Saskatoon Construction

[circle33]

Originally Posted by joelpiecowye

i heard on the radio the our mayor don wants to fly construction workers from windsor to ease off the construction worker shortage.

Don't pin this one on his worship. It's Windsor's mayor Eddie Francis who cooked up this beauty.

A lengthier version of the same story:

here

[macca]

City buys properties on 20th
Family feels uprooted by planned apartment block

Lori Coolican, The StarPhoenix
Published: Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Tenants of two rental houses on 20th Street West will have a new landlord next month -- the City of Saskatoon.

On Monday night, city council approved a sale agreement that will see the city take ownership of five houses and a commercial property in the 1400 block of 20th Street West, with the long-term goal of clearing the block for construction of a highrise apartment building with street-level retail.

Three of the houses are vacant and the commercial site is being used as storage space for a property company, says a report from community services manager Paul Gauthier.


Members of a family living in one of the two occupied homes told The StarPhoenix they just moved in last month and were not notified of the sale until Tuesday morning.

"It's totally uprooting our whole lives," said Rob Stewart, who lives with his wife and his mother. They pay $950 a month for the bungalow, having struck a deal for a reduced rental rate in exchange for doing their own renovations and repairs, he said. They just finished remodelling the basement at their own expense to make it habitable for his mother, he added.

"We thought we were going to be part of this big change in the community," Stewart said, referring to the city's plan to revitalize Pleasant Hill. "Now we don't even know if the new landlord is going to raise the rent. What do we do now? Where do we go? We're just a family trying to make ends meet and stay in one spot."

All six of the 20th Street properties belong to Patrick Wolfe. He will receive a cash payment from the city of $902,000, plus a donation receipt valued at $225,500, when the transaction is completed on March 31.

The donation receipt costs the city nothing, and will allow Wolfe to avoid federal taxes on the land sale. It represents about 25 per cent of the appraised value of the properties, and was added to the deal as an "assemblage premium" in order to recognize "the additional costs incurred and efforts required by (him) to acquire adjacent properties as part of an assemblage project," Gauthier wrote in the report.

The cash prices Wolfe is getting for the lots -- which vary between $178,750 and $217,500 -- are "based on independent appraisals recently completed on the subject properties in October 2007 with a slight adjustment in consideration of increased market conditions," the report said.

Wolfe is the same owner who sold a collection of 29 nearby residential lots to the city for $1.46 million, plus another donation receipt valued at $365,000, just over a year ago. The derelict homes were demolished last summer to make way for the planned revitalization. No construction has started.

The city's vision for the area includes mixed-housing developments, such as the highrise, and several low- and medium-density residential uses. It also includes expanded park space surrounding a new St. Mary Community School building. So far the provincial government has not committed any money toward replacing the aging, overcrowded school.

The lots along 20th Street between avenues N and O are an important part of the city's plans because they make the entire redevelopment area more visible, Gauthier wrote.

"This allows the public to readily see signs of change occurring in the area."

Gauthier told council the city will now receive the rent paid by existing tenants in the two occupied homes. A local property management company will collect the cheques.

In an interview Tuesday, Gauthier said the tenants will likely be able to stay in place for at least another year.

Rather than demolish them to clear the land for highrise development, the city will assess the condition of all five houses and try to find buyers -- such as Habitat for Humanity -- who may be interested in moving the structures off-site for reuse, he said.

"Nothing is going to happen tomorrow on that site, so we have some time to work through this type of thing and make sure we can relocate the tenants."

Gauthier said the city is ready to sell off two parcels from the newly cleared patch of land farther south of 20th Street to get the Pleasant Hill redevelopment started as soon as possible.

"We're actually working on trying to get some construction started on those two this year. I think one of them could hold 25 units and the other one about 12, that order of magnitude. We're trying to work with the homebuilders and some of the non-profit groups and say, 'Why don't we build some units there this year?' "

[email protected]

Source

[swilley]

Capital Theatre Closing For Good
By Mervin Brass
Updated March 20, 2008 - 5:00pm

Saskatoon will lose another movie house.
The Capital will close its doors in less than two weeks.
Its not known yet what movies will be the last ones to play the Capital.
A theatre insider tells me the Capital was squeezed out of the market.
The Capital is less than a block away from the Galaxy a huge multi screen theatre complex.
About 15 people will lose their jobs because of the closure.
As for the building's future my source tells me it will be turned into office space.

Source

Awesome, all we need is another 2-3 story small office building.

Sounds like some high-rise affordable housing for 20th - I am sure that will be a real beauty.

[swilley]

Some pics from the weekend.
Credit - me.

CLS addition...


Bes...


Scroll x2 >

[joelpiecowye]

nice shots

oh ya where did u take the last photo of the bess?

[swilley]

Originally Posted by joelpiecowye

nice shots

oh ya where did u take the last photo of the bess?

From room 510, you can thank my wife!

