Winnipeg Downtown Places

72 Donald Street - Chateau 100

2012-01-31T06:09:00.004-06:00

Place: Chateau 100 (Website)
Location: 72 Donald Street (Map)
Opened: Fall 1970
Developer: M.E.P.C. Canadian Properties Limited
Contractor: Inter Ocean Contracting
Cost: $5.3 m (total project cost , including Centennial House)

Background

Illustration, March 14 1969, Winnipeg Free Press.

Despite their distinct appearances, Chateau 100 and Centennial House were constructed as one complex. The names of both buildings reference the Manitoba Centennial year of 1970.

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

A 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.

Right: 1969 ad. Left: 1970 ad

Display suites for the 26 storey Chateau 100 opened the following month and tenants began moving in later that year.

Chateau100's main floor has retail space, (original retail tenants included Speedee mart, a Salisbury House restaurant, barber shop, hairdresser and dry cleaner.) The plaza level has two squash courts, an outdoor sun deck, saunas and a gym. The upper floors contain 260 bachelor, one and two bedroom apartments.

MEPC also was responsible for covering a majority of the costs of Centennial Fountain located on the boulevard on Broadway across from Centennial House.

464 St. Mary - Mall Plaza & Abbott Clinic / Sussex Realty Building

2012-01-17T00:29:00.004-06:00

Place: Mall Plaza & Abbott Clinic / Sussex Realty Building
Address: 464 St Mary Ave. / 274 Osborne St. N. (Map)
Cost: $100,000
Architect: J. H. G. Russell
Contractor: W. A. Cameron
Opened: December 30, 1927

Source

David Cooper came to Canada from Forfar, Scotland in 1907 with less than $5 to his name. An accountant by trade, he took a job with the accounting firm D. A. Pender in 1909 and tutored accounting students on the side. Within a couple of years tutoring became his main business and the Cooper Institute of Accountancy was launched. Months later, the Dominion Business College sprang from the institute with his old boss Mr. Pender as president.

Left ca. 1926. Right ca. 1928

The institute and college began in the Carlton Building then moved to the New Enderton Building at Portage and Hargrave (next to Eaton’s.) In July 1927 they decided to build a building of their own and spent $25,000 to buy a cluster of homes at what had recently become one of the most prominent addresses in the city.

“The Mall” (now Memorial Boulevard) was created just a couple of years earlier, the result of a number of land swaps between the city, province and Hudson’s Bay Company. It allowed the Bay enough land to construct a new downtown department store (1926) and gave the city enough land on which to build an auditorium (1932). The land north of St. Mary was occupied by the U of M but moved to the Fort Garry campus in the following decades.

The Tyndall stone facade and detailed stonework around the entrance were chosen so that the building would not look out of place among the existing buildings and those proposed for the boulevard.

December 28, 1927, Winnipeg Free Press

The institute portion of the building was opened on Friday, December 30, 1927 by the provincial minister of education.

The comfort of students was top of mind. There was an air scrubber system, normally reserved for places like theatres, to ensure that fresh air was always circulating. The large windows ensured the maximum amount of natural light. There was a cafeteria in the basement that doubled as meeing space for service clubs, social events and speakers.

There was also a branch of the school at 201 Hespeler (opened 1927) as well as a Manitoba Business College at Portage and Langside. Soon, another branch opened in St. James.

February 29, 1928, Winnipeg Free Press

The residential suites of the Mall Plaza opened in February 1928. The 22 suites boasted a number of modern conveniences such as electric lights, ovens and fireplaces in every suite. Murphy Beds were used to maximize floor space. Each suite had a unique floor plan to make the best use of natural light.

In 1947 the institute downsized. Gone was the Elmwood branch and the Memorial Boulevard headquarters was sold off. Operations were centralized at the St. James location which closed in 1951.

June 26, 1947, Winnipeg Free Press

In May 1947 the Abbott Clinic bought the building.

The Abbott Clinic was created in the early 1930s by two brothers, Drs. Fred and Clifford Abbott, who worked out of the fourth floor of the Power Building. They converted the institute portion of the building into medical offices. Labs and an X-ray department were set up in the basement. The apartments remained on the upper floors.

In February 2006 Dr. Bill Abbott, son of Fred, announced that the building had been sold and the clinic would close. The management company representing the owner was Sussex Realty.

Ca. 1978 ad

In late 2011 the building was rechristened the Sussex Realty Building. The company, formed in 1978 at 427 Academy Road, will relocate there in February 2012.

Source: Metro

While renovating the building, the Abbott Clinic's bronze sign over the front entrance was removed to reveal the remnants of the original Cooper Institute sign !

235 Notre Dame Ave - St. Charles Hotel

2012-01-09T13:53:00.002-06:00

Place: The St. Charles Hotel

Address: 235 Notre Dame Avenue (Map)
Opened: August 1, 1913
Architect: Carter, Halls and Aldinger

Cost: $122,000

Notre Dame and Albert, 1912 and 1913
November 29, 1913, Manitoba Free Press

Despite being a stone's throw from Portage and Main, the corner of Notre Dame and Albert didn't see much spillover from the frantic development that took place in the early 1900s. In 1912 the corner consisted of aging, single storey, wooden structures. That changed in 1913 when the St. Charles, Lindsay Building, Electric Railway Chambers and Royal Albert Arms Hotel all opened within months of each other.

The St. Charles Hotel was built in 1913 for hotelier Charles (Charley) M. McCarrey, the owner of the St. Regis and Inter Ocean Hotel. He was also president of Manitoba's chapter of the National Hotel Association. It appears that shortly after opening hotelier George Skinner became the owner, (source.)

The St. Charles Hotel officially opened on August 1, 1913, but was rushed into service before it was completed to house visitors to what many considered to be the city's most important conference to-date. The National Association of Real Estate Exchanges met from July 28 - 30, 1913, bringing moguls from across North America. Two of the largest delegations were from Minneapolis and Chicago and the St. Charles was slated to house 150 of them.

Later, it was said to be the hotel of choice for performers at the Orphium Theatre where people like Milton Berle and the Marx Brothers, among others, performed.

Empire Grill at the St. Charles (source)

The hotel offered elegant rooms, as well as fine dining at the Empire Grill and a coffee shop. The restaurant, and later their two conference rooms, the Rose Room and Blue Room, were the scene of hundreds of banquets, social club receptions and sportsmen's dinners into the 1950s.

December 7, 1963, Winnipeg Free Press

The last owners of the "old" St. Charles Hotel, from 1947 - 63, was the Rothstein Family. In late 1963 the 60 room hotel was purchased by Donald Stefanyk, whose family had run the Empire Hotel. They modernized the place into what was expected of a 1960s downtown hotel.

ca. 1965 ad

Gone was the Empire Grill in favour of a lounge called Big Al's Gas House and the Kodiak Beverage Room. The coffee shop and a banquet room remained.

July 20, 1967, Winnipeg Free Press

In 1967 a new owner took over. Harry Katz continued the renovations which included adding the white stone tile and modern, lit signage to the facade.

In the early 1970s the basement was renovated to hold a discotheque which by 1976 was Wellington's. The punk music club closed in 1989 after the death of Harry's son Abe, who ran the club for a number of years. In the mid 1990s the space was briefly The Crypt.

From 1984 to 1990 the Hotel was re-branded The Market Inn.

November 13, 2004, Winnipeg Free Press

By 1997 Harry Katz appears to be gone as owner and the St. Charles continued to experience crime, fires and the occasional closure due to health violations. These came to a head in 2004 when the hotel, now without a functioning restaurant or bar, was closed for good citing a list of health and safety concerns.

In 2005 purchased by St. Charles Enterprises and the following a plan was announced to renovate it into a boutique hotel. An application was made to tear down the neighbouring Albert Street block in 2006 to provide additional parking but it was rejected. Other applications in 2008 and 2010 were also rejected.

In April 2011 the owner announced that the development plan now includes a multi-storey addition to the existing hotel.

Related:
St. Charles Hotel Heritage Winnipeg
St. Charles Hotel Historic Building Report

310 Broadway - Centennial House

2012-01-07T17:17:00.000-06:00

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.

339 Portage - NEFCO / APTN Building

2012-01-02T13:16:00.001-06:00

Place: NEFCO / APTN Building
Address: 339 Portage Avenue (Map)
Opened: September 7, 1961
Architect: Blankstein, Coop, Gillmor and Hanna
Contractor: Drake Construction
Cost: $1m (1961).
Size: Seven storeys, 40,000 sq ft .

The building at 339 Portage Avenue was constructed in 1961 for NEFCO, an acronym for the North End Furniture Company. The store's roots dated back to a 1932 used furniture store opened by Chaim Adelman at 843 Main Street, (if the address sounds familiar, it later became Kern Hill Furniture Co-op !) The store expanded through the 1950s and by 1958 had branches at Portage and Kennedy, 479 Selkirk Avenue and another on Main Street.

September 1961 ad

In 1960 NEFCO decided to go uptown. The company's expansion plans included this custom-built Portage Avenue store as well as the purchase of the former Campbell Brothers and Wilson Building on Princess Street as the NEFCO Furniture Warehouse. (The Main and Selkirk locations were closed later in the 60s.)

September 6, 1961, Winnipeg Free Press

The store was a big deal at the time given its size and location. Billed as Western Canada's largest furniture showroom with around 30,000 sq feet of sales floor over seven floors. The grand opening took place on September 7, 1961 with Mayor Juba cutting the ribbon.

The most unique feature of the building is the "pre-cast concrete mural" that runs from the second to fifth floor leaving windows on just the ground and top floors.

The entire ground floor was one large display window, full of sample suites and model rooms. The entrance was set far back from the frontage to allow people to browse the suites even after store hours.

The top two floors was NEFCO's "The Penthouse" which featured "an exclusive collection of home furnishings" and offered design consultants that could tackle a room or an entire home.

In 1966 NEFCO consolidated their sales at the warehouse location, re-branding it Penthouse Interiors. This building was purchased in 1966 by Montreal based Allen Furniture, a retail chain that operated in most of the country except on the prairies. (It may seem odd that they would sell to a competitor but NEFCO was going upscale and Adams was mid-range.)

March 10, 1978, Winnipeg Free Press

By 1976 Adams was gone and the building faced decades of economic uncertainty.

In 1978 former city councillor Al Golden bought the building. It was then renovated into a number of small retail spaces to become a boutique shopping complex called the Northside Centre. Tenants included Pantages Restaurant, a hair salon, fine jewellery store, art shops and a flower shop. A large tenant was Roche Bobois furniture, who took up the old Penthouse Furniture floors.

Two long-term 1980s retailers

In 1981 the building was foreclosed on and in 1983 it had a new owner. Within a year five tenants, including Roche Bobois, moved out. Mr Gold and Pantages remained. In 1985 it was reported that a deal was in the works to sell the building to the Core Area Initiative to expand the newly created Window Park in front of Air Canada Centre. That deal was not finalized and the building was soon foreclosed on again.

In 1989 the building was foreclosed on for a third time and that spelled the end for long term tenants Mr. Gold and Pantages

339 Portage west wall in 1980s (source) and 2011 (source)

In 1990 a Toronto investment company purchased the building and began a $1m upgrade. The interior was gutted and the main entrance was moved to the west wall, which was also opened up to the park with hundreds of windows.

Financial trouble struck yet again and the building was foreclosed on for a fourth and final time. In August 1991 it was put up for sale.

The new owners finished the space as an office building. One major tenant was the Continuing Education Division of the University of Winnipeg who were there until 1996.

Aug 25 1999 WFP

In 1999 the newly created, Aboriginal People's Television Network leased three floors. Over time, the national network expanded to take up the entire building. In 2010 they purchased this building as well as the neighbouring 333 Portage, which they had previously used as temporary studio space for their coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

At a dozen years, APTN has been the building's longest tenant.

(More on APTN's expansion in a future post !)

