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Marlborough Hotel transformation closer
City council’s executive policy committee has approved a $5-million housing accelerator fund grant to support the transformation of the Marlborough Hotel.
The $48-million dollar plan for the 331 Smith St. building, led by CentreVenture Development Corp., would transform the hotel into 307 housing units. The plan was announced at Mayor Scott Gillingham’s annual State of the City address March 5.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
City hall has approved a $5-million grant to support the transformation of the Marlborough Hotel into 307 housing units.
“This hotel has had some pretty dire news about it recently and lots of questions about what’s happening here, and (we’re) happy to see this converted into some residential dwellings,” Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas) said at Tuesday’s meeting.
The funding will be pulled from the city’s share of the federal housing grant. While the city has approved the grant, receiving the funding is contingent on the city receiving its fourth payment of the federal fund and the Marlborough Hotel project receiving a building permit by November.
Another downtown housing project, the Maws Garage and Sanford building at 291 Bannatyne Ave., had a tax increment financing grant approved by council Tuesday. The grant covers 80 per cent of the annual incremental municipal property taxes for up to 10 years and a maximum of $1,494,875.
Both grants will have to be approved at a wider council meeting March 26.
Up to province for speed change
A proposal to reduce Winnipeg’s default driving speed to 40 kilometres per hour from 50 km/h will move forward to a council vote next year, provided the province gets on board.
Council’s executive policy committee voted Tuesday in favour of asking the provincial government to change the Highway Traffic Act to give the city the power to change the default speed limit in the city.
With that approval, city staff recommend council reduce the default speed limit to 40 km/h for residential streets and “minor collector” streets. The public service will be asked to report back in one year with an update on the request to the province.
While the proposal moved forward, councilors were mixed on the possibility of reducing speeds on Winnipeg streets at Tuesday’s meeting.
“I don’t believe the province will support this, but prove me wrong,” Coun. Evan Duncan (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood) said.