Saskatoon Construction II

[Stormer]

Great to hear. Lets hope they can find $250 million to build this thing.

[Echoes]

I think the improvements to the public plaza portion of the project are HUGE. And a 27 storey condo.... sounds like a new tallest for Saskatoon!

I worry about the delays that could take place with the requisite approvals for this change-up. Not to mention possible negative backlash from Councillors and/or the public, who are already tired of this saga.

Having Tonko and Cavalier onboard adds yet more legitimacy, I think. All in all, this is GOOD NEWS.

[dsim249]

Originally Posted by Echoes

And a 27 storey condo.... sounds like a new tallest for Saskatoon!

Tallest in the province, if I'm not mistaken.

[Echoes]

^ And a potential new tallest office tower for Saskatoon. I think Saskatoon Square is 16 floors? I could be wrong.

[ninipanini]

I love that new rendering! I think the new design is WAY better than the old one. Can't wait to see it get off the ground!

[skSK]

Originally Posted by dsim249

Developer proposes changes to design of River Landing complex

Victory Majors Investments Corporation, the development company founded by Saskatoon businessman Kay Nasser, plans on asking the City of Saskatoon and Meewasin Valley Authority to consider changes to existing zoning bylaws to allow for a redesigned hotel, condominium and office building on the River Landing property on the city’s riverbank.

The company announced Thursday it will seek amendments “to permit greater building height and density than is currently allowed.” The changes, the company said in a statement, “will facilitate the vision of River Landing which is to create a vibrant urban edge on the river serving as a significant civic gathering place and destination in the south downtown area of the City of Saskatoon.”

The preliminary design includes a 10-story hotel, a 27-story condominium and a 17-story office . It would be surrounded by an “urban plaza” that includes include grassed terraces , patios with pavers as venues for concerts or other art performances, and a water feature that can be used a skating pond in the winter, a reflecting pool with fountains in the summer, and when drained, as audience space for performances or concerts.

The company on Thursday also introduced Tonko Realty Advisors and Cavalier Enterprises as members of the development team for the River Landing project.

“The real estate experience, financial capital and commitment to Saskatoon that Tonko and

Cavalier bring to this project make them ideal partners,” said Nasser. “Such a high profile and complex project will only be strengthened by their

knowledge and involvement.”





Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Developer+...complex/5242850/story.html#ixzz1UlD01j25

I like this layout quite a bit more than the other one. Pushing the condo tower up a few stories up allows it to offer what I imagine would be a similar amount of floor area as Lake Placid's original design on a smaller footprint. With that added flexibility, the office tower then moves to the north side of Parcel Y. The plaza is brought down to street level (check plus) and is now much more visible and accessible to the public (check plus plus!), thereby extending the public space across Spadina.

Two things: I'd like to see a rooftop garden or two (perhaps more realistically on the condo or hotel tower... not sure if gardens were considered), and I'm a little curious as to where the cars are going that are shown within the close-up rendering of the plaza. Is there a new parkade entrance through the plaza or something?

I hope to see this project finally start soon!!

[skSK]

Originally Posted by Larch

this is definitely an exciting project, at least conceptually.
i had the chance to work on portions of it (briefly) before funding and/or priority was shifted.
in any case, it seems that certain powers that be have already forced some senseless amendments that totally contradict the original lively-corridor concept, which was intended to more seamlessly link the new quarter to the main campus and surrounding neighbourhoods.

i hope the project is realized to its full potential, but it seems like all the required parties aren't fully on board to make that happen. i don't mean to rain on your parade, and i really hope i'm proven wrong!

Hmm I'm very curious as to what has changed and how! I hope by "senseless amendments" you don't mean the Greenway/pedestrian corridor has turned into a vehicle corridor! Or that the zoning is less mixed-use than the master plan had called for. Either way, I'm super intrigued and ever so slightly worried, as I thought the master plan was fairly solidly designed and certain elements (like the Greenway) were quite well done.

[mmx]

Looks like the crown for the Butt Ugliest Building in Saskatoon is about to be passed on from the Federated Coop Building to one of these River Landing 'scrapers.

[circle33]

Hmmm, maybe. I'm not seeing it.

[skSK]

Originally Posted by mmx

Looks like the crown for the Butt Ugliest Building in Saskatoon is about to be passed on from the Federated Coop Building to one of these River Landing 'scrapers.

There are some definite contenders to that title before these buildings even come close. The red brick behemoth that is the SaskTel building, for instance. Or the former Willoughby Building next to the Canada Building, which was "modernized" in the 1960s with plain metal siding (and now goes by the name Urban Oasis Tower... the new owner of which is planning renovations which I hope will include addressing the awful facade).

[Echoes]

I was past the Lighthouse project last night and saw that the "modern" cladding around a 20th St. entrance had been removed to reveal gorgeous brick work and an arched doorway beneath. What a shame that the Empire Hotel, like other buildings, fell victim to these facade modernizations years ago.

I wonder if this beautiful doorway will be restored and left exposed in the reno? I know that the Lighthouse wants to become more street-friendly with this expansion and improve their presence on this corner.