[prairieguy]

Someone mentioned there is a dedicated thread on the Lake Placid development?? Can you please provide a link to that thread? I think this is so exciting for our city and I too hope we don't get hung up on a debate over adding 2 stories to the hotel proposal. If adding 2 stories upgrades the quality of the hotel (i.e. Fairmont verus Holiday Inn), then let's just do it!

I still hear grumblings over we need a 'public destination' complex at River Landing. Not sure what is planned for the AL Cole site area, but maybe that could be this 'public destination' that so many people seem to want. Wont' get into ideas here, as they have been offered lots on this site (i.e. IMAX, Joni Mitchell museum, River Aquarium Centre, Children's museum/science center). I think the issue is where will public money come from for this, as this is not the type of thing that is funded privately. Perhaps our new prov government could re-direct some of the money spent on provincial building in Regina to a public destination building in Saskatchewan's economic driving largest city??

[CCF]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

Perhaps our new prov government could re-direct some of the money spent on provincial building in Regina to a public destination building in Saskatchewan's economic driving largest city??

Right.....not unlike the massive amount of investment being made by the Province at the U of S.

[Dalreg]

Originally Posted by CCF

Right.....not unlike the massive amount of investment being made by the Province at the U of S.

What no government investment at U of R? Regina has always got MORE than it's fair share of govenment money. Time to balance the books.

[CCF]

Originally Posted by Dalreg

What no government investment at U of R? Regina has always got MORE than it's fair share of govenment money. Time to balance the books.

Really? Are there appropriate facts/documents to back that up?

Obviously the U of R gets funding, but last time I checked there weren't any $100 million buildings being constructed by the Province.

http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=f89acf6f-4b3f-48df-97c4-85b5f7f412a9

he Government of Saskatchewan committed to this project in 2003. In 2005 the Government invested $100 million for the project, the single largest capital contribution by the province to a university.

Sounds pretty good to me.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

Someone mentioned there is a dedicated thread on the Lake Placid development?? Can you please provide a link to that thread?

Good amount of discussion, although we went off topic for a page or 2 ...but still a good collection of articles and opinions if that is what your interested in.
Saskatoon River Landing - Lake Placid proposal

[Ruckus]

Thank you for the photos swilley

[molasses]

Interesting article...it's too bad there wasn't more info on the King George...looks like the Good Food Junction will be a pretty interseting place, it's great to see someone finally getting stuff like this happening in town.


Station 20 West joins green building movement

Paul Hanley
The StarPhoenix


Tuesday, March 25, 2008


New green buildings are beginning to take shape on Saskatoon's drawing boards. Among them is the Community Enterprise Centre (CEC) at Station 20 West, the new development at Avenue K on 20th Street.

"Promoting the green design, construction, renovation and operation of buildings could cut North American greenhouse-gas emissions more deeply, quickly and cheaply than any other available measure," according to Green Buildings in North America, Opportunities and Challenges, a new report by the North American Commission on Environmental Co-operation. (It's free online at www.cec.org.)

That's why it is encouraging to see local early adopters like Station 20, the University of Saskatchewan and Innovation Place building a series of green facilities, including the new law centre on the U of S campus.

Station 20 West's enterprise centre epitomizes the intelligent approach to sustainable design. Architect Charles Olfert, who was recently certified as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) professional, describes the project with visible enthusiasm.

Olfert says the No. 1 feature of any green building is an outstanding envelope, meaning very high levels of insulation, serious glazing and careful sealing. Once this is in place, the need for non-renewable energy sources is reduced dramatically, resulting in lower long-term operating costs.

Renewable energy for the building will come from passive solar gain, the use of a "solar wall" to preheat air intake, and solar panels for hot water heating. The CEC will also feature heating and cooling loops in the building's foundations.

Another innovation will be the capture of waste heat given off by the large coolers in the Good Food Junction, the grocery store that will be a key feature at Station 20 West. Instead of venting the heat, it will keep the building warm in winter. Maximizing the use of natural light through window placement and light sensor switches will further reduce energy bills. A "solar chimney atrium" will create natural ventilation that will keep the building cooler in summer, with less air conditioning.

Other features that make the building unique are a "biowall" in the atrium to enhance internal air quality, water conservation using rainwater storage and waterless urinals, and providing showers and secure bicycle storage to encourage CEC staff and volunteers to use active transportation.

But Station 20 West is more than a green building. It's a new community centre that helps make the neighbourhood more sustainable. By co-locating 55 residential units, a library, and services like clinics, the grocery store, and a coffee shop, as well as an array of community service agencies like Quint and CHEP, Station 20 West is revitalizing 20th Street by creating an urban village. Instead of using cars, people will be able to live, shop, access services and get together on site.

Playing with the acronym LEED, Olfert is calling Station 20 West a SEED (Social Economic and Environmental Design) project. Its overarching purpose is sustainable social and economic development for the neighbourhood. One example of this is the plan to incorporate community kitchens that will facilitate the processing of local food products for sale in the grocery store.

