Saskatoon Construction - Page 308

socialisthorde · #**6141** Posted **Jul 13, 2009, 3:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by babtown

Quick question... I was driving down 2nd ave today and realized that the pedestrian level of 2nd avenue lofts is still sitting empty. I know they had plans of leasing/selling the space for retail/coffee etc... Does anyone have any insider info regarding the status of those spaces? It would be nice to something going on there!

You'd wonder how they are making any money on that place at all, given they are so slow in developing it and must be paying financing charges. From a recent walk by, it looks like the space is ready to go. It is roughed in with drywall and seems ready for finishing, but there is absolutely no indication of attempts to lease it. Given that the K.G. seems to be fillling pretty quickly, you would think there would be incentive to get moving.

madsad · #**6142** Posted **Jul 13, 2009, 8:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by socialisthorde

Best espresso in town is at the Mendel Art Gallery (can't recall the name).

Museo, and it also has tasty snax...

gowest · #**6143** Posted **Jul 14, 2009, 9:04 PM**

I had a chance to look at the K.G. and the Lux on the weekend. What great additions to the city. Like many building Ken Achs has been involved with, the old CP station, the firehall and 11th St and many others, he still takes pride in his city.

drm310 · #**6144** Posted **Jul 15, 2009, 3:35 PM**

High-five to Meridian and their great work. I'm very interested to see what they do with the new university residence buildings.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gowest

I had a chance to look at the K.G. and the Lux on the weekend. What great additions to the city. Like many building Ken Achs has been involved with, the old CP station, the firehall and 11th St and many others, he still takes pride in his city.

Echoes · #**6145** Posted **Jul 15, 2009, 5:48 PM**

Bike lanes on deck for Fourth Avenue
Council receives recommendations for lanes, extra signs

By Jeremy Warren, The StarPhoenix July 15, 2009

Bicycling in downtown Saskatoon could get a little easier as the city is poised to create dedicated bike lanes on Fourth Avenue.

The city's planning and operations committee on Tuesday approved administration recommendations that include the new bike lanes and more visible markers for existing lanes. The recommendations now go before city council.

"The main barrier to increase bike riding is safety," Tom Wolf, a member of the city's cycling advisory group, told the committee meeting.

"We really do need dedicated bike lanes that physically separate motorists from cyclists."

The proposed new bike lanes run north and south along most of five blocks of Fourth Avenue between 19th and 24th streets. The lanes are flanked by traffic lanes on one side and parking lanes on the other.

The $30,000 plan also increases the number of bike lane markers stencilled on all downtown lanes shared by cyclists and motorists.

The symbol consists of a bicycle capped by two arrows.

"This doesn't have to be an expensive endeavour to make cycling work in Saskatoon," said Coun. Charlie Clark. "It's a high-visibility, low-cost move."

Earlier this year, council rejected a proposal to add bike lanes to a redeveloped Third Avenue.

A marketing campaign to remind residents about cyclists' rights would accompany the new measures, but cyclists must be conscious of the rules, too, said Coun. Pat Lorje.

"We have to normalize bike riding in this city but the bike community itself has to do some self policing, because we'll see a significant number of bikers," she said.

The city has established a $2-million fund for bicycling infrastructure for future projects such as extending and creating more bike paths in Saskatoon.

City councillors will receive the report at a special council meeting Thursday.

[email protected]

© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix

Source

ninipanini · #**6146** Posted **Jul 15, 2009, 10:39 PM**

Go Charlie Clark

Keep it up... more bike infrastructure is badly needed! One item near the top of my wish list is a bylaw requiring bike lock up places for all businesses, they're already required to install X number of parking spots per X size of business... why not bike racks? And it would be a LOT cheaper than paving a lot!

Just my two cents as usual.

Fatch · #**6147** Posted **Jul 16, 2009, 5:58 AM**

Hmm...

I noticed on kijiji today that the Bay Lofts are now being offered as rent-to-own.

link

Looks like the downtown condo market might be getting soft - not good news for future development in the short-term.

midnightrambler · #**6148** Posted **Jul 16, 2009, 5:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fatch

Hmm...

I noticed on kijiji today that the Bay Lofts are now being offered as rent-to-own.

link

Looks like the downtown condo market might be getting soft - not good news for future development in the short-term.

