Saskatoon Construction II

[Yeff]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

Some of you guys may have seen this: Touchstone Centre. It is a proposed nine-storey office building that is located near the airport behind the three hotels. It is very nice-looking!

Touchstone Centre

[prairieguy]

Those are nice renderings, but given the recent Colliers report on the high vacancy for office space in Saskatoon, I don't see this project starting any time soon.

Anyone know if that is a hotel currently all framed in behind the latest Stonebridge commercial area (right behind Cora's)?? No signage indicating what it is, but looks like a hotel.

[Measuring Stick]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

Those are nice renderings, but given the recent Colliers report on the high vacancy for office space in Saskatoon, I don't see this project starting any time soon.

Anyone know if that is a hotel currently all framed in behind the latest Stonebridge commercial area (right behind Cora's)?? No signage indicating what it is, but looks like a hotel.

Yep I believe this is what you are talking about

http://www.d3h.ca/projects

[Measuring Stick]

Also back to the previous topic of the new "B" bike things on Broadway (quick rants follows). While I think they look good they were installed parallel to the curb on the building side of the tree wells. This along with the new (IMO poorly placed) parking meters make for a tight and annoying fit along Broadway while pushing a stroller. Broadway is one of our busiest pedestrian sidewalks stop cluttering it. These "B"s should be moved to run perpendicular to the curb along either the north or south side of the tree wells.

[The S'toon Goon]

Originally Posted by Toontone

Still have not seen any evidence of a second Earl's opening on 8th street in the old Adrenaline location.
Is it still the plan or was that just a bad rumour?
Current Earl's staff claim they know nothing about it other than it is a bad rumour that has been going around for some time now.
Just curious......8th street would be a much closer location for me.

When I brought up Earl's I got a flat-out 'No'. It is apparently going to be a new chain to the city. It will probably either be a complete demo of the building or an extensive reno though.

[circle33]

Originally Posted by marclikeschicken

I heard through a reliable source that Smoke's Poutinerie has finally found a location and finalized the deal in the Downtown core! I'm really excited for this place! I'm told its somewhere by Winston's and Hudson's.

The former Jake's on 21st location in the Avenue Building now has a "Leased" sign in the window. That spot matches your description.

[Irvin]

NEW STORES FOR STONEBRIDGE CENTER

1) Sportsclips
2) Modern Sole
3) Red Lotus Centre

[casper]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

Those are nice renderings, but given the recent Colliers report on the high vacancy for office space in Saskatoon, I don't see this project starting any time soon.

Anyone know if that is a hotel currently all framed in behind the latest Stonebridge commercial area (right behind Cora's)?? No signage indicating what it is, but looks like a hotel.

Would a company like Areva be interested in such a building. They don't want to be downtown, this appear to like the north end of the city and appear to have a pretty spread out operation. A larger building they consolidate might gain some traction.

[macca]

Why doesn't areva want to be downtown?

[gowest]

Lowes have purchased 13 Target stores and the Ontario Target distribution centre. This won't effect Saskatoon, but interesting.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by macca

Why doesn't areva want to be downtown?

Saskatoon seems to have an issue with major offices not being downtown (as compared to Regina). I do not understand why this is. Cameco, Areva, McDougall Gauley are all large offices not downtown. What gives?

[saskatoonborn]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Saskatoon seems to have an issue with major offices not being downtown (as compared to Regina). I do not understand why this is. Cameco, Areva, McDougall Gauley are all large offices not downtown. What gives?

Well this is just me speculating but it seems to me that there are a number of factors.

Regulation (probably the biggest) Regina prevents most big office building from being built outside its downtown.
This leads to availability of space in the suburbs
land value also plays a roll. Why buy a 5 million dollar small piece of land when you can buy 2 million dollar big piece of land and be able to park for free.
There are no tax disincentives for large businesses to build outside of downtown
Rent down town is no differently priced then rent in other cities downtowns but is way cheaper in the suburban market..

So its a combination of things that have nothing to do with how many bike lanes we have downtown or how good(or terrible) our bus service is. Are they nice to have? hell yes. But they will not make a company consider moving downtown. If there are no companies moving downtown why would people? Isnt the point to live close to where you work? Therefore until the city changes how they view suburban office development projects downtown, most of them, will flounder.

[casper]

Originally Posted by saskatoonborn

Well this is just me speculating but it seems to me that there are a number of factors.

Regulation (probably the biggest) Regina prevents most big office building from being built outside its downtown.
This leads to availability of space in the suburbs
land value also plays a roll. Why buy a 5 million dollar small piece of land when you can buy 2 million dollar big piece of land and be able to park for free.
There are no tax disincentives for large businesses to build outside of downtown
Rent down town is no differently priced then rent in other cities downtowns but is way cheaper in the suburban market..

