Saskatoon Construction III - Page 173

Echoes · #**3441** Posted **Aug 22, 2021, 4:48 AM**

Nutana's emerging skyline

roryn1 · #**3442** Posted **Aug 23, 2021, 9:20 AM**

Starbucks on Broadway was just dismantled yesterday and a for lease sign is already on the spot !! this seemed like a very strong location for the brand, and was the last non drive thru location. Super sad day for Saskatoon! The day before I was eating outside of it at the Odla patio thinking “I should move over here to Nutana”, but seeing that being dismantled here made me decide that I want to leave the entire city if we can’t handle a non drive thru less Starbucks lol

On a brighter note Prism Coffee just opened where collective coffee was on 22nd street - really good place!

I move where the coffee goes

asdfgh · #**3443** Posted **Aug 23, 2021, 2:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by roryn1

Starbucks on Broadway was just dismantled yesterday and a for lease sign is already on the spot !! this seemed like a very strong location for the brand, and was the last non drive thru location. Super sad day for Saskatoon! The day before I was eating outside of it at the Odla patio thinking “I should move over here to Nutana”, but seeing that being dismantled here made me decide that I want to leave the entire city if we can’t handle a non drive thru less Starbucks lol

On a brighter note Prism Coffee just opened where collective coffee was on 22nd street - really good place!

I move where the coffee goes

Not to be too critical, but I think Broadway can survive without Starbucks. Museo is across the street, Venn is around the corner and the Roastery not too far a way.

It is too bad Starbucks is seemingly abandoning non-drive thru locations, but I'd say Broadway will continue to be one of the better spots for coffee in town.

FarmerHaight · #**3444** Posted **Aug 24, 2021, 4:01 AM**

We are obviously far past the first quarter of 2021 when the city was supposed to announce the preferred site for a downtown arena and conference centre. I don't know if this was shared previously, but the Governance and Priorities Committee held a meeting on June 21 and received a riveting report: "Downtown Event and Entertainment District and Bus Rapid Transit – Sequencing of Upcoming Reports and Decision Milestones".

On page 2 of this report is the following paragraph referring to the downtown arena:

Quote:

A detailed plan to guide the public engagement process for the site options once the negotiations and site analysis are completed. This report is anticipated in the third quarter of 2021. The criteria for ranking the sites will be outlined in this report.

Assuming this report is made public ASAP, we should know the preferred sites before the end of September! The report also says that "A recommendation to Council" regarding the final site selection "is anticipated in the first quarter of 2022." The whole report is essentially an update of the timeline on the city's website.

https://pub-saskatoon.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=138632

roryn1 · #**3445** Posted **Aug 26, 2021, 2:17 PM**

That stuff to the left… possibly for the crane base?

Echoes · #**3446** Posted **Aug 27, 2021, 2:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

We are obviously far past the first quarter of 2021 when the city was supposed to announce the preferred site for a downtown arena and conference centre. I don't know if this was shared previously, but the Governance and Priorities Committee held a meeting on June 21 and received a riveting report: "Downtown Event and Entertainment District and Bus Rapid Transit – Sequencing of Upcoming Reports and Decision Milestones".

On page 2 of this report is the following paragraph referring to the downtown arena:

Assuming this report is made public ASAP, we should know the preferred sites before the end of September! The report also says that "A recommendation to Council" regarding the final site selection "is anticipated in the first quarter of 2022." The whole report is essentially an update of the timeline on the city's website.

https://pub-saskatoon.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=138632

Curious... for some reason the City is buying 2 properties adjacent to a widely speculated location for the arena

https://pub-saskatoon.escribemeetings.co...nda&lang=English&Item=57&Tab=attachments

YXE · #**3447** Posted **Aug 27, 2021, 2:27 AM**

What's the benefit of getting the one if they're not also purchasing the two to the north? Regardless, great find. Other than Toys R' Us, this was always my preferred location. I actually hope we will get something more visually appealing than an arena at Toys R Us.

Roquentin · #**3448** Posted **Aug 27, 2021, 9:25 AM**

This has always been my favourite location for it too. It would help breathe life into the warehouse district. I agree that the Toys R Us spot would be great for something else. In any case, the area around the Toys R Us doesn't need a boost as much as the warehouse district does. This location would be better for the core as a whole, in my opinion. With a new arena, convention centre, and library, plus ongoing plans to improve north downtown, plus BRT plans (which currently include stations at 3rd and 23rd, Pacific and 22nd, and Ontario and 25th), that whole area is poised for some very major, and very welcome, improvements.

FarmerHaight · #**3449** Posted **Aug 27, 2021, 3:03 PM**

IDK, Toys R Us feels like a deadzone between 20th and the downtown. A better connection through the mall is a plus, but the mall isn't open 24/7 and there is still a large parking lot between the corner of 20th and Idylwyld. I would have loved an arena that interacted with 20th like Fenway park in Boston - ever since I watched The Town I can't help but think every stadium should interact with the neighbourhood like Fenway.

What would be a good fit in the Toys R Us lot? Wedged between two freeway ramps with a grade change that makes a connection to the river difficult, I think that lot is a poor fit for most land uses.

