Saskatoon Construction II

[4LSaskatoon]

I went to the 'Broker Event' of No 1 River Landing yesterday afternoon. The place was packed, including a huge lineup for purchases. Studio apt (476 sq ft) $249,900 (No parking spot) The rest came with one parking spot, ranging from 541 sq ft to 1152 sq ft.. price range $300,00 to $670,000++. Most desirable condos are already sold out, with a waiting list! Very happy to see Saskatoon supporting this development. Another fantastic addition to our city!

[hunter12]

Originally Posted by 4LSaskatoon

I went to the 'Broker Event' of No 1 River Landing yesterday afternoon. The place was packed, including a huge lineup for purchases. Studio apt (476 sq ft) $249,900 (No parking spot) The rest came with one parking spot, ranging from 541 sq ft to 1152 sq ft.. price range $300,00 to $670,000++. Most desirable condos are already sold out, with a waiting list! Very happy to see Saskatoon supporting this development. Another fantastic addition to our city!

The two proposed office towers in this development should be condos. This is a prime location for residential and there is plenty of other available land downtown to build office towers. The demand would seem to indicate another condo tower would be successful.

[4LSaskatoon]

Originally Posted by hunter12

The two proposed office towers in this development should be condos. This is a prime location for residential and there is plenty of other available land downtown to build office towers. The demand would seem to indicate another condo tower would be successful.

I completely agree! The proposed south facing commercial tower could easily be condos!

[W.W. La Chance]

Thoughts? http://thestarphoenix.com/business/local...ift-economy-slowing-due-to-perfect-storm

"In any event, what does a weakened economy mean for the City of Saskatoon’s much-discussed growth plan? It is time for a redraft?

'Yes' is the blunt assessment of University of Saskatchewan economics professor Eric Howe, who disputes the notion that Saskatoon will ever grow to half a million people.

'It’s a certainty that we won’t,' Howe said. 'Saskatchewan’s economy is oriented toward exports of resources, and resource employment will not support a population of that size.'"

Clark's mayoral platform was heavily focused on the Growing Forward Plan and implementing such.

[saskatoonborn]

Originally Posted by hunter12

The two proposed office towers in this development should be condos. This is a prime location for residential and there is plenty of other available land downtown to build office towers. The demand would seem to indicate another condo tower would be successful.

I don't know. It depends where the companies renting office space come from. If they are from outside of Saskatoon moving to be closer to their operations or because Saskatoon is one of the more competative cities in Canada to do business in (or so they say). Then maybe in the long run its better and if a couple companies move here and are successful then it could be a catalyst for some of the other proposals we are waiting on in the future. Like River Centre 2. I could see triovest saying "Oh sorry we dont have any more space at River Landing but we are in the process of marketing a new development just across the street" if its just internal migration then maybe you are right. Time will have to tell.

I do think however they sold themselves short not going to 19 stories but sometimes you have to play it safe. Now they know.

[EarlyByrdProductions]

Originally Posted by skSK

Just sent mine in all the way from Australia! Easy to do and quite well done from a usability standpoint. (The city should be commended for its increased efforts in this kind of public consultation, IMO!)

I thought it was very well done as well. Visual and to the point.
If people haven't put their two cents in yet regarding the redevelopment/beautification of the section of Idylwyld drive entering the city, I highly recommend it: https://imagineidylwyld.metroquest.ca

I would also be curious to hear some of the feedback from people in this thread about their Street Character section: Modern & Urban vs Traditional & Natural. And implementing green space there and the viability of making it a common pedestrian corridor as well. I can't say I've ever really walked down that section of Idylwyld but hopefully with the redevelopment in process, higher density of population downtown that in the future it wouldn't seem so strange to down that street.

I also would love to see some sort of acknowlegment of entering downtown at 22nd and Idylw. It's such an ugly corner yet how the majority of residents and visitors first see our downtown. Whether it's a landmark, building, art, sign...something. I know the city acquired the land (next to TCU, used to be several failed restaurants until they tore them down) years ago but has kept it as a parking lot. Or is this when I facepalm myself that our city denied a beautiful casino downtown to move it to the boonies?

[skSK]

Originally Posted by EarlyByrdProductions

I thought it was very well done as well. Visual and to the point.
If people haven't put their two cents in yet regarding the redevelopment/beautification of the section of Idylwyld drive entering the city, I highly recommend it: https://imagineidylwyld.metroquest.ca

I would also be curious to hear some of the feedback from people in this thread about their Street Character section: Modern & Urban vs Traditional & Natural. And implementing green space there and the viability of making it a common pedestrian corridor as well. I can't say I've ever really walked down that section of Idylwyld but hopefully with the redevelopment in process, higher density of population downtown that in the future it wouldn't seem so strange to down that street.

