Saskatoon Construction

[Measuring Stick]

Originally Posted by Morogolus

I haven't heard anything but I would say the JB Black project on college is dead in the water or in serious trouble because I haven't seen a single person working there since around June. It's just an ugly slab of concrete with some supports sticking out of it, lovely..

I am hearing this third party but I heard a bit more than a month ago that the developer put a hold on this project and told all trades to halt work immediately. Not sure if it is a financing problem or timing strategy to wait out other high end projects. Either way I agree not a good way to leave things.

[jrm857]

there was someone on monday on the jb estates site, but it was just a single guy, and a few weeks ago, near when classes started i did see a few guys working when i caught the bus in the morning. but for the most part its pretty dead.

[swilley]

Originally Posted by jrm857

there was someone on monday on the jb estates site, but it was just a single guy, and a few weeks ago, near when classes started i did see a few guys working when i caught the bus in the morning. but for the most part its pretty dead.

Maybe the guy is doing most of the work himself to save some money?

[TheCricket]

Original Joes was set to open a second location in Willowgrove, but has apparently pulled out due to financing.

[Echoes]

Stone barn closed over safety concerns

By Jeremy Warren, The StarPhoenix September 29, 2010

The University of Saskatchewan's iconic stone barn -- the 100-year-old structure seen from College Drive -- closed this month after engineers deemed the building unsafe.

The barn closed Sept. 10 and university officials aren't sure when it will reopen. In the meantime, the two dozen or so calves housed in the barn have found shelter elsewhere.

"The stone barn is one of the most iconic structures on campus," said Colin Tennent, associate vice-president of facilities management and the university's architect.

Built between 1910 and 1912 by the same firm that designed many of the university's signature buildings, the barn once stood alone on the prairie. Over a century, the

U of S campus grew around the barn, Tennent said.

The building's south side, where the freeze cycle has been particularly hard on the structure, has experienced serious wear and tear, Tennent said.

The building won't collapse in on itself -- the floor is very sound -- but officials are worried the building could lean too far in one direction, Tennent said.

.....

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Stone...oncerns/3594598/story.html#ixzz10wWfIOJP

[exploration camper]

Originally Posted by Ruckus

True...although I wonder how a passenger rail system will operate with the freight rail traffic. Could they share the line? I am sure that will sort itself out in the future.

Well if you look at the o-train in Ottawa that is what they did, they made an agreement to buy the line and right of way and where freight traffic was still used they had it all done in the night while the o-train is not running.

In Saskatoon's case I think the city should buy the CPR main line including the yards in sutherland and the 33rd street rail bridge. Then have CPR relocate further out of the city. Much like what happened in the 70s to move CN out of downtown. Then the city should use this corridor from the extension of 25th street to the yards in sutherland as the first segment of LRT complete with downtown and U of S stops. Part of the yards would be kept to service the saskatoon lrt trains, the rest would be divide up and sold for commercial along central avenue and light industrial property as well as connections for berini drive to mckercher. This use should be easier as the environmental requirements are less than for residential assumeing that the land is contaminated. These land sales could be used to offset the costs of buying the right of way, yards and bridge. After that you run diesel trains to eliminate large costs of overhead power lines for electric trains. Then once the hydro power at the weir is complete you set up a small hydrogren production facility in innovation place and start running your trains on hydrogen. Once the train has gained public acceptance you can expand to cover much of the west side and there is even a spur line that runs almost right to the airport.

Using the o-train model they showed a reduction in costs to constuct from ~$32 million a mile to ~$3 million a mile. of course that was in 2001.

[Ruckus]

^ Wow, I am impressed!

With regards to a U of S connection, are you thinking a station at Innovation Place with an express bus route running through campus?

Many people have expressed doubts about the usefulness of the CPR line for LRT because its routing does not serve areas of population or employment equally -- there is a disconnect between where people live/work and where the CPR line runs. That is one perspective. I expect (as do you I assume) the response will be a shift of people and jobs. It is not an insurmountable challenge to prepare for intensification around stations.

[exploration camper]

Thanks Ruckus.

Firstly yes the stop "on campus" would have to be in innovation place and bus shuttles to place riel as I can't see an easy way to extend the line through campus.

The line isn't ideal I'll grant you that but here is my argument. Crossing the river in Saskatoon is the most time intensive part of anyone's daily commute there are simply only so many crossings, in that sense the bus in Saskatoon is doomed to be slower than a car as the bridges are all shared. If all that you ever did with lrt was make a connection between two main bus terminals one in the west and one in the east it would be worth it and would have a substantial impact on transit ridership. Yes I do think that you would see densification and land use changes surrounding the line. As to other alignments I can't see how you would ever do it as you would either need to elevate the line, place it underground or expropriate a lot of land. All poor financial options, not to mention their other negative impacts.

