Regina Construction

[Chaps]

Originally Posted by Regina Boi

Get a life dude, nobody on this forum "moans" about everything. Just because everyone doesn't agree with your point of view, doesn't mean we're not allowed to express our thoughts.

Thanks for the personal insult.

I wouldn't say nobody. But I surely didn't say everybody. You're allowed to express whatever you want...and so am I. And IMO, it's ridiculously shortsighted to say this is a bad development because it will force a couple small businesses to move...and to say entrepreneurs will avoid downtown now.

The biggest thing to happen in downtown in almost 20 years was just announced...and the NIMBY-DTV's (downtown versions) are out to rain on the parade.

The IMF just got a HUGE tenant...bigger than could have been expected as a first entrant...and we're worried about the loss of a bloody canola field.

[HomeInMyShoes]

^The Regina forum has not really been about active discussion of different viewpoints. It seems xenophobic to foreign concepts, learning anything from examples elsewhere in the country or world.

In the grand scheme of things, Harvard building on the corner of 12th avenue might mean a Starbucks/Timmies, a bank machine, and a chain restaurant for the commercial space. With that kind of feel, I might as well be downtown anywhere. It's the local stores intermixed with the chains that really gives everyone the best of everything. And yes, it will increase the workforce downtown which is great news, but I seriously doubt all the existing businesses will be able to foot the move and renovation costs again.

Design isn't an end product, it's a process of getting to one and it could go on forever. Compromises are made for budget, constraints, time limits, but discussing alternatives and ideas is part of good design, even with finished and approved developments that we love for the most part. Not discussing alternatives does nothing to further knowledge.

I'm surprised me, regina boi, and babo haven't been banned yet.

[Regina Boi]

Originally Posted by Chaps

Thanks for the personal insult.

I wouldn't say nobody. But I surely didn't say everybody. You're allowed to express whatever you want...and so am I. And IMO, it's ridiculously shortsighted to say this is a bad development because it will force a couple small businesses to move...and to say entrepreneurs will avoid downtown now.

The biggest thing to happen in downtown in almost 20 years was just announced...and the NIMBY-DTV's (downtown versions) are out to rain on the parade.

The IMF just got a HUGE tenant...bigger than could have been expected as a first entrant...and we're worried about the loss of a bloody canola field.

oh brother, enough with the stupid canola field. That was just one small point of many I made about the IMF. I also didn't say entrepreneurs would avoid downtown. I said I would certainly be thinking twice about a move to downtown. Take a look around, there isn't exactly a ton of retail space downtown for new businesses to set up.

[Chaps]

Originally Posted by Regina Boi

oh brother, enough with the stupid canola field. That was just one small point of many I made about the IMF. I also didn't say entrepreneurs would avoid downtown. I said I would certainly be thinking twice about a move to downtown. Take a look around, there isn't exactly a ton of retail space downtown for new businesses to set up.

I work downtown...there are a few vacancies that I walk by every day. And if space is needed, space will be created...in one of those empty lots hopefully.

I'm not sure why a more populated downtown would make entrepreneurs think twice about downtown. Exactly the opposite, IMO. It's not like small businesses are getting booted every other month. More like every other decade.

[urbanregina]

Originally Posted by Chaps

I wouldn't say nobody. But I surely didn't say everybody. You're allowed to express whatever you want...and so am I. And IMO, it's ridiculously shortsighted to say this is a bad development because it will force a couple small businesses to move...and to say entrepreneurs will avoid downtown now.

The effect on these businesses could be more than just a small relocation. This move could kill these businesses.

Originally Posted by Chaps

The biggest thing to happen in downtown in almost 20 years was just announced...and the NIMBY-DTV's (downtown versions) are out to rain on the parade.

Quit calling people NIMBYs. I´m all for development downtown and I´d love to see a new skyscraper but I don´t want a vital part of our downtown damaged in the process.

Originally Posted by Chaps

The IMF just got a HUGE tenant...bigger than could have been expected as a first entrant...and we're worried about the loss of a bloody canola field.

Farmers are growing too much canola these days anyways.

[urbanregina]

Originally Posted by Chaps

I work downtown...there are a few vacancies that I walk by every day. And if space is needed, space will be created...in one of those empty lots hopefully.

But are these spaces good for the businesses? Is the rent affordable? Will they get enought foot traffic? Will their business thrive there or will it slowly die?

