Regina Construction III

[HomeInMyShoes]

The valid concern I see is that it is not family-oriented. A better mix of unit sizes would be good, but that would reduce the number of units probably necessitating a fourth floor to make it feasible. The location by the school is not great, but then why is that so bad either? Really outside of some cars on the street, but it is the cathedral area. There are cars on the street all the time.

I think the neighborhood association should be more concerned with overall rental versus permanent resident numbers in their area.

Overall the design is light years ahead of anything in Harbour Landing. Commercial space on the main floor, parking tucked away. While the choice of materials is going to mean a lot it is simple and clean without an overuse of color. My major concern would be a loss of the existing commercial tenants on that block. Not that there is anything memorable in that block, but rents never go down and never remain the same with new construction which may mean the end of an opportunity for more local and specialty shops in that block.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Originally Posted by DandyUnderworld

Some pushback on the proposed mixed use building at the corner of 13th and Elphinstone in Cathedral:
http://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/a-collection-of-thoughts-about-proposed-cathedral-development

Link to the proposal:
http://www.regina.ca/opencms/export/site...-z-15-proposal-details-december-2015.pdf

I have no problem with redeveloping that corner, but the design is a bland eye-gouging suburban nightmare plucked straight out of the Harbour Landing playbook. Yuck.

I like the look of the building, as long as it is not completely stucco. They need new development in that area and more density. It will be perfect for families living across from the new Connaught. The people against this project sound exactly like the ones against the new expanded Safeway. Did the world end? No. Does the new Safeway serve the community better and look good, YES.

Also, regarding the house, if the owner wants to sell it, and its not on the heritage protect list, then let them do what they want to do with it.

I hope this goes through. That corner is not being used well anyways and has no active streetfront, which the proposal will add with its ground floor retail.

[W.W. La Chance]

"If you look at the size of those units, the tenants will be transients." Not a valid argument.

I am more opposed to this than not. Setting the precedent for crap materials (assumption, but a safe one) and architecture in that neighborhood will cause more harm in the future. The fact that the lot will be largely parking is also bad in my opinion. I am not opposed to the 4 floors though, but would rather see 3 floors filling more of the area it intends to use.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Drofmab

I noticed the Aegean Coast space at 12th & Hamilton is being gutted, along with the space immediately to the south of it (has essentially been empty since FCC left 5 or 6 years ago).

Anyone know if there's a tenant ready to move in, or is Harvard just getting the space in better shape for potential tenants looking for office space?

On a drive by last night I noticed that the café interior is still intact except for a door cut though to the adjacent office space to the south.

[Treesplease]

Originally Posted by W.W. La Chance

"If you look at the size of those units, the tenants will be transients." Not a valid argument.

I am more opposed to this than not. Setting the precedent for crap materials (assumption, but a safe one) and architecture in that neighborhood will cause more harm in the future. The fact that the lot will be largely parking is also bad in my opinion. I am not opposed to the 4 floors though, but would rather see 3 floors filling more of the area it intends to use.

I don't really get the "not family oriented" comments either. There are some really offensive comments being made by opponents which doesn't do their cause any good so keep the goofy comments coming. I don't have a problem with the project - the architecture and materials are what they are. Cheap and economic are the overiding considerations in most anything being built now. Forcing someone to use more expensive materials that don't have any demonstrable performance advantages other than how they look isn't really realistic.
But that parking along Elphinstone is a .... blight. I wouldn't want someone on my street to just bulldoze a house and put in a lot sized parking lot where a street-fronting house used to be (regardless of what kind of house it was). There should be building fronting both Elphinstone and 13th and any associated parking placed in back or underground.

[BrutallyDishonest2]

Originally Posted by Treesplease

But that parking along Elphinstone is a .... blight. I wouldn't want someone on my street to just bulldoze a house and put in a lot sized parking lot where a street-fronting house used to be (regardless of what kind of house it was). There should be building fronting both Elphinstone and 13th and any associated parking placed in back or underground.

You're going to love the 13th Ave parking lot the new school includes.

[BrutallyDishonest2]

Originally Posted by W.W. La Chance

"If you look at the size of those units, the tenants will be transients." Not a valid argument.

I am more opposed to this than not. Setting the precedent for crap materials (assumption, but a safe one) and architecture in that neighborhood will cause more harm in the future. The fact that the lot will be largely parking is also bad in my opinion. I am not opposed to the 4 floors though, but would rather see 3 floors filling more of the area it intends to use.

Crap materials? You mean above average materials? What do you expect, concrete and gold?

This development would, more or less, be the best thing developed in Cathedral in decades. It is a very good step in the right direction.

