Saskatoon Construction II

[Echoes]

Photos of the Circle Drive South project from The StarPhoenix:













http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/saska...project+complete+July/8609684/story.html

[studentview]

Originally Posted by urbandesigner

Does anybody know what plans are in place at the Escape Sports?

I've heard a rumor about the front portion (recently demo'd) being turned into a small coffee shop/bistro with access to a rooftop patio!

[Stormer]

What happened to the island? Is it still there, just under water? What would have happened if this flood occurred during construction?

[North_Regina_Boy]

Originally Posted by Stormer

What happened to the island? Is it still there, just under water? What would have happened if this flood occurred during construction?

Wow yea, never thought about that but yea, it's gone now. Well if this would of happened during construction I would see two things possibly happening.

Making the berm MUCH larger, or letting the basin flood until it was safe to pump it out and continue again. Or a combination of the two.

BUT side note, almost time for it to be open! Woohoo!

[skSK]

Here's the Facebook page for Bottega Trattoria, the Italian restaurant replacing Olympia.

My hopes are high for this one!

https://www.facebook.com/BottegaTrattoria?ref=ts&fref=ts

[EarlyByrdProductions]

Originally Posted by studentview

I've heard a rumor about the front portion (recently demo'd) being turned into a small coffee shop/bistro with access to a rooftop patio!

You heard correct!
Another welcome addition to Riversdale and the Market area!

As for the place replacing Olympia... We are going to have an overload of fancy places... we need a couple 24 hour dive restos to fill in the lack of late night snack/ street food options!

[drm310]

That's looking northward. I don't think that is so much as island as it is a large sandbar. Those get completely submerged in high water.

I'm sure that Yorath Island to the south still has the upper parts of the poplar trees above water.

Originally Posted by North_Regina_Boy

Wow yea, never thought about that but yea, it's gone now. Well if this would of happened during construction I would see two things possibly happening.

Making the berm MUCH larger, or letting the basin flood until it was safe to pump it out and continue again. Or a combination of the two.

BUT side note, almost time for it to be open! Woohoo!

[North_Regina_Boy]

Drove by most of the eastern sections of Circle drive, if they really wanted to they could open to Lorne, but I know they won't with the last bits coming together. I would bet we might even be on earlier than July 31st if the weather holds

[drto]

Does anyone know the construction timeline for the Remai AGS?

[gowest]

The city is finally doing some work at Highway 7 & 14. Crews are installing street lights behind Walmart. Now if they if get some lanes painted people might feel safe driving tbere.

[prairieguy]

Originally Posted by drto

Does anyone know the construction timeline for the Remai AGS?

There may be better information, but here is a link to the AGS website that provides a timeline and project description. Hope this is helpful.

http://www.mendel.ca/remai-ags

[drto]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

There may be better information, but here is a link to the AGS website that provides a timeline and project description. Hope this is helpful.

http://www.mendel.ca/remai-ags

Thank you prairieguy! Much obliged

[gowest]

Has anyone heard more about what is happening with the Mega project talked about for Dundurn?

[logicrules]

Originally Posted by gowest

Has anyone heard more about what is happening with the Mega project talked about for Dundurn?

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/SREDA+onboard+with+megamall/8620144/story.html

[Brutopian]

Unpacking the Dundurn megamall in 10 questions

BY BETTY ANN ADAM, THE STARPHOENIX JULY 6, 2013

The vision of a huge wholesale market at Dundurn becomes a bit more focused this weekend.

A contingent of community leaders has set out for China, where they will show officials and business people that the plan to build the Dundurn International Exhibition Centre, the first market of its kind in Canada, has support here.

On the trip are Brightenview Development Inc. president Joe Zhou, and other company representatives, as well as Tim LeClair, president of the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority (SREDA) and Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison.

LeClair said he has talked with Zhou and discussed the idea with his counterparts in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

"They absolutely think the whole concept is brilliant," he said.

He predicts a lot of buyers coming to the Saskatoon area, and significant financial spinoffs.

