Regina - Downtown Catalyst Projects Discussion

[jigglysquishy]

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[UPP]

Originally Posted by Stormer

It appears they are proposing the baseball/soccer facilities for Taylor Field and they would be separate.

The baseball/soccer combination is a shady way to get buy-in from a larger cohort than just baseball lovers. The soccer community was supposed to build a synthetic field in conjunction with Minor Football when they redid Leibel Field. That didn't happen because FCR (Football Club Regina) is run about as well as a banana republic. They have great big plans to revitalize the soccer facility at Evraz. They should try to get that off the ground first.

[Newstart]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

I just have to rant for second: if we're going to wait for private investment for affordable housing, it's never going to happen. The whole idea that affordable housing can be created with private investment is bat — insane and it doesn't take rocket appliances to realize that. Even with public funding included, no private owner is going to limit their own growth potential. The only affordable housing is public housing, full stop. Since our federal or provincial governments aren't interested in fully funding public housing, and our city can't afford to do that, there is never going to be affordable housing built on the old Taylor Field site so might as well just build a stupid baseball stadium to get the temporary boost of construction jobs.

But is it? Thats how its done...all over the world. Vancouver, Seattle, Toronto, NYC etc etc.

Private Money can OFTEN be the catalyst for affordable housing incorporated into market developments. The problem is there is no one with the TRUE mindset that allows for the creativity to do this. When the housing is built it should be close to the core and/or NOD/North Central where there are services across the board.

The City should partner with Private Investment to kick start it and have a mix of housing types within private development, with public money funding the private development components. It really isn't rocket science.

[Festivus]

Originally Posted by Newstart

But is it? Thats how its done...all over the world. Vancouver, Seattle, Toronto, NYC etc etc.

Private Money can OFTEN be the catalyst for affordable housing incorporated into market developments. The problem is there is no one with the TRUE mindset that allows for the creativity to do this. When the housing is built it should be close to the core and/or NOD/North Central where there are services across the board.

The City should partner with Private Investment to kick start it and have a mix of housing types within private development, with public money funding the private development components. It really isn't rocket science.

Many major cities require new developments to include X% of units as affordable housing. Can you imagine Regina city council making a place like Gardens on Rose build 5-10 low-income units? I think it should happen, but I can't see our council doing it since it means way less profits for developers.

[Newstart]

Originally Posted by Festivus

Many major cities require new developments to include X% of units as affordable housing. Can you imagine Regina city council making a place like Gardens on Rose build 5-10 low-income units? I think it should happen, but I can't see our council doing it since it means way less profits for developers.

Yes. and then there are some developers who are embracing it.

Obviously that element does not work for Regina because it would just be another hurdle for development within the urban core that most would just shake their head at and say no too. That being said there are ways to do it. It can include land swaps, it can include land disposition, it can include a more significant component and partnerships with Non-Profits and Private Investment

Westbank is just completing a project in Vancouver with 62 Market Unis and 80 Affordable Units. They have similar plans in Toronto.

Now I get my comments are a bit of a challenge because no one is and no one wants to build in downtown Regina...but it is completely possible if the right forces came together was more my point.

[Newstart]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

Public housing was something that all levels of government used to do. And then in the 90s, once market fundamentalism took hold, for some reason we decided to introduce private investment and the profit-motive into affordable housing, which serves no practical purpose. As other things like low interest rates and low supply drive up prices, all prices rise and “affordable” housing eventually becomes very profitable but not affordable. We need public housing that provides decent homes to families like mine when I was growing up in the Regina Housing townhouses on the west end of Rochdale Blvd. Countries in Europe didn’t go as hard as us, the US, and the UK did, but most western countries going in the neoliberal, market fundamentalist direction doesn’t mean it was a moral or sustainable endeavor.

In Canada? not really. between the 1940s and the 1980s there was less than 250,000 Public Housing doors built across Canada. Almost ALL housing in the 60s, 70s, 80s of apartments etc were built by the Private Sector with funding/insurance from CMHC and its predecessors. There is no reason why that shouldn't be or couldn't be done now.

[Newstart]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

Haha are seriously asking why it couldn’t be done now? Have you seen how much rent is? Family housing should not be something that the wealthy (or anyone) uses to pad their portfolios. What you get is the insane prices we have today.

keenly aware. a 3 bedroom in a new apartment is can go for nearly 2,500/mth in a market building.

If the government partners with the private sector to build out affordable housing, it can be done. It was done previously where the private sector got a profit for building and small amount to maintain the buildings, meanwhile they had no risk on loans etc. (programs that spurred rental housing in the 70s and 80s). It is very much possible.

[Newstart]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

You are not listening. If there’s a private component involved, there’s always going to be an incentive to grow those profits, especially since neoliberalism took hold in the 80s. Tying rent to profits instead of incomes is one of the reasons we got into having some of the highest housing costs in the world. We need to stop thinking every single things needs to make a profit. This market fundamentalism is rotting our society and it will be our undoing.

