Saskatoon Construction III - Page 82

WoodlandCritter · #**1621** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 4:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmx

will be only a third that of Edmonton's Stantec Tower. Glancing at pictures of the early architectural renderings I have to ask why not ten more stories to stand out from the cluster of three??? I think it would look better.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4275597/n...river-landing/

Aesthetically, the stepping height of all three buildings is good. Having one being ridiculously taller than the rest of the cluster would be odd in the context of Saskatoon.

YXE · #**1622** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 5:44 PM**

https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca...ation-rejected

I was reminiscing about this yesterday. At the time, I was less invested into local development as I am today. I can only imagine how excited we would all get to see a project like this actually happen today... If all that was stopping this from happening was the city's willingness to spend $60M on the library, then I don't even know what to say. At the time that may have seemed like an exorbitant amount of money; however here we are talking about spending close to $400M for an arena etc...

WoodlandCritter · #**1623** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 5:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by YXE

https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca...ation-rejected

I was reminiscing about this yesterday. At the time, I was less invested into local development as I am today. I can only imagine how excited we would all get to see a project like this actually happen today... If all that was stopping this from happening was the city's willingness to spend $60M on the library, then I don't even know what to say. At the time that may have seemed like an exorbitant amount of money; however here we are talking about spending close to $400M for an arena etc...

I agree. If thats what the developer needed as a kickstart to invest a couple hundred million more privately then I think it would have been worth the investment by the city.

But have any of you seen the photos of Calgary's new library?

Beautiful structure. If a new library is built in Saskatoon's downtown, make it unique I say.

Crisis · #**1624** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 6:40 PM**

I met with the developer on the student housing proposal and, believe me, there was a lot more than a $60 million library that kept that project from proceeding. That development was never close to happening.

Arts · #**1625** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 7:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brutopian

City yards ideal location for downtown arena: developer

650 CKOM
by Chris Vandenbreekel
November 08, 2018

A prominent developer in Saskatoon is suggesting the city yards in north downtown would be the ideal location for a downtown arena, should city councillors decide to go ahead with the project.

[........]

Read more:
https://www.ckom.com/2018/11/08/city...ena-developer/

Achs probably stands to potentially profit if the city parses out it's yards for development vs commercial infill around the midtown lot... I like Hill's idea of a big project that connects a potential arena with a central library and convention centre, but it needs to be downtown, not in the central industrial area as Achs is supporting.

prairieguy · #**1626** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 7:16 PM**

I agree that the city yards would not be my first choice....I know relatively speaking it is 'close' to the downtown core. But rather then develop another "district' with hotels and restaurants, I think we should view our current downtown as THE district to support and develop.

I am not sure that the area between the Hilton and Holiday Inn is sufficient for what would be considered, but I do like that location. Need to get the YM to move!!

YXE · #**1627** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 7:29 PM**

The YMCA has already stated that they will not move. I know someone on the board who told me that that decision was made relatively recently and is done. Won't happen.

WoodlandCritter · #**1628** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 7:37 PM**

In a perfect situation, tear down the Hilton Hotel and buildings just behind (north) of them. Develop that whole city block with an arena/hotel/condo with underground parking attached to the mall. The redevelopment/expansion of TCU could then expand and connect to the arena?

As for the YMCA. If they are not moving, are they tearing down that horrible structure to build something up to date? or just renovating? I've only been in there a few times, a long time ago, and man it was in need of a lot of work back then.

Arts · #**1629** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 7:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by YXE

The YMCA has already stated that they will not move. I know someone on the board who told me that that decision was made relatively recently and is done. Won't happen.

I thought a couple years ago, or less, the YMCA had pretty solid plans in place to move, had a location lined up and were already looking at programming changes resulting from the move? So that was not just abandoned but they went the complete opposite way?

prairieguy · #**1630** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 8:07 PM**

My understanding is the City and FSIN were willing to partner with the YMCA to build a new shared facility that would become the inner city Leisure Centre. It would have been a few blocks further west of its current location to better serve the core. The Y Board turned its nose up at the opportunity to partner and have shared funding! This could have resulted in a great new building for folks in the core and also free up land for TCU expansion.

