Saskatoon Construction

[macca]

Word is that groundwork has started on the condos beside the T. Eaton lofts.

[madsad]

Originally Posted by socialisthorde

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).

Do you cross Spadina on the west side of the Uni Bridge? I do that walk every day. Motorists usually stop for you, if they feel like it. The amount of cars you can count entering downtown with only one person in them is quite staggering and discouraging as well.

I nearly got clobbered by an SUV in a crosswalk this morning. Kinda funny, cuz almost getting run over by an SUV in downtown was a microcosm of all the stupid problems with transportation and urban planing these days.

One of the problems is that owning and driving vehicles is still too cheap and easy. Gas prices are really just catching up now to what they should have been a long time ago. Furthermore, vehicle insurance and registration costs in Sask make it ridiculously cheap to own a vehicle (or three or four!). Before I moved here from Alberta, my insurance for my van was $1950 per year. Under SGI, it is $785 (?!?!). Thats horrible, I mean, yes, on the one hand I appreciate saving the money, but there is no dis-incentive to owning more than one vehicle.

I don't let me get started on this bred-in "I'm born with a god-given right to drive" attitude North Americans have, western Canadians in particular.

[kgc087]

Originally Posted by macca

Word is that groundwork has started on the condos beside the T. Eaton lofts.

Are there any renderings of what those condos are supposed to look like, I haven't heard anything about them!

So regarding dense development. I was speaking with my coworker who lived in Hong Kong for a few years and she said that it is really ideal for dense development. A large population living vertically rather then horizontally and each condo has a rooftop garden and streets are lined with trees so people aren't taken away from nature. She also said that the transit was impecable. I would really love to push the city and encourage them to have a denser development plan. I looked at a map of Saskatoon and came up with this idea: d/t - 20 000 people, city park - 20 000, central - 10 000, caswell - 10 000, riversdale - 15 000, king george - 15 000 and nutana - 35 000. Seeing these areas increse their density to numbers like these would be PHENOMINAL! Although this most likely will never happen it would def be something to present to the city or to atleast guide them towards.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by kgc087

Are there any renderings of what those condos are supposed to look like, I haven't heard anything about them!

I believe that this would be them:

The ad says "Year Built: 2007" but that is clearly wrong...
Source: http://homes.point2.com/CA/Saskatchewan/Saskatoon/Caswell-Hill/1134159-Real-Estate.aspx

And to comment on the increasing density/transit use discussion, I too am disgusted with the "God-given right to drive" (as madsad put it) attitude. As a university student who moved to Saskatoon last fall as the rental market tightened considerably, my roommate and I had to take a suite in Lakeview as opposed to a place within walking distance from campus that I wanted. Even though I am way out in the southeast corner, I'm a faithful transit rider. I spent my school year taking it and now ride the bus to my summer job downtown. It saves me many car trips, gas, and parking costs. I like riding the bus too. I can sit, relax, read, listen to music or just people watch. Yet I hear so many negative comments from people (friends included) about having to ride the "ghetto train" and, god forbid, have to sit beside another person and run the risk of rubbing shoulders.

My friend told me a story about a girl at the U of S complaining about the cost of parking on campus, saying that there should be a free parking spot provided for every university student. How ridiculous is that? It disgusts me how ignorant some people are.

[kgc087]

What side of the T. Eaton building are they on? It's really annoying to see how ignorant some people are regarding public transportation and the issues independent transit really brings up. In fact it disgusts me but hopefully through a solid example people will realise that public transit is the way to go and independent travel as reserved for actually travelling for beyond the city.

[socialisthorde]

Originally Posted by kgc087

What side of the T. Eaton building are they on? It's really annoying to see how ignorant some people are regarding public transportation and the issues independent transit really brings up. In fact it disgusts me but hopefully through a solid example people will realise that public transit is the way to go and independent travel as reserved for actually travelling for beyond the city.

I agree that many of the negative stereotypes about transit are wrong, and living in Vancouver, I used it regularly. However, living in Saskatoon with kids, it is virtually impossible to use transit at times because of the limited routes and the amount of time many trips would take. I tried taking a bus to the airport once and the bus trip with transfer was nearly as long as my flight to Calgary . Had a nice tour of the city though.

I guess there is a chicken and egg problem in that the service doesn't improve until ridership goes up and poor service keeps the ridership down. I do try to minimize car trips BTW (bike, foot and mooch rides), but still drive more than I would like and more than is good for the environment. Thanks for using transit regularly and hopefully some day I can join you.

