Regina Construction II

[BrannyMuffin]

I really hope they keep it open to vehicles but what I find interesting is the large number of people who don't want to see vehicles driving there. I think a lot of people are convinced that someone is going to be hit by a car. Really this isn't likely with a 30k speed limit as long as people are paying attention. Another thing I've heard people worrying about is the pavers getting marked up...The major shift in people's attitudes toward the area has been fascinating to me.

[A4Regina]

Originally Posted by BrannyMuffin

Didn't they go from franchises to corporate owned stores a few years ago? That could be the reason you find stores in places you wouldn't expect while other centres are without. I believe the Saskatoon store is owned by a franchisee so I could see why the company might want to test the market before opening a corporate store. Or they could open a pop up store for a few months and then disappear again. Also didn't I read on here that it will be located outside the mall? Any idea where?

Edit: Nevermind, I see where it is now. I always thought that if they could open that spot up to where EB Games is that it would be a good spot for a store like Sephora...

Edit again: Am I looking in the right place? We're talking west of EB Games right? It would be nice to have some retail in there!

Instead of posting yet again I decided to just edit this post...yet again!

From what I understand, it will indeed be right beside EB games (link to the building).. This is a great location! It will certainly add some street life. I'm hoping that it will stay as a fixed location, downtown regina needs these types of retailers to draw the crowd in.

[jigglysquishy]

Originally Posted by BrannyMuffin

PS If you guys haven't been checking the Facebook page for Flip, you should give it a look. They've updated the pictures and it looks awesome!

I'd like to go out with some friends there next weekend. I assume it will be quite busy?

[CCF]

Originally Posted by Stormer

The City just circulated a letter stating that the administration is recommending to council that the plaza remain pedestrian only at least until the dowtown transportation study is completed next spring. Council will consider this Nov. 8. It appears right turns off Scarth on to 12th will be allowed.

I can't believe they are too chicken to even give it a try. Sure it might not work well but they spent a fortune in design, traffic lights, and especially reinforced concrete, in order to make this driveable. With the rapid growth of our City downtown traffic is only going to get worse and this will not help.

If this is never opened, all hope of retail, including restaurants on this stretch might be dashed. The only surviving "retail" now is HSBC and I understand they are not happy.

They should open it for a month and see how it goes. There are no events this time of year anyway.

I understand what you are saying but from what I'm hearing a lot of people (e.g. the public) are asking for it to remain closed. Like Branny said, it's fascinating to see the change in attitude going on here. People were ready to storm City Hall with pitchforks and now they requesting it remain closed to automobiles!

[DowntownRiderFan]

Originally Posted by BrannyMuffin

PS If you guys haven't been checking the Facebook page for Flip, you should give it a look. They've updated the pictures and it looks awesome!

They have also taken down the brown paper covering the windows and you can see inside from the street.

Edit: I see now that if you look at the facebook page it tells you the paper is down.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by CCF

I understand what you are saying but from what I'm hearing a lot of people (e.g. the public) are asking for it to remain closed. Like Branny said, it's fascinating to see the change in attitude going on here. People were ready to storm City Hall with pitchforks and now they requesting it remain closed to automobiles!

I was thinking about this before... It would be kind of awesome if they ended up setting up a German-style Christmas Market. They could do a little skating rink area, and set up little shots with snacks, hot drinks, stuff like that.

[skphc08]

Originally Posted by TechnicalRecession

Hey that would be great! Then we would only need Banana Republic, Club Monaco, Guess Jeans, Mexx, H & M etc etc to open shop and we'll have officially made big city status!!

Crappy retailers [with the exception of BR] alone don't confer "big city status." I'm all for expanding business, but I could personally do without those places.

[jigglysquishy]

Originally Posted by Nathan

I was thinking about this before... It would be kind of awesome if they ended up setting up a German-style Christmas Market. They could do a little skating rink area, and set up little shots with snacks, hot drinks, stuff like that.

Having a functional Christmas market would be one of the most exciting and dynamic things ever brought to Regina.

[GregCB]

Plaza to Remain Traffic-Free for the Winter

Here's a link to a post on what the city announced at the press conference today:
http://www.prairiedogmag.com/?p=32696

[TechnicalRecession]

Originally Posted by skphc08

Crappy retailers [with the exception of BR] alone don't confer "big city status." I'm all for expanding business, but I could personally do without those places.

