Revitalization of the Warehouse District
Photograph of Brownstone Plaza (Figure 15)
In the fall term of 2023 The REM partnered with the University of Regina’s Urban Geography class 246. The REM came into the classroom to teach the students the benefits of source documents in the form of archives and interviews for research. Here is the second student report we will highlight “Revitalization of the Warehouse District” by Nabeera Siddiqi and Jayson Reddekopp. This report includes excerpts from an interview with Brownstone Plaza’s Bryan Miazga.
Introduction
Since its foundation more than 115 years ago, the Warehouse District in Regina, Saskatchewan has been a substantial contributor to its stabilized economy due to its production of goods and services as well as its conveniently maneuverable roads and railway system. It has been able to produce and distribute wheat which became the city’s most valuable commodity, housed military equipment during WWII, and has industrialized resources such as coal and potash. As the years went on, the city of Regina has pivoted its need for different goods and services, therefore the function that this district served has changed overtime as well. Long time architectural engineer and owner of the John Deere building (Figure 15) Bryan Miazga (Figure 13) has aided the research that examines the history of the Warehouse District’s intended purposes, what the area is undergoing in the present day, and the direction it is taking in the future.
Past
Regina was an “instant town” constructed by the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR) to facilitate the extension of their rail lines in the prairies (Regina Walking tours). While the downtown developed as the central business district due to its proximity to the central CPR line, it was limited in space. Business expanded north of the railroads where there was much more room for growth. Expansion of the business district led to the development of large wholesale spaces, earning the name “wholesale district”(City of Regina, 2002). Regina’s Warehouse District gained prominence as a reactionary development due to the lack of space in the downtown district (Regina the early years).The shift allowed the warehouses to be adjacent to the railroads, with many businesses having individual spur tracks for efficient transport (Regina the early years). Furthermore, it was close to the city power house, on Broad Street and Dewdney Avenue (Regina the early years). Its proximity to the downtown ensured use by the businesses in the business district without large warehouses negatively impacting property value or commercial uses in the downtown. The area has been historically defined between Albert Street, Winnipeg Street, 4th Avenue and Dewdney Avenue (Figure 1- 3).
The historical significance of the area is deeply intertwined with Regina’s evolution and economic growth. In addition to CPR and the freight yards, the need to provide for the surrounding farm community encouraged the “development of farm machinery and implement dealerships”, leading to growth that employed over 1000 men (City of Regina, 2002). Further “strengthening Regina's position as an important wholesale and distribution centre” (City of Regina, 2002) (Figure 4-6). This included major industrial businesses such as: General Motors, John Deere and Sears warehousing. Following a stagnation due to the economic depression in the 1930s, the warehouse district enjoyed a resurgence of local industry between the end of world war II and the mid 1950s (Regina Walking tours). However, suburban growth, growing automobile dependence and the development of Ross Industrial Park led to a decline of this progress, and a shift from its purpose as a warehousing district (City of Regina, 2002).
Following a period of decline, the central location and lower rent prices drove in new business that resulted in a variety of mixed land use within the area (City of Regina, 2002). One such building reflects each aspect of this transition and evolution; the JohnDeere Building. At 1275 Broad St, it stands as a pillar of historical preservation and modern revitalization. The building was built in 1913, following the collapse of the original John Deere building due to the Regina Cyclone of 1911 (Bingaman, 2011). The cyclone destroyed many residential houses of working class families that previously occupied what is now the warehouse district (Bingaman, 2011). The Regina building was one of three designed by architect Oscar A. Eckerman for John Deere, built in 3.5 months at a final price of $164,000. Its original use employed the freight elevator, and a water tower for the sprinkler system, when used as the John Deere building (Miazga, 2023). The characteristic parapet walls, stone dated panels flanking the main entrance, “1837, the year of John Deere developed his version of the steel plow” and 1913, and its utilitarian design of a flat roof and rectangular window pattern make it distinct illustration of the “wheat boom” period (Canada’s Historic Places). It was then purchased by the Navy around 1955, and then rented to smaller storage companies as the Navy phased out of the area. It was then purchased by Bryan Miazga in 2000, where it underwent redevelopment and revitalization (Miazga, 2023). As with many buildings in the area, the revitalization of the warehouse district gave new life to the John Deere Building.
