Saskatoon Construction

[ninipanini]

Originally Posted by Jerry

[B]
A five-storey office building at River Landing received unanimous approval from city council Monday and is now set to begin construction this summer. [...]

I can't wait! This is fantastic news, let the transformation of the south downtown really begin!

[Morogolus]

The Meewasin Valley Authority's review committee didn't approve the project, but the board and staff did.

Like why wouldn't they approve it? Would they rather have that ugly IM Park lot there instead?

Anyways, I'm glad common sense prevailed and construction will begin despite the ignorant MVA.

[drm310]

Saskatoon council approves vacant lot plan
CBC News
Posted: Mar 7, 2011 5:48 PM CST
Last Updated: Mar 7, 2011 8:50 PM CST

The City of Saskatoon has approved a plan it hopes will encourage property developers to build on hundreds of empty lots in core neighbourhoods of the city.

A proposal came before council Monday evening to offer tax rebates and cash incentives for developers who start projects soon, rather than bide their time.

Developer Curtis Olson said he's eager to take advantage of the program, dubbed the Vacant Lot and Adaptive Reuse Incentive Program (VLAR).

[...]

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2011/03/07/sask-lots-saskatoon-development.html

[kgc087]

This is great news the new office building has been approved. I think it will really finish off the area nicely. I really enjoy that they are going to introduce the Chinese characters to recognize the heritage. It will help show that Saskatoon, from the beginning, has had a multicultural history and that this new development is a part of our multicultural future.

[kgc087]

I'm excited to see what sort of developments come from this infill. I would love to see mid to high density begin to pop up all over the place. This could be the jump start needed to bring more people into the centre city and gentrify specific areas

[Wyku]

Rezoning paves way for Value Village to be built in Stonebridge

Chain's second Saskatoon store raising concerns with local residents
Reported By Sheri Ebert
Posted March 8, 2011 - 6:21am

The south-east neighbourhood of Stonebridge in Saskatoon will be the home of the city's second Value Village store- but not everyone's happy about it. The developer went to city council Monday night to make a request for rezoning the property in question so that the store can be built- and faced some questions.

The main concern for some area residents appears to be the aesthetics of the store- that the drop-off zone could hurt the look of the neighbourhood if items are left outside. New councillor Mairin Loewen posed those concerns to the developer.

"If you could describe for me what steps are taken in order to limit the aesthetic mess of the drop box zone," Loewen requested.

The developer, with Kindrachuk Agrey Architecture responded.

"This location has a community drive-thru service, so the goods will be going inside of the store. If they do place bins within the site, they have to be screened in accordance with Stonebridge Business Park Guidelines. All waste and waste bins, drop-off clothing bins- they'll all be screened from the public view," he said.

He also assured Loewen that the blueprints do not have the drop-off zone facing a local park.

The developer also addressed concerns about increased traffic flow, saying the current infrastructure should be able to handle it. The muncipal planning commission had no issues with the rezoning request- and it was passed by council.

Source: Here

=====================
According to the Mayor this is supposed to be built in the area south of Home Depot.

[TheCricket]

I'm all for the concept, but does it have to be in Stonebridge? There goes my property value!

Originally Posted by Wyku

Rezoning paves way for Value Village to be built in Stonebridge

Chain's second Saskatoon store raising concerns with local residents
Reported By Sheri Ebert
Posted March 8, 2011 - 6:21am

The south-east neighbourhood of Stonebridge in Saskatoon will be the home of the city's second Value Village store- but not everyone's happy about it. The developer went to city council Monday night to make a request for rezoning the property in question so that the store can be built- and faced some questions.

The main concern for some area residents appears to be the aesthetics of the store- that the drop-off zone could hurt the look of the neighbourhood if items are left outside. New councillor Mairin Loewen posed those concerns to the developer.

"If you could describe for me what steps are taken in order to limit the aesthetic mess of the drop box zone," Loewen requested.

The developer, with Kindrachuk Agrey Architecture responded.

"This location has a community drive-thru service, so the goods will be going inside of the store. If they do place bins within the site, they have to be screened in accordance with Stonebridge Business Park Guidelines. All waste and waste bins, drop-off clothing bins- they'll all be screened from the public view," he said.

He also assured Loewen that the blueprints do not have the drop-off zone facing a local park.

The developer also addressed concerns about increased traffic flow, saying the current infrastructure should be able to handle it. The muncipal planning commission had no issues with the rezoning request- and it was passed by council.

Source: Here

=====================
According to the Mayor this is supposed to be built in the area south of Home Depot.

[The Bess]

Where should they put it in your view?

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by TheCricket

I'm all for the concept, but does it have to be in Stonebridge? There goes my property value!

I caught a snippet of a Newstalk 650 radio interview with Stonebridge Community Association President Blair Pisio yesterday. He was very much taken off guard when the reporter asked him if the reaction would be different if it was an IKEA going in rather than a Value Village. He stammered an incredible number of "Uh"s and "Uhmm"s before being able to come up with a comment of "It may be taken a little better, and I don't know why." It was one of the most entertaining clips I've heard in quite a while.