I don't think that the Bay Lofts being offered on Kijiji makes the condo market soft. I would just say that I think they did a terrible job on that reno. It's taken at least 3 years, they still look like hell from the outside. Meridian clearly kicked the junk out of that renovation, they showed us how to renovate a building. The old bay building still looks like it's abandoned, not to mention dated. Have I said it looks terrible yet? Oh and what's with the multicoloured BS on one corner of the building? Doesn't that belong in 1982?

+ They are still probably working on the inside which will make it noisy as hell. Instead of punching holes for windows in the reno they should have ripped off all the siding and made the entire building glass, stripped it right back to the concrete.

As for the reason why they are not selling: I think it's beacuase they are not really that fashionable... It would have been actually a good use for student housing in my opinion. And watch them fill up come fall.

midnightrambler · #**6149** Posted **Jul 16, 2009, 7:36 PM**

Actually.... Apart from the building looking like hell on the outside they appear to have sold 80% of them.

http://www.2ndavenuelofts.com/price_list/price_list.pdf

Over a 170 units in that place.

But for $370,000, no wonder they aren't selling. That's ridiculous considering what you're getting. And that is why there is a plethora of them available on the Mls website as well.

Echoes · #**6150** Posted **Jul 16, 2009, 8:07 PM**

Does anyone know what happened to Mykonos? I noticed a 'For Lease' sign in the windows at their 22nd and 3rd location. Have they re-located? Or have they gone under? If it did then that corner doesn't have a great record for supporting a restaurant... Simon's British Flavors didn't last there either. Oh well, such is the restaurant business.

circle33 · #**6151** Posted **Jul 16, 2009, 8:34 PM**

What happened is they were stuck by the curse of that location. I've been here 7 years now and I've seen nearly as many ventures open then fail in that spot. Simon's was the most successful of the lot. A heap of good that did them.

Ruckus · #**6152** Posted **Jul 16, 2009, 9:06 PM**

I don't mind the exterior of 2nd Avenue Lofts. Its color is much appreciated during our dull winter months. The street level experience is rather boring (what with no retail tenants). The last time I peered in it looked like they were still under construction.

As someone who has observed the transformation of The Bay to the 2nd Avenue Lofts with regularity (the perks of downtown bus transfers), I am quite pleased with the results. From the expansive windows to the central atrium running the length of the building, the Lofts are unlike anything else in its vicinity (after all, it was formerly a department store). I would define it as a quirky mix of colors and materials, the funkiest residential building in downtown Saskatoon.

Speaking of the central atrium, does anyone have photos from inside or is that still under construction?

______________________

The curse of 22nd and 3rd...restaurants folding on one corner, gravel parking lot across the street, redundant Affinity Credit Union on another, and the underwhelming public plaza of 3rd Ave Mall (Sturdy Stone Centre)...what is the sinister connection between these things?

With improvements to 3rd Avenue, the next tenant will surely have more success (crosses fingers). They could try a pub (live music?) or sports bar...they seem to be reasonably successful in Saskatoon.

macca · #**6153** Posted **Jul 16, 2009, 9:25 PM**

Yet Asian Taste marches on...

Ruckus · #**6154** Posted **Jul 16, 2009, 9:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by macca

Yet Asian Taste marches on...

Niche marketing? Greek food restaurants are ubiquitous in our city.

circle33 · #**6155** Posted **Jul 16, 2009, 9:56 PM**

Nope. Just not at the cursed corner spot.

Ruckus · #**6156** Posted **Jul 16, 2009, 10:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by circle33

Nope. Just not at the cursed corner spot.

The tenants could hire a local shaman to remove the curse...

, any suggestions? The Ex will be coming into town soon...

Yahoo Answers also suggests praying more may remove the curse...

I like this one...

Quote:

Got to any temples, churches according to your faith. Make an offering (in kind) whether monetary term, light offering,...etc. Do it for 9 consecutive times (without fail) - once per week.If you choose Sunday, then attend 9 consecutive weekend (without missing one) if not, you start all over again. Dedicate the merits of your giving to remove any obstacles, hindrances, hurt, curse for your family.

This one could apply...

Quote:

Your house might be buried on an old Indian Burial Ground. You should do some research on the property and see if its true.

Except its obvious Mykonos was above ground.

One other one about red Indian burial grounds and failed NASA missions. See, curses can be overcome