Saskatoon Construction

[madsad]

From SP, on U of S student housing project.

Campus housing delayed
University had asked Saskatchewan Housing Authority for a $19-million grant
Rod Nickel, TheStarPhoenix.com
Published: Monday, June 02, 2008

The University of Saskatchewan's plan to build 200 badly needed townhouses has suffered a setback after the Saskatchewan Housing Authority turned down its funding application.

The university had asked the housing authority for a $19-million grant that would reduce the mortgage on the $45-million project. With lower costs, the U of S hoped to subsidize student rent. Originally, the university planned to open the townhouses by fall 2009. A more likely opening now, once the project is funded, is 2010.

Richard Florizone, the university's vice-president of finance and resources, is still optimistic about finding government help.

"It would be great to have the money and get going. At the same time, the government has been very supportive of this and we continue to have good discussions. There's always other programs."

Florizone said the university is eagerly awaiting the recommendations of former MLAs Bob Pringle and Ted Merriman, whom the Saskatchewan Party government has charged with finding solutions to the affordable housing shortage. In the meantime, university officials are working on infrastructure plans for the College-Cumberland tract of land known as College Quarter and the design of the townhouses.

The townhouses would be built near McEown Park off Cumberland Avenue. Currently, the U of S houses only six per cent of its student population - half the national average.

"The housing available for families now on campus is pitiful," said Josie Steeves, president of the University of Saskatchewan Students Union. Some families of seven are currently wedged into two-bedroom apartments, she said. Moving student families into new homes will also benefit other students trying to find accommodation.

Building the townhouses as soon as possible is the only immediate recommendation of a task force studying land use at the U of S. It recently presented to university council a report calling for development of a 50-year plan for university lands, which sprawl across 1,500 acres.

The task force found the 40 per cent of university lands used for the core campus can support growth of 6,000 more full-time equivalent students, or three million square feet of building space. The other 60 per cent is used for agriculture and may not be critical to university research and teaching, the report states.

The report now goes before the president's executive committee and board of governors who will consider beginning the 50-year planning process.

"One of the key findings was recognizing just how important these lands are to the whole city," said Florizone, who co-chaired the land use task force. "They're really part of the city core."

The team looking at the future would consider everything from what to do with the cows visible from College Drive to whether university lands could become home to entire compact neighbourhoods.

"We want to be leaders in sustainability and urban design," Florizone said. "We'd want to do something that was a showpiece. That's just one of the concepts."

Florizone is hoping a 50-year-plan can be drafted in six months.

The potential return on designating more land for long-term leases - as the U of S did with the Preston Crossing mall - is becoming greater as Saskatoon real estate prices soar. University lands, given their proximity to downtown and the riverbank are the "most valuable undeveloped urban real estate in Saskatchewan," according to the task force's report.

[email protected]


© The StarPhoenix 2008

[kgc087]

It's disappointing to hear that the university wasn't approved for the funding but hopefully it will cause a more innovative approach to the issue. Whatever happens with everything I just hope the university builds some stellar town homes, not vinyl sided boxes.

[studentview]

sorry i dont have any more details but I can confirm that the land has been sold to a developer that plans to put street level commercial condos with 2 additional stories of residential condos. Marketing packages should be out by the end of the month. The land base totalled approx 35,000 sq ft. Again im not sure on the type or or price of any of these condos, but hey some nice residential low on college will be a welcome site comparing to the houses that were there before

[circle33]

No need to apologize. Sounds interesting. Hopefully the building will met the sidewalk.

[kgc087]

I think it would be nice to have almost a townhouse style, possibly something that's a bit more modern with very simple landscaping. I'd love to see 25th become a bit more put together.

[socialisthorde]

Originally Posted by circle33

Hopefully the building will met the sidewalk.

You radical!

[kgc087]

Home prices rising faster in cities than suburbs: report
John Morrissy, Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, June 03, 2008
OTTAWA - Better a city mouse or a country mouse to be? When it comes to the value of the house you live in, the city wins out, but only by a whisker.

