Well-respected retailer Mountain Equipment Co-op turned three dilapidated, boarded-up buildings fronting Portage Avenue into one of the street’s most striking and environmentally-friendly retail facilities.

CentreVenture’s suggestion that Mountain Equipment could play a key role in revitalizing Portage Avenue by locating on the main downtown thoroughfare appealed to the company’s social consciousness. Three buildings that CentreVenture had in its portfolio as a result of a tax sale, fit the bill perfectly.

Completed in 2002, the $3-million rebuilding involved the recycling of timbers and bricks from the original structures. In total, 85 per cent of materials used in the project were recycled from the site and other sources within a 600 km radius.

The project has won numerous national and international “green building” awards, inspiring other developers to follow suit and putting Winnipeg on the map as a leader in environmentally-conscious construction.

“This project would not have happened if CentreVenture had not been willing to throw out the rule book on tenant/landlord relations. This creative and adventurous approach to redeveloping a derelict downtown site will not only create long-term income for the City, but will also provide a remarkable model for future downtown development. CentreVenture has played a pivotal role in the re-use of a downtown site and the creation of a leading edge, green building.” — Corin Flood, Facilities Planner, Mountain Equipment Co-op.