Downtown Winnipeg building could become new hotel
Big changes could be coming to a large, empty building on Broadway in Winnipeg.
The Canada Revenue Agency vacated the property at 325 Broadway in 2020.
Now, the building's owner wants to revamp the site and turn it into a new hotel.
Don Campbell, who owns the food truck next door to the building, said the CRA's departure has left a hole for business.
"If you notice, there's no other chip trucks or vendors out on Broadway, because there's no reason to park in front of the building that's been closed,” he said.
Now, a new hotel redevelopment plan could bring people back to the building and provide jobs.
"I think it's an amazing signal again to see this potential investment into Winnipeg," said Michael Juce, president of the Manitoba Hotel Association.
A report to the mayor's executive policy committee said the building's current owner, 325 Broadway Nominee Inc., wants to refurbish the property for $38.6 million.
The redevelopment plan involves a 140-room hotel, with meeting facilities, food and beverage services, and other amenities.
This would bring 50 full-time jobs to the downtown area.
"New people every day coming downtown, trying new foods. It's good, it would be positive for us," Campbell said.
With some people working from home permanently, there is a push to transform downtown office space to housing or hospitality
Data company STR said that in April Manitoba had the highest hotel occupancy rate across the country at 74.5 percent -- a 28.5 percent jump year over year.
Proponents of the project say Winnipeg could use another downtown hotel.
"It's exciting. I think you look at all the great stuff that's happening at the Convention Centre, The Forks, the Human Rights Museum, the WAG, there are a lot of great tourist attractions down there," Juce said.
There is a financial subsidy on the table for the hotel deal.
The executive policy committee is being asked to approve a tax grant of 80 per cent of annual property taxes for up to 10 years to a maximum of $1.4 million.
"It enables us to draw down and attract investors, investors that want to invest in the downtown and that's really important,” said Coun. Sherri Rollins.
The project is set to be complete in the spring of 2025.
A city report says the grant will be provided if the developer can secure a similar incentive from the province.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.