True North Square

True North Square is a public plaza and series of multi-use towers currently under construction in Downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is a joint venture between James Richardson & Sons and True North Sports & Entertainment (TNSE). True North Square is situated between Bell MTS Place and RBC Convention Centre, in the city's unofficial sports and entertainment district.[1]

True North Square
Location in Winnipeg
General information
StatusUnder construction
TypePublic square, Hotel, Condominium, Office, Retail
Location220 Carlton St.
225 Carlton St.
242 Hargrave St.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Coordinates49°53′29″N 97°08′40″W
Construction started2015 (2015)
Estimated completion2023
OwnerTrue North Sports & Entertainment
James Richardson & Sons
Technical details
Floor count17 (tower 1)
24 (tower 2)
27 (tower 3)
17 (tower 4)
19 (tower 5)
Grounds2 acres (0.81 ha)
Design and construction
ArchitectPerkins and Will
Architecture49
Main contractorPCL Construction
Website
www.truenorthsquare.com

Development

Plans for a new square were revealed when TNSE confirmed its purchase of the former Carlton Inn site from CentureVenture Development Corporation in June 2015. At the same time, TNSE negotiated an agreement to acquire the land at 225 Carlton Street from Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corporation. The full details for the $400-million CAD project were unveiled in February 2016. The City of Winnipeg has directed $17.6 million towards the project, which includes funding for the plaza as well as integrating True North Square into Winnipeg's existing skywalk network.[2] The Provincial Government also has committed $9 million in funding towards the project.[1][3]

In 2018 city Council voted to have True North pay 10% of its annual property taxes on 220 and 225 Carlton St. (Sutton Place Hotel and Residence) towards affordable housing initiatives in Winnipeg, amounting to between $185,000-$200,000.[4]

Features

Public plaza

True North Square Plaza will encompass two acres south of Graham Avenue, between Hargrave and Carlton Streets. The public park and plaza feature an outdoor stage and a skating rink during the winter months.[3][1] The plaza opened in September, 2018.

Tower One (242 Hargrave St.)

Tower One is named Scotiabank Tower, a 17-floor office building located immediately west of the plaza at 242 Hargrave Street. The tower offers approximately 365,000 sq ft (33,900 m2) of office space and houses Scotiabank's new regional head office, as well as locally based law firm Thompson Dorfman Sweatman and technology company Ceridian.[5] SkipTheDishes announced in November 2019 the move of their headquarters to True North Square in December of 2020.  The move will consolidate their staff, while maintaining a second city location at 140 Bannatyne Avenue for their 24/7 operations team.[6] SkipTheDishes will occupy 95,000 square feet (8,800 m2) of Tower One, spanning four-and-a-half floors.[7] Tower One was completed in 2018.[1]

A new food hall, on the second floor, Hargrave Street Market, opened Friday December 13, 2019 and features local and regional restaurants.[8] In another part of the first floor of 242 Hargrave St. will be the Motolla specialty grocer. Initially the Market restaurants will be Gusto North, Yard Burger, The Good Fight Taco, Saburo Ramen & Donburi, Fools & Horses Coffee Co., Miss Brown's Brunch Cafe & Smoked Meats, the Rose Bar, and Lake of the Woods Brewing Company.

Tower Two (225 Carlton St.)

Tower Two will be adjacent to the plaza at 225 Carlton Street. The 24-floor building will feature 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2) of commercial and residential space. Tower Two was completed in 2019.[3][9]

In 2018 the Manitoba government decided to go ahead with plans to move the Liquor Mart from Cityplace mall to True North Square.[10] The old Manitoba Liquor Mart at Cityplace closed in January 2020 when the newer larger store opened at 225 Carlton St.

Tower Three (220 Carlton St.)

The Sutton Place Hotel will occupy the 27-floor Tower Three at 220 Carlton Street. The hotel will be built on the site of the former Carlton Inn,[11] which was purchased and demolished by the city in 2014.[12] The hotel is currently under construction. A Chop Steakhouse & Bar will lease a portion of the 8,000 sq ft (740 m2) on the main floor of the Hotel.[3][9][13]

Tower Four

Tower Four will become the Sutton Place Residence, a 17-floor residential building, that is currently (December 2019) at the beginning stages of construction.[3][9][13]

Tower Five

Wawanesa Insurance announced in June 2019 that 1,100 employees will move from 191 Broadway and five other locations to a new office tower at True North Square.[14] Tower 5 will be 19-storeys tall and will provide 300,000 sq ft (28,000 m2) of office space.[14] To accomplish this project will require the demolition of the former Hull's bookstore[15] and the RWB dormitory building behind it. A new RWB dormitory will be constructed at a location to be determined.[16] Tower Five is scheduled for completion by 2023. It will have skywalk connections to the rest of the TNS development and main floor access to the Graham Avenue Transit Mall.[16]

See also

References
  1. "True North confirms it will buy downtown land to build True North Square". CBC News. September 29, 2015.
  2. "Winnipeg city council approves True North Square tax rebates". CBC News. March 22, 2017.
  3. "Plans for True North Square revealed". Winnipeg Sun. February 24, 2016.
  4. "City councillor hopes for True North fee". Winnipeg Sun. 2018-09-20. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
  5. "True North Square announces Ceridian as newest tenant of 242 Hargrave". True North Sports + Entertainment. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
  6. "Winnipeg-based SkipTheDishes to open national HQ at True North Square". CJOB. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  7. "SkipTheDishes Moving New Canadian HQ to True North Square | ChrisD.ca". ChrisD.ca - Winnipeg News. 2019-11-04. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  8. "Hargrave St. Market's polished setting proves well worth the wait". Tourism Winnipeg. December 13, 2019. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  9. "Winnipeg's True North Square features four mixed-use towers". CTV News. February 26, 2016.
  10. "True North Square getting Liqour Mart". Winnipeg Sun. June 8, 2018.
  11. "220 Carlton Street - Carlton Motor Inn". Winnipeg Downtown Places. 2012-09-16. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
  12. "Carlton Inn demolition underway in downtown Winnipeg". CBC News Manitoba. April 6, 2014.
  13. kostuch (2017-09-01). "The Sutton Place Hotel to Break Ground in Winnipeg". Hotelier Magazine. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
  14. Billeck, Scott (June 13, 2019). "New HQ for Wawanesa Insurance planned for downtown Winnipeg". The Winnipeg Sun.
  15. "Hull's Family Bookstores closing downtown Winnipeg shop". CBC News Manitoba. January 29, 2014.
  16. "Construction of Winnipeg True North Square tower set for 2019 - constructconnect.com". Journal Of Commerce. 2019-07-01. Retrieved 2019-12-04.
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