[Chaps]

Originally Posted by urbanregina

Quit calling people NIMBYs. I´m all for development downtown and I´d love to see a new skyscraper but I don´t want a vital part of our downtown damaged in the process.

Ideally, it wouldn't damage it. But that's ideally to you and me...and those 3 business owners.

But none of the above are the ones who are putting millions and millions of dollars on the line. And obviously building where WE want them to build isn't ideal for them.

We need to think not only on the "downtown enthusiasts" mindset, but consider the developers as well. Without the developers...we have no downtown to discuss.

[Chaps]

Originally Posted by urbanregina

But are these spaces good for the businesses? Is the rent affordable? Will they get enought foot traffic? Will their business thrive there or will it slowly die?

Why aren't these same questions being asked for the new tower?

If you think these locations are weak, why do you expect someone to build a tower there?

We don't know what is going in this tower. Maybe the main tenant REQUIRES a direct link to Maccallum tower? Maybe they are going to have some major retail space at ground level and they need the foot traffic? Maybe they can save millions and millions by locating beside their other properties and not somewhere else?

If all we did here was do everything possible to protect the little shop...our downtown would be indistinguishable from the rest of the city. A bunch of little 1-2-3 story shops.

We say the small business maybe can't locate other places because it may not work for them...anyone think that those spots may not work for the developers of the new tower too? Why are their needs not being considered?

[urbanregina]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

^The Regina forum has not really been about active discussion of different viewpoints. It seems xenophobic to foreign concepts, learning anything from examples elsewhere in the country or world.

In the grand scheme of things, Harvard building on the corner of 12th avenue might mean a Starbucks/Timmies, a bank machine, and a chain restaurant for the commercial space. With that kind of feel, I might as well be downtown anywhere. It's the local stores intermixed with the chains that really gives everyone the best of everything. And yes, it will increase the workforce downtown which is great news, but I seriously doubt all the existing businesses will be able to foot the move and renovation costs again.

Because it is a new development rents would likely be higher so that only a Starbucks/Timmies or a chain restaurant would be likely to take up the space.

[Chaps]

Originally Posted by urbanregina

Because it is a new development rents would likely be higher so that only a Starbucks/Timmies or a chain restaurant would be likely to take up the space.

A Starbucks downtown wouldn't be a bad thing. It's a big draw.

Sure some of the other small coffee shops might feel the effects, but as long as they properly differentiated, they would be fine.

[Regina Boi]

Originally Posted by Chaps

Why aren't these same questions being asked for the new tower?

If you think these locations are weak, why do you expect someone to build a tower there?

We don't know what is going in this tower. Maybe the main tenant REQUIRES a direct link to Maccallum tower? Maybe they are going to have some major retail space at ground level and they need the foot traffic? Maybe they can save millions and millions by locating beside their other properties and not somewhere else?

If all we did here was do everything possible to protect the little shop...our downtown would be indistinguishable from the rest of the city. A bunch of little 1-2-3 story shops.

We say the small business maybe can't locate other places because it may not work for them...anyone think that those spots may not work for the developers of the new tower too? Why are their needs not being considered?

One of the main focuses of Downtown Regina was to attract small unique shops to the downtown core. The main reason being is because they offer products and services that the big box retailers and chains in the east end don't offer.

[Chaps]

Sorry to Boi and urban for being so blunt in my previous posts.

It's not that you guys don't have some valid points...you do. But this injection of investment far outweighs any cons, IMO. We shouldn't be discouraging the very thing we are trying to attract to this city.

Would it be ideal if the Loblaw's DC were all $75k/year jobs...yes, it would be. Would it be ideal if this new tower could utilize an empty lot, again, yes. But reality is, there are many reasons, and good ones at that, that make that not feasible.

Sacrifices might have to be made to move forward in this city, and we're seeing that right now. But in the big picture, both of these announcements are huge! Not without concern, but huge nonetheless.

[Chaps]

Originally Posted by Regina Boi

One of the main focuses of Downtown Regina was to attract small unique shops to the downtown core. The main reason being is because they offer products and services that the big box retailers and chains in the east end don't offer.

Agreed. And again, I'm not saying that I like the fact that these shops have to up and move...because I don't. But it's a small price to pay for the overall benefit of what is going to happen there. Hopefully these businesses can relocate downtown and be bigger and better than before.

Entrepreneurs around the world got their big break, and became bigger and better, after facing adversity and challenges. Let's hope that happens again.