While home prices in Canada's major markets have nearly doubled no matter where a person lived, urban properties held the edge on their suburban counterparts, says Royal LePage.

The national average price of a standard two-storey home in an urban neighbourhood rose 129.2 per cent to $522,999 over the past 10 years, the real estate services company said. The same property type in the suburbs grew in value by 110.1 per cent to $334,380.
"A look back at the last 10 years in Canadian real estate growth reveals that typically, home prices in urban markets have grown faster than those in the suburbs, with both areas showing impressive appreciation," said Phil Soper, president and chief executive, Royal LePage Real Estate Services.

"Strong demand for amenities and limited supply in city centres have spiked prices upwards in urban areas, while affordability and spacious yards continue to attract buyers to the suburbs. It really comes down to a lifestyle choice."

But the market provided many exceptions to the rule, with house price appreciation varying from city to city and across different housing types, and with gains sometimes more marked in the suburbs than in urban areas, Soper said.

The greatest advances were in Edmonton, where condominiums in urban and suburban areas more than tripled and quadrupled in price, respectively.

Aside from the usual reasons for choosing one over the other - access to amenities versus affordability and spacious yards - one theme united both: higher gasoline prices.

Fuel costs helped drive up demand for urban properties from those seeking to avoid expensive commutes. But at the same time, "increases in the cost of doing business in commercial downtown areas have seen more corporate offices moving outside of suburban areas where buyers are realizing that their workplace can be only minutes away from home in the suburbs."

Royal Lepage said it was the cities with greatest in-migration, like Calgary, and those that were historically the most affordable, like Montreal, that witnessed the greatest price increases.

Top five urban areas in terms of price appreciation over the past decade:

1. Castledowns, Edmonton (condo) 633.3%

2. Mount Royal, Calgary (condo) 363.8%

3. Cathedral, Regina (bungalow) 318%

4. Scarboro, Calgary (bungalow) 271.3%

5. Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Montreal (condo) 243.1%

Top five suburban areas in terms of price appreciation over the past decade:

1. Sherwood Park, Edmonton (condo) 416.7%

2. Warman, Saskatoon (std. two-storey) 305.3%

3. Martensville, Saskatoon (std. two-storey) 300%

4. Warman, Saskatoon (bungalow) 292.7%

5. Martensville, Saskatoon (bungalow) 263.6%

Average house-price appreciation over 10-year period, standard two-storey:

Halifax

urban 91.9%

suburban 55.9%

Montreal

urban 120.5%

suburban 107.1%

Ottawa

urban 110.8%

suburban 88.3

Toronto

urban 89.4%

suburban 82.4%

Winnipeg

urban 141.6%

suburban 124.1%

Saskatoon

urban 214.5%

suburban 302.6%

Regina

urban 118.1%

suburban N/A

Calgary

urban 207.4%

suburban 170%

Edmonton

urban 155.2%

suburban 178.6%

Vancouver

urban 117.3%

suburban 90.2%

Standard condominium price appreciation over 10-year period:

Halifax

urban 100%

suburban 160%

Montreal

urban 89.2%

suburban 98.8%

Ottawa

urban 152.8%

suburban 126.1%

Toronto

urban 57.4%

suburban 85.7%

Winnipeg

urban 161.7%

suburban 131.4%

Calgary

urban 363.8%

suburban 107.6%

Edmonton

urban 333.3%

suburban 416.7%

Vancouver

urban 127.5%

suburban 55.5%

Source: Royal LePage

© Canwest News Service 2008
_____________________________________________________-
It's rediculous to see how much housing prices have increased. I don't quite understand why they classify Saskatoon under the Suburban area or are they referring to Saskatoon homes in the suburban area have increased that much?

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by kgc087

It's rediculous to see how much housing prices have increased. I don't quite understand why they classify Saskatoon under the Suburban area or are they referring to Saskatoon homes in the suburban area have increased that much?

Yep, specifically the bedroom communities of Warman and Martensville.

[kgc087]

thanks SASKFTW.

