Saskatoon Construction

[Ruckus]

First-quarter housing starts up over 2007 in city
TheStarPhoenix.com
Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008

SASKATOON - Construction has started on nearly 600 housing units in Saskatoon in the first three months of 2008 and the pace is expected to continue through the spring, according to a new report released Tuesday.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) residential construction survey for March shows that total housing starts for the year are 85 per cent higher than those recorded in the first three months of 2007, up to 590 units this year from 319 last year. Paul Caton, CMHC's market analyst for Saskatchewan, said the corporation isn't cutting back its housing forecast for Saskatoon until 2009. Most of the growth this year will come in the first two quarters, he added.

"The momentum continues," Caton said about the housing starts.

"We're seeing a 37-per-cent increase in housing starts in Saskatchewan's urban areas. On the single-detached side, we're seeing a 27-per-cent increase in the first quarter in housing starts and on the multi-family side, there's more than a 53-per-cent increase in the number of housing starts."

The last time Saskatoon recorded March numbers as high as last month's single-detached housing starts, at 128 units, was in 1983, according to the report. Multi-family housing starts, which include condominiums and apartments, are also up over last year to 86 starts last month from four in March 2007.

"The multi's are very strong, especially in Saskatoon which has always been sort of the condominium capital of the province. As a matter of fact we've got 900 to 1,000 multi-family units now under construction in Saskatoon, so we're forecasting that those types of housing starts should start to slow down mid-year or toward the end of the year," he explained.

With more than 1,000 single-family homes under construction in and around the city as well, Caton believes more rental units and resale homes will be available once homeowners move into the new properties. Most of the multi-family construction is being done on condos, he said, adding the few apartments included in the count are meant for families with limited income.

"Rents are increasing on the rental housing side such as they've never increased before, we have extremely low vacancies, there's a very low inventory on the resale side . . . and that pushed people into the new housing side whereas they usually would have stayed in the resale or residential housing," Caton said. "If we get those other two sectors loosened up, that is the rental housing and resale housing, that will probably cause people to drop back from new housing and get into the existing stuff again."

Saskatchewan cities with populations of more than 10,000 all saw an increase in housing starts, except for Estevan and Lloydminster, which dropped by 20 per cent and 85 per cent, respectively. Regina's total housing starts at the end of March increased 16.5 per cent from the first quarter of 2007, to 127 from 109.

Nationally, housing starts are down slightly from February, to 254,700 units in March from 255,600.

[email protected]




Council backs apartment incentive plan
Lori Coolican, The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008

City council agreed in principle Monday to a $6-million rebate program to lure private developers into building 1,000 new apartments within the next two years.

"I wish it wasn't in principle. I wish it was the real McCoy tonight," said Coun. Maurice Neault, who congratulated civic staff on the proposal.

The exact details will need some working out, but the plan is "absolutely a step in the right direction," said Alan Thomarat of the Saskatoon and Region Homebuilders Association.

"I think we should meet as soon as possible to work on the details," he told council.

The proposed program would offer a cash rebate of up to $10,000 per unit to compensate investors for their land costs -- about half the current market value -- if they build multiple-unit apartment blocks.

The rebates would be contingent on construction being finished within 18 months, the suites being kept as rentals for at least 15 years and 20 per cent of them being rented at "entry-level" prices, which are defined by the city as $1,100 to $1,500 per month.

The timeline may be too short, and builders have some issues with the "entry-level" units, but it's a move in the right direction, Thomarat said.

Some councillors expressed concern about the short-term situation for renters, however.

"This only makes sense if we don't keep allowing buildings to convert to condominiums," said Coun. Charlie Clark, noting some 1,600 local apartments have been converted or begun the conversion process over the last year, shrinking the number of rental units in the city.

"If we keep converting units, I don't see why we'd spend (public) money to build more," Clark said.

Not long after agreeing to talk further with builders about the rebate program, council was confronted with applications from five property investors to convert nine more local apartment blocks into condominiums -- a total of 183 units.

Student Kimberly Erickson moved into one of them -- in a building on Arlington Avenue -- after her last place was converted into a condo. In late October, she and her neighbours were notified a numbered company from Alberta intends to convert the Arlington building.

"So where is a person supposed to go? If I move, what are my chances that the next building won't be converted?" Erickson wrote in an e-mail attached to city council's agenda.

"Not everyone can afford to purchase a home, especially at the prices these days. Thousands of students who are not from Saskatoon are in need of affordable places to live; and not everyone has wealthy parents who can buy a condo for them while they attend school."

More than a dozen residents of five buildings in the 2700 and 2900 blocks of Seventh Street East also wrote letters pleading with council to reject an Alberta-based investor's application to convert those buildings.

A man living in one of those buildings raised concerns about its state of repair -- including a serious ant infestation, mold and leaky windows that leave puddles on the floor.

"This is particularly worrying in view of the landlords' intent to sell the condominiums to existing tenants for $180,000 in their current condition," he wrote.

"(W)hilst I accept that conversion to condominiums is eventually inevitable in the current property market . . . it is my opinion that a serious investigation into health and other hazards of the building be made before any licence for conversion is granted, if ever. If, on the other hand, the landlords wish to continue to rent the apartments out to loyal tenants like ourselves, they will have our gratitude even given these problems."

The investor, Danny Perreault, said he intends to market the condos to other investors who will likely rent them out again.

Only Clark voted against the nine building conversions Monday. Two others, councillors Pat Lorje and Bob Pringle, were absent.

In an effort to ensure developers comply with the city's conversion policy, council voted to approve each of the applications only on condition the buildings' owners offer enforceable leases to existing tenants for two years at rental rates comparable to similar apartments in their area.

[email protected]

Source


City buys land for new neighbourhood
The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008

The City of Saskatoon's land bank is about to become the new owner of a 160-acre chunk of farmland in the city's northeast.

City council voted Monday night to approve the $3.99-million purchase for future neighbourhood development from the current owner of the land, Anderson Ventures Inc.

Located north of Agra Road and about three kilometres east of Central Avenue, the land is expected to be sold after the remaining lots in the nearby new suburb of Willowgrove have been absorbed, which will probably happen during the next two years, according to a report from civic staff.

"Preparation of the concept plan for this new neighbourhood is well underway and is scheduled to be submitted to city council for approval later in 2008," staff note.

"Once the concept plan has been approved, servicing work will be undertaken in order to provide new lots for sale starting in the fall of 2009."

The new neighbourhood, which has not yet been named, is expected to take between 10 and 15 years to complete.

Source

City to guarantee revitalization project
Lori Coolican, The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Profit-driven builders had no interest in buying two parcels of residential land to revitalize an inner-city area near St. Mary School, so the city is offering to pay them to do the work on its behalf instead.

A formal call for expressions of interest (EOI) in developing homes on the newly cleared land this winter resulted in four responses -- and all four came from non-profit groups who would rely entirely on government funding to proceed.

Private homebuilders in the city have said they did not respond to the EOI because "they are concerned about the potential risk of a new housing venture in a revitalization scheme when there are more attractive opportunities elsewhere," according to a report received by city council.

Civic officials are concerned the non-profit groups would not be able to proceed with construction on their own this year, leaving the land empty, the report states.

"There is also a desire to offer a certain amount of units as homeownership opportunities to avoid the perception that the revitalization project is only for rental units and social housing. . . . It is important that development commence within this area in 2008 to maintain confidence in the revitalization project."

Without debate, city council voted unanimously Monday to issue a request for proposals to local homebuilders to construct about 42 housing units on two parcels of newly cleared residential land near St. Mary School -- with all the risk born by the city, instead of the builders.

The builders would have to construct homes that conform to the concept plan for the site and offer up to half of the units for sale to the four non-profit groups who answered the city's earlier call for expressions of interest, on a right-of-first refusal basis, according to the report.

If none of those groups are interested in buying the completed units, they will be "offered to the marketplace," along with the other half of the units, by the homebuilders.

Any remaining units after that would be offered to Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, civic officials recommend.

If any units remain unsold in the end, they will be purchased by the city and rented out as "entry-level leases" to low- and moderate-income households.

[email protected]

Source

[Ruckus]

City sees industrial land rush
Average price for one acre of land reaches $275,000
Cassandra Kyle, The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008

The market for industrial land in and around Saskatoon keeps rising, along with the cost for a serviced lot.

According to a recent Colliers McClocklin first quarter industrial market report, the average price for an acre of fully serviced industrial land within city limits hit $275,000 in the three months leading off 2008. In the Marquis Industrial area, some lots were listed as high as $290,000 per acre and sold at an average of $294,000 per acre -- seven per cent more than asking price.

"It's unknown who the purchasers are of the land at this time, which I think will tell another story once it comes out," said company president Tom McClocklin, adding those are the highest prices the city has ever seen for industrial lots.

"Is it new businesses coming here? Is it businesses expanding? Is it speculators looking to flip it down the road? Is it developers looking to build and lease it out? It's probably some of all of that."

The average 2007 price of a fully serviced lot in the city hit $234,000, up from $190,000 in 2006, according to the report.

McClocklin said fully and partially serviced lots available outside of city limits are becoming a popular option for buyers who don't need to own land in Saskatoon. Lots in the BizHub Industrial Park, located in the R.M. of Corman Park on Highway 16, range in price from $175,000 to $300,000 per acre. Industrial lots in Warman, Martensville and Langham are selling for $150,000 to $185,000 per acre.

"If you want it in the main part of Saskatoon you're going to have to pay this price, but there are some less expensive options in some of the bedroom communities around Saskatoon if the location isn't as important to you," he said.

While options outside the city provide choice for buyers, industrial land is available in Saskatoon today and there is more on the way, said Trevor Bell, manager of the city's land banking office. To meet demand, Bell said, the city is tripling the number of fully serviced industrial lots it will release this year, up to 140 from the 30 to 40 released in an average year.

"We have accelerated our land development program, both in the residential and industrial side, to try and meet that demand," said Bell.

"Hopefully the demand is being met by our supply inside the city limits, and there's always options for people to go elsewhere if it's advantageous for them."

In March, the city released 69 acres of industrial land. Of that, 28 acres remain for sale, Bell said, adding another 69 acres are set to be ready for sale this summer.

Though the price of industrial land increased by 20 per cent in the first three months of the year, McClocklin said the demand isn't slowing. With the industrial vacancy rate now sitting at 1.94 per cent compared to 2.17 per cent in the second quarter of 2007, he said, the need for more serviced acres is becoming clear.

"I think a lot of businesses are expanding and need more room, and I think there's lots of potential new businesses looking to come to Saskatoon and need a place to go," he said.

[email protected]

Source

Building permit value drops in Saskatoon
The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008

The value of Saskatoon building permits issued in February dropped nearly 27 per cent from January due to lower non-residential construction plans, Statistics Canada said.

In its report released Monday, the federal agency said the value of building permits in Saskatchewan's largest city dropped by 26.9 per cent to $39.2 million in February from $53.7 million in January. Permits in Regina, however, rose by 40.1 per cent in the same time period, to $29.7 million in February from $21.2 million in January.

Year-over-year, permit values rose in both Saskatoon and Regina, according to Statistics Canada, which compared values in January and February 2007 with those in the first two months of 2008. In Saskatoon, values rose 11.8 per cent to $92.9 million in 2008 from $83.1 million in 2007. Regina recorded a 7.6 per cent gain to $50.8 million from $47.2 million in 2007.

Provincially, values dropped month-to-month but rose over the year, according to the data. From January to February, the province recorded a 5.5 per cent decline to $109.6 million from $115.9 million the year previous. While residential permits made a six per cent gain in early 2008, non-residential permits dropped more than 30 per cent in the one-month period.

Saskatchewan permit values rose by 17.7 per cent to $225.5 million recorded in the same time period this year from $191.6 million recorded in January and February 2007.

Source

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by kgc087

Hello everyone! So I have been following the forums for quite some time and have decided to join! I'm living in Calgary for the time but shall be moving back home to Saskatoon in August which is exciting. I recently read a comment about the 2nd Ave lofts and how they look a bit stagnent. I emailed the 2nd Ave lofts and they said that people shall be moving in this summer! How exciting! As well has anyone heard about what's going on with the building which the bassment was in? Also has anything happened with the proposed building to go up beside Mykonos?

The Glengarry building...SP says:

Doug Hall, the salesperson with ICR Commercial Real Estate who is working with Kaye, said the building will remain an office building. Kaye is putting $300,000 into the first phase of renovations, which will include the installation of an air conditioning, a new boiler, roof and lobby.

Source

The office tower beside Mykonos...I think it was called Tower 21 or something, ah yes!

Originally Posted by circle33

Tower 21 site. If they're gonna be ready for 2007 as they claim they better get started.

Developers and land owners are waiting for confirmation of Cameco's tower before beginning a new project...that's why this lot is sitting vacant, and perhaps there was no interest back in 2007

[macca]

SASKFTW, can you expand on your last point? Why would developers be waiting on Cameco?

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by macca

SASKFTW, can you expand on your last point? Why would developers be waiting on Cameco?

My analysis:

The small developers will wait for the large developers to make the first move...project development is costly and risky, if the big projects are approved it may send a signal to other groups that there are profits to be made, that the market has potential (What kind of potential?).

1. Cameco's tower will undoubtedly set a new standard for downtown Saskatoon office space; size, layout, location, style, amenities, price, costs...and all that jazz. The standards will influence the decisions of other players in the market, others may consider adopting similar elements/strategies as those implemented in the proposed tower(s).

2. Realtors who understand the downtown office market have let it be known that the construction of one or two towers (Cameco presumed to occupy one of them) will effectively raise lease rates across the board for existing and potential office projects (e.g. Tower 21).

3. The expectation of Cameco moving downtown changes the dynamic of downtown: Will Cameco occupy every floor of the new tower? Will other firms co-locate with Cameco? Might small firms follow Cameco downtown (e.g. independent support services? I don't know how Cameco conducts itself...)? How might existing office space compete with the new developments?

4. Saskatoon is not Calgary, there isn't tremendous demand for downtown office space. Essentially, most developers won't risk their capital on a new building if they are uncertain of the local market.

The big fish will appear first, then the little fish will follow...I think, if demand proves sufficient.

[jrochest]

Pure speculation here... I hate to say it, but the 2nd Ave Lofts look like they're on their way to becoming the next Five Corners condos. When there's no progress for so long and no credible information forthcoming from the developer, the project has got to be in trouble. I think the developers got in way over their heads with this one, and they might not be able to complete it. Perhaps I'm wrong and maybe they will somehow pull it off... but I'm doubtful about that.

I'm wondering this myself: it's one thing to say that 'construction costs are high' and "it takes a year to build a house, condo's may take two" but the King George has not had trouble getting labour, Galaxy Cinemas went up PDQ, Persephone was a year from announcement of the project to fireworks on the river -- hummm.....

As to the timeline: they've been at this since summer 2005.

A little bit of searching turns up a post on the Skyscraper City forums from Aug 31, 2005, linking to the 2nd Avenue Lofts page, and showing a picture of the VACANT LOT on Sask Cresent where the Waterford condos currently stand:

there's a SP article from March 2006, declaring that the units would be ready for occupancy in a year:

an April 2006 post from someone looking at lofts at Skyscrapercity (could have been my friend) declaring that the units would be ready for occupancy in the summer of 07;

a post on the webpage of "Living Rock Ventures", a local real estate investment firm who have bought 6 units, declaring that the units would be ready for a summer 08 occupancy, and speaking of a "possible joint venture partnership for this project"

and then Haitman's post, copied above (sorry, I should have searched first).

And now, hey guess what! They'll be ready in about 4 months!

It's one thing to say that construction is hard to manage in Saskatoon, but if the people who financed the Waterford could construct, finish and sell a 15 story building in the time it took these guys to put in the windows in and the top story on -- well, all I can say is that I'm really glad I didn't give them any money.

[kgc087]

Well hopefully Cameco will construct soon or another major company will so some more d/t building will happen.

[macca]

Big signs up at the River Landing Village site with a picture of the latest rendering (featuring the additional office 'tower').

[socialisthorde]

Originally Posted by SASKFTW

[B][SIZE="4"]

Source


City buys land for new neighbourhood

City to guarantee revitalization project
Lori Coolican, The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Profit-driven builders had no interest in buying two parcels of residential land to revitalize an inner-city area near St. Mary School, so the city is offering to pay them to do the work on its behalf instead.

A formal call for expressions of interest (EOI) in developing homes on the newly cleared land this winter resulted in four responses -- and all four came from non-profit groups who would rely entirely on government funding to proceed.

Private homebuilders in the city have said they did not respond to the EOI because "they are concerned about the potential risk of a new housing venture in a revitalization scheme when there are more attractive opportunities elsewhere," according to a report received by city council.
[email protected]

Source

This points to a problem with the way the city markets land for development. The builders always whine that there are not enough lots available and the city steps up to help by building new subdisivions and roads leading to them. This devalues exisitng inner-city lots and thereby discourages infill. If they held back a bit on building new lots, the developers would be pressured to produce more infill and redevelopment rather than more cookie cutter neighborhoods sprawling further and further onto the prairie.

[kgc087]

I completley agree with that. The city shouldn't respond so quickly to developers complaints but I guess they just don't want to stunt the possibility of population increase. I feel a complete overhall of riversdale and pleasant hill would be the best development the city could possibly have. This would produce higher wealth individuals and families in the core which would bring higher end developments, it's kind of the idea of working from the inside out. We can only hope that with the beginning of the already existing urban renewal projects that the city will see the importance of stellar core neighbourhoods, thus, orienting future developments to redevelopment and infill.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by SASKFTW

[B][SIZE="4"]

Source


City buys land for new neighbourhood

City to guarantee revitalization project
Lori Coolican, The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Profit-driven builders had no interest in buying two parcels of residential land to revitalize an inner-city area near St. Mary School, so the city is offering to pay them to do the work on its behalf instead.

A formal call for expressions of interest (EOI) in developing homes on the newly cleared land this winter resulted in four responses -- and all four came from non-profit groups who would rely entirely on government funding to proceed.

Private homebuilders in the city have said they did not respond to the EOI because "they are concerned about the potential risk of a new housing venture in a revitalization scheme when there are more attractive opportunities elsewhere," according to a report received by city council.
[email protected]

Source

Originally Posted by socialisthorde

This points to a problem with the way the city markets land for development. The builders always whine that there are not enough lots available and the city steps up to help by building new subdisivions and roads leading to them. This devalues exisitng inner-city lots and thereby discourages infill. If they held back a bit on building new lots, the developers would be pressured to produce more infill and redevelopment rather than more cookie cutter neighborhoods sprawling further and further onto the prairie.

If the city restricted suburban growth would private developers immediately respond by producing more infill, and would that infill be affordable? Reflecting on some of the responses and comments from the city and the big developers (the Northridges, Dundees, etc) the answer is "no", they are not interested in infill development (at least not right now when there are more profitable and unsustainable projects to pursue...Willowgroves, Stonebridges, Hampton Villages, etc).

What Saskatoon needs is eventual completion and occupation of projects like River Landing Village (River Landing Phase I), the upcoming Eco-Village (River Landing Phase II), as well as the Rumley, 2nd Ave, and King George projects. Current projects proposed/under construction should establish market certainty/price points in downtown Saskatoon (especially for the growing luxury segment), but there are still several concerns demanding attention (e.g. grocery store).

The city should continue to offer and develop incentives for downtown and core neighborhood mid to high density residential projects (especially projects viewed as direct competition to suburban cookie cutter homes), and disincentives for suburban cookie cutter homes (especially those in direct competition to downtown/core neighborhood homes/condos).

If only the city yards were serviced and available for residential and commercial development, that would surely shake the market up.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by kgc087

I completley agree with that. The city shouldn't respond so quickly to developers complaints but I guess they just don't want to stunt the possibility of population increase. I feel a complete overhall of riversdale and pleasant hill would be the best development the city could possibly have. This would produce higher wealth individuals and families in the core which would bring higher end developments, it's kind of the idea of working from the inside out. We can only hope that with the beginning of the already existing urban renewal projects that the city will see the importance of stellar core neighbourhoods, thus, orienting future developments to redevelopment and infill.

Population increasing:

A significant reality they should and must consider when deciding how, or how not to direct market forces..."c'mon guys, we can afford to grow just a little more outward!" or "How come Calgary and Edmonton grew outward in an unsustainable fashion? We must grow exactly like them, and we'll have a ring road and several bridges and live in gumdrop houses on gingerbread streets"...

It is worth noting that many of the people/businesses coming to Saskatoon are from larger cities, cities with more advanced stages of sprawl...the commutes, the traffic, the headaches, the time, the costs...is there no end in sight?

[Ruckus]

Riversdale Local Area Plan Final Draft Report - April 1st 2008...I'll read and post developments/ideas/policies worth mentioning

[kgc087]

Hopefully this plan is fully implemented if not taken beyond what they propose. I think redevelopment is an integral part of Saskatoon's development as well as servicing new lots and promoting new neighbourhoods. Saskatoon is still very small in area allowing it to expand without any issue.

[Ruckus]

I thought this to be an interesting addition to the Riversdale LAP, I have to wonder if the city is suggesting this “restrictive covenant” played a pivotal role with respect to a grocery store being developed in Riversdale, or anywhere else in the core.

Originally Posted by Riversdale Local Area Plan Final Draft Report

All across Canada supermarket chains are leaving local neighbourhoods, especially core
neighbourhoods. What is frustrating to residents, municipalities, and potential buyers, is that in most
cases no other grocery store is allowed to locate at these sites. Often these sites are the only appropriate
location for a grocery store in the neighbourhood. Supermarket chains use a legal contract clause called
a “restrictive covenant”. A restrictive covenant is a condition that is applied to land which specifies uses
new owners are not allowed to operate. Restrictive covenants usually cover subsequent owners over a
period of time. In Saskatchewan, such a restriction would normally be found in the form of a caveat
registered against the title. Even though a supermarket chain or a local community group or developer
wants to bring a new grocery store at that location, they would not be able to. Often, the re-use of a
grocery store is limited to non-retail uses.

The Community Services Department and City Solicitors have been and will continue to work with
grocery store representatives to advise them of the potential impacts of placing restrictive covenants on
former grocery store properties in neighbourhoods, and encourage them to refrain from using restrictive
covenants in areas which need access to dedicated food stores.

Source - Page 69/70

Here are a list of incentives/programs currently available to assist and encourage affordable housing.

Originally Posted by Riversdale Local Area Plan Final Draft Report

The City of Saskatoon offers several incentives and programs to housing providers who build affordable
housing projects and create a new or legalize existing secondary suites. They are as follows:

1. Capital Funding - any eligible affordable housing project qualifies for assistance in the form of a
cash grant equivalent to 10% of the total project cost.

2. Property Tax Abatement - any affordable rental project that is provided on a non-profit basis is
eligible to receive a 5-year abatement of the incremental increase in property taxes.

3. Permit Rebates for Secondary Suites - to encourage the creation of new and the legalizing of
existing secondary suites, the City will rebate permit fees for building, plumbing, and development
permits as well as the fee for legalizing an existing suite. These permit rebates complement the
HomeFirst Secondary Suites Program offered by the Provincial Government which provides owners
with a grant of 50% of construction costs up to $24,000.

4. Priority Review - Permit applications for affordable housing projects benefit from a priority review
process which means that the reviewing branches or departments review these applications first.

5. Municipal Enterprise Zone Program – designed to encourage development of new housing units
and renovation in eight neighbourhoods of Saskatoon (for more information on the Enterprise Zone
see the Economic Development Section of this report).

The “2008 City of Saskatoon Housing Business Plan” has recommended a number of initiatives that are
designed to increase the supply of affordable and entry-level accommodation and to encourage
inclusionary housing. They are as follows:

• ‘First Home Ownership Program’ – identify sites in new City-owned neighbourhoods for housing
that can be provided at low price points for affordable ownership opportunities.

• New Zoning District for Entry-level and Affordable Housing – create a new zoning district
designed specifically for entry-level and affordable housing to be applied in new and existing
neighbourhoods.

• Bonuses to Encourage Inclusionary Housing – consultations to implement a bonus provision in
the zoning bylaw to encourage inclusion of affordable housing in housing developments.

• Permanent Affordable Housing – create a new non-profit entity to hold affordable ownership and
rental units in trust, removing them from the influence of the market, while allowing residents to
benefit from earning some equity.

• Provide Disposable Land to Affordable Housing Providers - offer disposable City-owned land to
affordable housing providers for direct sale.

• Policy Review for ‘Granny’, Garage, and Carriage Suites – investigate the feasibility of
permitting the construction of ‘Granny’,

Source - Page 80-81

Several thematic maps...


Source - Page 45


Source - Page 110


Source - Page 85


Source - Page 64


Source - Page 78

[haitiman]

Originally Posted by drm310

Pure speculation here... I hate to say it, but the 2nd Ave Lofts look like they're on their way to becoming the next Five Corners condos. When there's no progress for so long and no credible information forthcoming from the developer, the project has got to be in trouble. I think the developers got in way over their heads with this one, and they might not be able to complete it. Perhaps I'm wrong and maybe they will somehow pull it off... but I'm doubtful about that.

I drove by the Bay Lofts in March and saw a lot of activity within. The windows are large enough that you can see the mezzanine structures which are now installed on the 2nd floor. This would indicate that the upper floors are further along. True, the project is behind schedule, however, to suggest that the project is a lost cause is indeed, "pure speculation".
Remember that there are some 130 units to be built. That is a lot of work considering that the builder has to work within the existing structure, which was never designed to accomodate residential dwellings in the first place. Imagine plumbing all the units. Is the developer in over his head? Perhaps. But I put my money down......and would like to speculate that the finished product will be stunning.

[Boris2k7]

You know, Calgary and Edmonton get slagged a lot in here, and I won't deny that we have bad sprawl problems, but it's not like we aren't going anything about it. It could be better, but we're trying.

Quite frankly, you aren't growing like we are, and I wonder how Regina and Saskatoon would handle it. For reference, between 2001 and 2006, Calgary grew by 13.4%, Edmonton 10.4%, Toronto 9.2%, Saskatoon 3.5%, Regina 1.1%.

It's very difficult to handle sprawl in a high-growth environment, as concerns over land costs and economic growth hamper civic administrations due to political pressure.

[midnightrambler]

I figured out some more up to date stats:

from 2003-2007 CMA
Saskatoon Population Growth 3.6% (2.9% of which occured in 2007)
Calgary 10.4%
Edmonton 8.3%
Toronto 7.1%
Regina 2%

Statscan

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by Boris2k7

You know, Calgary and Edmonton get slagged a lot in here, and I won't deny that we have bad sprawl problems, but it's not like we aren't going anything about it. It could be better, but we're trying.

I won't deny that Calgary and Edmonton aren't doing anything about sprawl, in fact, both cities (Calgary more so from my perspective) have experienced tremendous growth in their respective core neighborhoods, both in terms of employment and living options.

We will continue to observe the evolution of the two largest prairie cities in determination of emulating the positive and discarding the negative.

But it is also well known that government and private interests are not always interested in what is best for the city in the long term (e.g. profits or growth through status quo methods (suburban development in Saskatoon) are higher priority for the city and private developers).

It seems both Saskatoon and Regina are slowly but surely evolving towards the prototypical prairie city...some say the absence of geographical barriers affords us the option to pursue outward growth, with consequences of course (e.g. higher infrastructure costs, longer long commutes, disconnected communities).

Originally Posted by Boris2k7

Quite frankly, you aren't growing like we are, and I wonder how Regina and Saskatoon would handle it. For reference, between 2001 and 2006, Calgary grew by 13.4%, Edmonton 10.4%, Toronto 9.2%, Saskatoon 3.5%, Regina 1.1%.

Absolutely, I also wonder how Regina and Saskatoon would fair if the growth were higher. I suspect growth is restricted considerably in Regina and Saskatoon simply because we lack the resources (e.g. large pool of labor) to grow, we can't draw from a provincial population of 3 million +, or cities with metro regions of 1 million +.

At this point in time, we are simply too small to house and employ a large pool of labor, the best we can hope for is a moderate increase in available labor...unless an extraordinary event/response occurs in the markets/government policy.

Originally Posted by Boris2k7

It's very difficult to handle sprawl in a high-growth environment, as concerns over land costs and economic growth hamper civic administrations due to political pressure.

Agreed, we are hearing these complaints from city officials, home builders and other private sector representatives, and area residents.

A bit of a rant....on growth...

Saskatoon has mistakenly chosen an obvious, conventional response (e.g. dramatically increase serviced lots for SFHs) to solve issues of high demand/low affordability which sets the stage for conventional growth patterns to continue with little to no consideration of how people will move through such an environment.

One can safely assume the automobile is still the choice mode of transportation in our smaller centers, it is also reasonable to assume that implementing alternative modes of transportation and live/work arrangements within our smaller centers will have a much greater effect on the eventual built form of our cities; if we focus on compactness intensely we should achieve a future form comprised of those principles.

Compactness is a relative term; the ability to get to the core within 30 minutes by bicycle or public transit, 5-10 minutes by bike or transit to the nearest grocery store, etc.

Communities should be designed and approved according to efficiency targets derived from available transportation options and daily/weekly/monthly/annually consumer needs (e.g. employment, food, recreation, social gatherings, etc). Taking a page from Vancouver, automobiles could be a last priority, especially so in smaller centers like Saskatoon and Regina. Why spoil these environments whose potential for efficiency, cost savings, social and environmental harmony are so much more attainable than in those cities already and continuing to build based on the conventional suburban/commuter model (e.g. Calgary and Edmonton, albeit they are beginning to shift growth strategies)...a big complaint about large centers is traffic, the ability and cost to move within the built environment, how might we remedy these common complaints? Perhaps through quality, efficient, engaged development...principles not responsibly included in conventional suburban development.

[joelpiecowye]

nice find on riversdale

i skimmed through it but still have to complete it