Saskatoon Construction III

[Wyku]

The owner of the old Caffe' Sola (site 38 on the map) who hasn't been able to lease the building since he jacked the rent too high for them to stay and hasn't found a tenant in almost 10 years still can't catch a break with the City's buying spree for the arena gobbling it up. I'm sure it will get developed at some point, but still funny. The Holiday Inn and Hilton Garden Inn must just see dollar signs in their eyes waiting for this thing to get build (as well as Ken Achs taking the money and running from the old STC bus depot).

[4LSaskatoon]

https://www.facebook.com/10004283027...ibextid=6aamW6

[drm310]

The new arena render shows the block of Pacific Avenue between 22nd and 23rd closed. I presume they will keep some kind of access to the Holiday Inn's parkade.

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by drm310

The new arena render shows the block of Pacific Avenue between 22nd and 23rd closed. I presume they will keep some kind of access to the Holiday Inn's parkade.

When I look at the render, I see Pacific open north of 22nd until it dead ends at the arena, so it would allow access to the Holiday Inn parkade. The feasibility of that plan is another matter. I'd think that short stretch of road would be a mess on event days.

[prairieguy]

Originally Posted by 4LSaskatoon

https://www.facebook.com/10004283027...ibextid=6aamW6

Where are these located??

[asdfgh]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

Where are these located??

On Spadina across from Lion's Skate Park and sort of around the corner from the Legion.

The views and the light in them would be pretty unbeatable.

[roryn1]

the white building in the arena schematic looks identical to Urban Capital’s cancelled broadway project… lol

I hate that schematic so much. like no BRT integration. No concept of how people are going to get there or in the season most predominant (winter). It’s such a negative image for the arena. They need a new arena schematic designer ASAP.

[Roquentin]

I heard a rumour yesterday that the Extra Foods property had sold, and that apartments were planned there, but.....

https://www.cbre.ca/properties/retai...tting%2CisSale

...the rumour seems to have been premature. It's nice to know that the zoning is already in place for a small highrise there. Onward and upward!

[ninipanini]

Originally Posted by Roquentin

I heard a rumour yesterday that the Extra Foods property had sold, and that apartments were planned there, but.....

https://www.cbre.ca/properties/retai...tting%2CisSale

...the rumour seems to have been premature. It's nice to know that the zoning is already in place for a small highrise there. Onward and upward!

Fascinating, thanks for this update! My fantasy for this location would be a main floor grocery store (Co-Op) with a residential tower on top. Could also be an interesting opportunity for a 2-story grocery store to get enough floor space?!?

When it was first announced that ExtraFoods was closing, I sent Co-Op an email to encourage them to consider the site... obviously a single email doesn't carry too much weight, but I was heartened to learn that they did take notice of the property. Time will tell what ends up happening I guess.

[Roquentin]

One of the surprises for me with the Extra Foods property is that it includes the small parking lot on the other side of the alley from the store. I've been trying to imagine what a developer would do with that land. I wonder if they'd apply to close that portion of the alley, or if the parking lot could be sold and included in the plans for the houses to the west of there.

Originally Posted by ninipanini

Fascinating, thanks for this update! My fantasy for this location would be a main floor grocery store (Co-Op) with a residential tower on top. Could also be an interesting opportunity for a 2-story grocery store to get enough floor space?!?

When it was first announced that ExtraFoods was closing, I sent Co-Op an email to encourage them to consider the site... obviously a single email doesn't carry too much weight, but I was heartened to learn that they did take notice of the property. Time will tell what ends up happening I guess.

Thankfully, Loblaws didn't add a restrictive covenant to the property when they left, so another grocery store is possible, at least.

https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/saskato...oods-1.5778457

A small grocery store is also envisioned for the proposal at 8th and Broadway. The strip could use a convenience store too in my opinion. The absence of the 7-Eleven and Extra Foods has left a gap to be filled, for sure.

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by roryn1

I hate that schematic so much. like no BRT integration. No concept of how people are going to get there or in the season most predominant (winter).

