Saskatoon Construction III - Page 284

Dalreg · #**5661** Posted **Apr 20, 2026, 4:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crisis

Unless consumers dramatically alter their buying habits, I fear that the days of large brick & mortar retail stores are behind us. There may still be a market for some local specialty stores where product knowledge and advice are valued, but not for big box stores. IKEA is basically just online shopping done in person.

I still have plenty of family and friends that will drive to Ikea in Alberta to do a shopping trip.

Crisis · #**5662** Posted **Apr 20, 2026, 3:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dalreg

I still have plenty of family and friends that will drive to Ikea in Alberta to do a shopping trip.

Same here (or at least a visit if they're going to be in Calgary or Edmonton anyways), but I don't see those massive stores being sustainable in the future.

It wasn't until I was composing my original comment that it struck me how similar shopping in IKEA is to shopping online. You view the items (in person), you pay for them, your order is gathered together in a warehouse, and a boxed version of it shows up (at your vehicle). The biggest difference is, that at IKEA, the consumer is on the one doing the warehouse work.

skeet1991 · #**5663** Posted **Apr 21, 2026, 9:22 PM**

Looks like the Star Phoenix Building site redevelopment is now moving through the City Hall rezoning process, as per the Engagement page.

https://www.saskatoon.ca/engage/204-5th-avenue-north

Exciting! It needs rezoning from M4 to B6 to accommodate ground floor retail, including a possible but not confirmed grocery story. Surprisingly, the drawing set seems to match the renders we saw earlier, with two residential towers of 24 and 35 (!) stories. The taller of the two is shown at 110m, surpassing Nutrien's 88m by quite a bit. I assumed this would get scaled down, but seems not to be the case.

Sorry, I always have trouble with imgbb or I would clip some of the plans and renderings to show. Nice to see some much needed density even closer to the core of downtown than Baydo (arguably right in the centre). Hopefully this progresses quickly.

jreid3 · #**5664** Posted **Apr 21, 2026, 9:27 PM**

In regards to the proposed 2 tower project on the Star Phoenix's grounds.
https://www.saskatoon.ca/engage/204-5th-avenue-north
https://www.cbre.ca/resources/fileassets...20Ave%20N%20_Star%20Phoenix_%2012-25.pdf
https://www.saskatoon.ca/sites/default/files/260421_204%205TH%20AVE%20N_ISSUED%20FOR%20REZONING.pdf

Crisis · #**5665** Posted **Apr 21, 2026, 10:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeet1991

Looks like the Star Phoenix Building site redevelopment is now moving through the City Hall rezoning process, as per the Engagement page.

https://www.saskatoon.ca/engage/204-5th-avenue-north

Exciting! It needs rezoning from M4 to B6 to accommodate ground floor retail, including a possible but not confirmed grocery story. Surprisingly, the drawing set seems to match the renders we saw earlier, with two residential towers of 24 and 35 (!) stories. The taller of the two is shown at 110m, surpassing Nutrien's 88m by quite a bit. I assumed this would get scaled down, but seems not to be the case.

Sorry, I always have trouble with imgbb or I would clip some of the plans and renderings to show. Nice to see some much needed density even closer to the core of downtown than Baydo (arguably right in the centre). Hopefully this progresses quickly.

That's a great looking project. Would sure be nice to see it come to fruition.

Dalreg · #**5666** Posted **Apr 21, 2026, 10:32 PM**

South tower is proposed at 110.35 meters tall. North tower at 73.78 meters.

Even the north tower would have a big impact on the skyline, the south tower might actually break through that plateau that seems to exist in the skyline.

GibblyJibbly · #**5667** Posted **Apr 21, 2026, 11:58 PM**

I live in the area. I really hope to see this come through. I'd lose a good chunk of river view, but I believe the tradeoff would be worth it. Let's hope these public hearings don't end up in a drastically scaled back version of this, because it has the potential to transform this area. Especially when you factor in the thousand-ish extra people on the street when Baydo fills up both towers.

BillDing · #**5668** Posted **Apr 22, 2026, 5:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by GibblyJibbly

I live in the area. I really hope to see this come through. I'd lose a good chunk of river view, but I believe the tradeoff would be worth it. Let's hope these public hearings don't end up in a drastically scaled back version of this, because it has the potential to transform this area. Especially when you factor in the thousand-ish extra people on the street when Baydo fills up both towers.

