Saskatoon Construction

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by kgc087

http://www.saskatoon.ca/DEPARTMENTS/Comm...nDesign/CityCentrePlan/Pages/Phase3.aspx is this going to happen?

You betcha.

[TheCricket]

I was in Keo's on Broadway last night for dinner and was talking to one of the owners' daughter and apparently they have sold the downtown property to someone else and pulled out all together from the downtown market. Apparently the sign is still up, but it will be coming down shortly - and they're focusing their efforts on the Broadway store front. Keo and her husband apparently found it quite overwhelming owning the two and would rather just keep the one.

[Brutopian]

Saskatoon is profiled as a real estate hotspot in this month's (Feb) issue of Canadian Real Estate magazine, in a 4-page article titled "Playing its own Toon." More good press for Saskatoon.

[Jerry]

A little photo update. It was cold out there today.


^^ Holiday Inn - Previous Post 1 - Previous Post 2


^^ Holiday Inn


^^ Ken Achs Office Building - Previous Post 1 - Previous Post 2 - Previous Post 3


^^ Health Sciences at University of Sask. - Shot of the back.


^^ Cathedral of the Holy Family

[kgc087]

The U of S is just spectacular, truly one of Canada's most beautiful campuses. I still haven't figured out though why the city hasn't started to model itself after the U of S for development.

[Measuring Stick]

Originally Posted by kgc087

The U of S is just spectacular, truly one of Canada's most beautiful campuses. I still haven't figured out though why the city hasn't started to model itself after the U of S for development.

The reason developers don't model their designs after U of S is all due to cost. The cost of the stone work on the U of S buildings is outrageous. If it weren't for tax payer dollars paying for the U of S buildings they wouldn't exist either. That design just isn't economically feasible when you are building developments based upon income potential.

Also in regards to your Downtown vs. suburban centres I agree they don't help the Downtown businesses. But at the same time I don't think some places like Home Depot fit in a downtown core, nor would we want them there. Every business has its place. But I too hate the Big Box design and find it a horrible step in our culture's growth towards sustainable communities.

[WoodlandCritter]

Originally Posted by Measuring Stick

The reason developers don't model their designs after U of S is all due to cost. The cost of the stone work on the U of S buildings is outrageous. If it weren't for tax payer dollars paying for the U of S buildings they wouldn't exist either. That design just isn't economically feasible when you are building developments based upon income potential.

Yes the cost may be high but the public pride in those buildings are also high. Building structures in the city that have craftmanship and artistic beauty will create better street ambience/life. I'd rather have developers create something with that in mind. It seems the cheap alternative is what is constantly taken. Why not build something that speaks to the now but tries to be timeless. Something that looks like it will last past my lifetime before it becomes dated or torn down.

Also Jerry thanks for the pics. where is the Ken Achs office building? on 2nd ave near GW Brewery?

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by WoodlandCritter

Also Jerry thanks for the pics. where is the Ken Achs office building? on 2nd ave near GW Brewery?

Yep, at 2nd Ave and 26th Street. Four storey office fronting on to 2nd, 5 level parkade in the back.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by kgc087

I can't find the threads discussing satellite development vs. core development but basically I don't think Saskatoon's downtown is strong enough to compete with multiple "supercentre" developments around it. These centres just promote suburbanism and urban sprawl which when multiplied by many will create some major planning problems for the city. I think the city really needs to focus on core development and selling an urban family life style to its residence.

Core development is critical, no question. However, I think it would be wise for the city to seriously explore the development potential of the suburban malls. Also, I should clarify my earlier assertion regarding Saskatoon's established polycentricity. I was referring to Riversdale, Nutana, and Saskatoon. Years later, Sutherland was thrown into the mix. Admittedly, the scale and intensity of Stoon's polycentric pattern is quite paltry. I would no longer classify Riversdale as its own centre. It's just an extension of downtown. To some extent, the same applies to Nutana, although the river draws a sharp distinction. That leaves Sutherland. Its urban reputation may be likened to downtown Saskatoon pre-CN rail yard relocation. Nudging the CP yards out of Sutherland...ahhh, imagine that space with a grid overlay and sublime leafy green park

Anyways...

If the only options for living an 'authentic' urban lifestyle are pre-war neighborhoods, many singles, couples and families will be priced out of that market. That is why I am warming up to a more polycentric Saskatoon. Permit the suburban malls and other major nodes to offer amenity rich, walkable, bikeable places to live, work and play. Alternatively and/or in tandem, encourage strip mall owners to get creative with their surface parking. These approaches will increase employment and housing density more evenly across the city, give transit a reason to exist, reduce road congestion, ummm...etc, etc, etc.

Ending on a polycentric note, those satellites (Warman, Martensville, etc) floating around the city will also need to be addressed. I have a few ideas, but I'm hesitant to commit to anything just yet.

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by Jerry

A little photo update. It was cold out there today.

^^ Holiday Inn

Looking at that same wall of the parkcade around the back from 22nd street/Idylwyld looks AWFUL right now. I hope they can do something to spruce it up/hide it once it's finished, because it's brutal at the moment. Maybe the big "tower" of hotel rooms will draw the eye away from it.