153 Lombard Street - Grain Exchange Parkade

2011-12-20T12:40:00.000-06:00

Place: Grain Exchange Parkade
Address: 153 Lombard Avenue (Map)
Size: 3 storeys, 275 stalls
Cost: Undisclosed
Architect: Ray Wan Architects Inc.
Status: In Process (opens 2012)

In 2009 Artis REIT, owner of the neighbouring Grain Exchange Building, made application to demolish the ca. 1920 Grain Exchange Annex. In its place they proposed an expanded loading zone for the 'mother' building as well as 275 stall parkade connected by walkway.

Though the city administration recommended against the demolition, Heritage Winnipeg supported it on the grounds that it made the more important Grain Exchange Building more viable. In July 2009 council voted in favour of the demolition.

Construction began in 2010:

June 2011:

September 2011:

November 2011:

Related:
Building to be razed for parking lot CBC
Grain Exchange Annex position Heritage Winnipeg
Country Mice The Rise and Sprawl

174 Market Avenue - Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre

2011-12-06T22:18:00.000-06:00

Place: Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (Website)
Address: 174 Market Avenue (Map)
Opened: September 30, 1970
Architect: Number Ten Architectural Group

Background:

In 1958 Winnipeg's Theatre 77 and Winnipeg Little Theatre joined forces to form Canada's first English speaking regional theatre, the Manitoba Theatre Centre. John Hirsch, director of 77, became MTC's director while Tom Hendry, manager of Winnipeg Little Theatre, became general manager.

Dominion Theatre ca 1925 at left (winterbos)

MTC spent their first decade at the ca. 1904 Dominion Theatre on Portage at Main. When it was demolished in 1968 to make way for the Richardson Building complex the company worked from the Centennial Concert Hall while planning a new home.

In 1969 MTC announced a new, $2.35 million theatre for Mraket Street at Rorie. The Manitoba Centennial Corporation, which also built the Concert Hall / Museum / Planetarium complex would foot a majority of the bill.

MTC Interior (source)

The new building had space for all of the theatre's shops, from carpentry to wardrobe. To keep the intimate feel that it had at the Dominion, the stage was sunk five feet bellow street level and of the 800 seats, none are more than 65 feet from the stage.

Grand Opening

The grand opening was a day-long event on Saturday, September 30th. It began with a 10 am breakfast on the stage of the Concert Hall. A number of Winnipeg Theatre alumni attended as did Hollywood actor Darren McGavin, (who didn't have a Manitoba connection but he and his wife were supporters of theatre and came to see the new facility).

Later in the day it was across the street to the theatre. Premier Schreyer accepted the key and in turn presented it to Albert Cohen, MTC's president, who did the honours of opening the front doors. One person not at the event was an ill Maitland B. Steinkopf, chairman of the Centennial Committee, (he died on November 22).

November 3, 1970, Winnipeg Free Press

MTC's first performance was on Monday, November 2, 1970: Bertolt Brecht's A Man's A Man, directed by John Hirsch. One of the actors was an up and coming Gordon Pinsent who got his start at Theatre 77.

An opening night reviewer wrote:

"The theatre is a stark, simple structure, richly carpeted throughout, but with bare concrete and wood walls and huge glass panels. The spartan atmosphere created by the building was dispelled on opening night by the brilliant plumage of Winnipeg's first nighters. Long gowns, metallic pant suits and tuxedos were the order of the day. For glamor, the show was all in the lobby."
(Winnipeg Free Press, November 3, 1970)

A number of well known actors graced the MTC stage, including: Gordon Pinsent, Eric Petersen, Keanu Reeves in Hamlet (1994), Judd Hirsch in Death of a Salesman (1996) and William Hurt in Richard III (2002).

In 2009 it was home to the first professional production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber / Ben Elton musical The Boys in the Photograph.

In 2009 the Market Avenue theatre was named a National Historic Site.

In 2010 Queen Elizabeth II bestowed Royal designation on the company making it the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre (RMTC).

Related:
Hirsch revives pro theatre in Winnipeg CBC Archives (1957)
Our History RMTC
Performance History RMTC
Manitoba Theatre Centre The Canadian Encyclopedia
Manitoba Theatre Centre Winnipeg Building Index

Over 100 downtown places !

2011-11-22T00:01:00.002-06:00

This month, WDP topped the 100 mark . I'm now at 105 downtown places, be they buildings; art or public spaces !

I have updated the index by street name, though still have to bring the online map up to present day.

Stay tuned, there's more to come !

490 Hargrave - WRHA Downtown Community Health Services Office

2011-11-14T23:46:00.001-06:00

Place: WRHA Downtown Community Health Services Office
Location: 490 Hargrave Street
Architect: 5468796 Architects
Contractor: Concord Projects
Size: Six storey, 38,120 sq ft
Cost: $5m
Completed: Summer 2011

Background

The WRHA was seeking new space for its community health offices at 189 Evanson and to consolidate other services located around the downtown. In Spring 2010 they accepted an RFP from Hargrave Holdings LLC for a 20 year lease on a custom-built office complex at 496 - 490 Hargrave Street.

December 2010

Construction began soon after on what is actually two buildings.

The six storey office complex is new construction. To maximize the floor space of the 75 feet x 75 feet .lot the staircases were put on the outside of the building and overhang a neighbouring property and the sidewalk.

The single storey structure to the north is a renovation of an existing building.

February 2011

The building opened in Summer 2011. It houses numerous services such as a Travel Health & Tropical Medicine clinic.

Related:
WRHA on Hargrave 546796 Architects
496 Hargrave Concord Projects (includes construction photos)
Downtown health Community Services Office CONTACT

Construction updates:

April 2011 (rear)

July 2011

July 2011

155 Fort Street - GMC Building

2011-11-12T14:48:00.000-06:00

Place: GMC Building
Address: 155 Fort Street (Map)
Opened: 1928

For most of its 85 years the GMC building at Fort and York has been associated with the automobile industry.

May 28, 1928, Winnipeg Free Press

The mid 1920s were a good time for General Motors' Canadian truck and coach division, especially in the West. In spring 1928 representatives from GMC in Walkerville, Ontario visited Winnipeg to plan space for a new Western Canadian showroom and depot. A temporary location was set up at Maw's Garage.

In summer 1928 GM chose a 120 x 120 lot on the north east corner of Fort Street at York Avenue for a $75,000, concrete, steel and brick building. Later that year, the building opened featuring a new vehicle showroom and parts depot. They also dealt in used vehicles.

In 1939 the location became a GMC dealership called Inman Motors that specialized in Chevrolet and Oldsmobile lines.

Boulton Motors moved their Princess Avenue sales room and shop there in 1958, nicknaming the building Boulton's Corner. Boulton sold Studebakers and added Renaults in 1960. In 1961 Boulton vacated and centralize back at their second, Rupert Avenue address.

In 1961 a used car dealership and garage called Twin City Motors took over and rechristened 155 Fort the Mitchell Motors Building. They went bankrupt in 1966. From then to 1978 it was York Tool, a Princess Auto-type store selling everything from automotive and household tools to car mats and gloves.

The next long-term owner came in 1985 with Frontier Toyota's parent company who, over time, operated a sales room, garage and body shop there until 2000. In the early 90s the space was subdivided and also housed a Thrifty and Avis Car Rental store. In the early 00s A & B Sound leased space for their car audio installation work.

Tony's Academy Auto Service was the last large, automotive-related tenant. They occupied the space from 2000 - 2005.

It is now designated an office building with a number of smaller tenants.

Memorial Boulevard - Winnipeg Cenotaph

2011-11-09T21:45:00.001-06:00

Place: Winnipeg Manitoba Cenotaph
Location: Memorial Boulevard
Artist: Gilbert Parfitt
Unveiled: Nov 11, 1928
Cost: $25,000

Background:

Temporary Cenotaph location ca. 1920 (source)

Winnipeg's first cenotaph was a temporary structure located out front of the Bank of Montreal at Portage and Main. In 1923, it was removed due to its condition and to allow for a renovation of the bank building that included the erection of 'World War I Soldier' to commemorate the bank's employees who had died in service.

It was felt that the time had come to create a new, permanent cenotaph. A number of groups were in various stages of advocating or even planning a structure. To get out front of them, the city created a Cenotaph Committee chaired by former Mayor R. D. Waugh.

The Mall ca. 1928, before the cenotaph (source).

The committee eventually found a location, the new Mall created off Portage Avenue running north of the Legislature.

December 24, 1924, Winnipeg Free Press

With a location selected it was time for a design. The committee decided to hold a national design competition and received 48 designs. The design committee chose Number 33, a 21 foot tall work by noted Toronto artist and Emanuel Hahn of Toronto.

February 25, 1926, Winnipeg Free Press

The fact that Hahn was German born, (he came to Canada as a child and was a naturalized citizen) did not sit well with some groups, including the Board of Trade who led a campaign to have the decision reversed.

In a February 17, 1926 letter to the Winnipeg Free Press the Board defended its position saying:

“The purpose of the cenotaph is founded in patriotism and sentiment. It is to be a memorial to our glorious dead – a shrine…. The Board having received ample evidence that a memorial, the work of a German born, would under the circumstance attending the late war be unacceptable to many of our citizens who had suffered most by the war.”

It was a a bitter battle that dragged on for months. In the end, it was decided to scrap the design competition and hold a new one. Hahn was sent a cheque for the $500 winning entry.

The second competition held another surprise. The Winner was Elizabeth Wyn-Wood, of Toronto. It turns out that Wood was the wife of Hahn. Some felt that perhaps Hahn created the design and turned it in under her name, though she was a sculptor in her own right. Many others took issue with the design: a loin-clothed man holding a sword. It was considered bot solemn enough for a cenotaph.

In the end, the selection committee again backed down. Wood was paid for her design and they went with the third place winner, Gilbert Parfitt of Winnipeg. (I could find no reason as to why they skipped A. H. Eadie of Toronto who, according to one newspaper article, was the runner up.)

This design was much simpler. A column of stone with little decoration aside from a bronze sword, cross and small lion heads.

Dec 5 1927, Winnipeg Free Press

Parfitt was an architect working for the province, he would later become the Province's chief architect.

Construction began in December 1927 but most of the work took place the following Spring. The cenotaph, six years and two rejected designs (three if it actually was the third place finisher) in the making, was officially dedicated on November 11, 1928.

330 Garry Street - The Garrick Centre

2011-11-08T08:30:00.000-06:00

Place: The Garrick Centre (former Garrick Cinema)
Address: 330 Garry Street (Map)
Cost: $900,000 (original), $1.5m renovation (2001-05)

The first Garrick Theatre opened on this site in 1921, flagship for the Winnipeg-based Garrick Cinema chain. The $150,000, 1500 seat theatre was built as a motion picture house but contained a number of features that allowed for it to be used as a live theatre venue. The lobby was marble floored with a fireplace, there were separate men's and women's sitting rooms and the hall contained a pipe organ.

By 1930 the Garrick was owned by Henry and Louise Morton. In the mid 1940s their company, Odeon Morton, purchased the nearby Walker Theatre and converted it into the single screen Odeon Cinema. By the 1950s they owned a collection of neighbourhood cinemas, such as the Park, Kings and Hyland.

In the 1950s and 60s television established itself as the top draw for entertaining the masses. Cinemas, for the most part, were aging structures that cost increasingly more to maintain and were located in city centres, not the expanding suburbs where moviegoers were now living.

Odeon Morton fared better than most chains thanks to innovative company manager Paul Morton, Henry's son. Their collection of suburban theatres were renovated and programming changed to appeal to families. As for what to do with their two largest assets, Morton looked south for inspiration.

November 11, 1967, Winnipeg Free Press

The U.S. cinema industry was finding that it could compete with television by building modern, custom-built cinemas with state of the art sound and projection systems. In 1967 Morton announced that the old Garrick would make way for Winnipeg's first "new era" cinema, a 1,430 seat, $900,000 complex. (Wallace and Akins, contractors)

May 16, 1968, Winnipeg Free Press

The Garrick Cinema opened May 16, 1968 as Winnipeg's first multiplex, featuring two cinemas under one roof !

It boasted British-made convex screens, one was the largest in Western Canada. It housed the latest Italian projection equipment and a sound system imported from Japan. The seats were modern and plush with extra leg room between rows and featured a bold purple, blue and orange colour scheme.

