Saskatoon Construction II

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by Jezza

The Rockadero thing is the owner's idea of a joke. It's an oil change. Considering how long it takes to get the permits in place from the city for something like the chiropractic clinic conversion on 7th, I'd be impressed if they managed to switch from oil change to 50's bar in a couple of months.

If it really is a joke it's beyond stupid. Saskatoon could always use more unique restaurants and that building would certianly fit the bill, in a high traffic area no less. As an oil change, it's just a waste of space on Eighth Street.

[Brutopian]

Watch a time lapse of some of the demolition here.

[drm310]

They sure made quick work of that. I hope that land doesn't sit empty for a long time. There are already too many Impark lots on 2nd Ave:

1. Mid-block between 19th & 20th
2. Corner at 20th, both sides
3. Between 22nd and 23rd, east side (former Chau's Commodore)
4. Between 22nd and 23rd, west side (behind SaskTel)
5. Corner at 23rd (former Bay parkade)
6. Corner at 25th (former Pat Hotel)

Originally Posted by Brutopian

Watch a time lapse of some of the demolition here.

[Echoes]

Developer lauds plans for project

By Charles Hamilton, The StarPhoenix August 20, 2013

A vacant riverside parking lot in central Saskatoon could soon be transformed into a multi-million-dollar urban living complex housing hundreds of people and a handful of small businesses.

City residents are getting their first glimpse at the plans for the latest project at River Landing. Dubbed "The Banks," it includes a mixture of urban apartments and more than 2,000 square metres of commercial space in the Riversdale neighbourhood on 19th Street West bordered by avenues B and C. "There has been a lot of talk for many years, and now here is a project that is very real," said Chris LeFevre, the Victoria-based developer who plans to build on the 1.4-acre piece of real estate he purchased for $4.13 million earlier this year.

"It's a place that has been waiting for something to happen and here's a courageous step forward." LeFevre's plans for Parcel A - which will go before city council for final approval in September - show four buildings, containing 160 apartment units, a small handful of townhouses on the upper floors and commercial space at street level. The buildings surround an internal courtyard, which is connected to the street with a wide walking path. The main floors of the four buildings could be occupied by coffee shops, vegan restaurants, clothing stores, yoga studios and a bar.

"I want this project to be part of the surrounding community and I think that's very, very important. I think the surrounding community is in the embryonic stage of regeneration ... That being said, it's very important to stress that this hasn't been designed for a privileged few," LeFevre said.

More than half of the units - which range from studio apartments, to oneand two-bedroom apartments and townhouses - will be sold for less than $200,000, LeFevre said.

"I don't want to push anybody of out the neighbourhood by way of my development, and I don't think I'm doing that," LeFevre said.

[....]

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/Developer+lauds+plans+project/8809817/story.html

[prairieguy]

BHP Billiton proceeding with Jansen
I just heard on the radio this morning that BHP has formally announced it is continuing with the Jansen project, investing another 2.6 billion dollars to get the site ready.

I thought I would hear/see something reported on morning TV news, but saw nothing. Found this article from Globe and Mail, though. Looks like they have just committed to prepping the site to start construction. It was a little confusing as reported on radio. But I suppose that kind of $ commitment for site prep still bodes well for BHP to fully develop the site for production.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on...h-jansen-potash-project/article13867129/

Will be interesting to see how this plays out in Saskatoon, as this HAS to have some kind of positive impact on our local (and provincial) economy. Any thoughts??

[Echoes]

Inner-city recreation centre on the city's radar

By Charles Hamilton, The StarPhoenix August 20, 2013

Civic officials have accelerated plans to build a leisure centre in one of Saskatoon's core neighbourhoods, although the timing and location remain unknown.

"There definitely is a gap there. I think we all sense there is a gap there," said Randy Grauer, the city's manager of community services.

Building a city-run recreation centre somewhere in the inner city is on a list of priorities for the next four years, according to a new city report. But Grauer said the city is undertaking a larger study of exactly where the new facility should be built and what kind of services it should provide before any official plans to build one are finalized.

A preliminary version of that study will be presented to city council in September.

For some core area residents, the facility can't be built soon enough.

"We don't have anything.

We have a couple of small parks and a pool that is open two months of the year. I think we are due," said Deborah Graham, the president of the Riversdale community association.