I was joking about the big city status, even with all those retailers I wouldn't consider Regina a big city, we'd need another 2 million people plus to get to that status. The point I was trying to make was larger centers have a wide array of shopping, dining, entertainment options, IMO Regina lacks that, it's a subjective opinion but that's how I feel about it. If we have more brand name shopping in this city I'd like it and I would spend less at those types of stores when I travel to other cities as I could get their clothing here!

[Stormer]

The skating rink was contemplated with the plaza being open to traffic at the same time.

There are 200 days between November and April. How may of these are programmed. I am guessing next to none, which would mean it is booked solid form May-Oct.

[boborider]

Changing topic slightly, I have been thinking about what the Gordon Block sight could be used for that would fit exceedingly well into that space and greatly enhance the plaza as a gathering and people place. We all know that Globe Theatre is looking for new digs. A development that would include a new theatre at ground or mezzanine floor level as well as a co-existing movie theatre. The main could be mix of restaurants and retail. Using the facade of the Gordon Building to maintain the character of the street would then allow the streetscape to retain some of it's past and preserve history while being generator of activity during the day and evenings. The more people you have milling about would serve to dramtically decrease the incidents of vandalism and crime. If Harvard decides to go with an office tower, then locating these facilities on the first two or three levels would certainly humanize the block. There is nothing more desolate than a bank of empty office windows at street level other than a brick wall facing the square.

[cityboy]

I'm all for more street level retail downtown, as it is really needed to liven up the place, but if Lululemon opens up a permanent spot I'm concerned about what it will do to One Tooth and Yoga Mala. Not sure about One Tooth, but I'd much rather have a local business like Yoga Mala than Lululemon any day.

As for Starbucks, I think we can do without them. Again, I 'd much rather have the local businesses mentioned than a company that touts Fair Trade coffee, tea etc. yet is vehemently opposed to it's own employees attempting to bargain collectively. Besides, you can get it at Chapters, Safeway, U of R etc...

[BrannyMuffin]

Originally Posted by cityboy

I'm all for more street level retail downtown, as it is really needed to liven up the place, but if Lululemon opens up a permanent spot I'm concerned about what it will do to One Tooth and Yoga Mala. Not sure about One Tooth, but I'd much rather have a local business like Yoga Mala than Lululemon any day.

As for Starbucks, I think we can do without them. Again, I 'd much rather have the local businesses mentioned than a company that touts Fair Trade coffee, tea etc. yet is vehemently opposed to it's own employees attempting to bargain collectively. Besides, you can get it at Chapters, Safeway, U of R etc...

I can't really see people who are going to Yoga Mala give it up for Lululemon. They've got quite a dedicated following, people love it. One Tooth may be more of an issue, but they're a fair bit cheaper so maybe there's a market for both. It's funny to have Yoga Mala, One Tooth and Lululemon 500m apart...

I have gone to Safeway for a coffee because the mood struck me. I don't think that Starbucks is going to put a good quality coffee place out of business if it's far enough away. I think people tend to frequent coffee shops that have good quality (Tim Horton's being the exception to that rule) and service and are convenient. So if you put a Starbucks somewhere along, say, Broad Street there isn't much for it to compete with in the immediate area as far as coffee shops go.

The thing about Starbucks, H&M, Bath and Body Works, etc. is that they are places that people will go out of their way to shop at. I think the best thing is a healthy mixture of local businesses and larger destination retailers. If you have the type of place to draw people in they will look around (especially if your "destination" stores are spread out a bit) and end up in those little local shops that they might not have even heard of before. This is probably especially true of visitors who might be wandering from place to place and see a store that they think looks promising. The other benefit that bigger retailers have is longer hours. It would be awesome if I could shop downtown until 11pm.

As for the plaza staying closed to traffic...if they can find a way to program it full time then more power to them! If there is nothing going on 90% of the time then they might as well allow for traffic, but if they can keep it busy without the vehicles I think that's the best thing. I think what we're seeing with people's reactions to the traffic issue is evidence of a slow change of mindset and it's great to see. If it's going to be programmed so much that people aren't going to know if it's open to traffic or not maybe it's better just to close it altogether. I wonder what that means for the fountain though?