Outside, windows lined the main floor providing natural light to the lobby and concession area. Infrared heating lamps located under the overhang was to keep patrons warm while waiting in line, though they proved no match against Winnipeg's winter months.

When it opened, a reviewer wrote in the Winnipeg Free Press (March 17, 1968):

The dual cinema complex itself is a sumptuous and much-needed addition to downtown Winnipeg.... The new Garrick is a long way from the seedy popcorn palaces which predominated on the Winnipeg movie scene until the 1960s

December 24, 1974, Winnipeg Free Press

A local pop-history note for the cinema is the remarkable run of the Phantom of the Paradise.

Despite disappearing from the rest of North America's cinemas soon after opening, it became a cult classic in Winnipeg and ran in the Garrick Two from Boxing Day 1974 to May 1, 1975, (it continued on for another month or so at other venues.)

December 20, 1979, Winnipeg Free Press

On December 20, 1979, Morton's latest innovation was unveiled - the four-plex ! The additional theatres were built in an extension to the north of the building where a parking lot and recently burned-out pool hall were located.

June 13, 1999, Winnipeg Free Press

In 1999 owners Cineplex Odeon announced that the small cinema no longer fit into their corporate plans and that the building would be sold. The following year the Marlborough Hotel, located just across the back lane, purchased it. The building was initially rechristened the Ramada Conference and Entertainment Centre and underwent a multi-year, $1.5m renovation.

The Garrick Centre, connected to the hotel via a walkway, has three auditoriums: the Garrick One 600-seat theatre; the Garrick Two 550 seat live music venue; and the Garrick Four 250 seat lecture hall. The former Garrick Three is home to the hotel's pool and water slide.

Related:
For photos of the old Garrick Cinemas
Old Garrick reborn as new concert hall Winnipeg Free Press
For more on Winnipeg's connection to Phantom and the two Phantompalooza reunions that have been held.

233 Kennedy Street - Medical Arts Building

2011-11-07T01:09:00.000-06:00

Place: Medical Arts Building (Website)
Address: 233 Kennedy Street (Map)
Opened: June 17, 1974
Cost: $4m
Architect: Moody Moore and Partners
Size: 150,000 sq ft, fifteen storeys

Background:

Old Medical Arts ca 1971 (Source)

The original Medical Arts Building on this site was a was a four storey building facing Graham Avenue that opened in April 1923. The owners were 36 doctors and dentists who each bought shares in the Medical Arts Building Ltd. The idea was to provide a central office space with common club rooms, lecture halls and lab facilities.

The building was a success and 1926 the Medical Arts added two more floors. Another expansion, a six storey building, was added to the south in 1945. In 1959 there was further expansion that included the addition of a 385 car parkade facing Edmonton Street.

Drawings for new Medical Arts (Source)

By the 1960s the building had become outdated. It was in poor shape, had no air conditioning and the electrical and plumbing systems were not adequate for the growing amount of machinery used in medical offices and clinics. In the late 1960s the company began exploring options and in 1970 announced plans for a new $4m, 15 storey building.

The tower would be built to the south of the existing structure. Once completed, the old Medical Arts would be torn down and the retail portion of the main floor of the new building completed.

June 15, 1974, Winnipeg Free Press

In March 1972 construction began. There were delays due province-wide strikes by both the plumbers' and elevator installers' unions and the building finally opened on June 17, 1974. To ensure that there were no interruptions to patient services, the 150 or so doctors were moved in an around the clock office transfer on the weekend of June 14 - 16, 1974.

Later that summer demolition began on the old Medical Arts Building. The vacant lot was to be a temporary parking area and eventually a grocery store, which never materialized. It remains a 54 stall surface parking lot.

The existing parkade was connected to the new building by an enclosed walkway, the first in Winnipeg !

In 2006 Huntingdon Real Estate Investment Trust purchased the building, adjoining parkade and vacant lot on Graham Avenue for $14 m from the Medical Arts Building Ltd. The company was then wound down.

The Medical Arts Building currently houses 120 medical and dental professionals in 72 offices as well as a credit union, pharmacy, Salisbury House and optician on the retail level.

400 McDermot - Downtown Letter Carrier Depot

2011-10-31T03:56:00.000-05:00

Place: Canada Post Downtown Letter Carrier Depot (Website)
Address: 400 McDermot Avenue (Map)
Size: 18,000 sq ft
Cost: $5.5m
Status: Opened September 2011

When Canada Post announced that it was vacating their central post office on Graham for a new sorting facility near the airport, they needed to find a new Letter Carrier Depot for the 80 letter carriers who service nearly 10,000 addresses in the downtown and West End, (the R3G postal code).

In 2008 Canada Post purchased the former Midway Chrysler lot on Portage Avenue east of Maryland. Following the announcement a campaign sprang up at the neighbouring Gordon Bell High School who wanted the land for a sports field.

Canada Post and the city worked to find an alternate piece of land for the depot. One proposal was at Higgins and Main but it was rejected for being too far outside the service area. They finally settled on a site on McDermot Avenue between Frances and Ellen Streets, adjacent to the Number One Fire Hall.

In summer 2010 construction began. The facility officially opened in September 2011.

Related:
Canada Post decision delivers space for Gordon Bell Free Press
Photos of the construction:

April 2010

July 2010

December 2010

With fire hall in background

February 2011

July 2011

639 Portage Avenue - Monte Cassino Court

2011-10-28T03:09:00.000-05:00

Place: Monte Cassino Court
Address: 637 - 639 Portage Avenue (Map)
Size: 3 storey, 12,150 sq ft

Background:

Monte Cassino Court was built in 1907 for Benedicto Persichini who owned a fruit store and lunch counter at 421 Main Street.

Originally it was just a single storey retail block, though the Persichinis (Benedicto, wife Virginia and at least one son, John) also lived on the premises. In 1910 two floors of residential units were added.

The Voice, 1908

The largest original tenant was retailer and wholesaler The City Tea and Coffee Company, who moved there from Garry Street. They lasted until 1911.

Over the decades Monte Cassino housed a number of short or medium term tenants in one or both retail spaces. They included: Karn-Moss Piano store (1910s); a photo finishing store (1920s); Singer Sewing Machines (1920s); Neal's Grocery Store (in 1920s); Artes Tailors and Cleaners (1930s); Surprise Shoe Shop (1940s); Sandra's Dress Shop and Furs (1940s); Toronto Ladies Apparel (1950s).

May 27, 1948. Winnipeg Free Press.

In 1931 Monte Cassino found its first long term tenant: Chesterfield House, an upholstery shop. James Patterson's Capri Restaurant, another long term tenant, arrived in 1957.

In 1966 the building was sold.

January 18, 1974. Winnipeg Free Press.

In 1967 the new owner, National Typewriter, moved in. They took up the entire main floor retail area and the residential suites became office and warehouse space.

The company's name changed a couple of times to reflect the times. It became National Office Equipment then Nat/Com. They went out of business in 1991 and the building has sat empty since 1992.

In 2011 the building's owner applied for a demolition permit to replace the Monte Cassino with a nine-storey mixed use development. The application was withdrawn September 2011.

Related:
Sales Brochure Shindico Realty
639 Portage Avenue (Overview) Historic Buildings Committee

311 Portage Avenue - Longboat / ALT Hotel Tower

2011-10-13T12:57:00.000-05:00

Place: Longboat Development / ALT Hotel Tower (Website)
Address: 311 Portage Avenue (Map)
Size: 20 storeys, 200,000 sq ft,
Cost: $40m
Architect: Stantec
Status: Proposed (opening September 2013)

Background:

Source: CentreVenture

In June of 2011 CentreVenture Development Corporation announced that Longboat Development Corporation and Groupe Germain Hospitality will develop a 20 storey, 200,000 square foot tower at the intersection of Portage and Donald.

The tower will consist of 85,000 square feet of office space, including a new corporate headquarters for Stantec, an architectural and engineering firm. There's also a 154 room ALT Hotel and a 15,000 square foot lobby and retail area.

The site is currently occupied by the Clarendon Hotel / MTS Exhibition Hall and the Donalda Building. The heritage status of the Clarendon has already been removed to allow for demolition.

The Norlyn Building on Hargrave Street will make way for a 464 car parkade.

CentreVenture expects this to be the first of a number of announcements for an 11 square block "SHED" (Sports, Hospitality, Entertainment District) downtown tax incentive zone.

Related:
WFP TV Video explaining the SHED

333 Waterfront Drive - Harbour Master Hotel

2011-10-12T03:04:00.000-05:00

Place: Harbour Master Hotel and Restaurant
Address: 333 - 339 Waterfront Drive (Map)
Developer: Sunstone Group (Website)
Size: Three storey, 67 rooms
Cost: $ 11m (preliminary)

Background:

In early 2011 the Sunstone Group, developers of the Sky Condominiums, presented the city with a proposal for a 67 room boutique hotel development on city-owned land on Waterfront Drive. The 71,000 square foot parcel, which was being marketed by CentreVenture, includes the Alexander Docks, an adjacent parking area, part of Stephen Juba Park and the old pump house / Harbourmaster building.

In September 2011 the city's EPC and Standing Policy Committee on Downtown Development, Heritage and Riverbank Management approved a 50 year land-lease to Sunstone.(It is currently awaiting the ratification of City council as a whole.)

The former pump house / Harbourmaster building was vacated when the Winnipeg Police River Patrol relocated in 2005. The building sits right at, and over, the river's edge and will be converted into a restaurant and bar.

The continuation of the river trail will be done via a pathway between the hotel and restaurant.

Google Map based on

Related:
Boutique Hotel pitched for Riverbank CBC (Feb 2011)
Waterfront Drive hotel gets go ahead ... Winnipeg Free Press (Sept. 2011)

311 Portage Avenue - Clarendon Hotel / MTS Exhibition Hall

2011-10-10T00:52:00.001-05:00

Place: Clarendon Hotel / MTS Exhibition Hall (Website)
Address: 300 Portage Avenue (Map)
Opened: 1920
Architect: Carter-Halls-Aldinger

Background:

Clarendon Hotel No. 2 (1883 - 1920)

1891 Winnipeg Tribune Special Edition

The first hotel on this site was the Cosmopolitan (renamed the Clarendon) and opened on May 1, 1880.

In 1883 it burned to the ground and owner Fred McKenzie rebuilt bigger and better. The 150 room Clarendon Hotel, at five stories, certainly stood out on the relatively undeveloped Portage Avenue.

October 16, 1890, Brandon Weekly Sun

By 1890 the hotel changed hands and new owners George Rutley and P. McCaffrey made a number of renovations, including adding a Turkish Bath, to ensure that the Clarendon kept its reputation as a luxury hotel. From 1890 - 1904 Charles Bunnell continued the luxury tradition.

The Clarendon began facing competition in the upscale hotel market with the Empire Hotel in 1905, the Royal Alexandra in 1906, the McLaren Hotel in 1910 and the Olympia (now Marlborough) in 1914. It soon went into decline.

In the summer of 1920 F. W. Leistikow, vice president of the Capital Loan Company, took over the property but was not interest in running a hotel. Rumours of the new development ranged from a vaudeville theatre to the Hudson's Bay Company store (which was still located at Main and York at the time.)

June 4 1920, Winnipeg Free Press

Since the opening of Eaton's in 1906 (expanded in 1910) Portage began to transform into "...a great retail thoroughfare...." (June 4, 1920, Manitoba Free Press). Many small and medium sized properties were changing hands to make way for larger structures with a strong main floor retail component. Examples include the Paris Building (1915), Curry Building (1915) and Boyd Building (1916).

August 20, 1920, Winnipeg Free Press

October 29, 1920, Winnipeg Free Press

In the end, Leistikow decided to develop the site for himself. The $147,000 Clarendon Building would be a modest affair in comparison to some of its recent neighbours. Two storeys with retail on the main floor and 11,000 sq ft of office space on top.

By the time the hotel was demolished, an impressive lineup of retailers had already signed on. It included Winnipeg's ninth Liggett's Drug Store, O'Neill’s Furrier and the Ryan Devlin Shoe Company. In late November 1920 the retailers began to open, just in time for Christmas.