[WhereverIRoam]

Originally Posted by Country

^ Yeah, it hasn't gone anywhere in ages. However, over the past couple weeks I have, on the odd day, seen one lone construction worker on site. Hard hat and all, but nobody else to be seen. An odd sight.

I walk by the site every day to get to school. It looks like they're doing electrical work in the foundation. I saw a few guys and large wires underground coming in and out, as well as an electrical company truck there for the past few days. So I highly doubt it's a dead project.

[WhereverIRoam]

This is a little off topic, but do any of you guys know of good places to catch stand up in town?

[Morogolus]

Originally Posted by WhereverIRoam

This is a little off topic, but do any of you guys know of good places to catch stand up in town?

The Laugh Club in the Parktown on 25th St right off the University Bridge is usually pretty funny which is every Saturday, I would recommend buying your tickets a few days in advance. Also every Monday at Beilys on 8th is a stand up show, usually just features local comics and can be a good laugh if you just want a night out with cheap wings. Dez Reed who is their headliner is usually pretty hilarious although sometimes it's a bit vulgar for my liking.

Those are the regular ones but there are always shows popping at various places throughout the city.

[Ruckus]

Great ideas exploration_camper. Thank you for sharing!

[North_Regina_Boy]

Originally Posted by WhereverIRoam

This is a little off topic, but do any of you guys know of good places to catch stand up in town?

Well I was watching the news tonight and there will be yuk Yuma at Dakota dunes casino next thurdays night, and the first Thursday in November is just for laughs at TCU Place.

Hope that's helps some.

[Ruckus]

You really had to be there to feel the energy!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=151325318234223&ref=ts

What really irked me was the police preventing us from traveling down 21st Street towards Midtown (they stopped us at 4th Avenue). I was hoping we would take over Broadway Bridge

• Video Link

• Video Link

[kgc087]

So I hope everyone enjoyed my mug shot in the paper on Friday! I just submitted my first blog entry which should be up in the next day or two! It's discussing how a university builds a city.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by kgc087

So I hope everyone enjoyed my mug shot in the paper on Friday! I just submitted my first blog entry which should be up in the next day or two! It's discussing how a university builds a city.

As always, I look forward to your thoughts on how to build a better Saskatoon

The SP recruited a good mix of opinions in terms of age, gender, profession. Although I am a little concerned with the lack of representation from the business community. Their absence was also noted at Friday's public engagement sessions. I have been told there will be smaller, more targeted focus groups in late Oct, early Nov. which should address the gaps in representation.

Ha, I have read a few comments suggesting that the people who attended Fri. and Sat. sessions are not representative of the community. I wonder which groups will emerge with an agenda to securing the status quo Calgary went through a similar process a few years ago and some of the developers who owned greenfield property came out hard against the recommendations. I would not be surprised if that occurs here to some degree. Unlike the City of Calgary though, we have the Land Bank which includes much of the future greenfield development areas -- most of the west sector and northeast sector IIRC. The next six months will be very interesting!

[kgc087]

Originally Posted by Ruckus

As always, I look forward to your thoughts on how to build a better Saskatoon

The SP recruited a good mix of opinions in terms of age, gender, profession. Although I am a little concerned with the lack of representation from the business community. Their absence was also noted at Friday's public engagement sessions. I have been told there will be smaller, more targeted focus groups in late Oct, early Nov. which should address the gaps in representation.

Ha, I have read a few comments suggesting that the people who attended Fri. and Sat. sessions are not representative of the community. I wonder which groups will emerge with an agenda to securing the status quo Calgary went through a similar process a few years ago and some of the developers who owned greenfield property came out hard against the recommendations. I would not be surprised if that occurs here to some degree. Unlike the City of Calgary though, we have the Land Bank which includes much of the future greenfield development areas -- most of the west sector and northeast sector IIRC. The next six months will be very interesting!

Check out my post on a university building a city.

[TheCricket]

I heard last night in class that Lydia's on Broadway is up for sale. Anyone know anything about that?
What about the property formerly known as "Wendy's" on Idylwyld, the For Sale sign has been removed and the property is taking shape - looks like another restaurant. Any leads?

[studentview]

lydia's is in fact for sale. Just the business though, nothing to do with the real estate. $750,000 asking price. Also on my way to work this morning, i saw that positive passions has started to put up their signage on the former mckague funeral parlour downtown. nothin like finishing up your evening MBA class and then heading across the street for some edible panties. haha classic

[Measuring Stick]

Wendy's on Idylwyld is in the process of being converted to another Tim Horton's.