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by boborider

Changing topic slightly, I have been thinking about what the Gordon Block sight could be used for that would fit exceedingly well into that space and greatly enhance the plaza as a gathering and people place. We all know that Globe Theatre is looking for new digs. A development that would include a new theatre at ground or mezzanine floor level as well as a co-existing movie theatre. The main could be mix of restaurants and retail. Using the facade of the Gordon Building to maintain the character of the street would then allow the streetscape to retain some of it's past and preserve history while being generator of activity during the day and evenings. The more people you have milling about would serve to dramtically decrease the incidents of vandalism and crime. If Harvard decides to go with an office tower, then locating these facilities on the first two or three levels would certainly humanize the block. There is nothing more desolate than a bank of empty office windows at street level other than a brick wall facing the square.

I believe the globe and possibly a small theatre were part of the possible redevelopment of the central library, which is also just off the square. Could be wrong in the theatre part though. I think that one's also being spearheaded by the hills.

[cityboy]

Originally Posted by BrannyMuffin

I can't really see people who are going to Yoga Mala give it up for Lululemon. They've got quite a dedicated following, people love it. One Tooth may be more of an issue, but they're a fair bit cheaper so maybe there's a market for both. It's funny to have Yoga Mala, One Tooth and Lululemon 500m apart...

I have gone to Safeway for a coffee because the mood struck me. I don't think that Starbucks is going to put a good quality coffee place out of business if it's far enough away. I think people tend to frequent coffee shops that have good quality (Tim Horton's being the exception to that rule) and service and are convenient. So if you put a Starbucks somewhere along, say, Broad Street there isn't much for it to compete with in the immediate area as far as coffee shops go.

The thing about Starbucks, H&M, Bath and Body Works, etc. is that they are places that people will go out of their way to shop at. I think the best thing is a healthy mixture of local businesses and larger destination retailers. If you have the type of place to draw people in they will look around (especially if your "destination" stores are spread out a bit) and end up in those little local shops that they might not have even heard of before. This is probably especially true of visitors who might be wandering from place to place and see a store that they think looks promising. The other benefit that bigger retailers have is longer hours. It would be awesome if I could shop downtown until 11pm.

As for the plaza staying closed to traffic...if they can find a way to program it full time then more power to them! If there is nothing going on 90% of the time then they might as well allow for traffic, but if they can keep it busy without the vehicles I think that's the best thing. I think what we're seeing with people's reactions to the traffic issue is evidence of a slow change of mindset and it's great to see. If it's going to be programmed so much that people aren't going to know if it's open to traffic or not maybe it's better just to close it altogether. I wonder what that means for the fountain though?

All good points, thanks Branny Muffin! Except for the part about going out of your way for starbucks maybe ; )

Something I'd like to see as a destination retailer downtown is Mountain Equipment Co-op. They usually build pleasing buildings as well...

[boborider]

Yes, I recall that a theatre was mentioned in the library plan, however, I'm thinking more a conventionsl cinema. I think the theatre envisioned by the library is a small venue to screen similar productions as they now do at the current library location. However, I guess I see no reason why the two different venues couldn't co-exist quite nicely. I do feel, however, that a significant private sector business presence must be a part of this to drive it economically in the long term.

[StealthGirl]

The issue of how name-brand stores draw is hideously evident at Southland Mall. I was in there yesterday and no wonder the tenants are unhappy with the old Walmart/could've been Zellers sitting empty and all the retail down the road at Grasslands. There is a lot of empty spaces in there. They need that draw in the old Walmart space.

I think the city will need to learn how to use the Plaza. End of this month, the city will have their Light the Holiday Lights party in the City Hall courtyard. It's an annual thing. The Plaza needs to have its events. So far, the only thing I've heard for the plaza is the Rick Hansen Relay Celebrations on Feb 04 as the relay passes through.

[skphc08]

Originally Posted by cityboy

All good points, thanks Branny Muffin! Except for the part about going out of your way for starbucks maybe ; )

Something I'd like to see as a destination retailer downtown is Mountain Equipment Co-op. They usually build pleasing buildings as well...

MEC would be great!

[DowntownRiderFan]

Originally Posted by cityboy

All good points, thanks Branny Muffin! Except for the part about going out of your way for starbucks maybe ; )

Something I'd like to see as a destination retailer downtown is Mountain Equipment Co-op. They usually build pleasing buildings as well...

MEC would be awesome. They have also shown with their Winnipeg location that they are not afraid to convert old abandoned buildings as well. Im sure there are a few underused buildings in Regina they could retrofit. Im thinking a MEC in the Travellers Building would be awesome.