Winnipeg apartment block back on the market, advocate hopes for ‘whole new story’

A Winnipeg apartment block is back on the market after dozens were evicted in August due to numerous safety issues and fire code violations.

The Adanac Apartments are currently listed at $2.6 million dollars, according to an Avison Young brochure. A representative from the commercial real estate company said it was listed as of Wednesday, and has already “generated a lot of interest from private and non-profit enterprises.”

Marion Willis, executive director and founder of St. Boniface Street Links, said she isn’t surprised, and hopes the building ends up in good hands.

“I think the Adanac could create a whole new story to tell about how we work with people who are struggling with homelessness, mental health, and addictions. But to be successful is going to be entirely contingent on who buys the building,” she said.

Her hope is that a community of governments, organizations and individuals can come together to make housing geared towards those who need it most.

“I’m not suggesting we turn it into a treatment centre. What I am going to suggest to you is that priority housing, I think, should be for really vulnerable people that are struggling with addiction that may be interested in receiving some services, and actually build recovery supports right into that building,” Willis said.

This might look like teams of people in the building 24/7 who could provide care for people and help them recover, but also making sure smoke alarms work, and fire hazards are removed.

“Just helping people make that transition from living outside to actually living in a house situation,” she said.

To make this happen, she said she would want to see various branches of the Manitoba government, the Residential Tenancies Branch, emergency services, and city property planning and permitting at the table.

“I think this is kind of the initial working group that says, ‘OK, here’s the notorious Adanac. Let’s come up with a plan for this place.’

“We’ve got investors that are willing to invest, but let’s talk about what we really need to do. Not just for the building to succeed, but for the people who are going to live there to be successful,’” she said.

“The fear,” Willis said, “is that somebody will just buy it and renovate it, charge market rents and, you know, we end up with really just more of the same.”

Of course, the advocate said there is risk involved with owning the Adanac.

“Those suites are going to be on the receiving end of a lot of damage and not going to be well looked after. You’re never going to collect enough rent to make anything sustainable here,” she said.

Beyond any potential damage, there are already flaws that need to be contended with.

The City of Winnipeg said, “While some work has been done to bring the property into compliance, there are a number of outstanding orders. These are on hold until a new owner is in place, however the remaining issues would need to be addressed by any future owner.”

However, that’s where Willis said it takes a community.

“We need a new cast of characters around the table that can maybe think outside the box and, and come up with something innovative that, again, cannot only work at the Adanac, but can perhaps be replicated in other buildings,” she said.

Willis said she has been talking to a few stakeholders about what it might look like to take on the Adanac, and provide affordable housing for Winnipeg’s most vulnerable.

“You need to really understand who the people are that you’re housing. You need to understand the need to get people indoors, and then work with them overtime to develop a plan that maybe, initially, sets out how to meet some basic needs.”

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