Saskatoon Construction

[dsim249]

But it was just there one day! I don't think it's been getting progressively worse throughout the year... It looks like paint was splattered from a brush, or from a paint sprayer! I know I sound crazy. It just doesn't look like it's from salt and gravel! Maybe i'll have to inspect it up close and personal. It's been bugging me ever since I saw it; that fateful day...

[Ruckus]

I wonder if it has something to do with the angle of the sun...

[shmakim]

I see a shot or two of RL part deux in your photo set. Has there been much activity there? I don't seem to find the time for a Tuesday morning walk around that part of the city like I used to. There's a concrete platform that's done but it doesn't look any farther along.

[shmakim]

HOLEE CRAP A LAP A DING DONG! LOOK AT THIS! Can it be real?
Go Regina! (kinda jealous but still) Go Regina!

Renowned Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal designs spectacular domed stadium for Regina


By Matt Kruchak, Saskatchewan News Network
March 3, 2010

Celebrated Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal has designed a world-class domed stadium inspired by the rolling prairie landscape that would include a 500-room Las Vegas-style hotel and casino located in downtown Regina.

Cardinal was approached by the Independent First Nations of Saskatchewan, which according to the architect's website, includes a partnership of 10 First Nations, to design not just a stadium to host the Saskatchewan Roughriders' home games — but an experience as well.

"We wanted it to resonate internationally," said Cardinal, from his Ottawa home Wednesday evening. "It is just a wonderful opportunity to have Regina be a place where people would want to come and see something spectacular."

The multi-purpose entertainment facility with a retractable roof would include a casino that could potentially draw Las Vegas shows, Cardinal said. The facility would be built on a 35-acre piece of land on the current site of CP Rail in Regina's core area. According to Cardinal's website (www.djcarchitect.com), another 727,000 square-feet would be developed for residential and commercial use.

"Like any stage, in any performance, it's setting and the stage that's important," he said. "Can you imagine playing Macbeth with everybody wearing blue jeans on a white stage? You need some drama. You need to have something really dramatic and entertaining itself so that people feel a sense of excitement."

One of those involved in recruiting Cardinal to work on the project is Chief Rick Gamble of the Beardy's and Okemasis First Nation.

"It's a work in progress and has been for a while, and we're moving forward as soon as we can," said Gamble, adding that he was to provide further details on John Gormley Live, just after 8:30 a.m. on Thursday morning.

"Right now, our partners are raring to go and it's just a matter of us doing the release."

He said Cardinal was their choice to design the facility because of his previous work, his reputation and his aboriginal heritage. "He's one of ours."

Along with designing Regina's First Nations University of Canada, Cardinal is known internationally for creating the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull, Que., and the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

"My work is always very organic and sculptural and it relates to nature," Cardinal said. "I think that like anything we do we should find our spaces in our urban centres exciting and vibrant because we have to live inside so many months of the year. So why shouldn't we have something exciting and beautiful."

The First Nations entertainment facility concept announcement comes just three days after the $1-million stadium feasibility study — funded by the Government of Saskatchewan, the City of Regina, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) — was released to the public.

It's believed the First Nations proposal hinges on the government selling Casino Regina, an option the government has previously ruled out. Ron Styles, CEO of Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) of Saskatchewan, has known about the Cardinal concept since the fall of 2009.

Styles said provincial government has not indicated that it's interested in gaming expansion at this time.

"People are always free to bring forward ideas and concepts and that's exactly what they've done and there's been no process to come to a conclusion on it," he said. "The intent of the feasibility study was to take a look at the technical feasibility of putting a stadium on the site, to look at what the financial parameters might be for that and for the government to consider that with it's partners as to whether it wants to proceed with development."

Members of the Roughriders' management were in Edmonton for league meetings. They were not available for comment Wednesday when contacted by the Leader-Post.

[drm310]

More details and renderings of Cardinal's stadium are here: http://www.djcarchitect.com/portfolio/currentprojects.html

Douglas Cardinal is one of my favourite Canadian architects. His buildings are very distinctive.

[SaskArchGuy]

Ok now i have not been the biggest fan of cardinal's work in the past, some of his stuff is ok, but i must admit this is pretty impressive. Its a pretty stunning design. To have a one of a kind "landmark" structure would be exciting. Even though something like this looks like it may cost an arm and a leg. And yes i know its not in Saskatoon, but its exciting.