Graham said many people in her neighbourhood don't travel very far from the core - either by choice or because of financial constraints - and they would therefore make use of a facility that is within walking distance.

[....]

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Inner+city+recreation+centre+city+radar/8809811/story.html

[Brutopian]

College Expansion Nears Completion


Written by Adam Brilz, saskatoohomepage.ca

Tuesday, 20 August 2013


Almost a year after putting shovels in the dirt, St. Thomas More will be able to accomodate many more students with their expansion. The expansion is expected to be finished in October with classrooms ready by the beginning of 2014. New additions to the school include three large classrooms, four study halls, and an atrium.

[........]

Read more:
http://www.saskatoonhomepage.ca/college-expansion-nears-completion/itemid_21

[gowest]

Pat Lorje is upset with all the trucks on 11th Street west since the new bridge opened. Maybe she should have listened to the other people in Montgomery when the bridge plan started and they said this was going to be a problem. The city officials must have had their heads somewhere if they thought for one minute that trucks would go to 22nd and thru all the lights. Truckers will take the easiest route, that being 11th St. Sorry that Pat has to compete with trucks on 11th when she is riding her bicycle, maybe she should have pushed for a bike path at the time of planning. See CKOM's story on their web site. I forgot,this is the same person who wanted to put a toll fee on Valley Road if Corman Park did't pay for the Valley Road overpass.

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by gowest

Pat Lorje is upset with all the trucks on 11th Street west since the new bridge opened. Maybe she should have listened to the other people in Montgomery when the bridge plan started and they said this was going to be a problem. The city officials must have had their heads somewhere if they thought for one minute that trucks would go to 22nd and thru all the lights. Truckers will take the easiest route, that being 11th St. Sorry that Pat has to compete with trucks on 11th when she is riding her bicycle, maybe she should have pushed for a bike path at the time of planning. See CKOM's story on their web site. I forgot,this is the same person who wanted to put a toll fee on Valley Road if Corman Park did't pay for the Valley Road overpass.

This city couldn't plan its way out of a wet paper bag..
..That's exactly it, they line up 22nd street with a school zone and a gauntlet of traffic lights and then expect trucks and all west side traffic west of Circle to funnel through it. If they wanted to try & make living in Blairmore & Kensington and all new planned residential developments on the western edge more appealing they would have left highways 14 & 7 split as it had been originally and made a single overpass between the two to allow for ease of traffic each direction. No one in their right mind would build a house that far on the west side knowing that they have only one route into the city along a bottle neck like 22nd street, its a traffic nightmare like Circle Dr North waiting to happen. And now they want truck traffic to navigate through the mess too?

Also, who planned reduction to single lane East bound on Circle Dr North bridge the exact same week as South Circle Dr East bound is reduced to one lane East bound at Stonebridge as well?

[urbandesigner]

Here's a look at River Landing riverfront construction. Getting pretty close to being done.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32499745/RL%20Riverfront%20Contract%204_panoramic.jpg

[Stormer]

BHP's new slick potash video with shots of downtown Saskatoon:

http://www.bhpbilliton.com/home/Pages/default.aspx

Click to, or wait for the second slide on the main home page banner and you will see the video link.

[Echoes]

'Realistic' Clarion arts centre project still in the works, moving ahead

By Jonathan Charlton, The Star Phoenix

A University of Saskatchewan steering committee is working on a scaled-back but realistic vision of an ambitious arts centre.

The Clarion project has been in the works for about seven years and has been billed as a state-of-the-art centre for artistic, creative and performance work at the U of S and for the city.

Since 2010, the project has been scaled back, Dean of Arts and Science Peter Stoicheff said.

"Let's just say, back then there was a slightly different vision for it that was very ambitious. I think because the price tag was going to be so big on that, ultimately, with the cost of building in the city, we've had to revisit some of that."

But it is moving ahead, he said.

"The discussions are really energetic and optimistic and exciting," and Clarion "has become a realistic project," he said.

Stoicheff said a clearer picture of what the facility will look like should emerge by the late fall or early December. The next step in the process will be to present the steering committee's vision to the board of governors for feedback.

[....]

