Saskatoon Construction

[timewilltell]

Originally Posted by Migs

Yup its a go. Demolishon of the Plains starts in mid April and shovels are to be in the ground this summer. Here is some more info.

http://www.capitalpointe.ca/email/capital-point-spring-news-full.html

That said, both this and Riverlanding are wonderful projects for Sask's 2 biggest cities and my fingers are crossed that Nasser can get this back on track. Huge news for Saskatoon and I couldn't be happier.

great news

[prairieguy]

Thanks djforsberg and Migs for the links to further info on the capital pointe project. It really looks outstanding.

I think we have to put aside our city rivalry's (although that can be healthy at times) to celebrate this development. It is good for Regina and good for the province. As a resident of Saskatoon, I just hope we will also be proceeding with our hotel/condo project at River Landing. Maybe, after over a year of frustration with the lack of movement on a lot of our "proposed projects", these 2 will lead the way for shovels (or better yet cranes) to hit the ground.

On one of the links to the Captial Pointe project, a comment was made that the next step for Regina is proceeding with the domed stadium. As a Rider supporter who goes to games, I have to say my vote is NOT to build a domed stadium, but to invest $100-150 million into refurbishing Mosaic (always Taylor Field for me). I tnink this is more feasible, practical and better use of funds. The quoted price of the dome as being $390-$450 mil (depending on land costs, clean up, etc,) is likely on the very low end, as we all know projects like this tend to come in substanially over original estimates. I think we can still end up with a show piece stadium/facility for a $150 mil investment (at least we SHOULD be able to!)

[Morogolus]

This is awesome news, Nassir is my new hero and how unexpected.

I just hope city council doesn't screw around and immediately green lights the project without making them go through a bunch of red tape. Although I think Mr. Nassir brings a lot of legitimacy to the table and I'm sure city council is not going to reject someone wanting to spend 200 million+ on a downtown project.

I also gotta hand it to Mr. Lobsinger. I'm sure this has been a daunting ordeal for him but he's always stuck to his — and tried to support the project despite the sometimes lack of public and political support.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by Jerry

Lake Placid revival

Well, this cured my post-St. Patty's Day hangover in a hurry! Now to celebrate.

Also, whereabouts at River Landing are they going to place the statue of K.W. Nasser?

Isn't it a beauty?


from the lake placid thread: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=137389&page=7

[shmakim]

I'll be holding my breath until Monday.... or maybe later. I just won't be able to let it out until the actual plan is out of the bag AND approved by council.

Despite its yet lack of official recognition, this "proposal" is the best news on this board in a long time!!!

baila baila

[Chaps]

Wow, good for Saskatoon!

And with a guy like Nasser on board now, it looks promising that River Landing comes to life. He has the passion, desire, and resources to make this happen.

And I know council has made some STUPID decisions...numerous times in Saskatoon. But I can't see them NOT doing everything possible to make this development come to life.

[Chaps]

Originally Posted by Country

Well, this cured my post-St. Patty's Day hangover in a hurry! Now to celebrate.

Also, whereabouts at River Landing are they going to place the statue of K.W. Nasser?

Isn't it a beauty?


from the lake placid thread: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=137389&page=7

Was there other renders for this??? I thought I remembered a much more "grand" render? This looks rather plain jane. It's nice...but I remembered it being nicer?

Maybe it's just the angle and the pebbled roofs that are putting me off. Anyways, it will be nice for Saskatoon to finally have a modern looking building playing a significant role in the skyline. How tall is the tallest building there? Looks about 20 stores? Is that one all residential (8ft ceilings)?

[shmakim]

Huff huff huff.... the CAVE dwellers are all over this story in the S-P, so I just shot back, with:


Incredible range of opinions on this board. My persuasion is of the "yahoo, let's build it already!"

Okay 4:42, I'll tell you the positive benefit to Saskatoon of building River Landing Village:

First, its construction will bring lots of work and dollars to the local economy. If any materials and labour are local, even better, but having so many people working on such a big project downtown will trickle through. It's $200M! You don't think some of that money will be absorbed by the local economy? Business is better than no business.

Once completed, it will house a hotel: Market analysis indicates Saskatoon can support another hotel - ask Sheraton, they're very very busy, or consider that there's a Holiday Inn Express planned for the old Pacific Cinemas lot.

It'll house condos: 2nd Ave Lofts are almost completely filled, and Lake Placid took many deposits from people already onboard to buy at the new tower. RLV will provide a gorgeous brand new building, something no other building in Saskatoon can offer - the rest of Saskatoon's downtown towers are 1970s dinosaurs with puny windows.

