Saskatoon Construction

[EarlyByrdProductions]

Originally Posted by kgc087

The only downturn is, is that so many rural people move into the city but still bring their rural mentality, they don't understand or realize living in a city is not like living in a small town, there is a different way of life. So somehow that has to be overcome

This city for me entered its shifting stage when all my friends moved back from Calgary a few years ago and brought back their 'big city' mentality.
Years ago right after high school, all my friend talked about was moving to calgary, years later they are back for either work or realization they don't like calgary (long commutes etc) People want the size of saskatoon, especially to start a family, but still demand a lot of the urban lifestyles of big cities.

I feel you really can judge a city by the number of modern lounges and sushi restaurants, which for Saskatoon only started springing up in the last couple years.

[Ruckus]

^ My post-high school experience as well (some are still in Calgary though).

___________________

Contrary to what I may have expressed in previous posts, I am open to other forms of development for Parcel Y. I have no reservations with subdividing the land to allow for more than one developer the opportunity to propose and construct something fitting for a downtown riverside property. If Lake Placid's proposal fails to materialize, then subdivide the land. One piece at a time, it'll get developed.

[ninipanini]

Originally Posted by EarlyByrdProductions

I am definitely for it.
Yet sometimes I am still in the mix between, being 'for it' since it's the only thing on the table and wondering what else it could have been, even if that took a couple more years of waiting.

...I am fed up with North American cities building in the short term, ugly buildings or mediocre buildings then tearing them down and putting something else up when mindsets change.

I just want everyone on this board to be in favour of the project, because of the project, and not just because it will bring a crane to town.

I couldn't agree more! I'm so glad someone on here could sum up my opinion more eloquently than I could

[drm310]

Council backs $7-million plan for Caswell Hill

The StarPhoenix
April 13, 2010 4:27 PM

A $7-million plan to turn the south end of Caswell Hill from an area known primarily for the constant hum of buses into an arts district was approved by city council Monday.

Now, the city awaits an anticipated report on moving the bus barns out of the area so environmental cleanup and eventually development can begin. That report, which will outline options for where in the city Saskatoon Transit headquarters could be relocated, is expected at council in the next six weeks, administration said at the meeting.

The concept plan for a south Caswell Hill development includes closing off a portion of 24th Street to traffic and renovating two of the old transit buildings for reuse. There would be 120 units of housing in the area.

"The plan lends itself to a phase out of transit," said Alan Wallace, senior neighbourhood planner. ". . . This is very much a first step."

"We can't get those obnoxious diesel fuels out of there soon enough," said local architect Charles Olfert, who suggested creating an integrated pedestrian corridor from downtown to the warehouse district and Caswell Hill.

"Caswell could become the cultural stop in that link," Olfert said. "We have to be very deliberate about what's coming down and what's being demolished."

© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix

[ninipanini]

On the is Saskatoon in the big city leagues debate... I have to disagree with a lot of the opinions posted here... we JUST AREN'T THAT BIG! I understand that for our population we've done really well and perhaps have a higher per capita impact on the country than other similarly sized or slightly bigger cities, but really can we be compared to Toronto, a city with 20 times the population? I don't think that getting a couple of more buildings downtown (if/when that happens) will put us in the big leagues either, big cities simply aren't defined by single, or even several developments. Besides, on a national scale RLV really isn't that big... just take a look at the Top 10 construction forum for Canada... Don't get me wrong, I think that all the talk about RLV and other projects downtown is very positive and is a big step in the right direction, but a couple of high profile projects isn't going to suddenly make us Vancouver! I don't mean to disparage Saskatoon at all, in fact I really enjoy living in a city this size. Being a smaller city allows us to change and adapt faster than some of our bigger counterparts; just look at all the urban planning problems that are facing Calgary and how we're learning from their mistakes!!! I love the fact that I can live in a convenient area that allows me to walk and bike everywhere in a reasonable amount of time, and still have a yard with a garden! Instead of feeding the obsession we seem to have with comparing Saskatoon to cities which are clearly very different from our own, why don't we focus on all the positive things we've got going on here, independent of anywhere else? I think the invitation of our mayor into the big cities mayors conference is affirmation that we do have something important to contribute! All in all, we may not be the biggest or the richest but we're doing just fine and we're glad to finally get some of the recognition that we deserve thank you very much

