Latest news with #MarketLands
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Winnipeg committee approves Market Lands height variance
A City of Winnipeg committee has approved an appeal to allow a development going up in the Exchange District to exceed the allowed height limit. On Monday, the property and development committee voted in favour of an appeal for a height variance on the Market Lands project, located at the former site of the public safety building. The development includes two buildings—a mid-rise building and a 16-storey tower that would exceed the height limit by 68 feet. The city's director of planning, property and development previously denied this variance, with the public service saying in a report the decision should be upheld because it is 'too substantial to be considered as a minimum modification of the Downtown Winnipeg Zoning By-Law and will create a precedent for future applications.' The developer argued that rejecting the height variance would impact the viability of the project and limit the number of affordable units they'd be able to provide. On Monday, the committee voted in support of a motion that said the variance is consistent with the city's strategic plan and doesn't create substantial adverse effects to the amenities, use, safety and convenience of the conjoining property and adjacent area. Other variances for the development, including loading and parking stall requirements, were previously approved. Market Lands will include mixed-income housing, a creative hub and public spaces.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Exchange District tower approved for 16 storeys despite heritage concerns
One of the buildings in a prominent housing project will soar above the Exchange District's normal height limit, after a city committee decided its promise of new and affordable homes outweighs heritage concerns. On Monday, council's property and development committee granted an appeal to allow a 16-storey, 51-metre (168-foot) tower, as part of the second phase of the Market Lands project. The decision is final. City planners recommended the project be capped to the standard height limit of 30 metres (100 feet) to help maintain the historic character of the area, which the developer appealed. UWCRC 2.0 INC. Market Lands housing project 2025 UWCRC 2.0 INC. On Monday, Winnipeg city council's property and development committee granted an appeal to allow a 16-storey, 51-metre (168-foot) tower, as part of the second phase of the Market Lands project. 'I hear what the historic buildings community is saying. I want to be respectful of that. But, at the end of the day, we don't have many opportunities, where essentially there's a greenfield site (where the former Public Safety Building was demolished) in the downtown area. I think we need to use it to its full potential,' said Coun. Evan Duncan (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood), chairman of the committee. During Monday's meeting, a heritage advocate said the height limit should be followed to protect historic structures around it. 'Visually, (this property) is absolutely a part of the (Exchange District) national historic site… The national historic site visually doesn't stop. There is no boundary that people can see,' said Cindy Tugwell, executive director of Heritage Winnipeg. While the Market Lands property, at 148-150 King St., is technically not part of that heritage site, it is close enough that development decisions should reflect that proximity, said Tugwell. The proposed plan calls for two key buildings, including: the 16-storey tower with 148 residential units, amenity and commercial space; and a building that varies from four- to six-storeys with 126 residential units, amenity space, a daycare, offices and a rooftop green space. Imposing the lower height limit would force the removal of dozens of housing units from the project, put its housing grants at risk and jeopardize its financing, a proponent said. 'This single (height) variance is critical to unlocking the affordable housing, community services and public realm benefits… The 100-foot cap on our tower removes six of the 16 storeys, which is approximately 60 apartments at a time when we need them most,' said Daneeka Abon, portfolio manager of design and construction for developer UWCRC 2.0 Inc. Abon noted the housing units with market rents will help pay for those with reduced rents. 'Losing these homes would breach our funding agreements, including the city's housing accelerator fund capital grant incentive, and threatens the project's long-term viability,' she said. The taller building will include 61 affordable units, with another 52 low-income units in the shorter structure. All of the affordable units will rent for no more than 59 per cent of the area's median market rate, with provincial support being sought to further reduce rents. Greg Hasiuk, a partner with Number TEN Architectural Group, said seeking two 100-foot tall buildings instead was not a feasible alternative. Hasiuk said the mixed heights of the two buildings 'allows us to sculpt the site to respond to its neighbours,' preventing excessive shadows and obstructed views. Expanding the smaller building to reach seven or more storeys would also create new costs due to the need to meet additional building code requirements, he said. In a July 11 letter to the property and development committee, Mayor Scott Gillingham shared his support for the housing development at the full proposed height. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. 'This project will produce a significant injection of affordable housing to the neighbourhood; and the new housing will result in much-needed social and additional commercial activity that will, in turn, support businesses,' wrote Gillingham. In addition, the committee voted to uphold an order that the owner maintain, secure and clean up the former Vulcan Iron Works property, a Point Douglas site that has repeatedly been hit by fires since 2023. While an appeal of the order was partly denied, councillors added an amendment that would allow possible deadline extensions for the work, if needed. The owner will be able to submit an alternative 24-hour security plan to the city, which could adjust requirements to conduct a round-the-clock 'fire watch.' X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne PursagaReporter Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne. Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. 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CBC
08-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
U of Winnipeg development agency asks city for more storeys
Social Sharing The University of Winnipeg's arm's-length development agency is appealing a City of Winnipeg decision to limit the height of a residential tower planned for the former site of the Civic Centre Parkade. According to a report published Tuesday, the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation will appear before city council's property committee on July 14 in an effort to increase the height of a King Street tower — one of four proposed buildings in a redevelopment project called the Market Lands. The site in question sits between Red River College Polytech's downtown campus and city hall. Two buildings on the south side of the redevelopment are already under construction where Winnipeg's police headquarters used to stand. Two more are planned for the north side, where the parkade used to be, including a 148-unit residential tower where roughly two-thirds of the suites would be rented out below median market rates. The renewal corporation sought to build a 51-metre tower, but city planners restricted the height to 30 metres, proposing the developer add height to another tower to make up for the loss of proposed units. In a report to city council's property committee, city planner Kurtis Kowalke called the proposal for a 51-metre tower "a design preference" rather than a requirement. The renewal corporation argues the additional height is needed to ensure there is more affordable housing in Winnipeg. "It's designed to meet the needs of communities typically underserved by the private housing market, including Indigenous peoples, newcomers, women with children and young people," Daneeka Abon, the corporation's portfolio manager, wrote in her appeal letter. Last EPC meeting before summer break In its final scheduled meeting before city hall's summer prorogation, council's executive policy committee voted Tuesday to reject a proposal to allow Winnipeg residents to opt out of the installation of new "smart" water meters that will transmit water usage data using radio waves. EPC voted 4-2 to reject the proposal. Couns. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) and Vivian Santos (Point Douglas) wanted to offer a concession to Winnipeg residents who prove they have a medical reason to exempt themselves from being exposed to radio waves. The committee also voted 5-1 to approve a plan to take nine months to conduct consultations about a divided bike lane on Wellington Crescent and design a permanent separation between bicycles and cars on the motorway. Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood Coun. Evan Duncan voted against the motion, which dozens of Winnipeg cycling advocates opposed due to the time it will take to actually build the lane. Mayor Scott Gillingham said Tuesday he wanted to ensure the city does not build something in haste and then be forced to dismantle it. There have been calls for the bike lane since cyclist Rob Jenner, 61, was killed on Wellington Crescent just east of Academy Road in June 2024 as he was cycling to work. He was hit by a speeding motorist who lost control of his vehicle.