A thousand-ish people at Baydo and probably a thousand-ish people at this project is basically the same as a decent sized town in Sask. The argument for a grocery store has to be there when you also consider the existing residential in the area.

Brutopian · #**5669** Posted **Apr 22, 2026, 6:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dalreg

South tower is proposed at 110.35 meters tall. North tower at 73.78 meters.

Even the north tower would have a big impact on the skyline, the south tower might actually break through that plateau that seems to exist in the skyline.

Yes - fantastic looking project. Hope it materializes!

Agreed, Dalreg - we need some towers north of 100 meters to start interrupting the visual "tabletop" of our skyline. Does anyone here have the graphic capabilities of inserting renderings of these two towers into a current photo of our skyline to see how the new skyline would look?

Brutopian · #**5670** Posted **Apr 22, 2026, 7:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leadly

This sucks as a replacement

I share your opinion. I think they can do much, much better.

Because of this new neighbourhood's close proximity to the river and to the swales, there is an opportunity to give this neighbourhood a name that truly reflects its sense of place. Can you imagine the name ideas they could garner simply by reviewing the names of all of the mammals, insects, birds, flora and fauna that live in the area?? There would be a lot of inspiration there for possible names that could then be vetted by local Indigenous peoples. But, no, "Sunrise" is the big name idea??

Stormer · #**5671** Posted **Apr 22, 2026, 9:00 PM**

I tried to get Gemini to do it, but they put them in wrong place. I am sure if someone spent a few minutes with AI and with the right skyline photo, they could get this work.

skeet1991 · #**5672** Posted **Apr 22, 2026, 9:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormer

I tried to get Gemini to do it, but they put them in wrong place. I am sure if someone spent a few minutes with AI and with the right skyline photo, they could get this work.

Here's my (terrible) Gemini attempt at the taller tower. The height might be somewhat accurate, as I told it to scale the building to the 74 m Saskatoon Tower next door.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

Brutopian · #**5673** Posted **Apr 22, 2026, 11:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by skeet1991

Here's my (terrible) Gemini attempt at the taller tower. The height might be somewhat accurate, as I told it to scale the building to the 74 m Saskatoon Tower next door.

[IMG]

[/IMG]

Hey - thanks very much, Stormer and Skeet! I appreciate the effort. That 110m tower sure would be prominent in the skyline, both from a height and an aesthetic standpoint!

Stormer · #**5674** Posted **Apr 23, 2026, 2:24 PM**

There are some renders on CBRE site. They are looking to lease the retail:

Stormer · #**5675** Posted **Apr 23, 2026, 2:48 PM**

This may be backwards

Stormer · #**5676** Posted **Apr 23, 2026, 3:00 PM**

rotated. It sort of missed the glass portion

GibblyJibbly · #**5677** Posted **Apr 23, 2026, 4:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormer

rotated. It sort of missed the glass portion

I believe you had it correct the first time! In the drawings, the rendering in which 5th ave is in front shows the tall tower to the right (23rd) and the short to the left (24th).

Brutopian · #**5678** Posted **Apr 23, 2026, 4:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormer

This may be backwards

Thanks, Stormer! The development sure fills in that block nicely. There would be stunning views of the river valley from the top of that 110m tower.

Brutopian · #**5679** Posted **Apr 23, 2026, 4:58 PM**

BRT Link's downtown platform project continue to draw mix reactions

By Jon Perez
SaskToday
April 22, 2026

SASKATOON — A proposed downtown transit project aimed at improving public transport has drawn mixed reactions from local business owners, leaders, and a representative of one of the city’s biggest employers.

City’s urban planners' design proposal will turn 1st Avenue, a major downtown business district corridor, into a single lane in each direction, with the centre lane dedicated to the bus rapid transit’s central boarding platform.

[........]

Read more:
https://www.sasktoday.ca/saskatoon-today...tm_content=415347400&utm_source=hs_email

phone · #**5680** Posted **Apr 23, 2026, 9:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormer

I tried to get Gemini to do it, but they put them in wrong place. I am sure if someone spent a few minutes with AI and with the right skyline photo, they could get this work.

This appears to be a fairly decent AI-generated concept for what's now Falconridge Manor (~10 floor orange brick 1970s seniors' tower right across 5th Ave from Baydo). Who knows what the future may bring. Saskatoon's always going to have the potash.