The second floor took longer to fill. Originally, an unnamed financial company was to take most of the space but that deal fell through. In early 1921 The Clarendon, a supper club, opened in the space.

In February 1923 a fire caused extensive damage to the block and the businesses in. It had to be extensively renovated and took weeks to reopen.

May 17, 1931, Winnipeg Free Press

Filling that second floor continued to be a problem for Leistokow and in 1930 he announced that it wold undergo extensive renovations to convert it into 60 hotel rooms. It opened in May 1931 as the Clarendon Hotel.

circa 1931

circa 1977

Over the decades a number of well-known local retailers called the Clarendon Hotel's main floor home including: Genser's Furniture (1930s); Advance Electronics (1970s); the Bank of Commerce (70s and 80s) and Book Fair (1980s).

Clarendon Hotel No. 3 (1921 - 2011? )

As the fortunes of the downtown declined, so did the Clarendon's. In the 1960s it was gaining a reputation as a rough place, one that grew as the decades passed. The last owner of the Clarendon Hotel took over in 1987. Chuck Green, owner of the Osborne Village Inn, renovated the block and rechristened it the Portage Village Inn.

April 7, 1988, Winnipeg Free Press

The changes included a new name for the bar - the C.F. Bunnell Beverage Emporium, a nod to the 1894 to 1904 owner. It featured live music and in 1988 attracted an up and coming Canadian band called the Tragically Hip ! Any renaissance was short lived. The hotel's seedy and criminal reputation made it a prime target for those wanting to clean up the Portage Avenue retail strip.

June 18 1998, Winnipeg Free Press

Green claimed that he had purchased the hotel as a short term investment but in the end was unable to sell it. On June 18, 1998 city council allocated $438,600 to purchase the block from him with the sole intention of shutting it down. It was a move welcomed by many, including the police who said they were "glad to see it go."

Source

In 1999 A&B Sound, the B.C. based chain of music and electronics stores, purchased the block from the city and received a $835,000 heritage tax credit toward a $2.5m renovation to convert it into retail space. The chain soon began to falter and in 2005 declared bankruptcy and the store closed.

In the summer of 2010 True North, owners of the MTS Centre, announced that they purchased the building and would convert it into an exhibition Hall. It reopened on September 17 with Bodies: The Exhibit.

In June 2011 True North and CentreVenture announced that the site would be part of a new entertainment and retail district that would take up most of the block. The Clarendon Hotel is to be demolished and replaced with .... a hotel, the fourth on the site since 1883 !

An historical tidbit: the west wall of the Clarendon Hotel building, abutting the Mitchell Copp / Bank of Commerce building, is part of the original 1883 structure, according to Free Press coverage in 1920.

Related:
311 Portage Avenue Historic Buildings Committee Report
311 Portage Colliers Sales Brochure

276 Garry Street - Norris Block / Aqua Books

2011-09-20T20:01:00.003-05:00

Place: The Norris Block / Aqua Books (Website)
Address: 274- 276 Garry Street (Map)
Size: Two storeys, 6100 sq ft
Architect: Unknown

Background:

The Norris Block was built in 1921 for John Norris, merchant tailor and long-time fixture in the city's clothing trade who lived with his wife and son (John Alexander) at 291 Balmoral.

September 18, 1886, Manitoba Free Press

In 1886 Norris was partner in Preston and Norris, a fabric and clothing store that opened at 494 Main Street. The partnership dissolved in 1895 and the company became known as J Norris and Co. In 1900 he gave up the store and opened J Norris and Co. Merchant Tailors, specializing in mens suits. His first location was at 239 Portage then 289 Fort Street, next to the Orpheum Theatre.

August 19, 1921 Manitoba Free Press

In September 1921 J Norris and Co. opened at their own building at 276 Garry Street. (The building today likely comprises what were the addresses 272, 274 and 276 Garry Street).

May 11, 1942, Winnipeg Free Press

Son John Alexander Norris began working with his father in the 1920s. A long-time member of the Winnipeg Grenadiers militia, he signed up to go to war in 1939 and was captured at the Battle of Hong Kong in 1940. Captain Norris served out the rest of the war in a Japanese POW camp, returning home in 1943 to rejoin the tailor shop. (John Norris senior died sometime between 1942 and 1948).

The injuries John A. sustained from years of torture and abuse left him a broken man. Partially paralyzed, he was in and out of hospital until he finally died at the shop on November 8, 1949. He was 44 years old. (For more on John A. Norris see my post Remembrance: John A. Norris.)

January 24, 1948, Winnipeg Free Press

The business was renamed J Norris and Son with John A.'s wife Cleo Mabel as the proprietor, (at this point, son John Cameron would have been about 18 years old and may have worked there).

January 24, 1965, Winnipeg Free Press

Mrs. Norris closed the shop on June 30, 1965 and the Norris name disappeared from the city's clothing trade after 65 years. She died in 1976. Son John Cameron was still alive as of 2005 and living in California.

April 16, 1969, Winnipeg Free Press

The annex-like building to the south of the original building was built in 1951. It first housed Desptach Taxi, then a sales firm constantly hiring traveling salesmen. It appears that when the building was sold after 1965 the addresses 272 - 276 Garry were combined into 474 Garry Street.

The first major tenant after J Norris and Son was the law firm of Richardson and Company, a forerunner to present day Taylor McCaffrey. The next retailer to take up this location was Sally's Flower's in 1973. In the 1980s it was home to the Four Nations Confederacy, the province-wide Aboriginal political organization in place before the formation of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.

In 1989 it began life as a Chinese food restaurant. First as Royal Manor then in 1993 it became Kam Kong Restaurant.

In 2008 Aqua Books, a used bookstore located in the Exchange District, opened here and expanded to include a bistro and live-performance area. After four years it was announced that Aqua Books would close and reorganize as a non-profit co-op called Cultural City Hall.

Also see: Remembrance: Captain John A. Norris

Broadway and Donald - Centennial Fountain

2011-09-16T11:02:00.000-05:00

Place: Centennial Fountain (a.k.a. Sudsy Fountain)

Address: Broadway at Donald Street (Map)
Opened: October 22, 1970
Architect: Smith Carter Parkin

Cost: $25,000

Opening Ceremony (Tribune archives)

This fountain at Broadway and Donald Street was opened by Lieutenant Governor John McKeag on October 22, 2011. It commemorates the centennial of Manitoba and the 50th anniversary of the first water supplied to Winnipeg via the Shoal Lake Aqueduct. The latter was an afterthought as Metro had been looking for a location to build its own fountain to commemorate the occasion which actually took place in 1919.

Fountain with Centennial House in the background

The fountain cost $25,000 (or $35,000, I have seen both amounts quoted) was shared between Metro Winnipeg (40%) and MEPC Canadian Properties Limited (60%). The MEPC Group was a national real estate development and management company that had a number of holdings in Winnipeg including Centennial House / Chateau 100 development which opened a couple of months before this.

The nickname, (my nickname for it ,anyway) is 'sudsy fountain' as it routinely has laundry detergent added to it by person(s) unknown causing it to bubble up and onto the street !

Related:
The Building of the Aqueduct Manitoba Historical Society

375 York - The Winnipeg Convention Centre

2011-09-13T02:45:00.001-05:00

Place: The Winnipeg Convention Centre (Website)
Address: 375 York Avenue (Map)
Opened: January 5, 1975
Size: Five storeys; 166,00 sq ft of meeting space; 550 car parkade.

Background:

After decades of decline a downtown building boom was underway in the early 1907s. Projects like Place Louis Riel, the Richardson Building, House of York and Chateau 100 were in process. Around North America, from San Diego to Calgary, the convention centre as a downtown redevelopment tool was all the rage and Winnipeg wanted in on the $6 billion convention market.

The debate about a Convention Centre wasn't without controversy. Some, including Mayor Juba - from time to time - considered such a facility to be a 'guaranteed money loser'. Joe Borowski, a member of the Schreyer cabinet, openly mused about resigning his position if the province cost-shared the project, (he didn't).

Proponents argued that it was the spin-off benefits, such as visitor spending and private developments near the centre that would be its true measure of success.

The city's September 1971 announcement that the Convention Centre would proceed coincided with an announcement by Lakeview Development that it would redevelop the adjacent block with a five-tower project that included housing and a hotel.

August 12, 1971. Winnipeg Free Press.

The province and city negotiated a 50 / 50 split for the $15 m construction costs. The Lakeview development used private money, though the city did sell them McFadyen Park which took up part of the block, for $1.

Circa April 1973 (Source)

On December 10, 1971 the sod turning ceremony took place. The officials included Convention Centre subcommittee Chairman Coun. Jack Willis, Coun. Bernie Wolfe for Metro Winnipeg, Ald. Joseph Cropo representing Mayor Steve Juba and Acting Public Works Minister Russell Doern representing the province. Juba was conspicuous by his absence. When Cropo was asked what was up, he said "Your guess is as good as mine where he is.'' (Dec 10 1971, Winnipeg Free Press.)

January 11, 1975. Winnipeg Free Press.

The Winnipeg Convention Centre opened on January 5th, 1975. Juba did take part in the ceremony, a key exchange with Premier Schreyer. A few days later George McCabe, general manager and Klaus Fuerniss, operations manager, hosted a week-long open house.

January 10, 1975. Winnipeg Free Press.

The first event held at the Convention Centre was a touring concert series called Celebrations 75, put on by duMaurier and co-hosted in Winnipeg by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. The four days of concerts began with Rare Earth (with Rush !), The Irish Rovers, Henry Mancini and Marty Robbins.

The first public discussion of an expansion of the Convention Centre came in 2000 during the debate over where to place a new arena. The idea of a joint arena / convention centre project was floated but the former Eaton's site won out.

In 2008, while the city was debating a 5% hotel room tax to fund an expansion, hotelier Leo Ledoshoski of the CanadInns hotel chain announced that he was willing to take over the facility from the city in exchange for not implementing the tariff. The proposal failed and the tax went ahead.

Later that year the Convention Centre announced its own $200m expansion plan that included a hotel and new main exhibition hall. Over a period of a couple of years the plan was formalized and the three levels of government signed on, the province being the last in July 2011.

According to the 2008 expansion plan the new facility will be over 400,000 sq ft with 160,000 of that a column-free meeting and trade show space. A 250 room hotel is also included.

The project is expected to start in the fall of 2011 and completed by early 2013.

Related:
Winnipeg Convention Centre Winnipeg Building Index
Convention Centre just the beginning Free Press (Sept. 2011)
Centre upgrade quietly gets underway Free Press (July '11)
Convention Centre Unveils Expansion Plans (2008) CBC

290 Waterfront Drive - The Excelsior

2011-09-11T23:36:00.000-05:00

Place: The Excelsior (Website)

Address: 290 Waterfront Drive (Map)
Opened: July 2008
Developer Architect:

Cost: $17m

Background

On May 10, 2005 Sherwood Developments' Fausto Pereira climbed into a backhoe and broke ground on a first for Winnipeg: a condominium project on Waterfront Drive. The Excelsior is made up of two 8 storey towers containing 48 units with 11,000 sq ft of retail on the main floor.

The land on the west side of Waterfront Drive between Bannatyne and James was a former industrial site owned by the City of Winnipeg. A deal brokered through CentreVenture allowed for the sale of this first project, the neighbouring Sky Condominiums soon followed.

Related:
Waterfront Drive Transformed ... Winnipeg Free Press
Waterfront Set for Leap Forward Winnipeg Free Press
The Excelsior (slideshow) Bill Thiessen.com

287 Garry Street - The Garrick Hotel

2011-09-09T00:12:00.000-05:00

Place: The Garrick Hotel
Address: 287 Garry Street (Map)
Opened: November 7, 1907
Architect:

Cost: $60,000

Olivio and Annie Biollo ca 1907 (Source)

The Biollo brothers were an enterprising bunch. Olivio came to Winnipeg from Italy in 1902 and encouraged brothers Angelo and Santi to join. Within a couple of years the trio had built a beautiful family home on College Avenue, owned two Portage avenue restaurants and started a construction company.

