201 Portage

201 Portage
East side of building, 201 Portage
General information
Status Complete
Type Skyscraper
Architectural style Modernism
Address 201 Portage Avenue
Town or city Winnipeg
Country Canada
Coordinates 49°53′45″N 97°08′21″W / 49.8957°N 97.1393°W
Construction started 1988
Completed 1990
Cost $38,000,000
Height 128 m (420 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 34
Lifts/elevators 11
Design and construction
Architecture firm Charles Bentall Architects
Website
www.201portage.com
Entrance at Portage Ave, 201 Portage

201 Portage (former names TD Centre, Canwest Place and CanWest Global Place) is an office tower at the intersection of Portage and Main in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

The 33-storey building was constructed between 1988 and 1990 by the Toronto Dominion Bank for $38,000,000.[1][2] The construction of 201 Portage required the demolition of the Childs Building (also known as the McArthur Building) at 211 Portage. When the Childs Building was constructed in 1909, it was the tallest building in Winnipeg. The Childs Building had been 12 storeys above ground, and 48.62 metres (159.5 ft) tall.[3]

A smaller twin building was planned but never built. The 33-storey, 47,000-square-metre (510,000 sq ft) building stands 128 metres (420 ft) tall, making it the tallest building in Winnipeg. It is 3.9 metres (13 ft) taller than the next-tallest building in Winnipeg, the Richardson Building, which is located across the street. It is the tallest building between Toronto and Calgary, and has been since its construction.[4][5] 201 Portage is connected to Winnipeg Square and the Winnipeg Walkway system via an underground concourse. The building is certified as BOMA BESt level 3.[5][6]

Originally built by the Toronto Dominion Bank, the skyscraper was acquired by Canwest to serve as the company's main corporate headquarters. Global Winnipeg (CKND-DT) moved its operations to 201 Portage on September 1, 2008. Having declared bankruptcy and sold its media properties, Canwest has vacated the premises; its main successor Shaw Media will retain only the lease for the 30th floor, where the Global Winnipeg studios are located. On 11 January 2011, the Canwest sign and logo were removed.[7] The penthouse stayed vacant after Canwest's departure in November 2010, until late 2012 when RBC-Dominion Securities relocated to it from the Richardson Building.[8] Currently, the building is branded as "201 Portage". The building was managed by Creswin Properties, a real-estate company privately owned by the Asper family that owned Canwest, until early 2014.[9] The building was acquired under new ownership in May 2014 and is currently owned by Portage & Main Development Ltd.; a private corporation whose shareholders include 201 Portage Equities Inc. and Harvard Developments Inc.

The courtyard outside the building at the corner of Portage Ave and Notre Dame Ave features a 35 feet (11 m) by 14 feet (4.3 m) high resolution screen.[10] The display features advertising, current time, weather and local information.[11] The display was unveiled in 2009.[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "201 Portage". Emporis. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  2. ↑ "Building Profile". Creswin Properties Inc. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  3. ↑ "Childs Building". Emporis. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  4. ↑ "Building Details". Creswin Properties Inc. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "201 Portage". Creswin. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  6. ↑ "BOMA BESt Buildings". BOMA Manitoba. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  7. ↑ Kirbyson, Geoff (1 November 2011). "Canwest fades from city skyline". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  8. ↑ Kirbyson, Geoff (23 May 2012). "RBC-Dominion Securities moving on up". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  9. ↑ Martin Cash (2010-11-04). "Canwest name swept aside". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
  10. ↑ "Digital Signage". Creswin Properties Inc. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  11. ↑ "Go Digital Downtown". Creswin. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  12. ↑ "201 Portage — Canwest Global Plaza". Winnipeg Downtown Places. 4 August 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 201 Portage Ave.

Coordinates: 49°53′45″N 97°08′21″W / 49.8957°N 97.1393°W