[Echoes]

More info in today's StarPhoenix article:
- less underground parking
- Nasser's ready to get going in 1-3 months, pending Council's approval (overly optimistic, I'd say)


New plans for River Landing
The StarPhoenix August 12, 2011

More height and greater accessibility are the central ideas in a revised plan for River Landing's showpiece $200-million development.

Victory Majors Investments Corp. has asked the City of Saskatoon to consider amending existing zoning to allow for greater building height and density. The changes would decrease the size of the parking structure underground and increase the height of the building.

"It's in the process of going to council," said Kay Nassar, Victory Majors founder. "If they approve the revised plans, we should be ready to get going within possibly one to three months."

Nassar says the changes may add to the total cost of the project, but the parking structure, which was expected to cost $62.5 million, will likely cost less. He still expects the final bill to come in around $200 million, "plus or minus 10 per cent."

When Victory Majors took over the Parcel Y project from Calgarybased Lake Placid Developments last year, it found plans were 75 per cent complete. It also found public opinion was not in favour of the proposed plaza area, which was designed to be three metres above grade.

[...]

Read more: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/plans+River+Landing/5242850/story.html#ixzz1Up9Odqbk


I'm not sure I like the architecture of this design over the previous, but the plaza and increased height are definite pluses. All in all, I'll take it!

[Morogolus]

I love the new design!

I was fully expecting them to scale back the project so this was a pleasent surprise.

Look for this to get locked up in meetings and consultations and red tape for another 6 months though. Also the old school NIBYs will be in full force crying that this building is too tall.

[Larch]

Originally Posted by Echoes

I'm not sure I like the architecture of this design over the previous, but the plaza and increased height are definite pluses. All in all, I'll take it!

yeah it's hard to tell based on the few renderings that are circulating, but the revised plaza gets my vote. simplicity is good, and the dominant path linking the riverbank obviously achieves what the other design couldn't.

as far as the other differences go, i plan to give it more time before reach a full opinion. but i think at this point a more economically sensible design is far better than no design at all...

when i was biking down broadway to work this morning i was struck by how much the view from the top of the bridge is going to change!
if/when i come back next summer i hope to see (more) cranes dominating the space

[CCF]

Originally Posted by Larch

are you saying that "urban" should = no greenspace?

please elaborate (and feel free to take it to the saskatoon thread so we don't flood this one)

Of course greenspace is part of the urban realm, however, in a project of this nature I think the landscaping is better served as hard (paving stones) rather than soft (grass). I don't necessarily feel that the buffer of grass contributes much to the project.

I would prefer to see buildings pushed up to the adjacent roadway to create an attractive and welcoming streetscape. Personally I'd like to see a building replace the green space on the right hand side. Something lower scale 2-3 stories that could have retail fronting along the street and another use (restaurant/coffee shop) spilling onto the interior plaza.

[UPP]

Interesting that a slow-moving project would go bigger rather than scaled back. Sounds a lot like the Capital Pointe project in Regina. Originally designed for 16 storeys, it was 'improved' to 26 and is still not under construction.

[Crisis]

I'd be curious to see what Michael Lobsinger's take on all of this will be. I have no doubt that he would say that if he had been allowed to go 27 floors with a condo and 17 floors of office, then he would have been able to secure financing. If this goes through in it's current state, then the City has changed the rules from when Lake Placid was developing the site (and they'd already given them concessions), so Lake Placid would have a valid argument.

While I fully expect that this project will be approved as planned, due to the intense political will to see this parcel of land developed, it wouldn't shock me to see Mr. Lobsinger appear again - likely in the form of a lawsuit against the City.

[Morogolus]

I'm amazed they're not bankrupt yet. The web site that LP had up for RLV has been taken down. I wonder how that development in Calgary is going or if it's just a big hole in the ground still.

[Larch]

Originally Posted by CCF

Of course greenspace is part of the urban realm, however, in a project of this nature I think the landscaping is better served as hard (paving stones) rather than soft (grass). I don't necessarily feel that the buffer of grass contributes much to the project.

I would prefer to see buildings pushed up to the adjacent roadway to create an attractive and welcoming streetscape. Personally I'd like to see a building replace the green space on the right hand side. Something lower scale 2-3 stories that could have retail fronting along the street and another use (restaurant/coffee shop) spilling onto the interior plaza.

fair enough, though the streetscape you're after will be accounted for on the other three sides of the site. i'm not really sure how else the plan could successfully interface with the river and promenade with anything but similar landscape and planting design.

in this case it looks like the turf will serve double duty as both unprogrammed recreation space (similar to what's on the other side of the street) and amphitheatre-style seating for the concerts/etc planned for the plaza.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Crisis

I'd be curious to see what Michael Lobsinger's take on all of this will be. I have no doubt that he would say that if he had been allowed to go 27 floors with a condo and 17 floors of office, then he would have been able to secure financing. If this goes through in it's current state, then the City has changed the rules from when Lake Placid was developing the site (and they'd already given them concessions), so Lake Placid would have a valid argument.

While I fully expect that this project will be approved as planned, due to the intense political will to see this parcel of land developed, it wouldn't shock me to see Mr. Lobsinger appear again - likely in the form of a lawsuit against the City.

Is there any idication that the new group has secured financing? Also did I read correctly in the SP that the parking structure is supposed to cost $62.5 million! WTF!