[W.W. La Chance]

Originally Posted by BrutallyDishonest2

Crap materials? You mean above average materials? What do you expect, concrete and gold?

This development would, more or less, be the best thing developed in Cathedral in decades. It is a very good step in the right direction.

Of course not. Stucco, brick veneer, aluminum siding, aluminum railings, and PVC railings are shite in my opinion. I know the age in which we live, but come on, this is hardly (if any) a step up from suburbia. In a historic neighborhood. I would argue it's a cut-rate exterior, or development for that matter, much like your view of the stadium.

True, which is part of the reason I am disappointed.

[W.W. La Chance]

As anything, it could be a lot worse. Glad there's retail at least. But it could also be a lot better. I tend to hope for the better.

[W.W. La Chance]

Originally Posted by brutallydishonest2

you're going to love the 13th ave parking lot the new school includes.

this

[BrutallyDishonest2]

Originally Posted by W.W. La Chance

Of course not. Stucco, brick veneer, aluminum siding, aluminum railings, and PVC railings are shite in my opinion. I know the age in which we live, but come on, this is hardly (if any) a step up from suburbia. In a historic neighborhood. I would argue it's a cut-rate exterior, or development for that matter, much like your view of the stadium.

True, which is part of the reason I am disappointed.

The city can only handle so many luxury apartments. The materials being used are a step above the vast majority of apartments built in the city in the last decade. In fact, I can't think of a single multi-family rental building that has higher quality finishes. What am I missing?

It's also important to keep in the mind that Cathedral is and never has been a high end neighbourhood.

I do appreciate your interest in high quality design/material, but I think it might be asking too much for private rental development in Cathedral at this stage of the neighborhood's evolution.

[BrutallyDishonest2]

Originally Posted by W.W. La Chance

this

Trust me, this pisses me off way, way way more than the stadium does. It's an affront to literally everything the Neighborhood stands for.

[kenskca]

Originally Posted by BrutallyDishonest2

While a SaskTel store might not be unreasonable there, I don't think SaskTel would take that much space. The user is taking a bunch of office space.

Additionally, SaskTel is contracting at this moment. See: SaskTel International at the airport.

SaskTel is most definitely not going to be the tenant in that space. I have heard SaskPower is though.

[bugsey]

Bank of Nova Scotia Main Branch at 11th and Hamilton has been telling employees that they will be relocating one block south on Hamilton. At one point in time, there were 50 employees in Main Branch. Now they are down to less than two dozen.

Is there enough space for a relocated and downsized Scotiabank Main Branch?

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by bugsey

Bank of Nova Scotia Main Branch at 11th and Hamilton has been telling employees that they will be relocating one block south on Hamilton. At one point in time, there were 50 employees in Main Branch. Now they are down to less than two dozen.

Is there enough space for a relocated and downsized Scotiabank Main Branch?

I believe this one. There is a lot of space when you add in the vacant space to the south. https://www.google.ca/maps/@50.4485644,-...5.89935%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

It is a bit sad to see how the banking presence downtown has faded over the last 20 years. It used to be that the big 5 banks all had a tower in which the occupied virtually the whole main floor for their main branch plus 3 or 4 more floors for regional offices. Now they have maybe one or no upper floors.

RBC and TD have cannibalized main floor branch space for offices so they can give up more upper floors space.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

I was thinking this morning, with GoodLife Fitness starting to expand in the Regina Market, that the former Smittys/Havik Location would be a great location for a new gym, and directly across from Gold's for competition and connected to the mall for 24hr usage downtown.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

I was thinking this morning, with GoodLife Fitness starting to expand in the Regina Market, that the former Smittys/Havik Location would be a great location for a new gym, and directly across from Gold's for competition and connected to the mall for 24hr usage downtown.

Gonna have to disagree on this one; I don't think a gym belongs in the Cornwall. The Traveller's Building on Broad could be pretty awesome if they wanted to put in the money it would take to fix that disaster up? Could add some good life to that area of downtown (pun was unintentional)...

[HomeInMyShoes]

Given what one could build for $1.56 milliion dollars not even including the probably millions in raw pigeon dung cleanup that would be necessary to not make it a health hazard would give pause to anyone trying to develop that. Without the city being involved in saving it with a large financial investment it is fit for rubble now and that is about it.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

I was thinking this morning, with GoodLife Fitness starting to expand in the Regina Market, that the former Smittys/Havik Location would be a great location for a new gym, and directly across from Gold's for competition and connected to the mall for 24hr usage downtown.

Rent and taxes are way too high for a gym. Look for a major national retailer in there. Maybe H&M.

[Nathan]

^^ Agreed... That's why I said if the wanted to spend the money... Probably could have bolded the if.

Likely plenty of water damage as well since the windows have been open for years.