Olfert is also involved in what could be the first commercial LEED project in Saskatoon, the renovation of the former King George Hotel. Let's hope Lake Placid will now jump on the bandwagon and adopt a LEED standard for its new River Landing development.

It is timely that the Facilities Management Division of the University of Saskatchewan is sponsoring a two-day workshop, Life Cycle Costs for Green Buildings, Wednesday April 9 and 10 in Room 1E80 of the agriculture building. The event, which is targeted at professionals in the building industry, is billed as an opportunity "to learn ways to plan, design, build and operate intelligent green buildings." The registration deadline is Wednesday, March 26. For information and costs contact Ruth Gilmour at 966-4574.

A shorter introduction to LEED will be presented on April 9, 2008, 7 p.m. at the J.S. Wood Library (1801 Lansdowne Ave), with Dave Palibroda of In Design. For more information, please call the co-sponsor, the Saskatchewan Environmental Society, at 665-1915.

© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2008

[nook]

I was just wondering... is there anyone who can provide a rundown of what exactly is going in at Stonegate up by Stonebridge?

I know a Petland's going up, as well as some other things... but what else?

Also... I know there's a bookstore going in by the Centre Mall on 8th... what's the name of it?

[Echoes]

Indigo Books is what's going up on 8th.

I don't know much about what's going into Stonegate in terms of big box stores. However, there are plans to build a Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Stonebridge. I'm assuming it would be built as part of the Stonegate centre or nearby but I'm not certain.

[circle33]

Not much going on a round here. Well this is something. If nothing else, I learned a new word.

Actually I'm quite interested in seeing what they come up with.

Design Charette To Take Place For Ecovillage

Written by Jim Mattern - 600 Action News-Local First
Wednesday, 26 March 2008

A non-profit corporation planning to build a 21-million dollar ecovillage at River Landing Phase 2 will have a design plan in place by the end of April.

Rick Olmstead, a spokesman for Prairie Ecovillage Development Corporation says a design charette (shuh-RETT) will be held April 14-17th to plan the project. Olmstead says the Director of UBC Architecture's design centre for sustainability will facilitate the planning session and is bringing a three member architectural design team. He says the proposal is to build 65 residential and 10 commercial units on the 1.2 acre site between Avenues B and C on 19th Street. Once completed the project will be net-zero for greenhouse gas emissions . Olmstead says it will demonstrate that the environmental footprint of urban living can be reduced at a reasonable price.

Construction is expected to begin in 2009, with completion projected for sometime in 2010.

Source

[Echoes]

^Thanks circle, I've learned a new word now too.

As a student volunteer with CHEP (Child Hunger Education Program) I had a lunch meeting today with two prominent members of that organization. CHEP is a partner in the proposed Community Enterprise Centre at Station 20 West and is behind a planned grocery store for the core neighborhoods at that location.

They mentioned that recently, the $8 million earmarked for the Community Enterprise Centre by the NDP gov't has been clawed back by the new Sask Party government. This is something to watch for in the media in the coming days and weeks (likely even tonight-- I saw camera crews at Station 20 this afternoon) as organizations involved with this project plan to mobilize members and supporters.

They are meeting with any available Saskatoon MLAs or cabinet ministers to try and have this decision reversed. Also, a letter writing campaign is underway. Use of the media and other means will also be used to express dissent and get the word out about this.

Those that I had a meeting with said that without this $8 million, it will be difficult for them to proceed with the CEC. Instead of a one year time frame for completion, they'd be looking at a course of several years to complete fundraising and construction.

It's possible that this revoked $8 million will be used towards a "Sask Party made" revitalization project or it could simply be politics: Station 20 after all is located in Lorne Calvert's constituency.

Regardless, this is an exciting development that we should not let die. And to the Provincial government, $8 million can't be more than a drop in a bucket. If you have the time, write letters and express your dissent.

[swilley]

^^ Your right, saw it on the news a few minutes ago... Too bad, I agree that this needs to go ahead.

[ReginaGuy]

Originally Posted by swilley

cool, I liked this shot!

[shmakim]

Hmmm, what's going on here?

Station 20 West in jeopardy: SP exclusive
Province is pulling $8 million in funding, finance minister says
Lori Coolican, TheStarPhoenix.com
Published: Wednesday, March 26, 2008
SASKATOON - The future of Station 20 West, a multi-purpose development under construction in Saskatoon's core area, is in serious jeopardy, having lost the provincial government's financial support, the StarPhoenix.com has learned exclusively on Wednesday.

A previous funding commitment of about $8 million for the project, announced last year by then-premier Lorne Calvert, will not be honoured by the Saskatchewan Party government, Finance Minister Rod Gantefoer confirmed Wednesday.

(rest of article)
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoen...b9fc-2e99-40d2-a786-33d97d697a1e&k=18277


Wednesday there's a story about green building initiatives and Thursday there's a story about the whole project being pulled?

I wonder if there's some kind of compromise that can be reached between the Sask party and the project... like phased funding and a later completion date.