Bowman considers legal action over 'albatross' office tower at new police HQ

The City of Winnipeg is putting out a call to the private sector to figure out what to do with the 10-storey office tower attached to the new police headquarters building on Graham Avenue.

The decision was made during a marathon 13-hour property and development committee meeting at city hall Tuesday night.

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The office tower is only 10 per cent occupied, and if it remains in its current condition and occupancy state, it will create an annual loss for the city of $2.1 million.

Mayor Brian Bowman said council inherited multiple costly issues with the police headquarters project, and he's considering legal action against those involved to get some taxpayer money back.

"All options means all options, and those decisions will be made once we hear from the RCMP, once they conclude their investigation," Bowman said.

Mayor Brian Bowman wants Winnipeg's Public Safety Building bulldozed

9 years ago

Duration 2:03

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman's opinion on the future of the the Public Safety Building is unequivocal. "My position is clear — I'd like to see it bulldozed," he told reporters on Wednesday.

The property and development committee heard the tower attached to the new headquarters would need an estimated $20-million upgrade to make it a more attractive to renters or buyers.

The committee voted to put out an expression of interest to the private sector in hopes of finding a use for the building. 

The combination of huge cost overruns at the police headquarters project and now more financial trouble with the office tower next door has Bowman gritting his teeth.

"I mean this is — this file and that building — I mean, you look at the millions of dollars that have been incurred. This is a decision that predates this council, my term in office. We are doing our best to manage decisions made under previous administration," he said.

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At one time politicians touted the office tower as a revenue source to defray the cost of redeveloping the former Canada Post building for use as the police headquarters.

"We were informed this would be a no-brainer, a great piece of land. That information that we were provided, we agreed with it. It was a mistake," said committee chair Coun. John Orlikow. "We have to find a way to maximize the value from this albatross that we have to deal with."