It'll house office space: Saskatoon's only class A downtown office space currently is Saskatoon Square, (http://www.colliersmn.com/prod/ccgrd.nsf/City/25C0D902016215F6852575FB00780669/$File/Q2+2009+Office+Market+Report.pdf) and the people refurbishing the Capitol theatre obviously think there's a need for downtown office space. Cameco and Areva, for only two, were spread all over the city because they couldn't find a decent space to centralize. They're building a business park in McNab too.... I think Saskatoon can use the office space.

It'll house shopping - and why shouldn't it. The people who live and work there will probably be the first to shop there. It's called "mixed use". You make it sound like shopping is a bad thing.

It'll house 2 expensive restaurants. Yes, I'd rather have 2 expensive restaurants overlooking the river than another Burger King. This will give people fine dining with a spectacular view that you just can't get anywhere else..... Top of the Inn? Maybe.... I bet they'll be visited lots.

The new Art Gallery of Saskatchewan will NOT be part of River Landing Village - get your facts straight, and understand that not all people are displeased with the move. You're making assumptions.

Just because there are other places with hotels, condos, shopping, and restaurants doesn't mean this new development is a bad idea or will fail. You sound like you're against any new development because "we've already got that". No we don't. RLV looks distinctive, provides distinctive condos, distinctive office space, probably distinctive dining, and quite possibly distinctive shopping. AND the plaza in the middle is like nothing else we have in the city.

It won't sit near-empty - Saskatoon has shown Lake Placid that they will buy into it when it gets built.

River Landing Village will not solve the downtown problems. You expect it to? What it WILL do is show Saskatoon, the province, and the country, that we have reasonably modern architecture, and economic activity, and provide a beautiful place for people, to live, work, play, shop, eat, visit, swim, skate, or just marvel at.

Your argument is full of holes.



Crissake.........

[kgc087]

THIS HAS MADE MY WEEK!!! I was just expressing my frustration with Saskatoon and how the Riversdale revitalization and continued downtown growth is so dependent on this development. If this pulls through the downtown will see a major increase in wealthy people living in the area demanding higher end amenities and shopping. As well This will help spark higher end developments in the downtown since developers will see that there is a higher end market in Saskatoon. Lets all cross our fingers for this!!!!!!!! *Happy Dance!*

[dsim249]

Originally Posted by shmakim

Huff huff huff.... the CAVE dwellers are all over this story in the S-P, so I just shot back, with:

Fack! I know!

My blood just boils reading some of the comments on there. I've already made a few posts on there today, attempting to shoot down some of the ill-informed NIMBYS!
Like some idiot was complaining about the name of the project being "Lake Placid" because it's "been used thousands of times in other locale"s....... ! Like, wow. Get a brain, learn your facts, shut up, please and thank you.


ANYWAY . Like everyone else, I'm absolutely thrilled about the potential of RL being resurrected from the dead. I won't be so quick to get my hopes up too high this time.

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by Chaps

Was there other renders for this??? I thought I remembered a much more "grand" render? This looks rather plain jane. It's nice...but I remembered it being nicer?

Maybe it's just the angle and the pebbled roofs that are putting me off. Anyways, it will be nice for Saskatoon to finally have a modern looking building playing a significant role in the skyline. How tall is the tallest building there? Looks about 20 stores? Is that one all residential (8ft ceilings)?

Hey Chaps here is a link that will cover all your questions and provide you with a gallery of all the renderings.

multibow
River Landing Village

[dennis]

great proposal Saskatoon. Welcome to SKYSCRAPERpage!

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by shmakim

I'll be holding my breath until Monday.... or maybe later. I just won't be able to let it out until the actual plan is out of the bag AND approved by council.

Despite its yet lack of official recognition, this "proposal" is the best news on this board in a long time!!!

baila baila

It was approved by council before, but the cash wasn't there. Hopefully this time we'll see both!

[prairieguy]

I'm just curious as to the projected cost of the Capitol Pointe project in Regina as it compares to the Lake Placid project in Saskatoon. Migs or djforsberg, do you have any info on cost??

They seem very similar in nature (and even a bit in design) with a combined residential/hotel/retail/office complex. It looks like RL may have a bit more included in terms of public space, but otherwise similar.

I would also think that construction costs may have come down a bit since this first plan was proposed during the height of the building and economic boom we were experiencing in 2008.

