Downtown projects working together

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/12/2023 (879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

True North Real Estate Development and the Southern Chiefs’ Organization may be about to enter a formal agreement to co-ordinate two major downtown revitalization projects.

TNRED president Jim Ludlow recently told media his company’s potential purchase of the Portage Place shopping centre, which would clear the way for a $550-million redevelopment, will be affected by the Southern Chiefs’ Organization’s transformation of the nearby former Hudson’s Bay building.

“I think both projects are catalysts for the other … The more we look at it, the more we see that both of these projects have to proceed, essentially, in lockstep,” Ludlow told reporters on Nov. 29.

TNRED, the real estate division of Winnipeg Jets owner True North Sports and Entertainment Ltd., will seek further dialogue on how the two projects can complement each other, he said.

On Monday morning, CBC News reported the two sides plan to sign a memorandum of understanding today about co-ordinating their efforts to transform the two substantial downtown buildings. A few hours later, a TNRED press release noted an announcement about “Portage Place and the economic and social revitalization of downtown Winnipeg” will take place at the mall at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday.

“True North Real Estate Development … will be joined by key partners to provide an update on central pillars of the Portage Place redevelopment, new partnerships and next steps to ensure a purposeful and synergized plan to materially improve the health of Winnipeg’s downtown,” the release states.

Officials from True North, SCO, the province and city will take part in the announcement, CBC said.

On Monday, Premier Wab Kinew confirmed he will attend the event. While he declined to share details, including how much money the province could provide to support the projects, he expressed general support for any collaboration.

“When we look downtown, we know that there’s improvements we want to see, so we would certainly encourage folks to work together. And to see that True North and Southern Chiefs’ Organization are on the verge of announcing how they’re going to work together in a good way, it’s certainly something that I’m happy to see,” said Kinew.

Mayor Scott Gillingham said he will also attend the event and supports the idea of an agreement.

“The concept of everybody working together and co-ordinating is essential for us to be successful in our downtown,” said Gillingham.

In May, True North’s real estate arm unveiled a proposal to replace Portage Place mall with a 15-storey health-care services tower, a 16-storey residential building (with up to 225 multi-family and affordable units), main-floor grocery store, community centres, office space for social agencies and other services. The atrium at Edmonton Street would be removed and replaced with a new outdoor pedestrian greenway connected to Central Park.

In April 2022, the SCO’s Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn project was announced. It includes more than 300 affordable housing units, assisted living for elders and a health and healing centre in the now-closed Bay store.

Plans also include a museum and art gallery, retailers, restaurants and a daycare teaching Indigenous languages. The initial price estimate was $130 million.

True North declined comment prior to today’s announcement, while the SCO did not respond to a media request by deadline.

In May, SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels said he was open to consultations and potential partnerships with True North.

“I think we’ll take a very active role from the Indigenous side as, obviously, the elected leadership has given us a mandate to ensure that our concerns and our interests are respected,” he said at the time.

True North recently requested a six-month extension on its option to purchase the Portage Place property, which would extend the due diligence period to June 30. City council is expected to cast a final vote on that request on Dec. 14.

The extension also requires approval from the provincial and federal governments, who join the city as shareholders in The Forks North Portage Partnership, which owns the land, parking and “air rights” (to build upwards) at the site.

A separate agreement is needed to buy the mall owned by Vancouver-based Peterson Group, though that company already agreed to an extension on its purchase option, True North said.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga

Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter

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.