In 1906 Olivio wanted to get into the hotel business. New liquor permit zones were released by the province that year and a stretch of Garry Street was included. The Biollos decided to build their Mount Royal Hotel at number 287.

November 7, 1907. Manitoba Free Press.

In the middle of construction, though, the rules changed. The province blamed a typographical error for including that block of Garry Street in a permit zone while the maps clearly showed it in a temperance zone. The Biollos finished the construction but without a liquor permit knew they couldn't make a go of it. The Mount Royal Hotel opened November 7, 1907.

The Voice. January 8, 1909

With financiers chasing him, Biollo leased the hotel to the owners of the Leclaire Hotel (now the Windsor). They, too, were fooled by the discrepancy and had built a new hotel called the Wellington right next door. They decided to hold onto their property and operate it as a dry hotel. In 1909 the two buildings were opened under the Wellington Hotel banner.

In 1909 Biollo lost the hotel to creditors and then it went through a series of short-term proprietors.

November 13, 1913. Manitoba Free Press.

Patrick Grogan owned the hotel until 1912 then sold it to Edward W. Hanna. Hanna used the space in the adjoining building for the Wellington Grill. In 1916 the Grill was gone and Hanna sold up and moved out to a farm at Indian Head SK.

June 6, 1922. Winnipeg Free Press.

In May 1922 the Wellington went bankrupt and reopened the following month under a new name, the Garrick Hotel.

The ownership continued to change every few years until 1935 when Shea's Brewery bought it. Breweries began taking over hotels for their debts during the temperance period, this continued through the Depression. Shea's invested thousands of dollars in upgrades, from windows to mechanical systems, including the purchase of the iconic neon sign that still hangs out front.

Shea's sold the hotel in the late 1940s. Not only did they bring about a stability in ownership but also brought aboard some staff that stayed around for decades.

Some notable staff include Joseph Eichinger, Joe was working there in 1951, he and wife Hazel would eventually become managers and in 1965 proprietors until their retirement in 1968. John Ernest Brown was front desk clerk from 1940 - 1960. Peter Beeton worked there for 23 years and and William ‘Bert’ Smith tended bar there for four decades ending in the late 60s !

Ad circa 1934

Related:
287 Garry Street (Overview) Historic Buildings Committee
287 Garry Street Winnipeg Building Index
For more on the Biollos and their businesses.
For more on Winnipeg's single room occupancy hotels.

400 Colony Street - U of W Centre for Theatre and Film

2011-08-25T06:03:00.000-05:00

Place: Canwest Centre for Theatre and Film, University of Winnipeg (Website)
Address: 400 Colony Street (Map)
Opened: December 3, 1960 / March 3, 2009
Architect:
Cost: $500,000 (1960). $9.2 m (2007)

Background

By the 1950s the Salvation Army had outgrown it's Citadel on Rupert Avenue. With offices and programming scattered around the downtown, a decision was made to build a new centre on Colony Street. The $500,000 complex housed the divisional corporate offices, welfare division and some youth programming. It also had a 500 seat auditorium.

December 2, 1960. Winnipeg Free Press.

On December 3, 1960 the building officially opened. Lieutenant Governor Errick Willis cut the ribbon and territorial commander for Canada and Bermuda, Commissioner W. Wycliffe Booth, dedicated it. The following year they celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Salvation Army Citadel in Winnipeg.

Captains Calvin and Marion Ivany
Sept. 16, 1961. Winnipeg Free Press.

In July 1961 Capt. Calvin J. Ivany and his wife Captain Marion Ivany were appointed to head up the new Citadel. They came from Ottawa with a long line of citadel work behind them.

In 1999 the neighbouring University of Winnipeg purchased the Citadel from the Salvation Army with a $3.525 m grant from the province. Initially, it housed offices for the theatre and film department with plans to raise an additional $5.5m to transform the space into a state of the art theatre and film centre by the fall of 2001 but the project did not proceed at the time

In 2006 Canwest contributed $3m to help transform the space into a state-of-the-art film production and theatre space. In July 2007 another $473,600 came from Canadian Heritage.

The building was completely renovated and a three storey, 1,700 sq foot addition added. The entrance was changed to face the university on Balmoral Street. The long-awaited 150 seat theatre and production space officially opened on March 3, 2009.

Related:
Canwest Centre for Theatre and Film Fast Facts U Winnipeg
Theatre and Film Department U Winnipeg

515 Portage Avenue - Wesley Hall

2011-08-25T05:00:00.002-05:00

Place: Wesley Hall, University of Winnipeg
Address: 515 Portage Ave (Map)
Opened: January 6, 1896 (rededicated Sept.14, 2007)
Architect: Browne & Peters (1896) Corbett-Cibinel (2007)
Cost: $75,000 (1896). $19.2 m (2007).

Background

The province granted the charter to the Methodist Church affiliated Wesley College in 1877. It took a decade of fundraising and organization until Principal J. W. Sparling of Ontario was hired and he, along with a faculty of two, started classes in the basement of Grace Methodist church. From there, the college moved to a building on Albert Street then to Broadway.

In 1891 a 5.5 acre site at Portage and Colony was purchased and a fundraising campaign began for a permanent home. Construction began on this $75,000 building on March 19, 1894.

July 27, 1896. Manitoba Free Press.

The cornerstone was laid on June 26, 1894. Mr. H. A. Massey, chairman of the Massey Harris Company in Toronto and the largest single contributor to the project (at $20,000), was to do the honour but failing health kept him in Toronto. Reverend J. W. Sparling filled in and the silver trowel used to lay the cornerstone was sent to Massey as a momento.

January 6, 1896. Manitoba Free Press.

Wesley Hall opened for classes on January 6, 1896. It featured classrooms, a basement gymnasium, convocation hall and dormitories for about 40 students. With electric lights and indoor plumbing it was seen as a model building for the time.

The Free Press said that it “...combines solidity with neatness and convenience with artistic finish. One of the most perfectly equipped college buildings in the Dominion.” (Manitoba Free Press, August 7, 1895). To read the Daily Nor'Wester's coverage of the new building (the manitobia.ca site may be offline).

In 1938 Manitoba College and Wesley College merged as United College, affiliated with the University of Manitoba. In 1967 the University of Winnipeg received its charter as an independent institution.

As new buildings were added, most notably Centennial Hall in 1972, university functions spread throughout the growing campus and The Collegiate, a high school division, became an increasing presence in Wesley Hall.

The Collegiate was created within Wesley College in 1873 "... in order to supply matriculation training to such probationers and pre-arts students as had for various reasons not completed their high school education in full" (source). In 1912 the school was moved to the 'Wesley Annex' (Sparling Hall).

A striking feature of the building is the grey sandstone quarried in the Calgary area. The Free Press said it was “... something new in Winnipeg and many will no doubt be curious to observe the effect of its introduction” (Manitoba Free Press, March 21, 1894). That stone facade has been a problem for Wesley Hall.

The opening of the building had to be pushed from September 1895 to January 1896 because the original quarry went bankrupt before the order could be completed.

The stone was laid on edge to provide a textured, more dramatic look. This, however, exposed the grain of the stone to the elements. A later decision to grow ivy over the exterior led to further deterioration as the plant's grippers took hold.

By the late 1990s the stone was crumbling. Nets, and eventually a covered walkway, had to be erected around Wesley Hall protect passers by from falling stone fragments.

Between 2004 - 2007 a $14 million exterior restoration took place, (Corbett Cibinel Architects with Akman Construction & Alpha Masonry). This included replacing the windows, slate roof and a new facade. The original stone is actually still there. The 'bellies' of the old stones were sheared off, an insulating foam was laid over top and the new stone, from a quarry in Wallace, Nova Scotia, built over top.

In the initial stages of the restoration the cornerstone laid by Reverend Sparling in 1984 was removed. University President Lloyd Axworthy and president Emeritus Dr. Harry Duckworth. Items inside the cornerstone included the 1893-94 Wesley College Calendar, editions of the daily newspapers, minutes of the meeting authorizing the construction and a list of donors. (Source - page 6.)

As exterior renovations were finishing up interior, a $5.2 million interior renovation got underway. This included the restoration of Convocation Hall.

Convocation Hall was original to the building but in 1969-70 the University's Theatre Association began using it regularly as a performance space. By 1972 the space was blackened out to become the university's theatre department stage.

At a cost of $1 million, half of that donated by Dr. Douglas Leatherdale, Convocation Hall was restored to its former glory and on September 14, 2007 was rededicated.

Source

A much beloved space was Tony's Canteen, named for Tony Kozyra, a university handyman who took over the basement tuck shop in the 1920s and ran it until 1965. Dr. Gerald Bedford recalled in a May 7, 1971 Free Press story:

"Over the years he gained a place of affection and esteem among students and faculty alike . Tony expressed his fondness for students by consoling them during exam time, and during their periods of homesickness and illness."

When Tony's moved temporarily to Ashdown Hall in 67 the university tried to change the name but students insisted that the place be called Tony's. Eventually, administration gave in and a new "Tony's Canteen" sign was ordered for the space.

Tony's closed in 2008 during the renovation, though according to the Collegiate's capital campaign website there are plans to reopen it in the basement of Wesley Hall. (For more on Tony's, page 28.)

Related:
515 Portage Avenue Historic Buildings Committee
Wesley Hall Winnipeg Building Index
Project News Release U of W June 19 2007
The Golden Jubilee of Wesley College 1938
A history of the University of Winnipeg

100 Princess Street - Penthouse Condominiums

2011-08-25T02:22:00.003-05:00

Project: Penthouse Condominiums
Address: 100 Princess Street (Map)
Status: Completed 2011
Cost: $8.5m (2011)
Size: 60 units
Architect: J.H.G. Russel (1903 & 1912)
Contractor: G. Alsip (1903)

Background

This building was constructed in 1903 (as 102 Princess) for Campbell Brothers and Wilson, a successful grocery wholesaler and packager who dealt in goods such as sugar, spices, jellies and teas. The company began as Sutherland and Wilson in the early days of the city.

ca. 1903 (source)

Campbell Brothers expanded into the west with a Calgary warehouse in 1904 and in Regina in 1907. In 1912 they bought out Foley Bros. and Larson, another locally-based grocery wholesale business with interests in the west. This acquisition required a two storey addition to the Princess Street building bringin it to 83,000 square feet.

In April 1945 Campbell Bros and Wilson (by then called Campbell Wilson, Strathdee) was bought out by long-time general manager James M. Sinclair who renamed the firm J. M. Sinclair Ltd. and operated from that location into the 1950s.

NEFCO ad ca. 1960

In 1960 NEFCO took ownership of the building.

The company's roots went back to the North End Furniture Company, a 1930 furniture store started by Hymie Adelman at 843 Main Street (if the address sounds familiar, decades later it would be home to Kern Hill Furniture Co-op !) In 1961 they opened a six storey retail location at 339 Portage Avenue (now APTN). They ran both locations until 1966 when they consolidated at 100 Princess.

At the 339 Portage location the top two floors were home to "The Penthouse", specializing in upscale furniture and design. In the mid 1960s the entire NEFCO Furniture Warehouse was re-branded The Penthouse Interiors (eventually Penthouse Fine Furnishings). The building boasted 50,000 square feet of display space and around 40 employees.

In the autumn of 2008 NEFCO announced that their three stores in the city, Great Rooms by Palliser, Furniture Galleria and flagship Penthouse Furniture would close and the building went up for sale.

In 2009 Taurean Global Properties of Canmore, Alberta purchased the building and announced that they would invest $8.5m to convert the space into 60 condominium units.

Related:
Loft-style Apartments Eyed for Exchange District CBC Mar 31, 2009
Video Tour Bill Thiessen.com
92 - 100 Princess Street Historic Buildings Committee Report (1982)
Campbell Bros and Wilson Building Winnipeg Building Index
Campbell Wilson Building Heritage Winnipeg

110 Princess Street - Fairchild Lofts

2011-08-24T01:50:00.001-05:00

Project: Fairchild Lofts (no website)
Address: 110 - 120 Princess Street (Map)
Status: Opened 2006
Size: 50 Units
Cost: $7m

Background

Fairchild ad ca. 1903

Westbrook and Fairchild was formed in 1877 as grew to be one of the city’s largest manufacturers of farm machinery and carriages. Though Frank Fairchild died in 1897 the company carried on as Fairchild Company with H.W. Hutchinson the new owner.