Present
Historically speaking, the Warehouse District was an area of Regina that created a plethora of activity due to the industrialization of goods and services, as well as the various forms of accessible transportation the district offered, (primarily railways). A common trend occurring in the present day is that the city of Regina has been putting more focus towards building outwards instead of inwards and its use for the Warehouse District has been in decline because of it. In addition to that, the entire continent of North America has surpassed the need for industrial sectors within the core of their cities. As the district and what it offers becomes less of a necessity for the core of the city, that will necessarily create more decline for the existing rail yards in the area and lead to more building vacancy. Megan Florizone supplements these ideas when she says “as rail infrastructure and the industrial practices within the warehouse district begins to disperse, the district loses its active nature and becomes populated with vacant buildings and latent in-between spaces” (Florizone, 2016). In an effort to quell these issues, the Warehouse District has begun the process of intensification which can broadly be defined as “a strategy to ease the pressures of urban sprawl and deliver sustainable development through increasing the density of built form and activities” (An, Gu, 2018). By building upon the foundations of the Warehouse District, the area would be able to see an influx of occupied spaces, including residents and businesses. Additionally, Rylan R. Graham mentions that “intensification increases population density making mass transit and active transportation more efficient and effective thereby decreasing dependency on the personal automobile” (Graham 2012).
With that in mind, intensification has the ability to introduce some potential drawbacks to the area as well. One of the drawbacks can include the process of gentrification which many scholars have debated the definition of the term but can broadly be defined as “the transformation of a working class or vacant area of the central city into middle-class residential and/or commercial use” (Lees, Slater, Wyly, 2023). Although it is vital that the vacant buildings found in the Warehouse District are restored, it is also important that these buildings undergo proper restoration in a way that does not potentially displace any lower-income residents or businesses. Given the lack of residence buildings in the area historically, a common trend among many in the district is creating businesses on the main floors that include residence areas above them. When addressing methods of creating spaces that serve a variety of functions for the building he owns, Miazga says “this one (The Brownstone Plaza). Multi-use, residential, commercial, and one of the other things that we wanted to see when you know, development of the area, the rail yards is it could be a multi-use place where people can work in the day and live up north and play in their backyard” (Miazga, 2023). Regardless of the potential barrier of gentrification in terms of intensifying an area can bring, consistently redeveloping an area that promotes internal growth would be beneficial for Regina’s Warehouse District. As long as the district continues to restore current buildings as well as find ways to fill in the vacant areas, while maintaining the heritage the district carries with it, the Warehouse District will be able facilitate growth and attract more local residents and tourists.
Future
To ensure the prosperity and advancement of the district, the RWIBD launched a study to present a vision for the community by 2029. Focus sessions questionnaires revealed that participants wanted to see an increase of residential zones. While “review of building permit records indicates that there had been no infill or redevelopment” to support this desired growth (Graham, 2012). The study overall exhibits that community stakeholders are eager to see further development and intensification in the area. Some of this vision was realized in the Yards Neighborhood plan, a framework for the development of the former CPR railyard “into a vibrant urban neighbourhood…includ[ing] a mix of residential, shopping and entertainment uses set within a compact and walkable environment” (City of Regina, 2019). One such project, a part of the larger Yard Neighbourhood plan, expected to begin soon is the Dewdney Avenue revitalization project, a two-year major construction project, seeking to shift the street from “a basic traffic corridor to an attractive mainstreet for the city” (Regina Warehouse District, 2023). Miagza noted that the proposed plan was “going to be interrupting business big time” and costing “every owner…$100,000 per owner per building at least so it's an expensive process” (Miazga, 2023). However, it would expectedly add “new sidewalks, green spaces landscaping and then we'll go into the other area across the street a bit” (Miazga, 2023). It would include improvements to make “the district safer and much more walkable” with an interest in a “destination where more people will spend time and money” (Regina Warehouse District, 2023). The vision would strategically include designs to retain some traditional structure in the development, seeking to connect the Warehouse District and the Downtown to intensify and bridge the heart of Regina’s city Centre (City of Regina, 2019)
Conclusion
The evolution of the Warehouse district within Regina illustrates its pivotal role within the city's economic and structural development. The district embodies Regina’s history with the “wheat boom” and the progress it invited into the city. From its development as a response to the limitations of space within Downtown, the district became a thriving hub for industrial activities, warehousing, and transportation, contributing significantly to Regina's growth. As urban development and economic needs shifted, the decline in the district's traditional functions, left behind vacant buildings and underutilized spaces. However, while retaining the history of the district, the revitalization of the area since the turn of the century was able to redirect the vision for the space and redevelop the large warehouses to serve new purposes. Strategic initiatives such as intensification with focuses on residential zones and commercial businesses, harbor a sustainable development in line with the communities vision of the future. The attention to maintenance of heritage while redeveloping this area point to a commitment of fostering growth while maintaining a unique identity to attract residents, business and character into the district. Future projects like the Dewdney Avenue revitalization, aim to enhance the district into a more walkable, attractive, and vibrant urban neighborhood, connecting more effectively with Downtown. Each step towards revitalization enhances the Warehouse district's prosperity and ensures its lasting contribution to the dynamic landscape of Regina's city center in the years to come.
Bryan Miazga (Figure 13)
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