Saskatoon Construction III

[NotToScale]

Originally Posted by roryn1

.

The building has some beautiful interior spaces. I had access to it years ago and took a lot of photos. I'll have to see if I can find them.

But yes, it has been the plan to house the future school of architecture. Which I do hope happens someday soon, Sask needs its own school.

[prairieguy]

Originally Posted by SaskE30

The rumor is that it was purchased by Baydo and they intend to develop it.

I have yet to see a Baydo development that is decent IMO, but at least they are building stuff...I guess...

[The S'toon Goon]

The Concorde project on Cumberland and 8th is supposedly going forward. They intend to move their office to the top floor and apparently have a chain restaurant as an occupant for the main floor. The residential component is still on hold until the market changes. Seems silly to me. It's not an overly big unit and wouldn't it be more cost effective to build it all in one shot?

[Oiler]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

I have yet to see a Baydo development that is decent IMO, but at least they are building stuff...I guess...

Oh man, Honestly no offense, but not another Baydo development I hope. We need someone with a better design vision to get access to their investors. It’s too bad they’re buying up all these premium lots, and putting up with they are. I would actually prefer a parking lot until something better comes along.

[roryn1]

Originally Posted by Oiler

Oh man, Honestly no offense, but not another Baydo development I hope. We need someone with a better design vision to get access to their investors. It’s too bad they’re buying up all these premium lots, and putting up with they are. I would actually prefer a parking lot until something better comes along.

None taken, why do people buy those wooden ugly condos. That can’t be a good long term investment decision...

[Roquentin]

I've always thought the lot at 25th and 5th would be a good spot for a grocery store. Oh well. Hope it's mixed use and attractive, at least.

[Oiler]

Originally Posted by Roquentin

I've always thought the lot at 25th and 5th would be a good spot for a grocery store. Oh well. Hope it's mixed use and attractive, at least.

Based on baydo’s Portfolio, the positive is that it will likely be mixed-use, but the near certainty is that it won’t be pretty. It probably won’t be “ugly”, but it will be boring and minimal. Picture probably 3 colours or stucco, not too many windows. I’ve heard they intentionally don’t want to build beautiful/design-y (aka more expensive) buildings. All their stuff looks similar if I recall correctly. They obviously have a formula that works for them.

[The Bess]

Good points on the proposed solar community.

https://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/c...ered-community

[Arts]

Originally Posted by The Bess

Good points on the proposed solar community.

https://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/c...ered-community

I agree with the one comment on that article by the guy who suggests this is just urban sprawl, being pitched to council as sustainability because of PV panels on each home and ditches instead of storm sewers... And I'd recommend council to listen carefully to administration (who has a vested interest to maintain this community for generations) rather than a private developer who has a vested interest to make as much profit as possible.

[prairieguy]

Fair enough...but I also would not want our city to shut the door on an opportunity because it does not fit with a plan that may have never accounted for an opportunity like this. I am not endorsing it or saying that it is feasible, but a concept that is innovative and environmentally leading should at least have some consideration. One of the reasons I voted the way I did in the last civic election was to try and have a city council that would think beyond short term outcomes....this may be one of those times to think 'big'.

[Temperance]

Originally Posted by Arts

I agree with the one comment on that article by the guy who suggests this is just urban sprawl, being pitched to council as sustainability because of PV panels on each home and ditches instead of storm sewers... And I'd recommend council to listen carefully to administration (who has a vested interest to maintain this community for generations) rather than a private developer who has a vested interest to make as much profit as possible.

Yes, I agreed with the comment as well. I'm not sure I'm opposed to the development - there are some good aspects to it - but the city should be very reluctant to expand the boundaries further, especially in deference to developers. Saskatoon has sprawled a lot in the last few years and that has a big environmental impact.

On a related but not related note - I think building a freeway through the swale is a terrible idea.

[prairieguy]

[QUOTE=On a related but not related note - I think building a freeway through the swale is a terrible idea.[/QUOTE]

I could not agree more! Once gone it is forever gone....we need to think a generation from now about preserving some of these threatened eco systems!

[roryn1]

This transformation. Wow. I want to try and entice my suburban office to move into here if it’s still available. Unfortunately our management just decided to do renovations for the first time in 30 years (eye roll)

[YXE]

Smaller projects like this will have a huge impact on our downtown. We don't talk about it here enough, IMO. Super exciting.

[alt_center]

Originally Posted by roryn1

This transformation. Wow. I want to try and entice my suburban office to move into here if it’s still available. Unfortunately our management just decided to do renovations for the first time in 30 years (eye roll)

I think I related this anecdote before in one of these threads but several years ago the small company (~40 ppl) I worked for began to look for new space. The mgmt selected a place in a corrugated tin strip mall on a barren street in the north industrial area, because parking. Many people were aghast and lobbied to move downtown. They relented and in hindsight were (and still are) extremely happy with the outcome. Many employees bike/bus to work and walk to lunch, and view this as a tremendous perk. They are very happy they are not forced to drive to the north industrial area every day.

My point is, it can be done!

I have since left that company but when I chose a new job, I only considered places within walking/cycling distance from my house (which fortunately includes downtown and the U of S).

[roryn1]

Yea I’ve talked to the top dog about it especially since we’re an office that could merge a few offices around the city into one, and they’re not interested or even considering it in any absolute way unfortunately. The business case is there to move downtown, but the main disincentive is the current $10psf vs $25psf cost..
I’m hoping BRT may be an option for me though, but like I’m living downtown and working in the suburbs so it’s the opposite of what they’re planning

[prairieguy]

So are we going to see the lot for North Prairie's development at College and Clarence stay empty all summer? The comparison's between how Urban Capital/Fortress proceed with their projects and North Prairie are SO different.

UC project on Broadway has their sales trailer in place and promoting May as beginning of sales. North Prairies lot sits empty...blowing dust....with no hint of activity or promotion of sales. Yet, both are at same stage of approval from a city perspective.

I am wondering if this is yet another WTC promise that will languish for years....

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...fall-1.4201196

[roryn1]

From what I understand with North Prairie in this city, is that they make these grandios announcements and even meet with city council SOLELY to dissuade other developers from building large or even mid sized condo projects. I see this working for them, but UrbanCapital/their backer sure is calling their bluff. I sure wouldn’t doubt if that corner was never built just like how WTC will never be built and now Prairieland Park is this confusing mess of a name for people coming to the convention center. It sure would be exciting to see Urban Capital develop that corner instead of North Prairie. North Prairie will always be a suburban developer and these higher priced downtown condos definitely hurt their sales.

[Oiler]

Originally Posted by roryn1

From what I understand with North Prairie in this city, is that they make these grandios announcements and even meet with city council SOLELY to dissuade other developers from building large or even mid sized condo projects. I see this working for them, but UrbanCapital/their backer sure is calling their bluff. I sure wouldn’t doubt if that corner was never built just like how WTC will never be built and now Prairieland Park is this confusing mess of a name for people coming to the convention center. It sure would be exciting to see Urban Capital develop that corner instead of North Prairie. North Prairie will always be a suburban developer and these higher priced downtown condos definitely hurt their sales.

Just as information, North Prairie has contributed to downtown in the forms of the SNC-Lavalin office on 1st ave (former movie theatre) and the BHP Billington office on 3rd ave (new build, LEED). It’s not all bad from them. I guess they don’t want to build on spec... they probably aren’t the only developers who are hesistant to build in this market without more certainty.

[skyhigh953]

North Prairie did not renovate the SNC building - if I recall correctly that wasn’t one of the larger local developers but a smaller group of investors.