The company needed larger manufacturing, warehouse and display space and in 1906 announced that they would construct a new headquarters right next door to their existing one. The six storey, 63,000 sq ft Fairchild Building would take the addresses 110 - 120 Princess Street.

Fairchild Company logo

The John Deere Plow Company, for whom Fairchild were agents, was eager to enter the Canadian West but wanted to do it through acquisition of Fairchild, whose network included properties in Regina, Calgary and Edmonton. It took a while but Hutchinson told the Free Press on October 4, 1907:

“The consummation of the sale of this business to the John Deere Plow Co. of Moline, Illinois terminates negotiations that originated four years ago by the purchasers…”

The rumored price was $1 million.

February 1, 1908. Winnipeg Free Press.

On December 1, 1906 John Deere assumed control of Fairchild and its brand new headquarters. Deere leased out excess warehouse space in the building to other companies, usually under the address 120 Princess. They remained the owners until 1951 when they relocated to smaller premises.

Source: 1945 Directory of Western Manufacturers

In 1953 the Sterling Cloak Company, formerly located in the Whitla Building, took over the building. They were large scale clothing manufacturers and had contacts for making outfits for the likes of the Canadian Forces. (The more familiar name of Sterling Stall came about in the late 1970s.)

Sterling Cloak rented out a great deal of excess space. Tenants included the federal government’s Unemployment Insurance Commission, Robinson-Alamo (machinery dealers) and long-time retail tenant Charles Home Ltd (fabric wholesaler).

Sterling Stall remained associated with the building until 1984. From that point forward there were numerous tenants and any one time including Penthouse Furniture Warehouse Store, General Doray Enterprises.

In 2001 the University of Manitoba studied the feasibility of leasing the building as a downtown campus space. Nothing came of it.

In 2004 an Edmonton-based developer announced that they had purchased the building for conversion into loft-style condominiums with office and retail space on the main floor. The $7 m conversion saw the construction of 50 residential units ranging from 635 to 1,673 square feet.

Related:
Fairchild Lofts image gallery GWH Construction
110 Princess Historic Buildings Committee
110 Princess Winnipeg Building Index
Fairchild Building Heritage Winnipeg

358 Langside Street: Richardson College for the Environment and Science

2011-08-19T21:50:00.000-05:00

Project: University of Winnipeg's Richardson College for the Environment and Science (Website)
Address: Portage Avenue at Langside Street (Map)
Status: Opened June 2011
Size: 150,000 sq ft
Cost: $66.58m

This project began in 2006 after a collective $3.5 m donation from the Richardson's business, family and foundation. It was the largest single donation to the University of Winnipeg at the time, (Since then John and Bonnie Buhler surpassed it).

The University of Winnipeg's Richardson College for the Environment and Science will house the departments of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Studies as well as numerous other offices ranging from the Institute of Urban Studies and Indigenous Studies program. Over 2,000 students a day are expected to use the facility.

Designed by Number 10 Architects, it is a Silver Certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building.

Its completion caps off what has been quite a transformation for the block of Portage Avenue between Furby and Langside. The square block also boasts the UWSA's 112 child daycare and a 200 person student residence.

Reference:
Richardson College ... Fast Facts U of Winnipeg
Richardson College .... Homepage W of Winnipeg
Richardson College Grand Opening (News Release)
U of W Scientists Ready to Roll Free Press
New Science Centre a Work of Art Free Press

Here is a look back at the block's transformation:

Top: Furby Theatre (1912 - 1952)
Bottom: Used car lot / parking for Winnipeg Roller Rink (until 2006)

Here are interior shots from the grand opening on June 11, 2011:

110 James Avenue - District Condominiums

2011-07-29T02:19:00.004-05:00

Project: 110 James Avenue (Website)
Location: 110 James Avenue (Map)
Constructed: 1910
Developer: StreetSide Developments
Cost: Undisclosed
Status: In process (2012)

Background:

Ryan Brothers Limited was formed in 1906 on Bannatyne Avenue as a distributor of dry goods, one of their first lines was Diamond Cleanser. The President of the company was George Russell Ryan, son of James Ryan of Ryan Shoe and Boot fame. Also involved was his brother James Jr.. The two first went into business together as shoe distributors in 1901. There was another brother, William Harold. I'm not sure if he was part of Ryan Brothers as well.

April 15, 1911. Manitoba Free Press.

This building acted as their offices and warehouse. They leased extra warehouse space to other companies, everything from paint storage to a bulk paper dealer.

Russell Ryan (he went by his middle name) stayed under the radar, rarely appearing in newspaper articles. He did, though, hang in the same circles and sit on business committees with the likes of James A. Richardson and G. H. Aikins.

George's wife Sibyl, however, was regularly in the papers organizing lectures, teas and church events, (mainly for Grace United). She was an accomplished singer and pianist who appeared in recitals and entertained at other events. They raised their five children at stately 79 Ruskin Row.

July 8, 1950. Winnipeg Free Press.

In the 1920s Ryan Brothers found their niche: marketing equipment for the butcher and meat processing industry, everything from industrial choppers and scales to refrigeration units. They were also distributors, and perhaps manufacturers, of store fittings.

The company shut down in 1954. Russell died the following year at the age of 71.

The most noticeable feature of the building is the Philco Radios, Refridgerators and Televisions sign on the west wall. This was added by Great West Electric on Princess Street who occupied the building in the 1960s.

March 28, 2011, Winnipeg Free Press

In the fall of 2010 StreetSide Developments announced that they were converting 110 James Avenue into a 19 unit condominium complex.

The project is to be completed in 2012.

Related:
110 James Avenue floor plans District Condominiums
110 James Avenue Historic Buildings Committee
Big plan just got bigger Winnipeg Free Press (May 2010)
Downtown condos gaining steam Winnipeg Free Press (Mar 2011)

340 Waterfront Drive - Sky Waterfront Condominiums

2011-07-27T02:07:00.000-05:00

Project: Sky Waterfront Condominiums (Website)
Location: 340 Waterfront Drive (Map)
Constructed: 2007 - 2009 (Phase I); 2011- 2012 (Phase II)
Architect: Verne Reimer
Developer: Sunstone Group
Cost: $30 million (est.)
Status: Phase II to open late 2012.

Background:

In 2005 Sunstone Group announced plans the 109 unit Sky Waterfront Condominiums. It was the third high-end condo development along the new Waterfront Drive.

Located just north of the former Winnipeg Hydro Steam Plant, the land was an industrial site for more than a century and required an extensive cleanup, which included the removal of 42,000 tonnes of contaminated soil, before work could begin.

November 11, 2006, Winnipeg Free Press

In 2006 Sky began pre-selling suites ranging from 809 sq. ft to a 1,990 sq. ft. penthouse. Construction began in 2007 and residents began moving in during the summer of 2009.

A unique feature of the building is the curved wall at the intersection of Pacific and Waterfront. Architect Verne Reimer told the Winnipeg Free Press (September 23, 2006) “We wanted to make an urban building, so we wanted the building to approach the property line, to define a hard building edge.”

The developer has announced that phase II, a smaller structure, will begin construction in summer 2011 and expect to have it completed in late 2012.

Related:
Sky Condominiums Website
Facebook Page
Waterfront Set for Leap Forward Winnipeg Free Press

Downtown Places Indexed by Street !

2011-07-21T10:47:00.001-05:00

I am shifting toward a new map and indexing system. When I started this blog the indexing and map system worked well. Now, with nearly 50 places, thy need a bit of an overhaul.

To make things easier I have added the "Search This Blog" box to the left and below are the posts I have done to date indexed by street. Parks, art and memorials are at the bottom. A new map is coming soon.

'O' indicates an ongoing project. 'P' indicates a proposed project. 'H' are housing-related.

***

Downtown - General
Downtown Walkway Expansion

Alexander Avenue
184 Alexander Avenue Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural Centre

Assiniboine Avenue
351 Assiniboine Avenue Kerr House

Broadway
O 363 Broadway 363 Broadway
Broadway at Donald Street Centennial Fountain
287 Broadway Former Sovereign Life Building

Central Park Area
366 Qu'Appelle The Warwick Apartments H
Central Park Renovation

Colony Street
400 Colony Canwest Centre for Theatre and Film (U of W)

Donald Street
55 Donald Street
251 Donald Street Millennium Library
Andrew Carnegie Portrait Millennium Library
Millennium Library Park
O 281 Donald Street Metropolitan Theatre
310 Donald Street The Donalda Building
317 Donald Street Credit Union Central
320 Donald Street The Surtees / Saratoga Lanes Building
335 Donald Street Former Masonic Temple

Ellen Street
65 Ellen Street No. 1 Fire Hall

Ellice Avenue
435 Ellice Avenue Institute for Biodoagnostics
445 Ellice Avenue Centre for the Commercialization of Biomedical Technology

The Forks
Manitoba Children's Museum
O Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Fort Street
155 Fort Street GMC Building

Garry Street
276 Garry Street Norris Taylors / Aqua Books
287 Garry Street The Garrick Hotel
330 Garry Street The Garrick Cinemas / Garrick Centre

Graham Avenue
O 266 Graham Avenue Public Safety Building II
419 Graham Avenue The Halter Building

Hargrave Street
309 Hargrave Street The Norlyn Building
Wagon Wheel Restaurant 309 Hargrave Street
P 370 Hargrave Street African Canadian Cultural Centre
O 490 Hargrave Street WRHA Downtown Community Health Office

James Avenue
O 110 James Avenue Condominiums H

Kennedy Street
233 Kennedy Street Medical Arts Building
330 Kennedy Street HI Hostel
Justice Kennedy and York

King Street
P 238 King Street - Former Shanghai Restaurant

Langside Street
358 Langside Street Richardson Science Complex (U of W)
370 Langside Street McFeetors Hall (U of W) H

Lombard Avenue
1 Lombard Place The Richardson Building
191 Lombard Avenue Union Trust Tower

Main Street
77 Main Street Gibraltar House
O 100 Main Street Upper Fort Garry Heritage Park
123 Main Street Winnipeg Rail Museum
389 Main Street The Millennium Centre
Main and Alexander United Way Headquarters
O 555 Main Street MB Centennial Concert Hall
Little Black Devil 555 Main Street
O Higgins and Main Youth Centre for Excellence
466 Main Street The Woodbine Hotel
662 Main Street The Bell Hotel H

McDermot Avenue
400 McDermot Avenue Downtown Letter Carrier Depot

Memorial Boulevard
Winnipeg Cenotaph
301 Memorial Boulevard The Bay Parkade
300 Memorial Boulevard Winnipeg Art Gallery

Pacific Avenue
145 Pacific Avenue Sport Manitoba Building

Portage Avenue
P 388 Portage Avenue The Boyd Building
234 Portage Avenue The White House
238-240 Portage Avenue former Dreman Place
O 265 Portage Avenue The Avenue Building H
275 Portage Avenue The Kensington Building
288 Portage Avenue Radisson Hotel
311 Portage Avenue Clarendon Hotel / MTS Exhibition Hall
311 Portage Avenue Longboat / ALT Hotel SHED
303 Portage Avenue Mountain Equipment Co-op
O 333 Portage Avenue Former Bank of Commerce
360 Portage Avenue Manitoba Hydro Place
450 Portage Avenue The Bay
450 Portage Avenue The Paddlewheel Restaurant
460 Portage Avenue The Buhler Centre (U of W)
O 487 Portage Avenue Former Bus Terminal / AnX (U of W)
515 Portage Avenue Wesely Hall (U of W)
639 Portage Avenue Monte Cassino Court

Princess Street
33 Princess Street The Peck Building
100 Princess Street The Penthouse H
110 Princess Street Fairchild Lofts H
232 Princess Street The Edge on Princess H
P 271 Princess Street - Peace Tower Housing Complex H

