard on Broadway across from Centennial House in 1970.