[jaysfan99]

Originally Posted by socialisthorde

I agree that many of the negative stereotypes about transit are wrong, and living in Vancouver, I used it regularly. However, living in Saskatoon with kids, it is virtually impossible to use transit at times because of the limited routes and the amount of time many trips would take. I tried taking a bus to the airport once and the bus trip with transfer was nearly as long as my flight to Calgary . Had a nice tour of the city though.

I guess there is a chicken and egg problem in that the service doesn't improve until ridership goes up and poor service keeps the ridership down. I do try to minimize car trips BTW (bike, foot and mooch rides), but still drive more than I would like and more than is good for the environment. Thanks for using transit regularly and hopefully some day I can join you.

Wow, I guess didn't expect for so many people on here to agree to my earlier rant about everything. It nice to hear that some people do care about the environment,....etc. I have always thought that a monorail from the Wildwood mall to downtown, and the U of S would be a popular route. It could run right down the middle of 8th street, above ground. More people would ride it because it wouldn't have to stop at red lights, wouldn't have to deal with the cars on the road since it's above ground,........would be a quick commute downtown. I'm sure a route from the Lawson Mall down Warman Road into downtown would be just as popular. I belive if the city did build it, people would use it. I say build less roads and bridges, do we really need a south bridge? Spend the money on a rail system instead. More roads in not the answer.
I also think that developers should be looking at building more highrise condos close to downtown, in areas like Victoria Ave, and College drive. There is obviously demand for condos in Saskatoon. Why build 5 buildings that only have 4 floors and take up so much space, when a 20 floor building could serve the same purpose. This never made sence to me about city planning in cities like Saskatoon. I think city planners in Europe and other places are ahead of us in this regard.

[kgc087]

Originally Posted by jaysfan99

Wow, I guess didn't expect for so many people on here to agree to my earlier rant about everything. It nice to hear that some people do care about the environment,....etc. I have always thought that a monorail from the Wildwood mall to downtown, and the U of S would be a popular route. It could run right down the middle of 8th street, above ground. More people would ride it because it wouldn't have to stop at red lights, wouldn't have to deal with the cars on the road since it's above ground,........would be a quick commute downtown. I'm sure a route from the Lawson Mall down Warman Road into downtown would be just as popular. I belive if the city did build it, people would use it. I say build less roads and bridges, do we really need a south bridge? Spend the money on a rail system instead. More roads in not the answer.
I also think that developers should be looking at building more highrise condos close to downtown, in areas like Victoria Ave, and College drive. There is obviously demand for condos in Saskatoon. Why build 5 buildings that only have 4 floors and take up so much space, when a 20 floor building could serve the same purpose. This never made sence to me about city planning in cities like Saskatoon. I think city planners in Europe and other places are ahead of us in this regard.

I def agree with you on that. I think it would be interesting to have an LRT down the middle of eight street, but I would hate to see those spindly trees removed, even though they are tragic it is still a bit of greenery. This whold debate is really inspiring me to possibly prepare some sort of presentation equiped with 3d models and all sorts of things to present to council. "Radical" (quote it b/c to council it will be radical) ideas like this are what will make Saskatoon unique and a desirable city to live in. Maybe if enough voices sound off the city will actually do something in regards to denser development. They preech about environmental stewardship, there is nothing responsible about buying acres of land and turning it into suburban hell. I say lets work with what we have and make it the best damn oasis in Canada then expand! Who's with me!?

[Ruckus]

25 stories, with a mix of market and affordable housing.

The design: I wanna say brown stucco/brick , though I might be wrong.
Underground parking spaces, the first few floors appear to cover the entire property with narrower floorplates at 10, 15, 20...it comes to a peak with a glass atrium thing at the top, a penthouse unit???

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by jaysfan99

Wow, I guess didn't expect for so many people on here to agree to my earlier rant about everything. It nice to hear that some people do care about the environment,....etc. I have always thought that a monorail from the Wildwood mall to downtown, and the U of S would be a popular route. It could run right down the middle of 8th street, above ground. More people would ride it because it wouldn't have to stop at red lights, wouldn't have to deal with the cars on the road since it's above ground,........would be a quick commute downtown. I'm sure a route from the Lawson Mall down Warman Road into downtown would be just as popular. I belive if the city did build it, people would use it. I say build less roads and bridges, do we really need a south bridge? Spend the money on a rail system instead. More roads in not the answer.
I also think that developers should be looking at building more highrise condos close to downtown, in areas like Victoria Ave, and College drive. There is obviously demand for condos in Saskatoon. Why build 5 buildings that only have 4 floors and take up so much space, when a 20 floor building could serve the same purpose. This never made sence to me about city planning in cities like Saskatoon. I think city planners in Europe and other places are ahead of us in this regard.