I use to be a member, but that place is so antiquated, dark and run down that I did not renew my membership last year. Regina has 3 Y's with the latest being a state of the art modern facility. Not sure why our one and only Y is stuck in 'literally' the "dark" ages.

WoodlandCritter · #**1631** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 9:09 PM**

YMCA's can be beautiful and open.
vvvv

http://www.teeplearch.com/portfolio/...k-family-ymca/

Look at all that glazing on Saskatoon's YMCA. I guess it is more energy efficient?

vvvv

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...lity-1.3577675

scotty c · #**1632** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 9:26 PM**

What YMCA should do is build new on the vacant lot on 25th and 5th and partner with the YWCA which would be right across the alley. You’d think they could work something out with the city.

prairieguy · #**1633** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 9:46 PM**

As has been mentioned on here, that ship has sailed. The YMCA has dug in their heels to stay where they are. So, unless some donor comes along with 100 million dollars with the stipulation to move, it ain't gonna happen....

YXE · #**1634** Posted **Nov 9, 2018, 11:16 PM**

Who owns/manages the Y? Sorry for the naive question but I'm just trying to figure this all out. In an ideal world, before the Y spends millions to 'renovate', the city would step in and encourage a move? But I'm assuming the answer to my question is that there's nothing the city can do.

mmx · #**1635** Posted **Nov 10, 2018, 1:41 AM**

Saskatoon needs a Moses to untangle the Arena-CPR-Library-YMCA gordian knot. Alas we are not the Big Apple we're the Little Berry!

GTR200 · #**1636** Posted **Nov 10, 2018, 4:26 PM**

Ok, so here is the plan.
Demolish the Sturdy Stone and current library, and the city hall.
On those two blocks we can build a new city hall (10 storeys tall), new libray, convention center and arena.

To be honest, I'd just settle for getting rid of that ugly library and sturdy stone building.

GTR200 · #**1637** Posted **Nov 10, 2018, 4:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by prairieguy

I agree that the city yards would not be my first choice....I know relatively speaking it is 'close' to the downtown core. But rather then develop another "district' with hotels and restaurants, I think we should view our current downtown as THE district to support and develop.

I am not sure that the area between the Hilton and Holiday Inn is sufficient for what would be considered, but I do like that location. Need to get the YM to move!!

I wonder if there is sufficient room for an arena if the Hilton was demolished.
I also like the idea of the Y moving to another location. I'm sure if the city wanted this to happen, they could influence the board. I'm sure the new Y location could also house the new libray.

The S'toon Goon · #**1638** Posted **Nov 11, 2018, 4:05 AM**

The idea of combining a library, convention center and arena is pretty intriguing. More money, but if it's more bang for the buck in the long run it should be strongly considered.

Arts · #**1639** Posted **Nov 13, 2018, 4:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTR200

Ok, so here is the plan.
Demolish the Sturdy Stone and current library, and the city hall.
On those two blocks we can build a new city hall (10 storeys tall), new libray, convention center and arena.

To be honest, I'd just settle for getting rid of that ugly library and sturdy stone building.

I love that everyone enjoys visualizing their version of city planning like it's simcity (just like I do - knock it all down and do the whole thing the right way...again). But seriously we should not be knocking anything down, not city owned assets and certainly not private property. We have so much space to build in our CBD that from a skyline enthusiast POV we certainly should keep as many multi-story buildings as is feasible. I personally think the Sturdy Stone, as brutalist as it is, is great for the skyline, it's interesting unique and helps define our fingerprint - the only universe is which we should tear it down is one where the Standard Trust Building is able to be restored back in place to it's former glory.

WoodlandCritter · #**1640** Posted **Nov 13, 2018, 5:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTR200

Ok, so here is the plan.
Demolish the Sturdy Stone and current library, and the city hall.
On those two blocks we can build a new city hall (10 storeys tall), new libray, convention center and arena.

To be honest, I'd just settle for getting rid of that ugly library and sturdy stone building.

I actually like the sturdy stone, well I like the concrete parkade, we don't have many large brutalist archtitectural forms that show the exposed concrete like it does.