I read today that the city was only 2 weeks away from reviewing other potential proposals for the RL site (if they indeed had any submitted). It wouldn't surprise me if councils decision was to advise Lake Placid that their proposal will be taken under review with others, rather then just giving them the "OK", even if Nassir has the money to back this up. It will be interesting to see how they handle this...

[dsim249]

This is the Saskatoon thread, if you have questions about Capital Pointe, ask them in the Capital Pointe thread or Regina thread.

[Morogolus]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

I'm just curious as to the projected cost of the Capitol Pointe project in Regina as it compares to the Lake Placid project in Saskatoon. Migs or djforsberg, do you have any info on cost??

They seem very similar in nature (and even a bit in design) with a combined residential/hotel/retail/office complex. It looks like RL may have a bit more included in terms of public space, but otherwise similar.

I would also think that construction costs may have come down a bit since this first plan was proposed during the height of the building and economic boom we were experiencing in 2008.

I read today that the city was only 2 weeks away from reviewing other potential proposals for the RL site (if they indeed had any submitted). It wouldn't surprise me if councils decision was to advise Lake Placid that their proposal will be taken under review with others, rather then just giving them the "OK", even if Nassir has the money to back this up. It will be interesting to see how they handle this...

I believe that they're working on completing the RFP and haven't actually put it out there. So it would be a while before they would be able to properly gauge what kind of interest there is.

"City officials have since begun crafting a new request for proposals for the land in an effort to make the requirements for developers more flexible."

[shmakim]

Do we think there are enough supporters of "just going ahead with the previous plan" once it's proven to be ready, that we could persuade city council to embrace it without additional red tape delays? I'm getting a sick feeling that the city is going to say that LP lost their preferred status when the project previously fell through, so they're going to issue that RFP and LP can resubmit along with everyone (anyone) else, and there'll be a delay while they wait for submittals to come in, and another delay as they pick their favourite.....

[shmakim]

So I sent this to my councillor, Bob Pringle. Perhaps we can all send something similar to our respective councillors, letting them know we care about their actions this coming Monday.

Hello from Bell Crescent,

I'm one voice trying to let my opinion be heard.... after seeing a wide range of comments on the online Star-Phoenix coverage of the revived River Landing Village project. I've been eagerly watching this project for a long time, and was so disappointed when Mr. Lobsinger couldn't secure the funds for his project. Seeing his scheduled return with Mr. Nasser, who could potentially fund (or help fund) the project, I have to wonder how city council will react. The general public seems very divided on this, if online comments are any gauge of a public's true feelings:

Many express their dislike of Mr. Lobsinger in general, accusing him of being a scam artist. I can't believe this, since his company has invested so much of its own money already into developing the idea to this point. Walking away from the project would certainly not benefit him, so I can't believe this was some big scam.

Others strongly feel the whole development is elitist - catering to the rich, providing top-end condos, office, retail, and restaurants, when we could instead have low-income housing or a park in its place. I think this is ridiculous. Lake Placid is a private company, and this project is being funded by private dollars, not a city social justice program. Just like those on the comment board can't stop emphasizing that there is poverty in Saskatoon, there are rich people too, and this will likely be for them. For the rest of us, it'll be a spectacular piece of architecture that nothing else in the city can touch for asthetics, it will be an exciting urban plaza open to all, and for those of us wishing to splurge, probably fine dining with the best river view in the city.

I understand that, with the previous failure of progress of the project, the city was planning to implement a request for proposals, to encourage other developers to step forward. This RFP from the city is not yet complete, to my knowledge, so I'm hopeful that any resubmission by Mr. Lobsinger and Mr. Nasser will not be taken as completely new, with the possibility of a delay as the city waits for competing developers, and then spends more time reviewing and selecting. Mr. Lobsinger has made it clear that the project's only remaining hurdle is financing, and with Mr. Nasser possibly making an announcement Monday evening to clear that hurdle, this project will be ready to go. The proposal is way ahead of any other proposals received by the city so far, so I hope city council will recognize this opportunity and move on it as quickly as possible.

Thanks for your consideration,

[Morogolus]

Just heard on the radio that The Marriot has agreed to be the hotel tenant and a representative from The Marriot will be with ML and Mr. Nasser at the city council meeting on Monday. So that's good.

[dsim249]

Couldn't a said it better myself shmakim.

That's cool to hear about Marriott. I was hoping for something higher-end, but then again, Marriott does have some pretty nice properties throughout the world.

I've always wanted Fairmont to buy the Bess. I've loved every one I've stayed at, truly top notch. Plus they'd most likely make the requirements to turn it into a 5 star. Something we are currently lacking in this city.