As for the property acquisition, I couldn't help but notice this paragraph:

Quote:

NEXT STEPS
If this acquisition is approved, plans will be finalized for the relocation of City work groups to 145 1st Avenue, and associated lease agreements will be terminated to correspond with relocation timelines. Modest renovations will be undertaken to update the space and prepare it for City occupancy, including upgrades to the security features of the property.

Is the city covering their tracks so investigators like Echoes don't figure out the secret before an announcement is made? In my book, building a downtown arena would not qualify as "modest upgrades".

roryn1 · #**3450** Posted **Aug 27, 2021, 5:30 PM**

I pray to god they connect the arena to the mall. I love how MTS Center is connected all the way to downtown. Such a great walking path for office people during their lunch breaks on windy/rainy/cold days which is 80% of winnipeg’s days.

roryn1 · #**3451** Posted **Aug 28, 2021, 11:21 AM**

In the meeting minutes it mentions that the city needs them for staffing space - that city hall is maxed out. Is it time to think about a new city hall, or is this an extremely weak white lie that they’re strategically buying it. The city leases one of remai’s surface lots next to me for parking on 5th that remai puts zero effort into maintaining, and I really hope the city shifts their surface parking to one of these new lots…

Echoes · #**3452** Posted **Aug 31, 2021, 2:55 PM**

Aiming for Fall 2022 for Reopening Farmers’ Market Building

By Gord Wiebe
Aug 31, 2021 | 6:26 AM

Quote:

The City of Saskatoon says “Ideas Incorporated” has been selected through a public Request for Proposal process as the preferred proponent to lease the Farmers’ Market Building. The City has been working with Ideas since February 2020 to negotiate a formal lease agreement to manage the public facility at River Landing.

Depesh Parmar, Executive Director of Ideas says, “We are currently in the process of negotiations with the City and we remain committed to the project. We hope that we can reach an agreement in due course.”

The goal for the city is to renovate the Farmers’ Market Building so it may operate with business activities a minimum of six days per week with an emphasis on local foods and products and a farmers’ market component.

City Council has approved the hiring of a design consultant to prepare the building for the next phase. Pending approval of capital funding for 2022, the upgraded facility could be operational by Fall 2022.

Ideas has been managing the outdoor Street Stall Saturdays, and the seasonal outdoor farmers’ market for two seasons. It will continue to manage the seasonal outdoor farmers’ market in Market Square.

https://www.cjwwradio.com/2021/08/31/aiming-for-fall-2022-for-reopening-farmers-market-building/

prairieguy · #**3453** Posted **Aug 31, 2021, 4:18 PM**

I hope there can be some kind of consolidation/reconciliation with the airport Farmers' Market so that they can operate together at Riverlanding. There is absolutely no need for a city the size of Saskatoon to have competing Farmers Markets and a larger and more vibrant one at River Landing would be a welcome addition to the animation of that area.

Echoes · #**3454** Posted **Aug 31, 2021, 7:49 PM**

A bit more info here: https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-ne...manage-saskatoon-farmers-market-building

roryn1 · #**3455** Posted **Sep 1, 2021, 3:31 AM**

I’m hoping for something like an Eataly - just a little bit more fresh produce focused. Exciting! Too bad they didn’t announce the sale of the other parcels of land around it in tandem… what’s taking so long?

Crisis · #**3456** Posted **Sep 1, 2021, 2:05 PM**

Listening to Depesh Parmar from Ideas Inc. on the radio this morning, it sounded like the finalization of the lease for the Farmer's Market space was far from a done deal. If they've been in negotiations on that space since February 2020 and Mr. Parmar referred to them still being in the "early stages" of negotiations, I wonder why this became a news story now?

Echoes · #**3457** Posted **Sep 1, 2021, 3:36 PM**

It appears that it came out at Council on Monday which is where media got the scoop.

Temperance · #**3458** Posted **Sep 1, 2021, 4:08 PM**

This seems like a good fit. I'm excited! Hopefully, it is not all "restaurantized" and they maintain the homemade feel, as well as offering some fresh produce. It's cool that some tenants will also be given the tools to upscale their business, if that's what they are interested in doing.

roryn1 · #**3459** Posted **Sep 3, 2021, 9:51 PM**

This sketchy website reference’s “Morison’s building downtown” in relation to a big construction announcement. Anyone know what this is, have access? https://www.allsaskatchewan.com/

It’s no where else to be seen but popped up on the SREDA newsflash this morning. Maybe it’s the Canada Blood Services building that’s getting torn apart right now…. hopefully they changed the design from that horrible mock-up.

reddo · #**3460** Posted **Sep 10, 2021, 4:29 PM**

Some new info on the baydo development out in Evergreen. It's going to be 4 buildings after it's finished. First one is under way now, 3 stories of underground parking 6 floors above ground for units. Second building will be breaking ground this month yet and be 7 stories above ground. Next year breaking ground on 2 more buildings that are 12 stories above ground.

Maybe the 800 units will end up being correct after all. I'm surprised there's no press release or marketing yet. The Seymour Pacific building going up a block away is taking names to move in and North prairie should have people moving in later this month