[kgc087]

I did not mean the architectural design of the buildings at the U of S I meant the urban planning model. This large pedestrian friendly interconnected network of structures really working together as one massive unit then islands floating on a city block.

I think the polycentric model is ok, but the main focus should really be on the city centre. Losing head offices and major companies to suburban centres is a serious problem. A hardware store downtown is A MUST! To offer a full range of amenities in any part of the city requires every type of store at all parts of the city.

[CCF]

Originally Posted by kgc087

I did not mean the architectural design of the buildings at the U of S I meant the urban planning model. This large pedestrian friendly interconnected network of structures really working together as one massive unit then islands floating on a city block.

Because you have one property owner (U of S) vs multiple property owners (downtown).

[prairieguy]

Originally Posted by WoodlandCritter

. I live close to downtown, a few blocks from the office, i'm about the same distance to an LRT station, and everything i need is within walking distance or one or two stops via public transit. In short, I planned my lifestyle here around my work and the ammenities that were provided in the area. If options like this were made more attractive and available in stoon then more people would take advantage of them.

I couldn't agree more. My wife and I live in an older suburb of Saskatoon, and have been considering a move to a condo for the last few years. We want to move into a mid to high end condo that allows us to take advantage of services/amenities that are in walking distance and close to, or on, the river. I cannot believe how limited this market is, right now in Saskatoon. There is nothing that is meeting our needs. Perhaps RL Village will fill the nitch, but it is a bit larger complex then we are looking for. It just astounds me that there has not been more riverfront development close to downtown developed. We have considered 2nd Ave Lofts, but is a bit too much of a open concept for us. We have looked at KG condo's (like the finishes and feel), however, there is a lack of essential services downtown...GROCERY/MARKET....and my wife is still nervous about the 'environment' of the bus mall currently.

So, we stay where we are for now and hope that development will happen within our lifetime.

[kgc087]

Originally Posted by CCF

Because you have one property owner (U of S) vs multiple property owners (downtown).

You're still missing the point, the city dictates urban planning, if it set up zoning and everything else like the the plan of the university a similar, larger urban model could be created.

[CCF]

Originally Posted by kgc087

You're still missing the point, the city dictates urban planning, if it set up zoning and everything else like the the plan of the university a similar, larger urban model could be created.

I'm not really missing the point per se. Yes certainly the city can do that, but it's tough politically to tell hundreds of stakeholders or property owners the exact form their property should take and that they should somehow be integrated with one another.

The City of Saskatoon does need to implement some urban design standards though, particularly within the downtown core.

[circle33]

Originally Posted by Ruckus

Core development is critical, no question. However, I think it would be wise for the city to seriously explore the development potential of the suburban malls. Also, I should clarify my earlier assertion regarding Saskatoon's established polycentricity. I was referring to Riversdale, Nutana, and Saskatoon. Years later, Sutherland was thrown into the mix. Admittedly, the scale and intensity of Stoon's polycentric pattern is quite paltry. I would no longer classify Riversdale as its own centre. It's just an extension of downtown. To some extent, the same applies to Nutana, although the river draws a sharp distinction. That leaves Sutherland. Its urban reputation may be likened to downtown Saskatoon pre-CN rail yard relocation. Nudging the CP yards out of Sutherland...ahhh, imagine that space with a grid overlay and sublime leafy green park

Anyways...

If the only options for living an 'authentic' urban lifestyle are pre-war neighborhoods, many singles, couples and families will be priced out of that market. That is why I am warming up to a more polycentric Saskatoon. Permit the suburban malls and other major nodes to offer amenity rich, walkable, bikeable places to live, work and play. Alternatively and/or in tandem, encourage strip mall owners to get creative with their surface parking. These approaches will increase employment and housing density more evenly across the city, give transit a reason to exist, reduce road congestion, ummm...etc, etc, etc.

Ending on a polycentric note, those satellites (Warman, Martensville, etc) floating around the city will also need to be addressed. I have a few ideas, but I'm hesitant to commit to anything just yet.

The Willowgrove Urban Village is/was an interesting idea Link, though that idea has been on the table for quite some time and as far as I know there haven't been any willing investors to date.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by CCF

The City of Saskatoon does need to implement some urban design standards though, particularly within the downtown core.

Most definitely. I'm hoping that such standards will come out of the City Centre Plan once completed.

[prairieguy]

Originally Posted by circle33

The Willowgrove Urban Village is/was an interesting idea Link, though that idea has been on the table for quite some time and as far as I know there haven't been any willing investors to date.

So, the neighborhood has been developed but this concept was ignored?? I have not seen that area of the city, but are you saying they failed to adhere to this concept? If so, what a disappointment and I would be very ticked if I had bought and built there thinking I was getting a certain type of neighborhood, but the developer reneged on it!

[circle33]

^ I don't know what the official status is but the last time I had a look out there the designated Village Square area remained undeveloped.

[Measuring Stick]

Originally Posted by circle33

^ I don't know what the official status is but the last time I had a look out there the designated Village Square area remained undeveloped.

This is still a part of the Willowgrove plan that should hopefully (fingers crossed) take place over the coming year or two from what I hear from the City.