Saskatoon Construction III

[prairieguy]

Thanks....I love sharing articles like this with family and friends who left Saskatoon for greener pastures! haha

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by circle33

A glowing travel piece I stumbled upon:

Why is everybody raving about Saskatoon? (And where on earth is Saskatoon?)

Great article. My favourite quote from it was right at the end:

“I have a theory that if you weren’t nice to your neighbor in Saskatoon, back in the day you’d just die,” says Peters, from the Hollows. “We need to depend on our neighbors.”

[Echoes]

Triovest has replaced its River Centre II sign on the Cineplex parking lot with a general "Future Development Site" billboard.

Obviously their focus is on the River Landing towers, which will satisfy the need for Class A office space for some time to come, so they're sensibly being open to other uses on that site. Would be nice to see a condo tower there.

[roryn1]

Originally Posted by Echoes

Triovest has replaced its River Centre II sign on the Cineplex parking lot with a general "Future Development Site" billboard.

Obviously their focus is on the River Landing towers, which will satisfy the need for Class A office space for some time to come, so they're sensibly being open to other uses on that site. Would be nice to see a condo tower there.

I don’t particularly believe anything I hear out of North Prairie since the 2013 announcement, but I have heard rumblings that they have maybe found a hotel for that World Trade Center spot. Seems like Triovest has their A game going a lot better than North Prairie and if I was wanting to see another hotel downtown, that site near the theatre is a lot better than where that World Trade Center is. Seems like Triovest can compete better on pricing and logistically getting their shit together over North Prairie too lol.

[mitchellk12]

Originally Posted by roryn1

I don’t particularly believe anything I hear out of North Prairie since the 2013 announcement, but I have heard rumblings that they have maybe found a hotel for that World Trade Center spot. Seems like Triovest has their A game going a lot better than North Prairie and if I was wanting to see another hotel downtown, that site near the theatre is a lot better than where that World Trade Center is. Seems like Triovest can compete better on pricing and logistically getting their shit together over North Prairie too lol.

Id prefer to never see the WTC built. The project is too small for being right in the DT core, that should be maximized with more height and density.

Last i heard it was this spring or summer that atch said. At this point it was and never will happen.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by roryn1

I don’t particularly believe anything I hear out of North Prairie since the 2013 announcement, but I have heard rumblings that they have maybe found a hotel for that World Trade Center spot. Seems like Triovest has their A game going a lot better than North Prairie and if I was wanting to see another hotel downtown, that site near the theatre is a lot better than where that World Trade Center is. Seems like Triovest can compete better on pricing and logistically getting their shit together over North Prairie too lol.

So they found a hotel and might scrap the WTC... even though the original proposal for that site included both?

I don't think North Prairie has any idea what they are doing. They should stick with houses.

[roryn1]

Originally Posted by mitchellk12

Id prefer to never see the WTC built. The project is too small for being right in the DT core, that should be maximized with more height and density.

Last i heard it was this spring or summer that atch said. At this point it was and never will happen.

Pretty crazy they’d pay Atch what I’m assuming is a six fig salary and not find a single tenant lol. I think he even went on a trip to China haha - why didn’t I see this job posting I even speak mandarin!

[mitchellk12]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

So they found a hotel and might scrap the WTC... even though the original proposal for that site included both?

I don't think North Prairie has any idea what they are doing. They should stick with houses.

lets go back with the original proposal

[Echoes]

Geotechnical testing is occurring on the vacant site beside the Broadway Roastery where Urban Capital is said to be planning its next project, per DeeAnn Mercier on Twitter.

[roryn1]

Originally Posted by Echoes

Geotechnical testing is occurring on the vacant site beside the Broadway Roastery where Urban Capital is said to be planning its next project, per DeeAnn Mercier on Twitter.

Woop woop

Anyone with geotechnical experience know if that means they could technically start digging by Fall?

[Echoes]

Don't know about that, but the property is yet to be rezoned.

[prairieguy]

I could not open the BID's tweet....what did she say about the site?

[Echoes]

Basically just a pic of the drilling rig from Machibroda engineering on the site.

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by roryn1

Woop woop

Anyone with geotechnical experience know if that means they could technically start digging by Fall?

For a simple building on a flat site, if a bunch of the structural design had already completed and the geotech investigation was just being used to confirm their assumptions, then it would be possible to be in the ground this summer, as the geotech report can generally be issued within a month.

Realistically, however, that would not be that case for a highrise tower in this location. They will want to get a good grasp on the soil conditions prior to determining how they want to proceed with the foundation design. Pretty much the entire east/south bank of the river flowing through Saskatoon is a landslide zone and determining how to control the groundwater and provide a stable foundation is a major task for a building like this in that location. It's a ways back from the crest of the bank, but not so far back that there wouldn't be concerns.

I'd be shocked if we saw any action on site prior to next year. I'm thinking 2020 would be more likely.

[prairieguy]

I came across this example of a 16,000 seat arena in Lincoln Nebraska....seems something like this could fit in quite nicely into a downtown re-development anchoring maybe the new North Downtown....my preference is still for area directly across from existing TCUP. If only the YMCA would have agreed to work with City and Friendship Centre to redevelop a shared facility for core area and free up its site for development of an entertainment/convention/arena project!!! I use to be a Y member and I think their decision to stay and go it alone was VERY short sighted!

http://www.dlrgroup.com/work/pinnacle-bank-arena/

[Dalreg]

Lots of mid level cities in the USA have good arenas. Des Moines, Tulsa, Omaha come to mind. Little Rock, even Wichita.

Spending $200-300 million on a facility downtown will be a good thing eventually. As long as the city does the right thing and plan it out instead of just plonking a blah arena on a block and expect things to happen. Edmonton is developing Billions of dollars worth around it's new arena. This is what Saskatoon needs to do.

[alt_center]

Farnham Block site Aug. 2:

[Ricopedra]

edit

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by Ricopedra

Interesting. Not even a 'root cellar' below ground. I would've built a couple of below ground shops just to be different, and mimic our old-school Farnam-Block losses. It wouldn't have costed that much, compared to parking, because the tenants would be paying rent for a great space. Walking down to a little coffee-bar: awesome!

The developers gave up on their underground parking idea, caved into nothing and now it just seems lame. At least, I guess, we can enjoy beer, near the street without getting busted? Or will the Sheepdogs still get hassled? I digress to a more ridiculous topic than parking in Saskatoon. Booze is not the problem. You should be allowed to drink in public. Assholes are the problem and are there in the same numbers anyways, regardless of laws. Why punish law-abiders, and why do law-abiders tolerate the iron fist of the law, taking away their right to enjoy a bottle of wine with their loved-one by the riverbank? Now I'm a bit off topic, but not really, because this building will be the new home of a brew business, and I look forward to enjoying it without being hassled! Although I'll have to hide my elixir from you! Cheers!

I'm not sure what to make about the second part of your rant, but the first part would make sense with something like they've done with the building where the Prairie Noodle Shop is in Edmonton:

[Arts]

Originally Posted by Wyku

I'm not sure what to make about the second part of your rant, but the first part would make sense with something like they've done with the building where the Prairie Noodle Shop is in Edmonton:

Problem with that kind of entrance is accessibility... I spoke with the owner of this development a long time ago about maintaining below grade storefront and they specifically were not going to do that on account of accessibility - I'm not sure if it's a building code thing or just the expense of having to build ramps/elevators etc. I'm not sure why the underground parking was scrapped (probably because of building costs again, I'm sure they just want to get this built and generating income asap).