Love your monorail idea, I too think people would consider it as a viable alternative to the automobile. Just imagine the density around the monorail lines, townhouses, mid rise and high rise development sprouting throughout the network...

As for reasons for and against the south bridge, one consideration that I believe and I think most of the city planning department would agree too is the effect it will have on truck traffic. The completion of the south bridge will enable truck traffic to avoid the downtown route (e.g. 22nd Street/Idylwyld Drive) and continue their trip on Circle Drive (creating another problem) until completion of the perimeter highway (e.g. 2015?).

[swilley]

Originally Posted by SASKFTW

25 stories, with a mix of market and affordable housing.

The design: I wanna say brown stucco/brick , though I might be wrong.
Underground parking spaces, the first few floors appear to cover the entire property with narrower floorplates at 10, 15, 20...it comes to a peak with a glass atrium thing at the top, a penthouse unit???

Best I could do.... hmmmm... I don't know what to think. It could be a lot worse considering the type of project it is.

[socialisthorde]

^^
THanks Swilly

Its a bit of a jumble, but I at least it is not boring, I guess

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by swilley

Best I could do.... hmmmm... I don't know what to think. It could be a lot worse considering the type of project it is.

So very true.

It doesn't look that bad, the choice of color for the stucco is bland (neutrals are boring). I don't mind the dark blue glass and aluminum trim. The ground level looks really interesting, six columns fronting 4th Avenue? The side fronting 23rd Street looks perfect for a grocery store

Oh, and construction is set to begin in August.

Looks massive next to the Police HQ and Saskatoon Square.

Some perspective...


Source - Parkades: A new view


Source - Parkades: A new view


Source - Parkades: A new view


Source - Parkades: A new view

[Ruckus]

Swilley, did you catch any of the details? How many units, etc?

[swilley]

Originally Posted by SASKFTW

Swilley, did you catch any of the details? How many units, etc?

No, I was to busy trying to get the pics. All I really caught was that construction is to start August, which you have already mentioned..

[jaysfan99]

[QUOTE=swilley;3598680]Best I could do.... hmmmm... I don't know what to think. It could be a lot worse considering the type of project it is.



Nice to see a developer doing something like this in Saskatoon. I like the blue glass and the fact it will be tall. Looking forward to taking pictures of the skyline from the east side when this building is done. I have a feeling it will look good! More people living downtown is a great sign, it will be nice to see more people walking around in the evening.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by swilley

No, I was to busy trying to get the pics. All I really caught was that construction is to start August, which you have already mentioned..

Ahh, that's alright, I was distracted by the food on my plate...damn obesity.

[joelpiecowye]

alright design, for low income houseing i am really happy what it looks like compared to what it could be,
since it is not going to be a 35 story mixed residental tower i believe it is fine,

to and bottom seen interesting but the middle is to bland for my taste
cant wait for the star phoniex with the scoop tomorrow

[kgc087]

Wow I'm not quite sure what to think of it, I don't hate it but I don't love it either. I don't quite get the angeled atriums, it would be much nicer to see them straightened out and curved instead. The colours are ok, atleast its not brown on brown with some more brown. It will be a unique addition to the skyline but unfortunatley it already looks dated. I guess we have to look at the positives. This will free up the lot where the capri sits allowing for some possible spectacular development! Maybe this will trigger some higher end condo towers to be developed and with an increase in affordable housing maybe the issue will settle down for the time being oh and I forgot, ONE LESS PARKING LOT D/T!!!!

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by kgc087

Wow I'm not quite sure what to think of it, I don't hate it but I don't love it either. I don't quite get the angeled atriums, it would be much nicer to see them straightened out and curved instead. The colours are ok, atleast its not brown on brown with some more brown. It will be a unique addition to the skyline but unfortunatley it already looks dated. I guess we have to look at the positives. This will free up the lot where the capri sits allowing for some possible spectacular development! Maybe this will trigger some higher end condo towers to be developed and with an increase in affordable housing maybe the issue will settle down for the time being oh and I forgot, ONE LESS PARKING LOT D/T!!!!

I like them, they add a little flair , curved sounds interesting as well. However, I have doubts on whether they'll be included in the final design...