363 Broadway

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 at 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 period of weeks was the tower's height. There had been a long standing practice, it does not appear to have been am actual 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 planned structure was 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 plan was approved on February 24, 1975 and the tower 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 and it remains an empty lot.

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.

In April 2011 a $4 m retrofit began that included replacing the exterior glass with new material and a bit of colour. The windows are 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: