Saskatoon Construction

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by Country

Excellent idea... looks great! I hope to do more photo tours myself this summer.

I noticed that the development map can be updated to include the conversion of the former Capitol to office space.

Is that confirmed, or rumored? I know they're gutting the interior...

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by kgc087

Predictable but not tragic. Do we have any idea of the location? Has any digging or construction started with the Dube mental health facility yet?

I would guess Stonebridge for the seniors living project...or possibly Willowgrove?

The mental health facility is having the land prepared...no construction yet, I'll zoom by there today while I go for a ride along the river, I'll get some photos too

[Wyku]

So are they saying these "lanes" are a cause for concern for the city due to up-keep or something? Maybe they should just not pave them like every other alley in the city.

[CCF]

Originally Posted by Wyku

So are they saying these "lanes" are a cause for concern for the city due to up-keep or something? Maybe they should just not pave them like every other alley in the city.

Indeed.

In many cases, not necessarily in Saskatchewan, when developers have designed new subdivisions in a more traditional manner, they cry that they didn't make the profit they expected. That's because they outfit the alleys with deep pavement and think curbs. What's the point? Really there should be savings to be made by providing alleys, as developers save on expensive driveway costs, since garages line the alley. This of course also makes for a more pleasant streetscape.

Of course it's some bizarre mindset that makes us belief everything needs to be paved. It's the same reason new streets are much wider than in mature neighbourhoods. Engineers and planners believe that the road needs to be wider in order to provide for emergency vehicles. Well it's ironic that the wider roads result in more accidents than the narrower roads, given that people travel faster when the road is wider. In new subdivisions there isn't friction like parked cars, trees, etc to slow people down.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by SASKFTW

Is that confirmed, or rumored? I know they're gutting the interior...

Only rumored I guess, though I've heard the same thing on several occasions regarding what's going in there. Whatever's happening, the gutting is proceeding at a decent pace.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by Wyku

So are they saying these "lanes" are a cause for concern for the city due to up-keep or something? Maybe they should just not pave them like every other alley in the city.

I suppose, but the gravel alleys would still need to be maintained (although, possibly less costly).

[Ruckus]

Old news to some, but I recently caught a comment on CBC Radio about Fiat possibly looking to build a Alfa Romeo manufacturing plant in Saskatchewan.

I thought "why would they do that?"...I found:

Originally Posted by The Wheatsheaf

Wednesday, April 23, 2008
I heart Fiat

Just had a crazy idea : Saskatchewan, the new frontier of auto manufacturing.

Here’s the backdrop: Fiat is looking at manufacturing it’s Alfa Romeo brand in North America. Fiat is run by a Canadian. Fiat also owns New Case Holland who produces farm equipment and has twelve plants in North America. The NCH’s only manufacturing plant in Canada happens to be Flexi-coil in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Fiat wants a North American Alfa Romeo factory, partly as a hedge against a rising euro that is eating into profit margins for all the Europe-based auto makers that export to the U.S. market.

[..]

Mr. Ranieri said Fiat would most likely form a joint venture in North America or construct an Alfa Romeo assembly line at one if its existing Case New Holland factories, which build tractors and other agricultural equipment.

This idea does not sound so far fetched now. Saskatchewan has many pros going for it as a potential base for auto manufacturing. The obvious ones are that Saskatchewan already has a knowledgeable work force that manufacture such things as tractors, and the other being the tie in to Fiat’s other business. Saskatchewan is also conveniently crisscrossed by rail lines and highways that lead to the rest of Canada and to the United States making it cost-effective to send car to their destined market in North America. Having had the opportunity to meet with some of the good people from Fiat a few years back, they would likely be willing to listen to any good business case put forward.

A few years back I rented a Fiat and drove it along the winding roads of Tuscany loving the experience. The idea that Fiat may again build cars in North America is exciting. The fact that they want those cars to be Alfa Romeos is icing on the cake. That there is an opportunity for Saskatchewan to grow and diversify it’s economy makes me ecstatic.

So if there is anyone over at Enterprise Saskatchewan reading, start crunching some numbers and come up with a proposal. (By the way, organizationally speaking - does Enterprise Saskatchewan even exist yet?)

Now for the “but”... because with every whacked out idea there is always a but.

But the Saskatchewan Party led government would have to take advice from me, a non-Saskatchewan Party supporter. The Saskatchewan Party is more likely to fire people like me, than to take my advice.

But the Saskatchewan Party led government would have to change their neo-conservative ways. Ontario has the auto fund and it is willing to entice auto manufacturers to the province. States such as Mississippi provide similar incentives. The Saskatchewan Party prefers the “government should not pick winners and losers” approach. What the Saskatchewan Party needs to understand is that manufacturers do not play ball like the get-out-of-my-way-government oil folks from Alberta. Those guys want cheap access to oil that they can sell down south at a profit. That is vastly different from a manufacturer that would be spending hundreds of millions to set up a plant, and then employ hundreds of high-skilled workers.

But Ontario is the heartland of the auto manufacturing sector with a ready crop of skilled workers and a government willing to do what it takes to get Fiat to set up shop in that province.

Source

From The Globe and Mail...

Originally Posted by The Globe and Mail

[..]

Mr. Ranieri said Fiat would most likely form a joint venture in North America or construct an Alfa Romeo assembly line at one if its existing Case New Holland factories, which build tractors and other agricultural equipment.

If the CNH option is chosen, Ontario would be out of luck. CNH has 12 plants in the U.S. and one in Canada – in Saskatchewan.

The logical partner in North America is Chrysler LLC, which is seeking alliances to develop its own international growth strategy. Although it has excess production capacity in North America, almost all of it is in the United States.

Fiat uses joint ventures for much of its overseas assembly, including links with India's Tata Group and Chery Automobile in China.

Ontario's pitch to Fiat centres on the depth of its automotive expertise – the province builds more cars than Michigan – and potentially lavish financial incentives.

Two funds would be offered to lure Alfa Romeo.

[..]

Source

Not convinced it will happen, but anythings possible...

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by Country

Only rumored I guess, though I've heard the same thing on several occasions regarding what's going in there. Whatever's happening, the gutting is proceeding at a decent pace.

Okay, I'll add a rumor listing for it. I did a brief search but no information came up.

[kgc087]

Originally Posted by SASKFTW

I would guess Stonebridge for the seniors living project...or possibly Willowgrove?

The mental health facility is having the land prepared...no construction yet, I'll zoom by there today while I go for a ride along the river, I'll get some photos too

Sounds good, I saw a rendering for the centre when it was first released but have been unable to find anything since then, does anyone have one?

[joelpiecowye]

oops nvm

[nook]

I just really noticed something.

In the fall, Saskatoon has CIS Football (Huskies) for a sport. In the winter, Saskatoon has the WHL (Blades), to entertain us. In the summer? Well, I suppose we have the Roughriders, but only if we want to travel to Regina. Saskatoon needs a summer sport they can call their own, professional or semi-professional, it doesn't matter. I've talked about this on the boards before, (and I still think this), but wouldn't Saskatoon benefit from a modern baseball field built downtown?

I'm sure it would draw a team almost instantly. Restaurants, shops and other amenities can develop around the stadium. Right now, other than a few festivals, what does Saskatoon have that could keep an individual downtown for an evening?

J.F. Cairns field is nice, but I'm sorry, no respecting professional organization would put a team in that field. I remember playing baseball there a few years back, and the dugouts would be filled with water so we would actually have to sit ON the dugout. If Saskatoon wants to think of themselves as "big league" I think a first class outdoor sporting facility would be a big step towards that.

But I suppose if it doesn't work, we can just stick to building that 30,000 seat football stadium and steal the Roughriders from Regina

[joelpiecowye]

baseball is nice but it is kind of bland, i say steal the riders

as for the alfa romeo i would love to have them build a plant in saskatoon, i may be wrong but i do believe they are also looking for a new north american headquarter, mabey we will get then instead of a cameco tower

i can see it now
welcome to sakatoon, home of grain, uranium, potash and italian sport cars

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by nook

I've talked about this on the boards before, (and I still think this), but wouldn't Saskatoon benefit from a modern baseball field built downtown?

I agree with you completely. IMO, a modest but well-designed baseball stadium would be a great fit for the undeveloped city yards. It would benefit the nearby warehouse district and downtown as a whole.

Why can't these allegedly prosperous businessmen daydreaming of building a football stadium and snatching the Riders focus their ambition and $$$ on a project like this instead?

[Ruckus]

Irene and Leslie Dubé Centre for Mental Health

Source

Irene and Leslie Dubé Centre for Mental Health


Irene and Leslie Dubé Centre for Mental Health

[Echoes]

^The mental health centre seems to be progressing nicely.

That's an excellent zoom on your camera!

[joelpiecowye]

nice shots

[Ruckus]

Oh the things I've seen with it...just kiddin

I didn't think they would have begun foundation work yet, good to see.

[studentview]

you can confirm the office conversion on the capitol. a few pages back i reported talking to the listing agent and confirmed the sale price. the reason you can find anything on it is because it wasnt publicized. it was sold through ICR but you wont find anything on their website. it was sold to mitchell developments out of regina that has done some big jobs in the southern part of saskatchewan. here is an excerpt from western investment newsletter regarding some of their work in regina.

Mitchell Developments completed an $8
million refurbishing of Avord Tower, one of
the city’s oldest office towers, early in 2005.
The 16-storey building now features an upgraded
parkade and street-level coffee shop.


and here is a development they are working on in the qu'applle valley for the provincial government:
Fort San
Speaking at the recent annual general meeting of the Fort Qu’Appelle and District Chamber of Commerce, Mitch Molnar of Mitchell Development presented a preliminary layout of the proposed Fort San Development. It is Mitchell’s intention to maintain as much of the landscaping and use different parts of the 193 acre land mass to provide the community with different alternatives for housing and facilities.They are open to commercial ideas and initiatives and wish to work closely with the community to create
a development to attract business, employment, and tourism. (The Fort Qu’Appelle Times, October 31,
2006)

also the small parcel of land on 33rd street across from the mill has been sold to dominion homes. can you say possible student housing for siast? it is adjacent to that 2 storey retail with a spa and shoe store in it. the address is 86/90 33rd street east. only time will tell i guess

[Wyku]

Does anyone have a rendering of what the South side of the Rumley is going to look like?

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by Wyku

Does anyone have a rendering of what the South side of the Rumley is going to look like?

This may help a little - taken from page 75
Also - http://www.rumleylofts.ca/

Originally Posted by Jerry

I am so happy to hear that the roof addition was just a rumor. Just couldn't imagine another floor. Thank you Country for posting the ad and clearing this up. Have to agree we are looking at the east view. I managed to find one with a bit better quality which is posted below. Also Country thanx for the Eaton Loft link. Its great to see some interior shots. A great looking project.

I also took a bit of time to enlarge the Rumley rendering because joelpiecowye brings up a good point, there does appear do be a south addition. After checking my photos on a previous post it looks like this might be possible. Looks like balcony's plus maybe floor to ceiling windows on the addition. Good catch joelpiecowye and loved your panos. I don't have the guts to try one yet.