[kgc087]

New-look Nutana
Landmark school given $8.5 million in government funding for an array of renovations
Darren Bernhardt, TheStarPhoenix.com
Published: Tuesday, June 03, 2008
SASKATOON - Nutana Collegiate is getting a multi-million dollar makeover in time for its 100th anniversary.

Education Minister Ken Krawetz visited the historic school on the hill Tuesday afternoon to announce $8.5 million in government funding for an array of renovations that will upgrade the mechanical and electrical services, improve accessibility with the installation of an elevator, and enhance the climate control system to protect the art collection which consists of early works by renowned Saskatchewan artists.

A number of the floors and ceilings will also be replaced and instructional space expanded, but the school itself will not increase in size.

"Improving our province's schools helps us grow our economy, improve our quality of life and take pride in where we live," Krawetz said, adding the funding is part of the benefits of the present prosperity in Saskatchewan.

"These improvements strengthen the learning opportunities that will help improve student achievement for young people at Nutana Collegiate and the community in which they live and grow."

Nutana Collegiate was the first secondary school in the new Saskatoon settlement. It also served as the first home to the University of Saskatchewan, from 1910-1912, before the campus was constructed. More recently, Nutana was the first community school in the entire province and the first in the city to offer the SchoolPlus model, which incorporates health, justice and social services within its walls.

"Thanks to the province, the rich history of Nutana Collegiate will continue to be an inspiration into its next century," said public school division board chair Ray Morrison.

The total renovation project cost is estimated at $13.5 million. Tendering for the first phase will go ahead in early-2009 with improvements to begin in July 2009.

The Nutana Collegiate project is part of the Government of Saskatchewan's Ready for Growth commitment of $117.6 million for Kindergarten to Grade 12 school capital including nine major and 36 block funding projects. An additional eight major capital projects were also announced May 13, including an estimated $60.3 million to support six projects in 2009 and two in 2010.

© The StarPhoenix 2008
______________________________________________________
This is a stellar investment, an excellent education system is def the way to prepare for a positive future!

[jaysfan99]

I'd love to see retail/restaurants on the main level with 4-5 floors of condos above.

Originally Posted by studentview

sorry i dont have any more details but I can confirm that the land has been sold to a developer that plans to put street level commercial condos with 2 additional stories of residential condos. Marketing packages should be out by the end of the month. The land base totalled approx 35,000 sq ft. Again im not sure on the type or or price of any of these condos, but hey some nice residential low on college will be a welcome site comparing to the houses that were there before

[Echoes]

The former Homestead Furniture downtown at the west end of 25th Street is being demolished today.

Making way for the extension I guess? Of course, it will more likely sit vacant as a parking lot for years to come before the extension goes through.

[kgc087]

Hopefully the extension will be completed within the next 2-3 years. I think with increased demand and construction in Saskatoon they city will try to finish that as quickly as possible to encourage development in the warehouse district.

[socialisthorde]

Has anyone looked closely at the City's vision for the downtown plan (http://www.saskatoon.ca/dtp/housing/vision.html) I am somewhat troubled by the statement below extracted from that sight:

"The long-range (25 years +/-) vision for housing in Downtown Saskatoon includes the following components:

The residential population will have doubled to 10,000 people from its 1997 population level of 5,000.

People that will have been attracted to live downtown include singles, families without children, empty nesters, seniors, students, and artists and others that want combined work and living space."

While I recognize that there is currently 0 demand for family housing downtown here, our attitudes are always about 20 years behind those in larger cities, and part of what makes for example downtown Vancouver so vibrant is that there are families living there. They have built a school and numerous community resources for children and families, and it has become acceptable for families to live downtown. It seems short sighted of Saskatoon planners to essentially rule out such a shift ever happening here. If there is no consideration given to the possibility of families living downtown, it will be designed such that they never will and this "vision" will be become a self fullfilling prophecy. Any thoughts?

[kgc087]

Originally Posted by socialisthorde

Has anyone looked closely at the City's vision for the downtown plan (http://www.saskatoon.ca/dtp/housing/vision.html) I am somewhat troubled by the statement below extracted from that sight:

"The long-range (25 years +/-) vision for housing in Downtown Saskatoon includes the following components:

The residential population will have doubled to 10,000 people from its 1997 population level of 5,000.

