Saskatoon Construction

[Temperance]

I have to agree with Saskarchguy on this. I think the new bridge design shows a complete lack of imagination. I wish that North American cities paid the attention to design that European ones do. I don't think that this needs to be expensive.

Maybe this is one thing that having an architecture (and planning) school in Saskatoon could contribute: a conciousness that good urban design and architecture improves the standard of living and is economically smart in the long run.

[mike474]

Not construction, but thought I'd post anyways. Some wildlife in downtown Saskatoon:





He was very tame. I watched him gnaw the entire branch from only a few feet away until a bird scared him off. Sorry for the crappy camera phone quality.

[dsim249]

^ Hah, nice.

Another unrelated post. The city seems pretty on-the-ball in terms of street cleaning this year. I was surprised to see city crews working late at night cleaning 8th street meridians a week ago, as well as other main arteries (in my area anyway).
I just seem to recall them taking a lot longer to get on it, last year.

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by dsim249

^ Hah, nice.

Another unrelated post. The city seems pretty on-the-ball in terms of street cleaning this year. I was surprised to see city crews working late at night cleaning 8th street meridians a week ago, as well as other main arteries (in my area anyway).
I just seem to recall them taking a lot longer to get on it, last year.

I said the same thing to my wife on the way to work this morning. There were sweepers out on 29th St.--even a sidewalk sweeper. I remember them not getting out to something like mid-May last year and everyone being up in arms over it heh.

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by milanboy

Imagine what $30 million worth of LED lights could do for the new Circle Drive South bridge!

Well, it might look something like the St. Anthony Falls bridge in Minneapolis that Flatiron built for the same price, apparently:



Original render of that one:


Daytime finished product:

[drm310]

The Place Riel crane on campus has been dismantled and hauled away. The steel skeleton of the new addition appears to be finished. Inside, the Campus Cove arcade has been reopened in its new location under the staircase between Upper and Lower Place.

http://www.renewplaceriel.ca/TheNewBuilding/construction_updates.html

Jordan Cooper, a Flickr member in Saskatoon, has some interesting photos in a set called "The Last Days of McNab Park". Looks like the final chapter in the life of that housing development.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordoncooper/sets/72157623721605104/

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Wyku

Well, it might look something like the St. Anthony Falls bridge in Minneapolis that Flatiron built for the same price, apparently:

Original render of that one:

Daytime finished product:

That is pretty nice for a freeway type bridge although keep in mind it has to be higher there because the Mississippi is a working river with barges, tugs and other larger boats. Also the Mississippi is not very wide in Minneapolis. Finally I expect you cannot compare construction costs directly as these things seem to cost less in the States. I believe they have more construction competition and less union influence than we do.

[Morogolus]

That's a nice bridge, although the design seems to have been chosen and everything has been finalized. Whatever I'll be happy as long as I can drive across it. As mentioned before the bridge is kind of in the middle of no where and I think the extra money could better be spent on making an overpass at Circle and Preston which is an annoying light to have to stop at being the only light along that whole freeway.

[jas321]

Originally Posted by Morogolus

That's a nice bridge, although the design seems to have been chosen and everything has been finalized. Whatever I'll be happy as long as I can drive across it. As mentioned before the bridge is kind of in the middle of no where and I think the extra money could better be spent on making an overpass at Circle and Preston which is an annoying light to have to stop at being the only light along that whole freeway.

Could not agree more. I live in Stonebridge and I hate this intersection. I often bike and going across the freeway feel cold and unsafe. An overpass would definitely help.

[shmakim]

Originally Posted by Temperance

I have to agree with Saskarchguy on this. I think the new bridge design shows a complete lack of imagination. I wish that North American cities paid the attention to design that European ones do. I don't think that this needs to be expensive.

Maybe this is one thing that having an architecture (and planning) school in Saskatoon could contribute: a conciousness that good urban design and architecture improves the standard of living and is economically smart in the long run.

Maybe when the Sask School of Architecture is up and running, students there could submit design proposals for the new Traffic Bridge: Student contest, recognition of students, draws attention to architecture as a priority for the bridge, can be done (hopefully) proactively to make it a design criterion from the start, cheap submissions...

[shmakim]

If the city has contracted out the design and construction of the bridge to a private company, we're faced with being on the customer end of the classic engineering tension: price vs. schedule vs. functionality. Since price and schedule have been carved in stone, the city should be closely auditing the workmanship on that bridge, since it's the only way the builder can save on costs. If we stay on them to do a quality job, the only thing that can give by then, is their profit margin, which isn't our problem.

[shmakim]

Originally Posted by drm310

Jordan Cooper, a Flickr member in Saskatoon, has some interesting photos in a set called "The Last Days of McNab Park". Looks like the final chapter in the life of that housing development.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jordoncooper/sets/72157623721605104/

Wow, what a painfully neglected neighbourhood. Are they still planning on carting those houses away to be reinstalled somewhere, along with fresh siding and roofing? Or are they just boarded up cause they've been vacated, awaiting demolition?

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by shmakim

Wow, what a painfully neglected neighbourhood. Are they still planning on carting those houses away to be reinstalled somewhere, along with fresh siding and roofing? Or are they just boarded up cause they've been vacated, awaiting demolition?

They've already done that with a bulk of the units that were in "decent" shape--there's a whole new community in Fairhaven with all of the re-done units (I can't remember the name of it). I'd guess that the remaining unit will just be demolished?

[Caswellian]

Two other renderings of the South Circle Drive Bridge:



Also, I work on campus and for the live of me I can't figure out where this fifth (now fourth) crane is situated. There are three around the new health sciences addition, but that's all at this point.

[swilley]

^^ It's by Griffiths Stadium - College quarter project. Thanks for the renders... a thing of beauty isn't she....

[mike474]

It's behind the stadium working on the new residences. edit BAH swilley beat me!

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by Caswellian

Two other renderings of the South Circle Drive Bridge:
.........................

Thanx Caswellian and welcome to the forums

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by shmakim

Wow, what a painfully neglected neighbourhood. Are they still planning on carting those houses away to be reinstalled somewhere, along with fresh siding and roofing? Or are they just boarded up cause they've been vacated, awaiting demolition?

As Wyku pointed out, some of them have been moved to Fairhaven and a development called Camponi Place. Here are a few photos I took last fall.






.....and a few shots of the old




The buildings may be old but the dog was happy.

[gowest]

These were very solid old buildings and it's nice to see them reused. Big differance in the areas.

[vyllym]

Has anyone else seen this?


'Kensington' considered for name of next neighbourhood

By davidhutton Thu, Feb 25 2010 COMMENTS(2) City Hall Notebook

Filed under: Naming

A recommendation coming to city council Monday would see the city’s next west-side suburb named Kensington.

The 500-acre area is north of the Blairmore suburban centre and west of Pacific Heights, Confederation Park, and Dundonald.

The name, according to the ownership group of the area, “is regal, majestic, and historic while remaining both positive and marketable.”

It will “conjure images of a very pleasant and desirable neighbourhood in which to live,” a report going to council says.

The name has some local history attached to it. A neighbourhood plan from 1913 included a Kensington Park for the area south of the Blairmore area.

The park name is thought to be suggested at that time by local property owner Frank Baker out of respect for the district in London, England.

“Deer Lodge” and other names were considered but lacked “impact,” the report said.

The area is part-owned by Boychuk Investments, the City of Saskatoon, a numbered Alberta firm, and three small owners. Its the first of eight potential neighbourhoods in the Blairmore development area.