Smith Street
O 161 Smith Street Residences on York H
265 Smith Street Holy Trinity Church
331 Smith Street The Marlborough Hotel
363 Smith Street The Walker Theatre

St. Mary Avenue
P St. Mary at Edmonton Lakeview Hotel
425 St. Mary Avenue The Winnipeg Clinic

Vaughan Street
225 Vaughan Street Office Building
310 Vaughan Street Isbister School
340 Vaughan Street The Raleigh H

Waterfront Drive and area
O 1 Heaton Avenue YouCube Condominiums H
290 Waterfront Drive The Excalibur H
P 333 Waterfront Drive Harbour Master Hotel and Restaurant
O 340 Waterfront Drive Sky Condominiums Phase I and II H

Webb Place
443 Webb Place Webbsite Condominiums H

William Avenue
O 380 William Avenue Former Carnegie Library

York Avenue
P 375 York Avenue Convention Centre Expansion

Parks, Art and Memorials

CanWest Global Plaza Portage and Main
Central Park
The Cube Old Market Square
Famous Five Memorial Legislature Grounds
First World War Soldier Portage and Main
Former City Hall Clock Portage Place
Japanese Gardens Carlton Street
Kwakiutl Totem Pole Legislature Grounds
Lord Selkirk Monument Memorial Boulevard
Broadway at Donald Street Centennial Fountain
Memorial Park Memorial Boulevard
No. 1 Northern 303 Main Street
Odd Fellows Temple Facade The Promenade
Old Market Square
Perrett Bus Shelter Ellice and Balmoral
Replica Streetcar 356
Soldier's Relatives' Memorial Legislature Grounds
Timothy Eaton Statue MTS Centre
Winnipeg Cenotaph Memorial Boulevard

Past Business News
Kraut King
Marcello's
Downtown Trends Report
Downtown Opportunities for Home Buyers
Big Development Plans for Downtown also 2010 Downtown Living Tour
4 Play Sports Bar
Qualico James Street Condominiums H
Forks Housing Plan H
Tax credits to boost downtown
Met Theatre

443 Webb Place - Webbsite Condominiums

2011-07-21T00:42:00.001-05:00

Project: Webbsite Condominiums
Location: 443 Webb Place (Map)
Constructed: 2006
Architect: Cohlmeyer Architects
Cost: $900,000
Status: Completed

Before the Waterfront Drive projects there was Webbsite.

The project was actually commissioned by The Forks North Portage Partnership on a surface parking lot they owned on Webb Place. When construction began in Spring 2005 an infill, new-build condominium complex in the core had never been done before.

Ellice Avenue (rear) view

The main constraint of the project was the size of the lot: just 50 feet by 130 feet. When space was allowed for parking the frontage of the complex became 25 feet wide.

Webbsite contains seven units ranging from from 825 sq ft to 1200 sq ft.

Cohlmeyer Architects won a 2008 Prairie Design Award and a 2005 Award of Merit at the Canadian Architect Awards of Excellence

Related:
Webbsite Canadian Architect
443 Webb Place Former 'for sale' ad
(Perhaps ironically, Webbsite does not have a web site)

662 Main Street - The Bell Hotel

2011-07-17T00:52:00.001-05:00

Project: The Bell Hotel
Location: 662 Main Street (Map)
Constructed: 1906 (Reopened 2011)
Architect: Joseph Bernhart (1906)
Cost: $5 million (2011 renovations)
Status: Completed

The Bell Hotel was opened in 1906 by the Bell Brothers and was a bit of a latecomer to the dozen or so single room occupancy hotels clustered around the CPR train depot at Higgins and Main.

The hotel's claim to fame came with new ownership in 1912.

Sept 12, 1915. Winnipeg Free Press

The Bronfmans were Russian Jews who came to Manitoba around 1889 and settled in Brandon. In 1903 they entered the hotel industry, purchasing the Anglo American Hotel in Emerson then others across the prairies. In 1912 they purchased their largest asset, the Bell Hotel in Winnipeg, and son Samuel came to run it.

After prohibition came in 1916 Sam moved to Montreal and entered the liquor business building what would become the Seagram's empire.

As Main Street declined so did these SRO Hotels. The Bell gained notorious reputation as a rough and tumble place.

In 2007 the hotel was purchased as part of a Main Street redevelopment scheme and closed down.

In 2010 the federal and provincial governments along with CentreVenture announced that they would invest $5.2m to rebuild the interior of the hotel to create supportive housing units for thiose currently homeless.

The 75 single occupancy rooms were reduced to 42 as each room now has a private washroom and kitchenette. The main floor will consist of social services offices and a café.

The Bell reopened June 30, 2011.

Related:
A home for the homeless Winnipeg Free Press, July 2, 2011
Bell Hotel ready to welcome new tenants WRHA News Release, June 30, 2011
Bell to become homeless haven Winnipeg Free Press, April 23, 2010
Innovative Housing Initiative to promote stability, independence for homeless Joint News Release, April 23, 2010
Bell Tolls for Downtown Hotel CBC Aug. 31, 2010
Bell Hotel Overview Historic Buildings Committee (pdf)

Downtown Places: Manitoba Children's Museum

2011-04-02T15:29:00.000-05:00

Project: Manitoba Children's Museum Renovation (Website)
Location: The Forks (Map)
Constructed: 1890 (as museum 1994)
Project Cost: $10m
Status: Completed

Background:

Circa 1980s Source

The Manitoba Children's Museum building has had a long and varied life.

It was constructed in 1889 - 1890 as a mechanical shop for the upstart Northern Pacific and Manitoba Railway.

The NP & Man was a partnership between the the Government of Manitoba under Premier Greenway and the American company Northern Pacific Railway. The purpose was to get around the CPR's painfully slow expansion of their branch lines within the province. NP & Man's main line ran from Winnipeg to St. Paul, Minnesota (68 miles of track) with branch lines from Brandon / Morris (185 miles) and Portage la Prairie (55 miles).

The railway's depot and signature building was the Manitoba Hotel, situated where the Federal Building is now at Main and Water. It was destroyed by fire on February 9, 1899.

The building remained a repair facility until the railway was swallowed up by Canadian National. From then it served a number of functions including an immigration hall and soup kitchen and eventually was renovated into CN offices.

When CN vacated their East Yards in the early 1980s the "Bridges and Structures" building was included in the plans for The Forks National Historic site. Though it would sit vacant for a number of years.

It was in 1993 that the Manitoba Children’s Museum, operating in the Exchange since 1986, began a $4 m fund raising drive to take over the building. They opened at the new site on June 1, 1994.

In September 2010 the museum temporarily closed to allow for a $10m refurbishment and expansion. Aside from all new attractions the museum is building the Buhler Welcome Centre, thanks to an $800,000 gift from John and Bonnie Buhler. The centre will act as the new admissions and visitor services area.

The museum will reopen on June 4, 2011 which is also its 25th anniversary. For an inside peek at the renos check out the museum's video page or interactive map.

Related:
The Northern Pacific and Manitoba Burrows and Masters
Manitoba Children's Museum Winnipeg Building Index
Provincial Heritage Site No. 88 Manitoba Heritage
The NP and Man. Railway Engine Shop MHS
Manitoba Children's Museum History Museum website
Museum gets big boost from Buhlers Free Press

UPDATE: June 2011

Children’s Museum Reopens to the Public

A Map of Recent Main Street Developments

2011-03-27T00:47:00.000-05:00

This is a look at some of the development along Main street in the past couple of years.

There were a couple of sizeable buildings opened on land that sat vacant for many decades, namely the WRHA Dwontown Access building and United Way HQ.

New joints like The Tallest Poppy, The Edge artist's village and Main Meats took over existing spaces. Even the McLaren got in the act with a sushi bar.

A couple of new projects are well on their way to completion:

Youth for Christ's Center for Youth Excellence at Higgins and Main.

The Bell Hotel doesn't look different from the front but from the back work is ongoing. The latest thing are new windows all around.

On the other side of the subway at Euclid, the former California Fruit Market is being transformed into the new, larger home of Neechi Foods.

363 Broadway

2011-03-19T18:22:00.001-05:00

Project: 363 Broadway retrofit
Location: 363 Broadway (Map)
Architect: (1975) LM Architects; (2011) Smith Carter
Cost: (1975) $10m; 2011 retrofit $4m
Status: Begins April 2011 (completion in 6 - 12 months)

Background:

The Imperial Group was a local development company that specialized in apartment towers. Lakeshore Park Apartments (Fort Richmond), St. Vital Villa, Peppertree Estates (St. Vital) and Place Louis Riel are some of their developments.

In 1974 they unveiled plans for the Imperial Broadway Tower for the corner of Broadway and Carlton. Designed by LM Architects, the exterior of the sixteen storey building was made up of 80,000 square feet of 'futuristic looking' bronze-painted glass.

A hurdle that held up the approval for a couple of weeks was the tower's height. There had been a long standing practice, ,it does not appear to have been a bylaw, that Broadway area buildings could not block the view of Golden Boy's torch. At a short planning hearing it was shown that the building is actually shorter than the statue and, besides, the recently opened Woodsworth Building (built by the province) was a couple of storeys taller than what Imperial was proposing.

Dec 20, 1975, Winnipeg Free Press

The building plan was approved on February 24, 1975 and it opened in January 1977. It was expected that the province would then build a 1000 car parkade on the lot to the north but that never materialized.

March 1977 Winnipeg Free Press

Initial tenants included the Imperial Group, Greenshields Incorporated and Monarch Life Assurance Company. A recent large tenant was The Faneuil Group.

Beginning April 2011 a $4m retrofit will take place which includes replacing the exterior glass. The new facade will also carry a colour pattern, be more energy efficient and allow 60% more daylight into the building.

Related:
363 Broadway Morguard Investments
363 Broadway Winnipeg Building Index
Broadway towers to get face lift Winnipeg Free Press

Update November 2011:

370 Hargrave Street - African Canadian Centre

2011-02-23T01:43:00.000-06:00

Project: African Canadian Centre
Location: Vacant lot, formerly 370 Hargrave Street (Map)
Cost: $18m (in two phases)
Status: Proposed

Background

In January 2011 The African-Canadian Foundation announced that it has first right to purchase the former YMHA site at 370 Hargrave Street in the Central Park neighbourhood. It is currently a nearly block-long surface parking lot.

The complex would be built in two phases.

Phase 1 is a $6 m, 24,000 sq ft building housing a rec centre, meeting hall, daycare, arts centre and African-Canadian Restaurant. It would open in 2012.

A second, $12 m phase, involves a four storey, 32,000 sq ft building with an underground parkade. It would include African shops and 100 student apartments of 500 to 600 sq ft each. Construction would begin in 2014.

Related:
African community plans $18m downtown complex CBC
A boost for the inner city Winnipeg Free Press
An African Savannah in Winnipeg Observations ...
Peg's Little Africa West End Dumplings

271 Princess - Peace Tower Housing Complex

2011-02-13T20:10:00.004-06:00

Image: Global Winnipeg

Project: Peace Tower Housing Complex
Location: 271 Princess Street at Logan (Map)
Cost: $12.7m
Architect: Raymond S C Wan
Developer: Chinatown Development Corporation
Size: Seven storey, 48 units

Background

In February 2011 the tripartite Winnipeg Housing and Homelessness Initiative announced the funding of The Peace Tower, a 48 unit housing project for immigrant and refugee families, at the corner of Princess and Logan. The project is headed up by the Winnipeg Chinatown Development Corporation.

Construction of the tower began in June 2011. The building at 271 - 273 Princess, known to most as home to the Ham 'n Eggs Grill, was demolished in December 2011 as a staging and parking area for the construction.

Related:
News Release Government of Manitoba
Chinatown to get affordable housing Winnipeg Free Press
Goodbye Ham 'n Eggs, hello housing One Man Committee
271 - 273 Princess West End Dumplings

Downtown Places: The Paddlewheel Restaurant

2011-02-05T22:19:00.001-06:00

Place: The Paddlewheel Restaurant
Location: The Bay Downtown, 450 Portage Avenue
Opened: October 29, 1954

Background:

Winnipeg Free Press, October 28, 1954

The Paddlewheel opened The Bay's downtown store as the 'Paddle Wheel Buffet' on October 29, 1954. It was part of a two year 'pillar to post' refurbishment and expansion of the store. Also added was the Rendez Vous (women's clothing boutique) and the construction of a multi-level parkade.

