So the track across Riverside Drive to Hiram Walker’s has bit the dust. The demolition of the waterfront silos are more than likely, and if they go, suddenly the long neglected Walker Power Building becomes a building with a waterfront view…
How many times have you looked at a building and imagined what you could do with it, if money was no object…
One of our regular readers Shane imagined exactly that scenario for the Walker Power Building.
Now keep in mind, there is no proposal on the table, and this isn’t any kind of official proposal… but if we had more people with Shane’s way of thinking, maybe our city wouldn’t have seen so many needless demolitions over the last half century.
Shane’s imagined plan calls for ground floor retail, with 2nd and 3rd floor residential lofts and offices, while the 4th floor becomes boutique hotel space.
A new road would be created on the South side of the building from Devonshire to Chilver. This would create street frontage to the retail on the South façade of the building.
Thanks for sharing these pictures Shane, we need more people with vision like this in our city. Hopefully the Walker Power Building sees new life if the silo’s bite the dust.
Shane also incorporated a street car stop into his plan, in case such a system should ever be implemented in the city again. 😉
Have a good weekend everyone! See you back here Monday.
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I like the transit that Shane put into his concept. How about a streetcar/LRT from the university via downtown to Tecumseh...That would really increase the usefulness of the train station and help cure the parking lot centred world that is Windsor.
I think the decision makers have already planned for a new VIA station in the Crawford/Tecumseh area - not a fan of that. I thought Caron/University would have made a great VIA location.
I think the linkage to Detroit is a big factor. I think future LRT should also be a factor too, however. Windsor is just too darn spread and sprawled out. Tough to get density when everything is so far apart.
Via just built a new station next to the old one in Walkerville,so I do not think they are
planning another station for a long time. Linking Via to Detroit would probably be through Sarnia to Durand Mi. then south to Detroit new center area where Amtack is or strait to Chicago from Durand, Amtrack already runs from Toronto to Chicago on this line. It is unlikely we will ever see high speed rail to Windsor.
HighER speed rail (110 MPH) is imminent (really!)on the Amtrak/CSX line Chicago to Jackson and Dearborn/Detroit/Pontiac. VIA station next to the rail tunnel is the wisest in deference to the future. Fausto's idea of Caron/University or anywhere around Tecumseh/Crawford, College/Crawford is, I believe, excellent.
@Shane, Wow, your design is really impressive. I would urge you to consider showing your drawings to LOCAL developers and see what they think about it. Definitely do not show them to city council. keep up the good work!
Carl. Thank you. I didn't realize they were finished with the silos. I also agree they will be gone within 10-20 years. The only thing keeping it going is the bottling of other brands.
Gary, you really want local developers to do this type of work? The vast majority of local developers would cheapen it and run away. Their track record in this city is less than sub-par. I wouldn't trust them to hold a bag of rotten apples much less have the foresight to redevelop a building like this.
Ken,
I recall the location already would be the city public works dept which would simply relocate to make way for a new station. It's unfortunate that they couldn't get it closer to the core. Keeping on the tunnel line means Cameron, and I would like to think that the old alicia mason school on University could be the site. A nice Atrium/platform would be below grade by how much i don't know.. too much? Then the LRT Transit hub could be the old SWA barns right next door. Multi-modal right at the U of W and the Core at the same time...Why hasn't anybody called me about this?
Dave and Carl: I don't know why you think Walkers will be gone in 10-20 years. The amount of money and innovation invested into the site recently will keep it going for many more years to come. As far as only bottling "other" brands, perhaps you guys should read up on how much distillation still goes on at the site. You'd be surprised at the number of products that are made.
nice work Shane!!
http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=10682