Saskatoon Construction II

[Treesplease]

Originally Posted by Irvin

See from the Smart Center siteplan for Blairmore that Fat Burger has joined the tenant mix

Nothing says healthy lifestyle choice like "fat burger". I'm not even health concious and I wouldn't want to be seen eating there. I can already see ambulances circling the block looking for prey.

[gowest]

Originally Posted by Irvin

See from the Smart Center siteplan for Blairmore that Fat Burger has joined the tenant mix

The new web site still shows Lowe's in the NW corner. Is the complex on the east side of Betts Ave part of Smart Centres as well?

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by gowest

The new web site still shows Lowe's in the NW corner. Is the complex on the east side of Betts Ave part of Smart Centres as well?

Nope. The Smartcentres site is only on the west side of Betts. What website are you referencing?

[gowest]

Originally Posted by Crisis

Nope. The Smartcentres site is only on the west side of Betts. What website are you referencing?

SmartCentres web site. It new compared to what it was Few months ago.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by Crisis

One more reason to hate that ugly beast of a building...

I might be the only one on here that likes the Arts Tower.

I appreciate it for what it is, the era it represents... but it's still no Thorvaldson Building, that's for sure.

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by Irvin

See from the Smart Center siteplan for Blairmore that Fat Burger has joined the tenant mix

Okay, you've really got my hopes up (and my mouth watering, LOVE Fatburger!), where are you seeing this information?? I don't see anything about it on their website.

[scotty c]

Originally Posted by Wyku

Okay, you've really got my hopes up (and my mouth watering, LOVE Fatburger!), where are you seeing this information?? I don't see anything about it on their website.

I too love Fatburger and having it a few blocks from home could be scary for the waistline but nice to have some options out west.

Site also mentions Lowes to be opening late in 2013. I'm not sure if that is feasable but at least it's still a go.

Here's a link to a pdf plan I found on their site that shows Fatburger (Lot 8a on pg 2). Looks like there is 2 open lots left beside where it will go. I don't think construction on this building has started yet.
http://www.smartcentres.com/sites/default/files/summary_pdfs/Saskatoon_W_0.pdf

[Wyku]

LOL, I know what you mean! I see it now, thanks! I didn't scroll down to page 2 of that PDF, or didn't take note of the tenant listings on the side before.

[Wyku]

Has anyone heard of any of the businesses planned for the new little stripmall being built across from the Shoppers in Hampton Village?

[drto]

Has there been any more discussion of that plan for the whitewater park to replace the weir?

I thought it seemed like a great idea at the time, and to see how Calgary did it with the weir here, I figured Saskatoon could do it as well, but even make it better (even with the new design here, we had a fatality last July)

[lbird]

In 2009, I did a series of in-depth photo shoots around Riversdale and Pleasant Hill, amongst other neighbourhoods. 20th Street is changing so fast that whole blocks have been re-developed since that time.

My original post is here, including some pictures of the now-demolished castle-style building that hosted St. Mary's school.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=4254913&postcount=5888

Here's an updated look at some of the projects that were being worked on then:

Station 20 West on 20th from Ave. L to Ave. M ran into controversy over a (in my opinion, doomed) grocery store that is part of the project, but the social housing and public library are nicely done in bright primary colours that look great in winter:




The massive St. Mary's school re-development on 19th St. and Ave. O. was also controversial for the destruction of one of only three (now two) castle-style schools in the city, but the redevelopment of the school into a large neihbourhood centre and the revitalization of Grace Adam Metawewinihk Park had to happen.




Another part of the same development project that replaced slum housing on 20th between Ave. N and Ave. O was the construction of a Colombian Manor by the Knights of Columbus that provides assisted senior living. Bland but functional.




A side effect of all this development was the passing of a bylaw by City Council to restrict the amount of social housing and social services that one neighbourhood is allowed to host. For better or worse, it's too late for Pleasant Hill as it has become the designated home for large-scale poverty mitigation efforts.

[dataspank]

Meanwhile in the summer of 2033....
"Son, you should have seen the boom we had 20 years ago. It was fantastic. Saskatoon was the fastest growing city in the country."
"Wow, Dad. What cool buildings got built during that time?"
"Uh...well we got a new police station...."

[WoodlandCritter]

Originally Posted by dataspank

Meanwhile in the summer of 2033....
"Son, you should have seen the boom we had 20 years ago. It was fantastic. Saskatoon was the fastest growing city in the country."
"Wow, Dad. What cool buildings got built during that time?"
"Uh...well we got a new police station...."

...whispers from over the mountains

[WoodlandCritter]

haha i know.

[mike474]

Originally Posted by dataspank

Meanwhile in the summer of 2033....
"Son, you should have seen the boom we had 20 years ago. It was fantastic. Saskatoon was the fastest growing city in the country."
"Wow, Dad. What cool buildings got built during that time?"
"Uh...well we got a new police station...."

I loled.

It is kinda disappointing especially when there are so many nice projects going up elsewhere, especially here in Montreal. Must be all that equalization money, thanks guys!

[mike474]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

I would hazard a guess that Saskatoon, and especially Regina is leading all cities of their size, or even twice their size, in Canada for building construction. Comparing them to Vancouver and Montreal is ridiculous.

They are and obviously it's an apples an oranges comparison (I was joking), but the boom is translating into bland residential sprawl and industrial development in the north end. The marginal benefit of new Boston Pizzas is beginning to approach zero. In a forum dedicated to urbanism, I doubt that any of us care if Warman doubled its population in the last five years.

I will be really disappointed if the Saskatoon skyline doesn't get something outta this boom. Getting jerked around by River Landing for the last five years has been painful. Even the small and medium projects downtown have been disappointing design-wise compared to what's happening in other mid-sized Canadian cities. If more of them looked like 220 Wall (with a little better street-level interaction) or River Centre rather than Jaspar Thomson and the Holiday Inn Federal Penitentiary I'd overlook the disappointment at River Landing. I am excited for the Art Gallery though.