This brought the number of in-house restaurants to three. There was the café-counter style Jolly Canuck (basement), the upscale Georgian Room (originally on the fourth floor but by 1967 was on the fifth) and the family-friendly Paddle Wheel Buffet (sixth floor).

The Paddlewheel had four sections: a take away counter; Gentlemen's Lounge; a women only Crinoline Room and the main dining area. The gender-based rooms also acted as conference rooms where special lunches or social club meetings could be held.

In 1967 the main dining area was enlarged and the now spelled 'Paddlewheel' began hosting live entertainment.

Bluegrass Week, 1971

Sometimes national performers who were in town to promote their records performed there, including Jaye P. Morgan and The Banana Splits. Mostly, though, it was local entertainers such as Fabulous George and his Zodiacs and The Chicken Flats String Band that would perform during special theme weeks ranging from A Salute to Britain, Bluegrass Week, Robbie Burns' Week and Metis Trading Days.

During these theme weeks the restaurant would carry special menu items and the store's apparel and hair departments would put on fashion shows.

Another Paddlewheel feature, until the late 1970s, were seasonal fashion shows put on by a Bay student council made up of representatives from each Winnipeg high school.

Above: Santa's first breakfast at the Paddlewheel, 1968.
Below: Santa's last breakfast at the Paddlewheel, 2010.

The longest running Padddlewheel tradition has to be 'Breakfast with Santa' which debuted in 1968 and ran until until Christmas 2010.

In February 2011 HBC announced that their in-house Bay restaurants would go upscale with the introduction of Oliver & Bonacini. The Paddlewheel is among those being renovated.

Related:
Partnership to Transform The Bay Restaurants HBC.com
The Bay revamps restaurants to draw customers, foodies CP
Paddlewheel Restaurant up for renovations WFP
Paddlewheel brand to stay downtown WFP
The Bay Parkade Winnipeg Downtown Places
The Bay Downtown Winnipeg Downtown Places

Manitoba Centennial Concert Hall

2011-01-27T23:56:00.001-06:00

Place: Centennial Concert Hall (Website)
Address: 555 Main Street (Map)
Opened: March 27,1968
Cost: $8m
Architects: Green Blankstein Russell Associates; Moody Moore and Partners; and Smith Carter Searle Associates.
Acoustician: Russell Johnson.
Status: Renovations in Process

Background: The Manitoba Centennial Concert Hall has been the home to Manitoba's 'Big Arts' since it opened in March 1968 replacing the 800 seat concert hall in the Winnipeg Auditorium (now Manitoba Archives) building on Vaughan Street.

Site ca. 1964, Playhouse Theatre on right (source)

Canada's Centennial was a time to think big. Not just celebratory events, such as Expo '67, but for lasting "legacy projects" built from coast to coast. Manitoba, it turns out, would have two centennials in a short period, with the province's in 1970 which allowed planners to think even bigger.

In 1960 a plan was formalized to construct an entire arts district on a five acre site across from the new Civic Centre as a way to “commemorate Canada’s centenary and initiate a broad scheme of urban renewal in Winnipeg’s Point Douglas Area” (source - accessed 2008). It would eventually include a concert hall, museum, planetarium, theatre centre and parking complex.

Ca. 1950s showing future location of Civic Centre and Centennial Centre
Original photo source.

The scheme was not without controversy, though. The scale of the project was daunting: tens of millions of dollars; five years of construction and the demolition of four square blocks. The assumption that the Main Street area around the project would be automatically rejuvenated was seen by some as wishful thinking.

In 1963 a Manitoba Centennial Corporation board, chaired by Maitland B. Steinkopf, was chosen to oversee the planning, construction and fundraising.

The Concert Hall was to open in December 1967, Canada's Centennial year, but delays pushed that back to March 27, 1968. That day, Governor General Roland Michener cut the ribbon at an opening reception.

The following night the first concert was held. In attendance were dignitaries Governor-General Roland Michener and Mrs. Michener, Lieutenant-Governor Richard S. Bowles and Mrs. Bowles, Premier Walter Weir, Secretary of State Judy La Marsh and Maitland B. Steinkopf, chairman of the Manitoba Centennial Corporation and 2,000 others. It featured performances by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Manitoba Theatre Centre and Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

The Concert Hall was a hit. Christopher Dafoe of the Free Press called the building a "proper temple for the arts". (WFP March 29, 1968). The Royal Winnipeg Ballet quickly changed their venue plans and performed their last dance of the season just days later on April 5 !

source

Aside from The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Manitoba Opera, it has been the scenes of thousands of performances. They range from Pink Floyd (1970), The Bee Gees (1974,) Burton Cummings (who launched his solo career there in 1979), the Rusalka Ukrainian Dancers (2003), The Tragically Hip (2009).

Since that time the Manitoba Centennial Centre, which still manages the Concert Hall, Museum, Planetarium and Manitoba Theatre Centre, added the MTC Warehouse Theatre, Artspace and the Production Centre for Film to their management holdings.

On May 29, 2009 the Manitoba and Federal Governments announced a $5 million infrastructure project to renovate the Concert Hall. Components include the underground parkade refurbishment, "a new acoustic enhancement system and significant stage sound and lighting improvements" and a redevelopment of the Steinkopf Gardens.

Related:
Manitoba Centennial Concert Hall Homepage
Centennial Concert Hall Winnipeg Building Index

380 William Avenue - Former Carnegie Library

2011-01-16T20:26:00.001-06:00

Place: Carnegie Library (now City of Winnipeg Archives Building)
Address: 380 William Avenue

Status: Renovations in Progress

Architects: Hooper and Walker (Samuel Hooper)

While the city was busy keeping up with basic infrastructure and grand homes, churches and theatres were springing up around the city. It took grant from American philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to get a central library up and running.

Prior to 1905 there were private reading rooms in places like the Manitoba Club. The Historical and Scientific Society of Manitoba, (forerunner to the Manitoba Historical Society), amassed a collection of thousands of volumes. Their 'popular reading' collection ended up at a cramped room at city hall and could be browsed or borrowed.

City librarian J.P. Robertson, who was stuck working in the City Hall space, wrote to the Carnegie Foundation of New York in 1901 requesting a grant for a proper facility. Andrew Carnegie, industrialist-turned-philanthropist, had funded the construction of hundreds of libraries across North America through his foundation.

Robertson's work paid off. The city was allowed $75,000 on the conditions that the city provided the land and agreed to cover the operating costs. In 1902 $25,000 was set aside to assemble the land on William Avenue and for landscaping.

After a drawn-out design competition, the bid was finally awarded to Hooper and Walker (this was before Samuel Hooper became the provincial architect) and construction began in late 1903.

On October 11, 1905 Governor General Earl Grey and his nineteen year-old daughter Lady Evelyn opened the library in a 'pleasant little spectacle'. Among the attendees were prominent citizens but the honour guard that lined the path was made up of school children from Norquay, Alexandra and Machray schools.

Lady Evelyn, (who would become the Canadian pairs figure skating champion in 1911 and 1912), turned the key to open the new building. Once inside there was a tour, music and short programme.
Alderman Sanderson said "I sincerely trust that the institution, which is being opened under such auspicious circumstances, may realize the fullest expectations of Mr. Carnegie, and at the same time prove a boon to the citizens of Winnipeg."(Winnipeg Free Press, Oct 11, 1905).

Grey was issued the very first library card and a souvenir book, (which did not have to be returned !)

The basement held a newspaper reading room, book repair facilities and storage. The top floor contained the stacks, a children's area and a lecture hall.

The main floor had separate men's and women's reading rooms and a new book area. It also contained the librarian's office and a boardroom. The check-out counter down the centre so you could "...enter, set your book and leave the building without disturbing or passing through any room where people are in the act of reading, referring or studying." (Winnipeg Free Press, Oct 11, 1905).

The Carnegie Foundation's participation in Winnipeg's libraries did not end there. In 1908, a further grant was received to add a two storey addition to the rear of this building. In 1918 another $7,000 was received for maintenance and further renovations. (Carnegie would also assist in the building of the St. John's and Cornish branch libraries in 1915).

The William Avenue building served as Winnipeg's main library until the opening of the Centennial library in 1977. The fate of the building was uncertain but the following year, after community protest, a small branch library was opened on a portion of the the main floor. The remainder of the building became the city archives.

The library branch closed in 1994 and the city archives department took over the whole building. The facility was in poor condition, though. Water leaks, cracked plaster and sagging floors meant that city treasures were covered in tarps and exposed to moisture and the changing temperatures.

In 2009 a number of facility upgrades began, including waterproofing the foundation and masonry repair. In 2010 exterior work included the addition of an access ramp and replacement of the wrought iron fence on the grounds. The city is currently working on a Facility Renewal and Redevelopment Strategy for the building to ensure it's survival and that of the materials stored there.

The archives now has a reading room open to the public.

Related:
Carnegie Library pamphlet City of Winnipeg
380 William Avenue Winnipeg Building Index
380 William Avenue Historic Buildings Committee Report
Archives and Records Control Homepage City of Winnipeg
Winnipeg's Carnegie Library celebrates 100 years MHS
Andrew Carnegie Portrait Winnipeg Downtown Places

320 Donald Street - The Saratoga / Surtees Building

2011-01-10T15:59:00.000-06:00

Place: 318 (320) Donald Street - Saratoga / Surtees Building (Map)
Constructed: 1956 and 1978?
Size: 3 sotery, 35,247 sq ft (plus basement)

Piecing together the history of the 300 block of Donald street is difficult as much of it's early life is shared between what was is the Donalda Block at 310 Donald Street and buildings that were once at 314 - 320 Donald.

A constant at the location from 1906 to 1994 was was recreation. On October 4 1906 Saratoga Lanes opened at 314 Donald. In 1913 Stag Billiards, (that I believe once was on Main Street), opened a 45 table billiard hall. By 1949 it was known as the Gibson Recreation Building, (named for Charles Gibson, owner of Saratoga Lanes)

In the early 1950s this block of Donald was redeveloped. The Donalda Building opened in 1951 and the main floor became home to The Orchid Florists. The 'Gibson Recreation Building' or Saratoga Amusements Building was christened at 316 Donald Street. The new address appears to have been a combination of two existing buildings with retail to the south and the bowling lanes to the north.

April 16, 1966 (Source: Winnipeg Free Press)

The joined buildings were extensively rebuilt after an April 15, 1956 blaze gutted the lanes and destroyed an adjoining furrier and Fraser Artists' Supply.

Pay 'n Save to the left, ca. 1960 (source)

In 1956 new tenants moved into the rebuilt block. There was, of course, a new Saratoga Lanes and on the retail side a Pay 'n Save Drugs with a cafeteria and barber shop inside.

Saratoga Lanes had a prominent position during the Golden Era of ten pin bowling in Manitoba, 1955 - 1070s.

On December 12th 1978 much of the building was destroyed when fire started in a hydro panel at 6:30 a.m.. The bowling alley (which by then was a 24 hour, 30 lane facility), Pay 'n Save and the Safety Restaurant were all razed.

In 1980 Saratoga Lanes reopened in the basement level at '320 Donald'. Bernie Britton's Saratoga Lanes became Saratoga Amusements in the mid - late 80s as new owners took over. Saratoga continued in the space until 1993-94.

Above, on the retail and office end, appears to have sat empty until 1983 when a federal government department "Canada Core Area Employment and Counselling Centre" opened. Since that time the space has remained with the federal government as in 1989 it became a Canada Employment Centre and in the late 90s the Public Service Commission of Canada. It is the sole tenant of the building.

In 1984 another fire caused about $80,000 in damage which, I believe, is when the facade of the building was refaced. I presume it is around that time the the building was "Dedicated in memory of my mother Maidie Surtees Ostrom" as per the plaque out front.

I could not find details on the Surtees' or of Maidie.

The building was recently up for sale noting that the empty bowling space still sits in the basement.