Case Study: Niakwa Country Club Clubhouse Renovation
Strategic Renovations in an Era of Escalating Costs
Project Location & Type
Niakwa Country Club, Winnipeg
Clubhouse renovation
Main Challenge
Niakwa had secured funding, finalized design drawings, and aligned stakeholders. The vision: a full renewal of the clubhouse that honoured the Club’s legacy and elevated the member experience.
But early pricing brought a hard reality:
The design, as drawn, exceeded the Club’s financial limits.
The team faced a critical question:
How do you preserve design intent—without compromising financial viability?
Scope of Work
LCM was brought in at a pivotal moment—not to start from scratch, but to salvage and refine. As a design-build firm with in-house architecture and deep construction insight, we led a collaborative scope review alongside Frank Architecture and the Club’s leadership team. The objective: reframe the budget not as a constraint, but as a strategic input.
Our work focused on three areas:
Preserving essential design elements central to member experience
Replacing materials strategically to retain quality while managing cost
Re-sequencing and re-aligning scope to stay within financial boundaries
This wasn’t a process of cuts—it was a process of curation.
Budget
Originally over target
Redesigned and delivered within revised Club budget
How the LCM Method Simplified Things
LCM’s integrated design-build model enabled precise, strategic refinements rather than reactive cost-cutting. By aligning the entire project team early and often, we protected both the client’s vision and financial health.
Think surgeon, not butcher.
Our collaborative, transparent approach transformed what could have been a compromise into a confident recalibration—keeping the project’s core intact.
Outcome: Timeline, Functionality, Durability
A revitalized, high-quality clubhouse aligned with the original architectural language
Full alignment with the Club’s financial parameters
A space that reflects both thoughtful restraint and long-term value
In today’s climate, refinement—not reduction—is the true skill.
Collaboration—not confrontation—is how complex projects move forward.
Reflection
This project is a case study in what’s possible when strategic thinking meets disciplined execution. For institutional owners, developers, and entrepreneurial business leaders navigating cost pressures, Niakwa offers a blueprint: protect what matters most, and build with both vision and financial clarity.