Saskatoon Construction

[Ruckus]

Same shit, different day.

This petty debate ends now.

[Ruckus]

Sorry to ruin everyone's fun, but the civic rivalry talk is over. Infractions have been, and will continue to be handed out if it continues.

[dsim249]

We may have lost Lake Placid's River Landing (for now), so I thought I'd post this lovely rendering of Remai's River Landing-to-be, to remind us that things could be a lot worse. This could have been under construction right now.



Personally, I think it's hysterical. WTF were they thinking???

[GTR200]

Originally Posted by dsim249

We may have lost Lake Placid's River Landing (for now), so I thought I'd post this lovely rendering of Remai's River Landing-to-be, to remind us that things could be a lot worse. This could have been under construction right now.



Personally, I think it's hysterical. WTF were they thinking???

Ohhh the humanity. I seriously considered moving to another city
if that monstrosity was built.

[Wyku]

What are you guys talking about?? That thing would have been an architectural wonder!!.....errm, excuse me a minute * *

[Wyku]

Lake Placid...ish
Chamber says project might need a few tweaks

Reported By Joe Hoover
Posted November 2, 2009 - 11:31pm
The deal with Lake Placid is dead and Saskatoon is moving on.

City Councillors seem interested in pursuing a similar project for the parcel of land on the west river bank. But roughly two years after the first development was approved, is the climate still right for such a design?

Kent Smith-Windsor with the Saskaton Chamber of Commerce says the money and the will for developing River Landing is present locally. He qualifies that by saying each facet of the design may have to be taken on seperately, and at a different scale.

He points out that tenancy will have a huge impact; does Saskatoon need more hotel rooms? Is there a commercial tenant to anchor that part of the complex?

"And it may well relate to the ability to provide underground parking to the scale originally envisioned," Smith-Windsor explains.

He says Lake Placid's failure doesn't interfere with Saskatoon's potential.

"It's a specific project that's struggled in its on right for a number of years."

Like everyone NewsTalk Radio has spoken to, he says he's personally disappointed the project has faced so many hurdles.

Source
==================================================

I sure I'm not alone in saying that I would love to see Meridian take on at least a portion of the project now that it's free game again.

They didn't seem to find those things a problem when it was still Lake Placid's development?

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by mjl

I work for Lake Placid and I can provide an update as a response to all of this cynicism. For all of those people that did not see our full page ad in the Star Phoenix on May 23, we will commence construction this summer.
People need to remember that a project of this scale requires months of planning before any execution can take place. We also needed legislative amendments to take place. We are now ready to begin, having already invested 10's of millions in this project, and you will see progress in the coming weeks.

We truly believe that once this project is built it will change the city of Saskatoon. Many of our believers have already put down deposits on residences in River Landing Village. Our early believers will be rewarded as the prices are subject to change as progress is made. Please stay positive and supportive as this monumental project moves forward!

Remember this classic, maybe it was a ponzi scheme from the get go. Invested 10's of millions, I think not!


PS I'm sure the mjl stands for MICHAEL J. LOBSINGER, VICE-PRESIDENT ASSET MANAGEMENT

[shmakim]

Geeeeeeez Ruckus, I thought I was lightening the mood with that big little smiley after my comment. So much for the subtlety of online communication....

And I may be setting myself up for further flames by asking this, but what's the worst of that Remai rendering? Boxy? Puny windows? More brown stone? It seems at least a bit progressive for Remai with those curved window bays that cantilever out from the building perimeter.... but I suppose it's not nearly enough glass for people's tastes here.

I've seen architecture in other climates that makes much more use of glass, but is it reasonable for Saskatoon to have buildings with huge glass curtains on the outside? I guess they did it with Discovery Plaza... is it gonna be a bitch to heat something like that?

Remai sure seems to like boxy little windows.... seems to make their buildings look dated and oldman-ish.

[shmakim]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Remember this classic, maybe it was a ponzi scheme from the get go.


PS I'm sure the mjl stands for MICHAEL J. LOBSINGER, VICE-PRESIDENT ASSET MANAGEMENT

LP sure talked the talk, didn't they. Maybe you need to in business, but boy did they ever wreck their credibility, and Saskatoon's going to be gunshy in dealing with them, if ever, in the future.

[midnightrambler]

I'm looking forward to this now:

http://275second.com/?c=introduction

As for Lake Placid:

I am dissapointed, but honestly think that they overestimated the condo market in the city and that is why they pulled out. I asked for a price list for the condo's from LPD and they sent me back a list:

Style Square Footage Range Price Range
One Bedroom 592 – 840 sq ft $294,900 - $494,900
Two Bedroom 818 – 1,162 sq. ft $479,900 - $734,900
Terraced Units 861 – 1,550 sq. ft $519,900 - $929,900
Live Work Town Houses 1,808 - 2,389 sq ft $879,900 - $1,195,900
Penthouses 1,463 – 4,284 sq. ft Released in Phase 2

So a One Bedroom condo is $294,900 ? 592 sq ft ?