This design kinda reminds me of Allianz Arena in Munich, was there last summer, and its a pretty sweet building.

[EarlyByrdProductions]

Originally Posted by drm310

More details and renderings of Cardinal's stadium are here: http://www.djcarchitect.com/portfolio/currentprojects.html

Douglas Cardinal is one of my favourite Canadian architects. His buildings are very distinctive.

Good to hear there are some new things still happening back home here.

I have been on the road the last 5 months with the Olympic Torch Relay and had hoped that when I came back there would magically be a Lighthouse or Riverlanding project up and finished...hah.

Anything other highlights from the last half year?

I've seen ALL of Canada now and hope to be able to put some ideas into action to improve this city.
...trust me, the sad majority of our canadian cities look identical as you drive into their myriad of box stores, suburbs, chains and blah.

[timewilltell]

we should be thankful for those cp yards

[Ruckus]

???
________

The John Deere building

[dsim249]

Originally Posted by EarlyByrdProductions

Good to hear there are some new things still happening back home here.

I have been on the road the last 5 months with the Olympic Torch Relay and had hoped that when I came back there would magically be a Lighthouse or Riverlanding project up and finished...hah.

What were you involved with in the Torch Relay?

[EarlyByrdProductions]

MC'd, drummed and pumped up the crowd waiting for the flame to go by.
...and saw our entire country at 7 km/h.

we also went by during the grand opening of Edmonton's stunning Art Gallery of Alberta
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/arts/photos/2009/12/16/aga-front-cbc.jpg

I have my fingers crossed that our new Gallery of Saskatchewan will be even close to this!

[EarlyByrdProductions]

[dsim249]

Originally Posted by EarlyByrdProductions

MC'd, drummed and pumped up the crowd waiting for the flame to go by.
...and saw our entire country at 7 km/h.

Sounds like quite the experience! Although I'm not sure I could handle 7km/h across this vast nation of ours... You'd have to be pretty patient at times, I would imagine. I'm the kinda guy that drives at least 135km/h on road trips (It's safer and fuel efficient).

I'm also excited to see what they come up with for the AGS!

[capitalist]

Tallest tower project off

Project was slated for police lot
By David Hutton, The StarPhoenixMarch 5, 2010 7:43 AMComments (1)

The plan to build Saskatchewan's tallest building in the Saskatoon police station parking lot is officially dead, with the provincial government saying it is looking at another location for the assisted living component of the project.

Provincial government officials said Thursday they have zeroed in on a new site for Lighthouse Supported Living, an assisted living residence that was slated to move from the former Capri Hotel building on 20th Street and Second Avenue to the proposed condominium tower.

The Lighthouse organization has $11.5 million in provincial funding for a new facility, which was to be built by Calgary-based developer Stoneset Equities within a 95-metre tall, or 28-storey, terraced building alongside market-rate condos and retail space.

The $80-million highrise was touted in 2008 as the first major project in a changing downtown skyline that would bring together the unlikely combination of shelter beds, assisted living units, market rental suites and condos.

But last summer, the province said the updated cost of the project, at $25 million, was out of its price range and officially confirmed Thursday the concept is off the table.

The developer was willing to build only the 120-unit Lighthouse portion of the project, but the price was too expensive to proceed beyond the scope of the initial proposal, said Tim Gross, executive director of housing and development with Saskatchewan Housing Corp.

"I don't think a project would involve that initial plan that we had with Stoneset Equities," Gross said.

"As the project progressed, they couldn't make the private market component of the project work and at the end of the day, for $11.5 million that we had we didn't have enough funding to proceed."

Tony Argento, CEO of Stoneset Equities, said the extra costs were based on a "wish list" of additions to the project from the Lighthouse group and Sask. Housing. The company was willing to scale back the number of assisted living units to cut down costs, he said.

"The only thing that stalled the project was their disinterest," Argento said.

The company spent $300,000 on architectural drawings and engineering work, he said.

"My only fear right now is that we spent a lot of money and if it's a no go, we'd like to recover that," Argento said. "You can't string someone along and then say we just changed our minds and say it's someone else's fault.

"We ended up with the bill," he said. "We'll take some responsibility but not 100 per cent."

The provincial government has found another downtown location to build the Lighthouse project within the $11.5-million budget, though Gross wouldn't specify where.