People that will have been attracted to live downtown include singles, families without children, empty nesters, seniors, students, and artists and others that want combined work and living space."

While I recognize that there is currently 0 demand for family housing downtown here, our attitudes are always about 20 years behind those in larger cities, and part of what makes for example downtown Vancouver so vibrant is that there are families living there. They have built a school and numerous community resources for children and families, and it has become acceptable for families to live downtown. It seems short sighted of Saskatoon planners to essentially rule out such a shift ever happening here. If there is no consideration given to the possibility of families living downtown, it will be designed such that they never will and this "vision" will be become a self fullfilling prophecy. Any thoughts?

In Saskatoon visionary statements we have to remember that it is only a statement and probably by the time that 20+ years comes along the attitude of how we want our d/t to be dramatically different. I assume that the d/t population will be significantly higher then 10 000 and that families will begin to live d/t. Immigrants from any place in the world tend to base their families out of the d/t core or try to be as close to it as possible. Knowing this and hoping for an influx in international immigration families will begin to base themselves out of the d/t rather then the suburbs. I'd like to see Saskatoon d/t with a population of about 20 000 consisting of artists, yuppies, seniors and young families.

[socialisthorde]

Originally Posted by kgc087

In Saskatoon visionary statements we have to remember that it is only a statement and probably by the time that 20+ years comes along the attitude of how we want our d/t to be dramatically different. I assume that the d/t population will be significantly higher then 10 000 and that families will begin to live d/t. Immigrants from any place in the world tend to base their families out of the d/t core or try to be as close to it as possible. Knowing this and hoping for an influx in international immigration families will begin to base themselves out of the d/t rather then the suburbs. I'd like to see Saskatoon d/t with a population of about 20 000 consisting of artists, yuppies, seniors and young families.

Maybe, but I think a vision is intended to guide planning and if planning does not even take into account the possibility of children living downtown, there will be no resources in place for them to do so and potentially no room for those resources. Vancouver got lucky in that they had a huge swath of industrial land to turn residential, where they built many of the family oriented amenities.

WRT immigrants, my sense is that modern imigrants favour suburbia. Does anyone have data on that? I think I have heard that the vast majority of new Phillipinos coming to Winnipeg move to the burbs, but I may be wrong.

Anyway, it seems to me that as cities get bigger, people the disadvantages of living in the suburbs and the advantages of living centrally become more acute. You can see this happening in Calgary and perhaps less so in Edmonton. So maybe it will have more to do with growth per se than immigration, but I agree with you that the time will come. I would just like the city to have prepared for it. I think this is similar to the argument to preserving rail lines in the interest of future rapid transit.

[kgc087]

Originally Posted by socialisthorde

Maybe, but I think a vision is intended to guide planning and if planning does not even take into account the possibility of children living downtown, there will be no resources in place for them to do so and potentially no room for those resources. Vancouver got lucky in that they had a huge swath of industrial land to turn residential, where they built many of the family oriented amenities.

WRT immigrants, my sense is that modern imigrants favour suburbia. Does anyone have data on that? I think I have heard that the vast majority of new Phillipinos coming to Winnipeg move to the burbs, but I may be wrong.

Anyway, it seems to me that as cities get bigger, people the disadvantages of living in the suburbs and the advantages of living centrally become more acute. You can see this happening in Calgary and perhaps less so in Edmonton. So maybe it will have more to do with growth per se than immigration, but I agree with you that the time will come. I would just like the city to have prepared for it. I think this is similar to the argument to preserving rail lines in the interest of future rapid transit.

I def see your point. I guess another thing to remember is that Saskatoon's d/t is probably a 1/4 of the size of Calgary's if that and that suburban style residences are really less then a 5 minute walk from d/t. I'm thinking that is where the city got its visionary basis from. Maybe they are thinking of the warehouse district to be more young singles, artists etc. With the expansion and growth of the city, the d/t will adapt in order to accomodate the populations demand. The vision may be a guideline but also is based on principles from a few years ago. Saskatoon is pretty keen on maintaining the d/t as its main commercial, entertainment and cultural district. The city probably wouldn't allow an opportunity such as young families wanting to live in the core to pass.

