Big changes in the works for Winnipeg's Main Street

Officials with Winnipeg's downtown development agency unveiled plans forsome of the roughest blocks of Winnipeg's Main Street Tuesday, including changes that would bring a college, a parkade and more housing to the strip.

Themost notableproposal revealed Tuesday involves bringing Red River College students to the former Union Bank Tower on the corner of Main Street and William Avenue.

The college plans to bring its culinary school to the building's main floor, complete with a restaurant, said officials with the CentreVenture Development Corp.

The historic building on the corner of Main Street and William Avenue Western Canada's first skyscraper, constructed in 1903 has been vacant for more than a decade.

The building's remaining nine stories would be converted to student housing, CentreVenture head Ross McGowan said.

Last month, work on the Union Bank building got a $1-million boost from the federal government under the Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive Fund, in exchange for $5 million in work by its owner.

Changein works forBell Hotel, Starland Theatre

CentreVenture also revealed $14 million in planned renovations for the several blocks to the north, between William and Higgins avenues.

The Bell Hotel will be renovated into not-for-profit or assisted-living housing, officials said. About 50 long-term residents had to find new homes in August when CentreVenture purchased and closed the low-rent hotel.

The former Starland Theatre will become a 45,000 square-foot commercial building, and CentreVenture is currently in negotiations with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority about the building.

The former Jack's Place hotel will be turned into a parkade, CentreVenture said, while a grocery store on the block would stay and expand.

The Dominion Bank building at Higgins and Main has already been taken over by an architectural firm.

All of the other plans are still in negotiations, officials noted.

CentreVenture officials said municipal property taxes on the block currently were about $3,300; after renovations, they estimated that could increase to $500,000.