[urbanregina]

Originally Posted by Chaps

Why aren't these same questions being asked for the new tower?

If you think these locations are weak, why do you expect someone to build a tower there?

A different location downtown wouldn´t hurt an office tower, but it would hurt the small business. An office tower doesn´t have to worry about affordable rent, a small business does. The office tower doesn´t have to worry about foot traffic going by their business they generate the foot traffic.

Originally Posted by Chaps

We don't know what is going in this tower. Maybe the main tenant REQUIRES a direct link to Maccallum tower? Maybe they are going to have some major retail space at ground level and they need the foot traffic? Maybe they can save millions and millions by locating beside their other properties and not somewhere else?

If their new tower is so small that they need to link it to another tower they would be better off just building a bigger tower. Otherwise their tenants wouldn´t be hurt by having to walk a little bit. New retail space would likely be too expensive for small business (and this city needs more small business)

Originally Posted by Chaps

If all we did here was do everything possible to protect the little shop...our downtown would be indistinguishable from the rest of the city. A bunch of little 1-2-3 story shops.

Downtown shops like the 13th avenue shops are rather unique and not like something you would find in the rest of the city (and with lack of stucco they are very easy to distinguish). I walk around downtown and see plenty of land which is not occupied by anything but cars so there is alot of space where something bigger than a 1-2-3 story shop could be built without tearing anything down.

Originally Posted by Chaps

We say the small business maybe can't locate other places because it may not work for them...anyone think that those spots may not work for the developers of the new tower too? Why are their needs not being considered?

The only thing which really could be a problem for the developer is land ownership.

[babo]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

^The Regina forum has not really been about active discussion of different viewpoints. It seems xenophobic to foreign concepts, learning anything from examples elsewhere in the country or world.

I don't care for the tone of your voice. You aren't from around these parts, are you, sir?

Did someone mention Timmies?

[urbanregina]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

Seriously, if you were the land owner, what would you do?

Not to label anyone in particular, I find it funny how some socialist-minded people, who want whats best for everyone, say the don't want a dozen people to be bothered with having to move somewhere else and pay a competitive price for rent so a building that could potentially employ hundreds of people and provide a much larger tax base that would actually benefit the city, and thus everyone more. I don't get people.

Now I´m being called socialist-minded, funny I think it´s more that I recognize that the economic benefits that these small businesses have on our local economy are much greater than those of big business. Muddy Joe´s > Starbucks etc.

[babo]

Originally Posted by someguy

Warehousing is an industrial land use if you look at the Standard Industrial Classification manual. Commercial land uses are more oriented toward the end user (retail, restaurants, personal service, etc...).

I stand, not literally as I know few who stand and type, corrected. Thank you for showing me the error of my ways.

[Stormer]

There is a lot of defending/critizing of developers about their selection of locations for new development. Many good points have been made on both sides of the argument, but I can tell you that it is not as easy as it seems to assemble an appropriate parcel. You cannot just walk down the street and buy a parking lot an build a tower on it.

Often these properties are owned or tied up by competitors of the developer. In other cases the owners are not willing to sell for a reasonable price. Some of the vacant lots in downtown Regina have environmental issues that could scare off lenders or tenants.

Also the City has very onerous parking requirements for office towers. Parking is extremely expensive to build - you usually do not make money on parkades. Harvard, for example controls the large parkades on Rose and Cornwall Streets. If they connect a new tower to one of these, they can control construction costs and keep the project viable. This is what they have done with all of their other towers. This way you also avoid the ugly 5 storey parkade look at the base of the tower that you see on several downtown buildings.

[urbanregina]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

How many businesses are going to be potential tenants in the office tower? You assume its going to be less than the amount of tenants currently in the location?

No I assume there will be mutliple tenants in the new building and the offices will be contained to only one building, therefore there is no NEED of a pedway and the location of the building is of less importance.

Originally Posted by djforsberg

Who owns this land these parking lots on? Are these parking lots in the location in the ideal location for the prospective tenants of the new office tower? What business would try to buy land in a non-ideal location rather than building on its own land which is considered ideal by their own research?

Again I say location for the building is of less importance than location is for the businesses being displaced.

[Regina Boi]

I call a truce for now. For one thing, there has been no conformation that a tower is actually going up in that particular spot. As far as I know, only one media outlet has even reported on this story. I suggest we wait and see if anything even comes from this rumor.