Dundurn Mayor Doug Narraway and Reeve Fred Wilson of the Rural Municipality of Dundurn, who have been proponents of the plan since it became public late last year, are also on the mission.

Here's a look at the project details.

What is a wholesale market? Each year, tens of thousands of buyers for retailers travel to massive wholesale markets in China, where they order goods worth billions of dollars.

The world's largest is Yiwu (pronounced "ee-woo") market. More than 65,000 small to mid-sized manufacturers have showrooms there. Around the market, a city has grown up, fuelled by buying agents, banks, restaurants and hotels.

The Dundurn International Exhibition Centre is expected to start with 350 vendors - a small version of the markets in China.

Big companies, such as Wal-Mart, have hundreds of buyers based permanently in Yiwu. Smaller retailers visit several times a year.

Agents help buyers navigate the plethora of vendors, translate if necessary, negotiate deals and then manage the logistics of ordering products, securing shipping containers, receiving product and administering the paperwork related to export and import.

Why build a wholesale market in Canada? As China's galloping economy has slowed, the government has encouraged manufacturers to pursue sales by taking their products to buyers around the world.

[........]

Read more:
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/saska...rn+megamall+questions/8624935/story.html

[Brutopian]

Target to open 20 more Canadian stores in July

BERTRAND MAROTTE
The Globe and Mail
July 04, 2013

U.S. discount chain Target Corp. is opening 20 more stores this month after its initial rollout of 48 outlets earlier this year.

The total count of 68 locations so far lifts the company past the halfway mark in its plans to open 124 stores in Canada by the end of the year.

The 20 new stores – in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario – are to open between July 16 and July 30.

“After opening stores in Ontario and Western Canada, we’re excited to bring the unique Target brand shopping experience to additional locations in these markets and to welcome our first guests in Saskatchewan,” Target Canada president Tony Fisher said in a statement.

[........]

Read more:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on...canadian-stores-in-july/article12982010/

[Brutopian]

Plans in place for downtown’s controversial corner

McDonald’s to be demolished in August, Olympia to turn into Bottega

Reported by François Biber, NewsTalk 650 CKOM, July 6, 2013

A parking lot and a fine Italian restaurant will be taking over the corner of Second Avenue and 22nd Street.

The downtown corner has been under the microscope lately after complaints about loitering and agressive panhandling. It even sprung a debate in city hall about whether or not to remove the outdoor furniture on that corner in hopes the unwanted traffic would disappear.

Terry Scadden, executive director of the Downtown Partnership, said since the McDonald’s packed up a few weeks ago, he’s already seen positive changes.

“The loitering and clogging up the sidewalks is just not happening anymore and it's much better for pedestrians going past that point,” Scadden said.

The debate in city hall suggested removing the benches would simply push the problem across the street where there is outdoor furniture in front of Starbucks, but to Scadden’s knowledge, that hasn’t happened.

Ken Achs, president of Mid-West Development is the landlord of the McDonald’s and he made it clear his intention for that corner is to level it and put in a parking lot until another business can move in. The demolition of the McDonald’s is coming in August.

[........]

Read more:
http://ckom.com/story/plans-place-downtown-s-controversial-corner/119112

[Morogolus]

^^^

Oh goody! Another parking lot..

They're going to have an empty decent sized lot downtown on a very well travelled central intersection in the middle of downtown, they better do something with it and not like it sit as a stupid IM Park lot for the next 10 years.

[drm310]

The renovation and addition project at Holy Cross High School looks to be in full swing. I never even knew about it until I drove by and saw the school yard filled with equipment and materials.

[Dino35]

Just noticed a few new retailers coming to the University Heights area:

1. Starbucks (right next to Montanas) and a stones throw away from the Starbucks in Safeway.
2. Point Optical (just down from the new Starbucks)
3. New Era (?? - looks like a shoe store)
4. Construction of the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency has begun next to Kenderine Medical Clinic)