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Realistic+...ll+works+moving+ahead/8814538/story.html

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by urbandesigner

Here's a look at River Landing riverfront construction. Getting pretty close to being done.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/32499745/RL%20Riverfront%20Contract%204_panoramic.jpg

Nice shot! I've been looking forward to that section opening.

Originally Posted by Stormer

BHP's new slick potash video with shots of downtown Saskatoon:

http://www.bhpbilliton.com/home/Pages/default.aspx

Click to, or wait for the second slide on the main home page banner and you will see the video link.

Neat to see some of the perspectives from inside their office building.

[drm310]

Is that the Taj Mahal downtown? They used to close for a month or so while the family went back in India to visit family. I wonder if that's the case again or if this is a permanent closure.

Originally Posted by frenchy

I don't know if it's been mentioned or not, but the Taj restaurant is closed.

[North_Regina_Boy]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

This city couldn't plan its way out of a wet paper bag..
..That's exactly it, they line up 22nd street with a school zone and a gauntlet of traffic lights and then expect trucks and all west side traffic west of Circle to funnel through it. If they wanted to try & make living in Blairmore & Kensington and all new planned residential developments on the western edge more appealing they would have left highways 14 & 7 split as it had been originally and made a single overpass between the two to allow for ease of traffic each direction. No one in their right mind would build a house that far on the west side knowing that they have only one route into the city along a bottle neck like 22nd street, its a traffic nightmare like Circle Dr North waiting to happen. And now they want truck traffic to navigate through the mess too?

Also, who planned reduction to single lane East bound on Circle Dr North bridge the exact same week as South Circle Dr East bound is reduced to one lane East bound at Stonebridge as well?

Yes they said it would be 2 weeks for Circle south to be operational. They could have waited that two weeks even at 60 with two lanes it would of been FINE to handle the traffic.

Anyway as for 22nd they really should of thought things through a little more. ALSO IMO they should close Laurier and Clancy. The people can use 11th street and 33rd as well as 22nd. The traffic that backs up with South Bridge open now is past 33rd with the timing at Laurier not so bad at Clancy but still a headache.

Right turns could still be provided at these intersection very easily with very little effort But the left turns need to disappear.

Until then Both Circle South Bridge routing and Circle North Bridge Routing from the north are both bottlenecks. Get rid of ONE of them. And closing two access (partially) would make it an easy way to fix a lot of issues.

ALSO building a connection with a 4 lane highway from the new Valley road interchange to HWY 7 then North on Dalmany road to hwy 16 with an interchange at 22nd would allow for a truck bypass without the need for the massive expenditure of the North Perimeter for the time being. Allowing this would get trucks off Circle North and off 22nd making navigation better for all.

Also with that they must build at the same time the overpass at Boychuck. Voila truck bypass complete! Amazing how a not much thinking can save you hundreds of millions eh? Humm.

For this routing what would need to be done:

- Interchange at Boychuck - $35M
- 4 lane from Valley to Hwy 7 - (2M / 1.6km) 4.8km = $9.6M
- Interchange from New link to CN yards and city yards $15-20M
- Interchange at Hwy 7 - 35M
- Completion of Interchange at 22nd - $10-15M
- 4 lane from 22nd to Hwy 16 - 15km = $19M
- Interchange at Dalmany Rd and Hwy 16 = $35M

Total = Roughly $165-200M ($750M-1B for North Perimeter) Allowing for design and environmental impact studies.

Secondary benefits to this routing:

- Can extend north of Hwy 16 to complete North Perimeter
- Trucks now have direct connection from Hwys 7 and 14 to Hwys 11 and 16 without having to go through city and can travel at 90 km/h or faster
- Trucks now have easy access to North Industrial and South Industrial areas along 11th st and South CN Industrial Via 11th street interchange and 51st ave interchange.
- Direct access to CN / City Management Yards
- Allowance to NW industrial area via interchange at Beam Road
- Allowance for 33rd St Interchange
- Allowance for Claypool Dr Interchange
- North Perimeter doesn't allow for current trucking concerns for highways 7 and 14. This does.

There is my rant enjoy.

Here is a picture of the routing that this solution would make the truck bypass:



Or a little different with the dashed line showing the connection to the eventual North Perimeter:



I will be doing detailed interchange plans as well soon. For all the white dots.

