Today, the owner of the St. Charles Hotel appeared before the Committee on Downtown Development, Heritage and Riverbank Management Regular Meeting to appeal a Derelict Building Order issued by the City. (He had another order in 2010.) The result is a 30 day postponement for him to put together a detailed development plan to prove to the city that work is ongoing.
Since taking over the building in 2005 and proposing the redevelopment in 2006, the project has been more notable for the ensuing battle to tear down the neighbouring Albert Business Block. In April 2011 the owner says he has moved on from that obsession and is now touting a six to nine storey addition to the building instead.
I am sure we will be hearing about the St. Charles and its redevelopment for years to come.
Here is a look back at the history of the St. Charles Hotel.
Update January 12:
The Free Press has twice reported (yesterday online and in today's print version) that the owner has been “working on a plan to redevelop the property on Notre Dame Avenue into a boutique hotel since 2008.” That is incorrect (I pointed it out in yesterday’s online version comments section.)
If you search the Free Press Archives (or Google Zaifman + the name of the hotel) the plan has been in the works for much longer - since 2005/6. In New life for the St. Charles? Future hinges on demolition of Exchange's oldest building (Winnipeg Free Press, November 23 2006, by Aldo Santin) notes that Zaifman and partners purchased the hotel in 2005 with the intent to convert it. He told Santin of the neighbouring Albert Business Block: “You can’t have both — we need to demolish the building to redevelop the hotel.”
If you search the Free Press Archives (or Google Zaifman + the name of the hotel) the plan has been in the works for much longer - since 2005/6. In New life for the St. Charles? Future hinges on demolition of Exchange's oldest building (Winnipeg Free Press, November 23 2006, by Aldo Santin) notes that Zaifman and partners purchased the hotel in 2005 with the intent to convert it. He told Santin of the neighbouring Albert Business Block: “You can’t have both — we need to demolish the building to redevelop the hotel.”
Related:
More time for heritage hotel plan Free Press (Jan. 2012)
Pitching a grand plan for the St. Charles Hotel Free Press (Apr. 2011)
Protect Vacant Hotel, owner Told Winnipeg Sun (Dec. 2010)
Revamps Plan to demolish century old building CBC (Jan. 2008)
UPDATE: February 6, 2012
City Denies owner's appeal for more time Free Press
Shameful. _____ or get off the pot already.
ReplyDeleteYup. In true Winnipeg fashion, this will drag on for years & sit vacant. You said it OMC.
ReplyDeleteOn a related note, The Royal Albert may be the most at-risk building in the city right now. Seriously, the owner needs to be locked up.
ReplyDeleteOh the irony if the St. Charles and Royal Albert were to come down, leaving the Albert Street flanked by surface parking lots on either side.
(that last paragraph should read "...Albert Street Business Block...."
ReplyDeleteIts' funny how both boutique redevelopment plans hit the scene at almost the same time and both flat lined soon after. I wold be sad, but not surprised if in a couple of years form now neither building was still around due to being left derelict.
ReplyDeletenine storey addition....yeah right.
ReplyDeletewhat is happening with the royal albert anyways?
Last I heard, and this was a while back, still in a holding pattern after the watermain break. Sitting and rotting, basically.
ReplyDelete