Or you could buy a 1400 sq ft house in Hampton Village with a backyard for $249,900.

There are two problems here: 1) The prices were too high, 2) There is intense competition from the housing market.
My personal view is that the River Landing Condo's are outside the price range for most people.

Source

[gowest]

Thiis would be a great start-up to the south end of downtown. It would be nice to see the city divide the River Landing site but require developers to build in such a way that the building complimented each other. Even it starts with one and later developes to others, there should be some requirements to have a special look. With the loss of LP we still had to chance to see what could be done to make this city look like a class act. The site can really by a gem even if we start small and grow. (properly) Meridan has the vision to do this within our city, why can't others do what they do to make our city stand out and look new and up to date.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by shmakim

LP sure talked the talk, didn't they. Maybe you need to in business, but boy did they ever wreck their credibility, and Saskatoon's going to be gunshy in dealing with them, if ever, in the future.

It's a real shame about Lake Placid and River Landing but more due dilignece should have been in order before selecting Lake Placid, on their website they list their own head office as one the very few success stories (actually completed) by the company, that in itself is a bit of a red herring.

Wish Saskatoon all the best in finding a developer for a great site that warrants a great building.


PS Sounds like Lake Placid's Centuria on the park development is off the rails in Calgary.

[macca]

Originally Posted by midnightrambler

Or you could buy a 1400 sq ft house in Hampton Village with a backyard for $249,900.

And you can walk out your front door to amenities like the river? River Landing? The public square proposed by LP? Downtown shops/restaurants/nightlife?

[madsad]

Phase I will only consist of the two buildings in the Meridian rendering.


There is no additional structure beside the Williams building. That was an earlier plan that has been changed.

Phase II, if approved, will be two additional buildings in a "mirror image" of Phase I, built to the north, leaving a green space in the middle.

[midnightrambler]

Originally Posted by macca

And you can walk out your front door to amenities like the river? River Landing? The public square proposed by LP? Downtown shops/restaurants/nightlife?

No, but if you have a family with kids, it isn't the best environment is it?

This isn't New York, a lot of people want the backyard, the picket fence, the dog and the space to live. Versus being crammed into a 600 square foot hotel room. The space trumps ammenities.

Don't get me wrong, I would like to live downtown in a condo in River Landing, but it isn't in the cards finnancially with the amount of space I need. But I can have a house in the burbs with that much space no problem, actually, for way cheaper.

[macca]

Originally Posted by midnightrambler

No, but if you have a family with kids, it isn't the best environment is it?

This isn't New York

I suppose all those kids at the spray pool at River Landing, playing and eating ice cream from the cafe there, would be far worse off if they actually lived across the street from it.

To answer your question directly without sarcasm, yes, that is potentially the best environemnt for kids.

The idea that the only appropriate place for a family with kids is in a low density suburb is ridiculous.

The only difference between Saskatoon and New York is that most of that city's infrastructure (buildings, road network) was built in the era prior to when living like a king on a private estate with a garage full of personal vehicles was an option for the middle class.

[macca]

If the true cost of living the suburban dream was reflected in the price people paid, the insufferable life of a condo in the city would be far more appealing.

[midnightrambler]

Originally Posted by macca

If the true cost of living the suburban dream was reflected in the price people paid, the insufferable life of a condo in the city would be far more appealing.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I'm just saying it's what people want. And I'm right.

[macca]

Originally Posted by midnightrambler

This isn't New York, a lot of people want the backyard, the picket fence, the dog and the space to live. Versus being crammed into a 600 square foot hotel room. The space trumps ammenities.

Since there's no development to discuss, I'm going to keep ranting about this.

Space DOES NOT trump amenities. For anybody. Perhaps 99% of people living in the city, and in rural areas in SK for that matter, require the 'amenities' of basic services. Even those on acreages require services provided by their municipality. There are some individuals who may choose to live a more "off the grid" lifestyle, no running water or electricity for example. Perhaps they hunt their own game.

Your suburban soccer mom is not choosing space over amenities. She is choosing based on perceptions. She has all the amenities she wants in Hampton Village. The problem is they are a car ride away. Her perception is that downtown is not a place for children. It's dirty, noisy, dangerous, etc. Hampton Village is quiet and safe and she can bubble wrap her child and put them in the fenced backyard and sleep soundly at night.

I'm sure I don't have to waste virtual ink on why each household making multiple car trips per day is bad for the environment, or why it might be better to have a main street that looks like Broadway or 2nd Ave rather than 8th Street or 22nd.

[macca]

Originally Posted by midnightrambler

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I'm just saying it's what people want. And I'm right.

So you're not arguing a point or having a discussion, you're just pointing out that water is wet.