[drumuser]

Originally Posted by ninipanini

On the is Saskatoon in the big city leagues debate... I have to disagree with a lot of the opinions posted here... we JUST AREN'T THAT BIG! I understand that for our population we've done really well and perhaps have a higher per capita impact on the country than other similarly sized or slightly bigger cities, but really can we be compared to Toronto, a city with 20 times the population? I don't think that getting a couple of more buildings downtown (if/when that happens) will put us in the big leagues either, big cities simply aren't defined by single, or even several developments. Besides, on a national scale RLV really isn't that big... just take a look at the Top 10 construction forum for Canada... Don't get me wrong, I think that all the talk about RLV and other projects downtown is very positive and is a big step in the right direction, but a couple of high profile projects isn't going to suddenly make us Vancouver! I don't mean to disparage Saskatoon at all, in fact I really enjoy living in a city this size. Being a smaller city allows us to change and adapt faster than some of our bigger counterparts; just look at all the urban planning problems that are facing Calgary and how we're learning from their mistakes!!! I love the fact that I can live in a convenient area that allows me to walk and bike everywhere in a reasonable amount of time, and still have a yard with a garden! Instead of feeding the obsession we seem to have with comparing Saskatoon to cities which are clearly very different from our own, why don't we focus on all the positive things we've got going on here, independent of anywhere else? I think the invitation of our mayor into the big cities mayors conference is affirmation that we do have something important to contribute! All in all, we may not be the biggest or the richest but we're doing just fine and we're glad to finally get some of the recognition that we deserve thank you very much

thank you.

[jrm857]

Originally Posted by drumuser

so answer me this one. where does this rank Regina in all this? they must be contending with the big cities also, just like Saskatoon. right?
haha.... you dream big but, you are still stuck with that small town mentality that drives people away from this province.....

One I find Regina to be too much of a government town to ever be huge on the national scene, could be wrong. Small cities can compete against larger ones, and no we wont ever out do Toronto or Vancouver, but we can compete. Look at the states Denver is 24th with about 600,000 and it competes with New York and LA. Sure its not either of the two but it competes.
And two i take that last point as a major insult. I'm 21, and a planning student so DO NOT tell me im part of the small town metality that drives people away, or I would not be one of the ones planning on packing up, its your attitude that drives most away.

[drumuser]

Originally Posted by jrm857

One I find Regina to be too much of a government town to ever be huge on the national scene

What? that doesn't even make sense.

i guess places like Edmonton,Winnipeg,Ottawa or Halifax stand no chance in competing against major cities because of their government surroundings. but yet you say, Saskatoon is now a major contender because it's seeing a small population increase. Get real

[ninipanini]

Originally Posted by jrm857

Look at the states Denver is 24th with about 600,000 and it competes with New York and LA. Sure its not either of the two but it competes.

That's a little misleading... while many western Canadian cities have their population centred within the city proper, Denver has a huge metro area making that 600,000 over 2.5million! Compare that to Winnipeg with a population of 641,000 but a metro of only 694,000

[Measuring Stick]

We finally have some exciting things happening in Saskatoon with Council back talking to Lake Placid, multiple hotels, Discovery Plaza finally being fully leased; and all you guys can talk about is whether Saskatoon competes with Toronto and Vancouver.

Who cares, bring the discussion back to local stuff guys. I hate visiting this site when its is about useless arguments rather than usefull information or discussion on local developments.

[macca]

Ha, "measuring stick".

[Ruckus]

Discovery Plaza is fully leased? Yesterday it had for lease signs on the ground floor and the space sandwiched next to the SBE. BHP only leased the top floor, or was it the top two floors...anyways.

A few pages back someone stated the U of S had an announcement in April with regards to the Clarion Project (aka performing arts theatre/complex)...chew on that for awhile

[WoodlandCritter]

Hey guys its me SaskArchGuy, for some reason my other account has been acting up and not working right, so created a new account i will be using from now on. seems to be working fine.