What are you talking about? In the render there are major pedestrian plazas leading to the planned BRT stops at 23rd/1st and 22nd/Pacific

[roryn1]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

What are you talking about? In the render there are major pedestrian plazas leading to the planned BRT stops at 23rd/1st and 22nd/Pacific

We’re a winter city and a windy city. They could atleast integrate the BRT access to the arena vs just plopping it next to it.

[Echoes]

It's a conceptual image, not a design.

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by roryn1

We’re a winter city and a windy city. They could atleast integrate the BRT access to the arena vs just plopping it next to it.

Based on Google Earth the distance from either intersection to the middle of the parking lot is ~100 metres, so the walk will be far less than that. You're complaining about a half-block walk?

This walk will shorter than the walk from the Saddledome to the nearest LRT station, Olympic Stadium to the nearest subway stop, Scotiabank Arena to Union Station, etc. And however long the walk is it will be shorter than the current hike from parking spot to front door at Sasktel Centre, and it will be much less windy given the downtown is more sheltered.

[Echoes]

Best practice would also not put the transit stop right *at* the entrance but some reasonable distance away. You need space for large crowds to disperse to where they're going next... be it to their vehicle/bicycle, an uber/taxi, bar/restaurant, hotel, etc. Having a crowd queuing for transit right at the doors would be a clusterf***.

[prairieguy]

Why wouldn't they use the old STC building that Meridian fixed up as a transit hub??

It is a good enough looking building now, and was designed to accommodate buses. Seems like they should just incorporate it into the BRT plan for the arena since they are buying it anyway.

[Saskabusher]

Originally Posted by Sask.ks

Any chance you could post the render or provide a link? I’m intrigued!

Just looking back, links are no longer current, but a post from Echoes on page 56, post #1112 in this thread still holds a link to a SP interview with the developer, and you can see the concept on the first page of his presentation:

https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca..._autoplay=true

Saskatoon has really blossomed in the last five years!

[Roquentin]

With the end of the year approaching, what are you all hoping for in 2023?

For my part, I'll be hoping for any and all forms of support for more residential growth in the core. The arena, library, BRT, and north industrial relocation plans will move things in the right direction, but they're years away and won't in and of themselves increase the number of people who call the core home. So yeah, I hope 2023 will bring some tangible reasons to be optimistic on that front.

How about you? What would you like the new year to bring Saskatoon?

[4LSaskatoon]

Originally Posted by Roquentin

With the end of the year approaching, what are you all hoping for in 2023?

For my part, I'll be hoping for any and all forms of support for more residential growth in the core. The arena, library, BRT, and north industrial relocation plans will move things in the right direction, but they're years away and won't in and of themselves increase the number of people who call the core home. So yeah, I hope 2023 will bring some tangible reasons to be optimistic on that front.

How about you? What would you like the new year to bring Saskatoon?

I agree with your list! By this time next year we should be well into the construction of the library, and our BRT. (When I attended the BRT naming/branding meetings.. they had promised announcements by year end 2022.. so look forward to that early in the new year. The latest email stated all applications for funding was complete)

Do you have a link to possible north ind. relocation plans? (Thx in advance)

Hoping to see more on the perimeter freeway (Phase 1) taking shape.

I also look forward to more dialogue/concept drawings regarding the combined Performing Arts, Convention Center, Arena, and Parking!

[ninipanini]

Originally Posted by Roquentin

With the end of the year approaching, what are you all hoping for in 2023?

For my part, I'll be hoping for any and all forms of support for more residential growth in the core. The arena, library, BRT, and north industrial relocation plans will move things in the right direction, but they're years away and won't in and of themselves increase the number of people who call the core home. So yeah, I hope 2023 will bring some tangible reasons to be optimistic on that front.

How about you? What would you like the new year to bring Saskatoon?

I think #1 for me is more residential growth in the core, I feel like increased density is the lynchpin to a lot of other exciting developments. I've excitedly watched the new condo/apartments in the Broadway area and am looking forward to the new development on Broadway and 8th. And hopefully a new grocery store... My fingers are crossed that increased density will lead to increased vibrancy of our core neighborhoods and move Saskatoon one little step closer to being a more walkable, sustainable city with more high quality housing in central areas!

BRT will be another interesting one to look out for, as my car turns 22 years old, BRT could make grocery shopping by public transit a viable option and eliminate our last excuse for keeping our car!