So its a combination of things that have nothing to do with how many bike lanes we have downtown or how good(or terrible) our bus service is. Are they nice to have? hell yes. But they will not make a company consider moving downtown. If there are no companies moving downtown why would people? Isnt the point to live close to where you work? Therefore until the city changes how they view suburban office development projects downtown, most of them, will flounder.

You also have the fact that Cemeco and Ariva for a good part of there history were quite happy to have a low profile in the community. Innovation place also provided a home to many of the business that might have ended up downtown otherwise.

[jigglysquishy]

It mostly comes down to municipal policy. The difference in offices downtown is perhaps the most glaring difference between Regina and Saskatoon that comes down to municipal politics.

Saskatoon could very easily put in a rule than all new office construction must take place downtown.

[Echoes]

I was heading down 23rd Street the other night, and noted the irony of how the former Caffe Sola space, vacated a good year ago (maybe even longer?), still sits empty with for lease signs in the windows.

I remember hearing about Caffe Sola's closure being forced by the building's overseas owner jacking the rent astronomically. It's satisfying to see the owner's thick-headedness rewarded with an empty building. Meanwhile, the Warehouse District seems to have recovered with Citizen Cafe & Bakery filling Sola's shoes. It was a gem, though.

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by Echoes

I was heading down 23rd Street the other night, and noted the irony of how the former Caffe Sola space, vacated a good year ago (maybe even longer?), still sits empty with for lease signs in the windows.

I remember hearing about Caffe Sola's closure being forced by the building's overseas owner jacking the rent astronomically. It's satisfying to see the owner's thick-headedness rewarded with an empty building. Meanwhile, the Warehouse District seems to have recovered with Citizen Cafe & Bakery filling Sola's shoes. It was a gem, though.

I get a chuckle over that every time I'm by there as well--the former owners are great people so it's nice karma for trying to screw them and force them to shut the doors.

[Echoes]

What you need to know about Saskatoon's new Children's Discovery Museum

THE STARPHOENIX MAY 20, 2015

The master plan for the new Children’s Discovery Museum in Saskatoon has been unveiled.

Here are four things to know about the CDM, which is set to open in the Mendel Art Gallery building in 2017 …

1. The museum will increase from 2,000 square feet in its current Market Mall location to approximately 12,000 square feet at the Mendel building. Museum officials expect the number of annual visitors to rise from 15,000 to 60,000.

2. The master plan was completed under the watch of Brooklyn, New York’s Argyle Design. The design includes nine exhibit areas, multi-use spaces for programming and rentals, and public access to a cafe, washrooms and the civic conservatory.

Dave Hunchak, president of the museum’s volunteer board of directors, said the master plan “captured our vision and listened to the different groups in our community engagement workshops.”

3. The planning committee visited children’s museums across North America but have designed it with some distinctive Saskatchewan touches.

A trail of northern lights will guide visitors through the main floor and up towards the back of the building, “where ribbons of light transform into playable xylophone keys in the sky,” the CDM said in its description.

4. There will be multiple hands-on exhibits for children up to age 12 ...

• Little Bridges: for children under the age of four to engage in sensory play;

• Toon Town: a changeable townscape for role playing, theatrical productions and collaborative programs;

• The Climber: the biggest physical challenge, with engagable art, engineering and science activities;

• Subterranea: simulates a half-mile deep elevator ride to an underground environment where visitors can explore mining, a geology lab, a prairie dog crawl, or dinosaur dig site.

• Create Spaces: The Maker Space and The Art Space: features hands-on building, prototyping, constructing and experimenting.

© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/saska...n+Children+Discovery/11068812/story.html

^ It's wonderful that Saskatoon and Saskatchewan will not only be getting one new major cultural institution with the opening of the Remai Modern, but a second with the opening of the Children's Discovery Museum too.

[prairieguy]

I hope that the city of perhaps some very generous benefactor will consider building a "pedestrian overpass" between the new Discovery Museum and the re-purposed Kinsmen Park across the street. With the volume of young children and families that could potentially be using both those amenities, it just makes common sense for there to be a safe crossing between the two.

It could provide the opportunity for a very fun and funky over pass....maybe something made to look like a tree top crossing???

Without this feature....I fear it is going to be a very busy and backed up crossing area.

[Toontone]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

I hope that the city of perhaps some very generous benefactor will consider building a "pedestrian overpass" between the new Discovery Museum and the re-purposed Kinsmen Park across the street. With the volume of young children and families that could potentially be using both those amenities, it just makes common sense for there to be a safe crossing between the two.

It could provide the opportunity for a very fun and funky over pass....maybe something made to look like a tree top crossing???

Without this feature....I fear it is going to be a very busy and backed up crossing area.

I like how you think......you don't work for the city, do you? No. I didn't think so lol

[prairieguy]

Originally Posted by Toontone

I like how you think......you don't work for the city, do you? No. I didn't think so lol

Haha....nope!