[jrm857]

Originally Posted by drumuser

What? that doesn't even make sense.

i guess places like Edmonton,Winnipeg,Ottawa or Halifax stand no chance in competing against major cities because of their government surroundings. but yet you say, Saskatoon is now a major contender because it's seeing a small population increase. Get real

I didn't make any comment about Edmonton Winnipeg Ottawa or Halifax, it was regina. Edmonton has a lot going for it, Winnipeg is so so Halifax is a hub for Atlantic Canada, and Ottawa is the high tech centre of the north what does regina have? not much. Saskatoon is a major centre in economic sense, quit twisting what I say into something else. The only point I have been trying to make is that Saskatoon punches above its weight in the national scene, and you accuse me of having the small town attitude that chases people away.

And if you include denvers suburbs, of 2.5 million it still does well to compared to new yorks 20 million.

[Measuring Stick]

Originally Posted by Ruckus

Discovery Plaza is fully leased? Yesterday it had for lease signs on the ground floor and the space sandwiched next to the SBE. BHP only leased the top floor, or was it the top two floors...anyways.

A few pages back someone stated the U of S had an announcement in April with regards to the Clarion Project (aka performing arts theatre/complex)...chew on that for awhile

Yes Discovery is now fully leased except for the little bay (retail?) at the south of the building. Have been told who is rumoured to have leased it but can't confirm or disclose it sorry.

[vyllym]

Economically, Saskatoon does pack a large punch for its size, especially in mining/resources, and the U of S is becoming more major of an educational institution as time goes on. But big city? Not yet, Saskatoon is only at the start of a long process from regional centre to nationally respected city. As I'm currently at school in Ontario, I can attest that Saskatoon is generally not yet respected, but some people who actually know what's going on these days in Saskatoon think that it's at a very interesting state right now. I even had a cab driver tell me that he heard Saskatoon was becoming a new Silicon Valley.

What I mean to say is, in order for Saskatoon to be a "big city" it needs to be recognized as such, and the trend towards that is only just starting.

EDIT: Of course Saskatoon isn't really becoming a high-tech centre, it's just that there's some vague public awareness that Saskatoon is gaining importance, even if it isn't really understood why or how.

[Ruckus]

Posts will begin disappearing and infractions will be handed out if the off-topic discussion continues. Most other members and myself will only tolerate so much of it.

The topic is Saskatoon construction, not city vs city, understand?

__________________

Originally Posted by Measuring Stick

Yes Discovery is now fully leased except for the little bay (retail?) at the south of the building. Have been told who is rumoured to have leased it but can't confirm or disclose it sorry.

Do you think they/it's a good fit for downtown, 3rd Ave?

[Morogolus]

I have word from the Canadian Tire rep that they're planning on buying the old Wal-Mart in Confed and they're building a bigger store then the current one in Confed and vacating the other one. I know what you're thinking that a Canadian Tire is bigger then that Walmart but they're working it so they can expand on the current building apparently.

[shmakim]

Originally Posted by vyllym

cab driver tell me that he heard Saskatoon was becoming a new Silicon Valley.

Uh, no.

[dsim249]

Originally Posted by Measuring Stick

We finally have some exciting things happening in Saskatoon with Council back talking to Lake Placid, multiple hotels, Discovery Plaza finally being fully leased; and all you guys can talk about is whether Saskatoon competes with Toronto and Vancouver.

Who cares, bring the discussion back to local stuff guys. I hate visiting this site when its is about useless arguments rather than usefull information or discussion on local developments.

Well be that as it may, this thread does not exist solely to inform you. Why don't you contribute to the forum if you're so dissatisfied?

Besides, the topics you listed have been discussed extensively already. There is only so much one can say about two hotels being built in the suburbs. Come back on May 25th, I'm sure there will be some LP thrown into the discussion.

Anyway. Does anyone know when we were supposed to get those articulated buses? I think someone might have brought it up recently, but I don't recall any further info.