I also would love to see some sort of acknowlegment of entering downtown at 22nd and Idylw. It's such an ugly corner yet how the majority of residents and visitors first see our downtown. Whether it's a landmark, building, art, sign...something. I know the city acquired the land (next to TCU, used to be several failed restaurants until they tore them down) years ago but has kept it as a parking lot. Or is this when I facepalm myself that our city denied a beautiful casino downtown to move it to the boonies?

Some of the thoughts I shared:

- landmark/focal point for entries into downtown at 20th and 22nd
- "greening up" of those corners; perhaps a pocket park or square on the YMCA lot (in conjunction with a parkade somewhere behind Midtown)
- opening up the back of Midtown by expanding it westward and creating more of an entrance on that side (perhaps along Auditorium Ave) to make it more of a definitive retail hub
- in terms of street character, I'm hoping they go urban contemporary because it's a major artery and connected to downtown; IMO Idylwyld is not a parkway and shouldn't be streetscaped as such (that's more fitting for something like College Dr)--I think there should at least be trees on amenity strips or boulevards though; something similar to the aesthetic of Regina's 12th Ave would be nice!

[Echoes]

City seeks input on how to improve Idylwyld downtown

Phil Tank, Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Published on: November 21, 2016 | Last Updated: November 21, 2016 6:00 AM CST

City of Saskatoon planners want to know how to improve Idylwyld Drive downtown.

The city has launched an initiative called Imagine Idylwyld to try to improve the appearance and function of Idylwyld between 20th and 25th streets.

Randy Pshebylo, executive director of the Riversdale business improvement district (BID), said conversations about how to make the stretch of Idylwyld more inviting have been happening since 1998.

“To have this finally happen now, it’s a long time coming,” Pshebylo said in an interview Friday.

The opening of the newly named Gordie Howe Bridge in 2013 drastically reduced the traffic on the Senator Sidney L. Buckwold Bridge that connects to Idylwyld Drive downtown. A study in 2014 showed daily traffic had dropped by 29 per cent on the Buckwold bridge after the opening of the Howe bridge from 53,200 vehicles to 38,000.

Pshebylo said the change has meant fewer large trucks using Idylwyld to travel through the city. Along with the extension of 25th Street to connect with Idylwyld, the changes in traffic patterns make this the ideal time to consider improvements, according to Brent Penner, the executive director of Downtown Saskatoon.

“There’s opportunity to streamline traffic flow, make it a little more predictable for drivers, and make improvements for pedestrians,” Penner said in an interview Friday. “I think there’s opportunity to create a greater sense of arrival into downtown Saskatoon.”

Pshebylo pointed out motorists arriving downtown from the Buckwold bridge are now greeted with parking lots on the east downtown side of Idylwyld.

“You’re dropping into the living room of the city,” Pshebylo said, paraphrasing a city consultant on the importance of Idylwyld downtown.

There are also challenges for pedestrians, Pshebylo said. More people travel to and from Riversdale using 21st Street rather than 20th Street, according to a study, which surprised Riversdale BID officials, he said.

Idylwyld will remain as a major thoroughfare, but that does not mean the roadway should divide downtown from Riversdale, Lesley Anderson, the city’s director of planning and development, said in an interview Friday.

“It shouldn’t act as a barrier between areas,” Anderson said.

Rick Griffith opened Premium Home Leisure in 2003 and moved the business, which sells hot tubs, barbecues and other outdoor products, to the corner of Idylwyld and 22nd Street about a year later.

He said traffic at the store is “dynamite,” likely because Premium Home Leisure is a destination that doesn’t rely at all on walk-in traffic.

Christian Zrymiak, co-owner of the sensory deprivation tank business Float YXE, said that while he has few complaints about his location near the corner of Idylwyld and 21st Street, the main artery could still be improved.

“It looks like there hasn’t been much of a vision for Idylwyld, period, except as a means of transporting (people),” he said, referring to the mix of commercial and industrial businesses lining the road between 20th and 25th Streets.

“(I’d like) a cohesiveness with the Riversdale area improvements,” he added. “That would be a direction that I think would be really valuable for the city to go in.”

[....]

http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/city-seeks-input-on-how-to-improve-idylwyld-downtown

[Echoes]

Urban Capital has a disclaimer on the No. 1 River Landing website confirming that the project is sold out, but still encouraging folks to register so that you're on file should any units become available, or for "our next development in our new favourite city."

[EpicPonyTime]

I don't think anyone could have predicted River Landing selling out that fast. This is great for the project and the city. Hopefully this will convince developers that building downtown is worth it.

[SaskE30]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

I don't think anyone could have predicted River Landing selling out that fast. This is great for the project and the city. Hopefully this will convince developers that building downtown is worth it.

The rumor I heard was that Urban Capital was hoping to sell 30 units this weekend and are now looking for the next development opportunity in Saskatoon.

[mitchellk12]

Originally Posted by SaskE30

The rumor I heard was that Urban Capital was hoping to sell 30 units this weekend and are now looking for the next development opportunity in Saskatoon.

great news !

[jigglysquishy]

Phenomenol news. This and the Banks are showing the immense demand for urban living in Saskatoon and will encourage further development.