Holy Communist Batman...good grief. Who do you think builds the buildings? non-profit trades? If you want non-profit to build things I'd suggest a relocation to perhaps Siberia? Cuba? Whenever the Public Sector builds something the prices get inflated and budgets lose control because there is no care of how much it costs...Private Sector can, will, and historically has built some great housing in the 70s and 80s with public money.

I also said NOTHING about tying rent to profit only that Public Housing is a general myth in Canada, 250,000 Units over 40 yrs...where by in some years the country was building 225,000 units a year...

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Newstart

keenly aware. a 3 bedroom in a new apartment is can go for nearly 2,500/mth in a market building.

If the government partners with the private sector to build out affordable housing, it can be done. It was done previously where the private sector got a profit for building and small amount to maintain the buildings, meanwhile they had no risk on loans etc. (programs that spurred rental housing in the 70s and 80s). It is very much possible.

This is happening now. Hundreds of apartments are being built all over Canada right now through secured loans from CMHC.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Should I make a Regina Housing Thread?

[pappcam]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

Should I make a Regina Housing Thread?

Or a — politics thread...

[one_brick_at_a_time]

We can now move all the housing discussion to this THREAD, as this forum will specifically be for the Catalyst projects, which doesn’t include housing at this time.

[Newstart]

Here is a novel idea...

Why not a private/public partnership whereby the arena has housing attached too it and a private operating agreement that funds most of the Arena...

[CCF]

Originally Posted by Newstart

Here is a novel idea...

Why not a private/public partnership whereby the arena has housing attached too it and a private operating agreement that funds most of the Arena...

I do wonder if, the arena is to be on the block north of the library, that the Namerind housing project might be rolled into it. Perhaps housing above the arena? I'm probably too optimistic in my thinking about motivations.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by CCF

I do wonder if, the arena is to be on the block north of the library, that the Namerind housing project might be rolled into it. Perhaps housing above the arena? I'm probably too optimistic in my thinking about motivations.

I don't think that makes sense. Land is not so valuable in Regina that you need to pile things on top of each other. I also think any substantial private funding of an arena is a pipe dream in a city the size of Regina with no pro team. There will be sponsorships and naming rights sold. Semples might pay for the Pat's facilities, the scoreboard and suites, but only if they control the revenue.

I would add that arena rooves are hard enough to engineer without putting a 15 story building on top.

[CCF]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

No thinking needed. It makes absolutely no sense. It’s a worse idea than those apartments in the middle of the Grasslands paved paradise.

oof.

How is mixed-use development in Harbour Landing a bad idea? That's exactly what Regina's suburban neighbourhoods need more of.

[CCF]

Originally Posted by Stormer

I don't think that makes sense. Land is not so valuable in Regina that you need to pile things on top of each other. I also think any substantial private funding of an arena is a pipe dream in a city the size of Regina with no pro team. There will be sponsorships and naming rights sold. Semples might pay for the Pat's facilities, the scoreboard and suites, but only if they control the revenue.

I would add that arena rooves are hard enough to engineer without putting a 15 story building on top.

Yes, unlikely.
Wasn't proposing so much on top of the arena but speculating on whether the footprint of an arena would take up the whole block - and whether housing might be directed towards a corner of the site.

They're going to have a tough story to navigate if that ends up being the proposed location - "City squashes affordable housing project for arena!"

[aberrant]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

Not surrounded by parking lots in an otherwise big box development.

On the rare occassion I am in Harbour Landing, that setup always blows my mind.

[Newstart]

Originally Posted by Stormer

I don't think that makes sense. Land is not so valuable in Regina that you need to pile things on top of each other. I also think any substantial private funding of an arena is a pipe dream in a city the size of Regina with no pro team. There will be sponsorships and naming rights sold. Semples might pay for the Pat's facilities, the scoreboard and suites, but only if they control the revenue.

I would add that arena rooves are hard enough to engineer without putting a 15 story building on top.

I wasn't implying on the roof of the stadium. Rogers Arena in Vancouver is a prime example. It was built in 94 and the Aqulini's that own the Arena and the Canucks have subsequently built 3 residential rental towers surrounding the arena and incorporating lower space into the concourse for entertainment and restaurant space.

Kelowna and Victoria both have City owned Land with Privately owned/leased Arenas being Save on Foods Memorial Arena & Prospera Centre. Both have plans to add residential space in the parking lots and surrounding. Its not about land being a premium, its about offseting the cost and incentivizing someone to build.

[Newstart]

Originally Posted by CCF

Yes, unlikely.
Wasn't proposing so much on top of the arena but speculating on whether the footprint of an arena would take up the whole block - and whether housing might be directed towards a corner of the site.

They're going to have a tough story to navigate if that ends up being the proposed location - "City squashes affordable housing project for arena!"

the affordable housing project that was approved how long ago? and clearly is having issues getting off the ground? I would hardly say the story would be "city squashes affordable housing project for arena"...