[dsmmace]

The first headframe is going up right now. It's a steel structure headframe that is going to be over 300ft high.

ATCO is expanding on the current camp for employees. Gym and few other things.

The second shaft is sunk and currently being worked on.

There is a sewage plant being constructed for the mine.

Water pump houses are going to be constructed to supply the mine with water.

Things look more like 'controlled construction' that anything else.

Originally Posted by prairieguy

BHP Billiton proceeding with Jansen
I just heard on the radio this morning that BHP has formally announced it is continuing with the Jansen project, investing another 2.6 billion dollars to get the site ready.

I thought I would hear/see something reported on morning TV news, but saw nothing. Found this article from Globe and Mail, though. Looks like they have just committed to prepping the site to start construction. It was a little confusing as reported on radio. But I suppose that kind of $ commitment for site prep still bodes well for BHP to fully develop the site for production.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on...h-jansen-potash-project/article13867129/

Will be interesting to see how this plays out in Saskatoon, as this HAS to have some kind of positive impact on our local (and provincial) economy. Any thoughts??

[gowest]

North Regina Boy you hit the nail on the end with your ideas for roadways to bypass the city. The problems on Circle Dr. North would be cut in half. Unfortunately the powers that make the decisions at City Hall sometimes don't go west of Idywyld. Having said that, it is a great improvement for people living or working in areas the bridge connects.

[Brutopian]

Overnight construction still an option: mayor

24-hour construction comes at a price for Saskatoon

Reported by François Biber, NewsTalk 650 CKOM

Aug 21, 2013

Twenty-four hour road construction is not off the table for Mayor Don Atchison.

"We certainly have been looking at doing construction in the evenings," he said.

"We are going to be doing a better job there is no doubt about that. Council, the mayor, we will be instructing the administration that they have got to come up with a better plan for the future; that we infact just can't have these delays; that if we have to go 24 hours a day on major thoroughfares.... heavy high volume traffic that we have got to identify and we have go to get the work done faster."

Hiring construction crews for overnight work costs the City of Saskatoon up to 40 per cent more that daytime work.

[.......]

Read more:
http://ckom.com/story/overnight-construction-still-option-mayor/127880

[Brutopian]

Riversdale development awaiting rezoning approval from city council

Development will encompass residential and commercial buildings, underground parking

Reported by François Biber, NewsTalk 650 CKOM

Aug 21, 2013

A four-building residential and commercial development slated for southeast Riversdale is awaiting council’s approval.

Tuesday Saskatoon’s municipal planning commission (MPC) reviewed a report outlining the scope of the development across the street from the Farmer’s Market, known as Parcel A.

“This is a very positive addition to the area,” said MPC chair Janice Braden.

The development calls for commercial businesses on the ground floors, with one-and-two bedroom apartment, condos and lofts above.

Executive Director of the Riversdale Business Improvement District (BID) Randy Pshebylo applauded the development, noting it brings connectivity to the area.

“It was generally felt that a linkage between 20th Street to the river needed something seamless to go through Avenue A, B and C that would help people mill around through the area,” he said.

The City of Saskatoon sold Parcel A for $4.126 million to Chris Lefevre.

This development is being spearheaded by well-known western developer Joost Bakker with Dialog Designs. Known for his work such as the internationally recognized Granville Island and the Governor General award-winning Richmond City Hall, Pshebylo says this development fronting the riverbank will become add a unique dynamic connecting Riversdale to River Landing.

[.......]

Read more:
http://ckom.com/story/riversdale-development-awaiting-rezoning-approval-city-council/127969

[Jezza]

Originally Posted by gowest

North Regina Boy you hit the nail on the end with your ideas for roadways to bypass the city. The problems on Circle Dr. North would be cut in half. Unfortunately the powers that make the decisions at City Hall sometimes don't go west of Idywyld. Having said that, it is a great improvement for people living or working in areas the bridge connects.

This isn't entirely Council's fault. The route above is a great idea but would require a lot of co-operation between Corman Park and the city to come to fruition, since most of this is in Corman Park's jurisdiction. Another solid argument for having a regional planning commission. Funding would most likely be on Corman Park as well which isn't encouraging considering the hesitation over the Valley Road interchange.