I don't envy the city administration in dealing with this. Housing prices are too high and tax revenue is necessary. The addiction to the short-term benefits of endless cheap land is hard to kick. Saskatoon is a long way off before the inconvenience of commuting outweighs a three car garage and an F-350.

I really care about these issues because they are determinative of if I ever decide to move back some day. I've lived in City Park and Nutana and they are great neighbourhoods, but the city is just too lifeless for me and the current development boom doesn't seem to be doing much to structurally rectify this.

[capitalist]

Four new hotels to be built near Saskatoon's airport

Lots sold at AeroGreen Business Park near Airport Drive and Cynthia Street

Reported by Karin Yeske

First Posted: Feb 13, 2013 3:19pm | Last Updated: Feb 13, 2013 3:22pm

Saskatoon will soon be home to four new hotels including a Courtyard by Marriott, Homewood Suites by Hilton, MainStay Suites and Hampton Inn and Suites.

The hotels have bought lots at the AeroGreen Business Park at Airport Drive and Cynthia Street near the John Diefenbaker airport.

“With the expansion of the airport adding the five gates and 3,600 square feet of new space and a terminal, that’s going to handle an increase in passengers,” said Gilbert Dobroskay, president Re/Max Guardian Commercial.

The Marriott will be the first in the province. The Hilton and MainStay are geared toward extended stays which will be of particular interest to workers in the oil and mining industry, said Dobroskay.

The underground services are in place for the 15.4-acre first phase of the business park, which totals 50 acres of developable land. The base gravel has been laid. Paving the roads and adding the sidewalks will happen when the snow melts.

“The Marriott Courtyard, the MainStay, and the Hampton Inn and Suites are slated to break ground this spring,” said Dobroskay.

The site once had homes built in the late 1950s and 60s for air force personnel. The houses were then purchased by an investment group which ran the area as rental properties. In 2002, the City of Saskatoon created the airport local area plan which included consultations with the public.

"They felt that residential was not a proper use for that area," said Dobroskay, stating there are no nearby amenities including schools, convenience stores, or retailers.

The area is now zoned for corporate headquarters, hotels, professional/business offices and showrooms/warehouses.

Dobroskay admits it is taking longer than expected to get the project underway, adding he took over in 2007.

“Commercial real estate is dependent upon market demand," he said, adding the city and province didn't start to take off until 2007-2008.

A local developer is working on securing a major tenant for an office building which is included in the first phase of the AeroGreen Business Park.

Along with that, Re/Max Guardian Commercial will be knocking on the doors of some food services to fill the stomachs of hundreds of people staying in the area.

“There really isn’t any retail development in the Hampton area other than where the Shoppers Drug Mart is. There isn’t any major food services. We’ve got a lot of people that work in that area,” he said.

The second phase is a 22-acre site that will be developed when the City of Saskatoon can provide the capacity for sewage service. Dobroskay said that won’t happen until the Blairmore and Hampton areas are finished.

[email protected]

[Devon]

Originally Posted by mike474

They are and obviously it's an apples an oranges comparison (I was joking), but the boom is translating into bland residential sprawl and industrial development in the north end. The marginal benefit of new Boston Pizzas is beginning to approach zero. In a forum dedicated to urbanism, I doubt that any of us care if Warman doubled its population in the last five years.

I will be really disappointed if the Saskatoon skyline doesn't get something outta this boom. Getting jerked around by River Landing for the last five years has been painful. Even the small and medium projects downtown have been disappointing design-wise compared to what's happening in other mid-sized Canadian cities. If more of them looked like 220 Wall (with a little better street-level interaction) or River Centre rather than Jaspar Thomson and the Holiday Inn Federal Penitentiary I'd overlook the disappointment at River Landing. I am excited for the Art Gallery though.

I don't envy the city administration in dealing with this. Housing prices are too high and tax revenue is necessary. The addiction to the short-term benefits of endless cheap land is hard to kick. Saskatoon is a long way off before the inconvenience of commuting outweighs a three car garage and an F-350.

I really care about these issues because they are determinative of if I ever decide to move back some day. I've lived in City Park and Nutana and they are great neighbourhoods, but the city is just too lifeless for me and the current development boom doesn't seem to be doing much to structurally rectify this.

[Ricopedra]

I hear you, Mike474. Saskatoon's my hometown and it's hard to justify ever moving back unless society grows, instead of just the city limits. But there are a couple of bright spots. The downtown/20th St/University plans: Core revitalization; and migration from bigger centres/immigration from other countries. Hey, the "Life of Pi" writer works at the Francis Morrison Library! Here's to the urban population and fabric of Saskatoon continuing to loom and grow, without taking up a single extra km!

No disrespect to the 'burbs, but there is a better way in the present state of the world. Unfortunately, the new homes downtown haven't been built yet. So there's that. And this doesn't mean a city shouldn't expand, that's impossible. Just being open to ideas and other ways of living is a start. Like not everyone in a single family over the age of 16 needs their own car, has to have one, will die without one (or two)! I feel Saskatoon's in a unique position.

If you think of 'street life' in Saskatoon, what image do you get?

I hope it's one of friends and strangers enjoying a brew and not feeling threatened, but at home.

Great to see the pics!

[rrskylar]

So the mayor of Saskatoon was in Winnipeg today touting urban reserves, says the urban reserve in SK'TN is a great success? Personally I don't understand how you can open a business on an urban reserve and not pay civic property taxes but the business across the street that isn't on an urban reserve pays and you both use the cities streets, water and sewer lines, police and fire services etc., what am I missing here?