City seeks ‘unique and interesting opportunity’ to mix housing, transit

Housing could soon spring up around, and possibly above, a major bus loop, while other homes could be built over a new Winnipeg Transit office.

At least 30 per cent of the new suites should be rented at affordable rates, according to expression of interest documents for the unique projects on city-owned land.

“Let’s look for new ways, innovative ways to create housing, to partner with private sector and non-profit entities,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham.

The expressions of interest aim to attract proposals for the projects from non-profit groups, Indigenous organizations and housing developers.

The properties are both close to major transit routes.

“When you co-locate transit offices with residential units, my hope is that the outcome would be that more people would use transit,” said Gillingham.

One project aims to attract a residential building to 795 William Ave., which contains a major bus loop that connects to Health Sciences Centre. Any new build must allow the “critical” connection to continue operating, the expression says, either alongside, or both beside and above, the transit loop.

The latter option would create more density, since the transit loop covers about 40 per cent of the property, said Richard Mahé, the city’s land enhancement co-ordinator.

“It would be the first transit loop that we have, if it proceeds in this way … (with) development integrated with it. It’s kind of a unique and interesting opportunity,” said Mahé.

Another expression of interest seeks to combine housing with a new Winnipeg Transit office at 425 Osborne St.

In December, city council amended zoning rules to attract more housing around malls and transportation corridors, which left the Osborne property with no maximum density limit.

City officials say that should help allow substantial development along a main transportation corridor and near a rapid transit station.

“It’s a significant boon for what we can do here and I think it will make it more attractive for our ability to find a partner here,” said Mahé.

Once the building is available, Transit could stop renting office space at 414 Osborne St. and bring its staff together in one campus, since the vacant lot at 425 Osborne is next to the main Fort Rouge Transit Garage, a city document notes.

The city is seeking projects that would allow it to retain ownership of the land and at least two floors of the new building, including a main-floor office space.

Mahé said the Osborne housing plan isn’t something he’s seen before.

“Over the last 10 years (at least), this would be a first … This is pretty unique for us,” he said.

Mahé said he expects an extended lease for the project, while the commercial and residential spaces should coexist well, as they do in many other buildings.

Since the Osborne property is so close to a rapid transit station, parking needs for the site may be lower, while Transit office spots could be available to tenants and visitors in the evening, he noted.

Coun. Evan Duncan, chairman of property and development, said the projects bode well for efforts to ramp up transit use.

“To ensure that Transit is available for multi-family (developments) makes sense to me … so that people are not dependent on cars,” said Duncan (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood).

For each of the two properties, the city is seeking a proponent to design, construct, finance and operate a residential building.

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To count as affordable, the housing units must rent for less than 80 per cent of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation median market rate or offer Province of Manitoba affordable housing rental rates for at least 20 years.

The two projects are part of a broader city goal to create housing, including many affordable units, which is supported by up to $122.4 million from the federal housing accelerator fund.

The city is also seeking proposals for housing developments at land it owns on 825 Taché Ave., 1350 Pembina Hwy., and 569 Watt St.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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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.