Lighthouse Supported Living has long been in need of more space for its clients, who are mentally or physically challenged, and often turns away people seeking a bed. They are also functioning currently as a women's shelter and undergoing some renovations.

Gross said the focus now is on a new building solely for assisted living clients, not a mixed-use development.

"I think now we're more focused on the use of the Lighthouse for the intended client group," he said.

[email protected]

© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix

[prairieguy]

It gets even more depressing. On page 3 of the Star Phoenix today, along with the Lighthouse article, they make reference to many of the other "stalled" plans that had everyone so excited in the past year or so. (Lake Placid, Eco-Green Village, 275 Second). It certainly sounds like nothing will be hapenning in the short term. Looks like the Saskatoon/Sask economy is not enough to substantiate major investment into new construction. Rather we have to wait for a global market rebound and then cross our fingers that will translate into more investment into this community.

This is especially hard to swallow as we read about the mega-stadium and revitalization plans for Regina. Good for Regina and if a stadium is to be built, it certainly makes sense for it to be in the City that is home to the RIDERS. I just wish there could be some kind of exciting landmark project for Saskatchewan's largest city, as well. Impressed with photo of Alberta's new Art Gallery and I too hope that what we build for SAG can be as inspirational. However, I recall key members involved saying what is on the interior is more important then what is on the exterior given a limited budget. That may be true in most cases, but when it comes to what is suppose to be a landmark gallery, should it not also inspire to creative greatness and dare I say push the boundries a bit? Is not one of the intentions of art to inspire debate, passion and opinions?

With such a lack of construction currently, thank goodness we have institutional construction happening on campus, otherwise there would be very little in activity happening in this city. We need a major announcement, with secured funding support behind it, to get the buzz back in Saskatoon.

[macca]

Originally Posted by EarlyByrdProductions

http://www.kunstler.com/eyesore_201002.html

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

It gets even more depressing. On page 3 of the Star Phoenix today, along with the Lighthouse article, they make reference to many of the other "stalled" plans that had everyone so excited in the past year or so. (Lake Placid, Eco-Green Village, 275 Second). It certainly sounds like nothing will be hapenning in the short term. Looks like the Saskatoon/Sask economy is not enough to substantiate major investment into new construction. Rather we have to wait for a global market rebound and then cross our fingers that will translate into more investment into this community.

This is especially hard to swallow as we read about the mega-stadium and revitalization plans for Regina. Good for Regina and if a stadium is to be built, it certainly makes sense for it to be in the City that is home to the RIDERS. I just wish there could be some kind of exciting landmark project for Saskatchewan's largest city, as well. Impressed with photo of Alberta's new Art Gallery and I too hope that what we build for SAG can be as inspirational. However, I recall key members involved saying what is on the interior is more important then what is on the exterior given a limited budget. That may be true in most cases, but when it comes to what is suppose to be a landmark gallery, should it not also inspire to creative greatness and dare I say push the boundries a bit? Is not one of the intentions of art to inspire debate, passion and opinions?

With such a lack of construction currently, thank goodness we have institutional construction happening on campus, otherwise there would be very little in activity happening in this city. We need a major announcement, with secured funding support behind it, to get the buzz back in Saskatoon.

There are also 3-4 other major projects in Downtown Regina that are very likely to get the green light this year. Several of these were also delayed because of the global meltdown but now look to be back on track.

I expect by mid-year Saskatoon will see something happening as well. This can't go on for ever. Saskatoon needs more office space.

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

It gets even more depressing. On page 3 of the Star Phoenix today...........

Yes I also read page 3 and and yes it is depressing.
The reality is when the economy starts to rebound our resource rich province will be in a better position than most. It really is just a matter of time but the wait can be frustrating.

Well the fog is starting to lift so we are going for a walk along the river where we are bound to meet a friendly smiling face, something Saskatoon never seems to be short on.

[Morogolus]

It's always been a curse of Saskatoon's downtown. I think it's a combination of our tired city council and the economy. Council seems to always make it so difficult for new investors to come in.

It's too bad The River Landing was supposed to be a great project but now it's just a deep hole in taxpayers pockets because there is no private interest in developing there.

[mike474]

I'm curious what exactly council has done to stymie downtown development that most councils elsewhere do not do?