No city for streetscapes

Fresh from fighting to save the footprint of Upper Fort Garry--a structure that was demolished in 1882, Heritage Winnipeg has just given the thumbs up to the demolition of the Albert Street Business Block--and the 130 year-old house that stands adjoined to it--because Ken Zaifman, the developer who has sought demolition now promises to not add a driveway from Albert Street to his parking lot.

That's good enough, isn't it? I mean, if he's going to not build a driveway--something the Downtown Zoning Bylaw wouldn't allow anyway--why fight for anything better, like, let's say, "promot[ing] the restoration, rehabilitation and preservation of Winnipeg's built environment?

2008 is shaping up to be a banner year for Downtown Revitalization in Winnipeg.

First Main Street's remaining theatres at Logan and Main, and the commercial buildings north of them.

Then the Albert Street Business Block.

Then, as I learned of recently, the Smart Bag/Prosperity Knitwear building at 145 Pacific Avenue near Lily Street. Built in 1884, it is one of the older warehouse buildings in the city. It is threatened by a plan to replace it with a giant parkade.

It seems the ones that will benefit the most from all this Downtown Revitalization will be Paragon and Imirie demolition companies.


Winnipeg Free Press: Heritage advocates support new plan