[jaysfan99]

Originally Posted by kgc087

I def see your point. I guess another thing to remember is that Saskatoon's d/t is probably a 1/4 of the size of Calgary's if that and that suburban style residences are really less then a 5 minute walk from d/t. I'm thinking that is where the city got its visionary basis from. Maybe they are thinking of the warehouse district to be more young singles, artists etc. With the expansion and growth of the city, the d/t will adapt in order to accomodate the populations demand. The vision may be a guideline but also is based on principles from a few years ago. Saskatoon is pretty keen on maintaining the d/t as its main commercial, entertainment and cultural district. The city probably wouldn't allow an opportunity such as young families wanting to live in the core to pass.

I really hope people don't take what I'm about to say the wrong way. I really do like living in Saskatoon, but I strongly believe that Saskatoon is going about the growth in the wrong way, along with many cities in North America. The last thing we need is to build more new neighborhoods farther and farther out. Cities like Saskatoon really need to start growing vertically instead of horizontally. We as a society complain way too much and then just make the problem worse when it comes to high gas prices, high property taxes, pollution,............etc.
If we started building more high rise condos closer to the city core, then this would improve some of the problems that we are having. A city with a population of Saskatoon could very easily fit into an area of 1/4 of it's size. More people could be taking public transit (rail network) and have to travel less distance. Property taxes would be lower since the city wouldn't have to keep building more roads and bridges. We would have less pollution because of less cars on the road. The police would have less area to cover, and we could have more officers visible on the streets.
We are obviously too spoiled, and selfish as a society to start making these changes now, but just choose to complain about how expensive gasoline is, and some of the other problems we have.
Before anyone says that I need to practice what I preach. I would like to say that, I only drive my car 1-3 times a week max. I try to walk to work as much as I can. I know that not everyone can walk to work, it just really pisses me off when I see people drive a huge ass SUV (worth $60,000) clear across town to go to work and then complain about gas prices. Try driving a smaller car buddy!!!!

[kgc087]

I completley agree with you on that statement and I don't think anyone would disagree. You really hit it bang on. If cities pursued a more compact urban development with rails and buses pollution would decrease, the suburban nightmare would decrease and really a more metro feel would be created with more people in a smaller space. You should submit that idea to the city and see what happens. Saskatoon does like some radical ideas and maybe we could be an example of correct city growth!

[socialisthorde]

Originally Posted by kgc087

I def see your point. I guess another thing to remember is that Saskatoon's d/t is probably a 1/4 of the size of Calgary's if that and that suburban style residences are really less then a 5 minute walk from d/t. I'm thinking that is where the city got its visionary basis from. Maybe they are thinking of the warehouse district to be more young singles, artists etc. With the expansion and growth of the city, the d/t will adapt in order to accomodate the populations demand. The vision may be a guideline but also is based on principles from a few years ago. Saskatoon is pretty keen on maintaining the d/t as its main commercial, entertainment and cultural district. The city probably wouldn't allow an opportunity such as young families wanting to live in the core to pass.

Good point about size. I can walk across dt Saskatoon in less than 10 minutes. So I guess living in City Park or Caswell is really comparable to living in downtown Calgary.

Jaysfan; I'm with you. I live in a "core neihborhood" and every morning I have to confront all the cars driving in from the exurbs on my walk to work. Many act as if I am stepping on their rights, making them stop at a crosswalk so I can cross "their" street (which my taxes pay to maintain).

It is disconcerting to read the recent stats showing the dramatic increase in house prices in the exurbs, indicating they are very popular, but I guess that the good news is the higher prices will be a further dissincentive to live there. I am glad to see that council has started to realize the importance of density and the costs of sprawl. Even his worship, who seems a pretty old school guy has made some progressive sounding comments. Of course we are still building power centres.