[shmakim]

Originally Posted by Morogolus

Like why wouldn't they approve it? Would they rather have that ugly IM Park lot there instead?

Maybe they wanted a nice brown brick building to match the existing ugly precedent.

The main concern for some area residents appears to be the aesthetics of the store- that the drop-off zone could hurt the look of the neighbourhood if items are left outside.

Seriously? That's the extent of the concerns brought to council? Seems weak.

There goes my property value!

Really? Do you think that a Value Village will devalue your property? Why? Is it any worse than a Walmart Supercentre or a gas bar?

[Echoes]

A big Council meeting last night. Good to see the River Centre and VLAR program approved.

Approval was given for another downtown project last night that seems to have flown under the radar, but was caught by Sean Shaw's blog post Saskatoon Has a Long Way to Go On Urban Design.

Rezoning was approved to allow the construction of a 4 storey office building on the southeast corner of 23rd and Wall Street. The report to Council begins on page 81 of the agenda found here. In a letter to Council by the developer, it is indicated that the project will begin this spring and that it is a "real project" being led by one of the major occupying tenants for occupancy by 2012. There is no indication of any retail at-grade, or of the building's design, only that there will be ample on-site parking.

In Sean Shaw's blog post he points to how the project does not appear to conform or pay much attention to the established guidelines for the Warehouse District as set out by that area's Local Area Plan. Comments from the City's Planning & Development Branch in the report to Council also call for consideration of these guidelines in the project's design. But alas, these are only guidelines - suggestions set out for the developer to follow or ignore.

Council approved the project and it sounds like the project is ready to go soon.

In other Warehouse District development, there's still the proposed 4 storey building next to the Holiday Inn on Pacific Ave. (forget developer's name?) which promises to be a monstrocity, as well as a 2 storey office building for the corner of 24th and Wall by PIC Investment Group. If the ICR sign at that location is still current, then the design of that building will be lacklustre as well.

[Morogolus]

This is just pathetic. The upper middle class white people don't want the thrift store crowd coming into their precious neighborhood whom they see as poor bums that will steal from their houses while their kids are sleeping.

Many of my friends and family shop at Value Village who aren't poor whatsoever. It's a great place to go if you have little ones who outgrow their clothing every six months It's not a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter. The drop box excuse is a sorry one, I never see more than a few boxes outside the Value Village on circle. The cite traffic as a concern yet an Ikea would be ok (the upper middle class wet dream). I wonder if that person has actually seen the traffic around an Ikea?

Give your head a shake, there's no way a Value Village will lower your property values. By that logic, a Wal-Mart would lower your property values too. These sound like the same people who complain whenever low income housing is built in their neighborhoods.

[swilley]

Originally Posted by Echoes

In other Warehouse District development, there's still the proposed 4 storey building next to the Holiday Inn on Pacific Ave. (forget developer's name?) which promises to be a monstrocity

Pillar Properties is behind that one. LINK

[dsim249]

Stage set for west end growth

By davidhutton Tue, Mar 8 2011 City Hall Notebook


City council has approved sweeping changes to plans for future west-side growth, paving the way for Kensington, the next major Saskatoon neighbourhood, to go on the market in two years.

The changes approved Monday to the Blairmore sector plan — originally passed in 2004 — include the reworking of a number of roads, tweaking the boundaries of proposed neighbourhoods and relocating a district commercial centre.

The Blairmore sector, west of Hampton Village, will eventually house 70,000 people in seven neighbourhoods covering 4,600 acres.

Source

10000th post!

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by swilley

Pillar Properties is behind that one. LINK

Ouch. Hopefully it is just a poor render.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by swilley

Pillar Properties is behind that one. LINK

That's the one, thanks.
_____________________________


So, today is the day that Saskatoon Construction hits 10,000 posts. Any volunteers who want to pioneer the Saskatoon Construction II thread and set it up with a nice first page summary of local projects?

If I had the technical or creative prowess to set it up I'd do it, but I feel that someone could do a more polished, attractive job than I. I'm willing to help compile the project master list however.

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by Echoes

In other Warehouse District development, there's still the proposed 4 storey building next to the Holiday Inn on Pacific Ave. (forget developer's name?) which promises to be a monstrocity, as well as a 2 storey office building for the corner of 24th and Wall by PIC Investment Group. If the ICR sign at that location is still current, then the design of that building will be lacklustre as well.

The 2 beauties you speak of.



^^ Pillar project next to the Holiday Inn on Pacific Ave.


^^ 24th Street E and Wall Street N.

[jigglysquishy]

70,000 people? Damn, Saskatoon is growing.

[WoodlandCritter]

Morogolus you're stereotyping now...just as much as the people who don't want the value village.

And if your just stating a "fact", well then I can state that all i see in value village is poor people and when I go to a movie or to a pub downtown i hate having dishevelled people from the low income lighthouse project ask me for money or drugs.

[WoodlandCritter]

In other news its great to hear that projects are moving ahead. Too bad some are not a as nice as others.