[saskatoonborn]

Originally Posted by jigglysquishy

Phenomenol news. This and the Banks are showing the immense demand for urban living in Saskatoon and will encourage further development.

Lets not forget Shangri La on 4th. The website says its 75% sold. I think there were a lot of people waiting for River Landing to open up so they didnt buy into the Banks or Shangri La.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by SaskE30

The rumor I heard was that Urban Capital was hoping to sell 30 units this weekend and are now looking for the next development opportunity in Saskatoon.

Hopefully it'll lead to a rejuvination of the City Centre proposal as well.

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by hunter12

The two proposed office towers in this development should be condos. This is a prime location for residential and there is plenty of other available land downtown to build office towers. The demand would seem to indicate another condo tower would be successful.

Originally posted by 4LSaskatoon
I completely agree! The proposed south facing commercial tower could easily be condos!

Thats my thoughts as well, Nasser should get the 27 story condo originally planned for southeast side of Y plot back on the board, i'm not sure why office towers need to have the most valued river views in the city anyways, especially when office occupancy is like all-or-nothing with getting development off the ground & residential towers units sell out like crazy when they are planned for Riverlanding..

I also hope City Centre project gets off the ground. If they were to plan their development like 70 storey Stantec tower in Edmonton (have office floors on lower and residential on higher floors) they could have a much faster more effective way in getting full occupancy.


Saskatoon City Centre project towers stacked vertically

[Echoes]

City council expected to approve police station sale

Alex MacPherson, Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Published on: November 23, 2016 | Last Updated: November 23, 2016 8:25 AM CST

After three years on the market, Saskatoon’s old police station has been sold, pending city council approval, to a local developer with plans to transform it into a “best-in-class” office space, according to the real estate agent behind the deal.

Council is expected to approve Duchuck Holdings Ltd.’s purchase of the 40-year-old building for an undisclosed price at a meeting early next week, said ICR Commercial Real Estate partner Barry Stuart.

“The intent is to create a nice, clean open shell (and) totally redo the outside with lots of glazing — just make it a very attractive building,” Stuart said.

A City of Saskatoon spokesman said he couldn’t discuss the terms of the sale. The Fourth Avenue building and adjacent parking lot were originally listed for $15.6 million.

The listing was split in 2014, with the building advertised at $11.5 million and the lot at $5 million. Council has previously turned down at least two offers on the properties, one for $11 million and one for $14 million.

City of Saskatoon land director Frank Long told the Saskatoon StarPhoenix last year that some interior demolition work had been done on the property, and that the city’s “goal is to get the best deal for the taxpayer.”

Former police station on Fourth Avenue North, Tuesday, November 03, 2015.

The old Saskatoon police station on Fourth Avenue as it appeared on Nov. 3, 2015. Greg Pender / The StarPhoenix
​
Once the sale is approved, Duchuck Holdings — which owns properties in Saskatoon and the U.S. — will begin work on the building and start looking for tenants to fill its 60,900 square feet of contiguous office space, Stuart said.

Saskatoon’s downtown office market has been buffeted by weak natural resource prices, which drove vacancy rates up to more than 15 per cent. Colliers International said in August that sky-high vacancy rates are expected to last through the end of 2016.

Despite high vacancy rates — ICR says about 13 per cent of downtown offices are empty — Duchuck Holdings believes the police station will fill an important gap in the city’s downtown office market, Stuart said.

[....]

http://thestarphoenix.com/business/real-estate/city-council-expected-to-approve-police-station-sale

Beats a parking lot I guess. I hope the final product is better than the rendering.

The article goes on to say the purchaser's long term plan is to build a new tower on the parking lot at 23rd and 4th once a tenant is found -- I suspect that will be a very, very long time -- if ever. One wonders if work will even begin on the police building that quickly given the state of the downtown office market.

[Brutopian]

Saskatoon's newest bridge rises in remote spot

by Phil Tank, Saskatoon StarPhoenix
November 23-24, 2016

Saskatoon’s second tallest bridge is starting to take shape in the city’s remote northeast end.

The 21.6-metre concrete pier closest to the west side of the South Saskatchewan River has been completed for the new north commuter bridge and the pier that will stand in the middle of the river is nearing completion.

Crews are building the piers on a berm, a small peninsula built from rocks and dirt in the river to allow construction to take place.

Dan Willems, the City of Saskatoon’s director of major projects, said weather has helped play a role in keeping the project on schedule. Both the new bridge and the downtown Traffic Bridge replacement are slated to be completed by October 2018. Both projects remain on schedule.

[........]

Read more:
http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-new...w-northeast-bridge-continues-on-schedule

[EarlyByrdProductions]

The city's survey on boat launch use and desire to build a permenant facility with amenities and where:
http://shapingsaskatoon.ca/projects/river-access-study

[Antigonish]

Anybody know what's being constructed next to the U of S stadium field house? Not more parking, is it?