Saskatoon Construction III

[phone]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

Yes, almost every adult in Matensville drives to work because that's what happens when you live in a suburb. However, every child under the age of 16 cannot drive and many over 16 may not have their license or access to a car. If the new rink has any free skate or stick and puck sessions, you can be that some kids from town will attempt to walk to the arena if they're not in school.

The footprint of the Legends Centre is 23k square metres. I don't know anything about Martensville's long-term plans, but the plot of vacant land directly to the east of the aquatic and community centres could easily fit a facility of the same size with room to spare. This location would be easily accessible by foot to any child in Martensville north of Main Street, and by bike to any child south of Main Street. It would also be centrally located for any further city expansion to the east.

I'm not defending it, I'm just pointing out that it may be foolish to set the bar higher than ankle-height for active transportation-focused urban planning in Martensville. Homeowners there are specifically buying into the car-centred suburban idea that you, with due justification, decry. I, for one, am not about to move to Martensville and petition their city council to change things.

[Saskabusher]

interesting. everything is potential, and the pedestrian overpass- what else could it be, an underpass? will never be built. it's almost insulting, the road network and distance it has to cross. it seems more and more martinsville doesn't want to expand and/or connect to warman, which is obviously going to happen anyway if you look at another map, which will also connect to saskatoon sooner than later. pity, these local princes and their cocktail party, or backyard bbq desires...

[reddo]

The plan is for the new part of martensville to have over 10k people, maybe it'll be walkable for the west side residents? It's still very broken up and when they get to that many citizens they'll be needing even more rink space.

There's 700 acres on the west side of the highway but that's definitely going to take some time to get going.

Kind of reminds me of Stonebridge in Saskatoon, part of the city but also kind of separate. They at least had a lot of commercial going for them there. I doubt martensville will have that going for them anytime soon.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by reddo

The plan is for the new part of martensville to have over 10k people, maybe it'll be walkable for the west side residents? It's still very broken up and when they get to that many citizens they'll be needing even more rink space.

Presumably that will be the case, but... there's already 10K living east of the highway, and that number's only going to keep growing even if they try to expand West. It just seems like a terrible design plan. They haven't been able to attract any businesses to Lake Vista in five years, I don't see how they'll do any better across the highway.

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime

Presumably that will be the case, but... there's already 10K living east of the highway, and that number's only going to keep growing even if they try to expand West. It just seems like a terrible design plan. They haven't been able to attract any businesses to Lake Vista in five years, I don't see how they'll do any better across the highway.

Is there land zoned for commercial development around Lake Vista? I think the only businesses that aren't along the main drag adjacent to the highway are the car wash and spin club to the South and the Industrial area to the North. There are large sections of commercial land still undeveloped along the highway so I'm not sure if there are plans to push any commercial development to the other side of town.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by Wyku

Is there land zoned for commercial development around Lake Vista? I think the only businesses that aren't along the main drag adjacent to the highway are the car wash and spin club to the South and the Industrial area to the North. There are large sections of commercial land still undeveloped along the highway so I'm not sure if there are plans to push any commercial development to the other side of town.

There is, yes. The empty stretch of land between Lake Vista and Main Street is intended to be commercial development. I believe Martensville even came out with proposals for the spot showing one major tenant and multiple minor ones, similar to the current setup around Canadian Tire. It would have been perfect for something like a Shoppers, but I doubt that's in the cards now that Warman has one.

Martensville cannot keep containing commercial development to Centennial Drive. It creates congestion, doubles down on the unappealing layout of the City, and honestly just does a disservice to the many people who now reside on the other side of town that cannot even go to a convenience store easily since they're all located on a single side of the City. I have no clue why they've failed so spectacularly at attracting business to Lake Vista, but it's going on six years with no development there. It's just embarrassing at this point, to be honest.

[Wyku]

That area would definitely be good for a strip mall-esque development with a convenience store and other small businesses with something as large as a Shoppers as a starting point like you say--perhaps something like the small business area around Shoppers in Hampton Village in Saskatoon. Looks like that's what's being suggested on a couple listings for that area--not sure how long they've been up for:
https://www.collierscanada.com/en-ca...ada/can2006695

https://www.collierscanada.com/en-ca...ada/can2009635

ETA: This one has a larger Lake Vista development map included: https://www.collierscanada.com/en-ca...ada/can2000494

Centennial in is awkward to navigate at times with the center turning lane, and trying to turn left from a parking lot on either side, which will only get worse as the City continues to grow and more businesses go in along the strip.

[Echoes]

STC is moving its wellness centre from downtown to 415 Fairmont Drive (former JW Kingdom Hall in Fairhaven). I also understand they'll be absorbing the last of the Lighthouse shelter beds in the new facility.

[mmx]

Today is the 85th Anniversary of the state of the art Arena Rink which in 1937 hosted the New York Rangers and New York Americans of the NHL on opening night. Hopefully the next iteration will be better than SaskTel Centre. But if built like the preliminary drawings I venture to say we'll be calling the new barn "Mini-Mosaic Stadium."

[drm310]

Developer pauses downtown grocery over rejected request in Rosewood
"You couldn't pay me to do another project in the city of Saskatoon right now."

The StarPhoenix
Author of the article: Bryn Levy
Publishing date: Nov 02, 2022



The developer behind a proposal to build a grocery store in downtown Saskatoon says the project is now delayed indefinitely due to a recent city council decision.

“You couldn’t pay me to do another project in the city of Saskatoon right now. We’re going to finish what we have, and we’re going to look elsewhere,” said an audibly exasperated Jeffrey Drexel, president of Arbutus Properties.

Drexel spoke to Postmedia on Tuesday by phone from Vancouver, where Arbutus is headquartered.

Council on Monday evening voted 8-1 to reject a request to remove what’s known as the holding symbol on a parcel of land in Rosewood where Arbutus wants to build an apartment tower. The hold blocks work on the building until the lot is serviced. Arbutus is required to put in $7 million worth of sewer infrastructure as a condition of allowing work to proceed.

[...]

Full article: https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca...st-in-rosewood

[chrisniel]

Originally Posted by drm310

Developer pauses downtown grocery over rejected request in Rosewood

I just watched the council debate on this an it's laughable that administration said no development has ever been allowed to proceed prior to full development of the utilities. The new developments on Claypool Drive won't have a permanent sewer for years.

The removal of the "Holding" designation should have been approved, full stop.

If it had been removed, administration has options to make permit approvals conditional on the completion of the lift station which is already well underway. Plus it isn't like there is no incentive for them to complete it given the remaining land is Rosewood is also subject to the removal of the "Holding" designation before development. This city sometimes...

[phone]

Originally Posted by drm310

Developer pauses downtown grocery over rejected request in Rosewood
"You couldn't pay me to do another project in the city of Saskatoon right now."

The StarPhoenix
Author of the article: Bryn Levy
Publishing date: Nov 02, 2022



The developer behind a proposal to build a grocery store in downtown Saskatoon says the project is now delayed indefinitely due to a recent city council decision.

“You couldn’t pay me to do another project in the city of Saskatoon right now. We’re going to finish what we have, and we’re going to look elsewhere,” said an audibly exasperated Jeffrey Drexel, president of Arbutus Properties.

Drexel spoke to Postmedia on Tuesday by phone from Vancouver, where Arbutus is headquartered.

Council on Monday evening voted 8-1 to reject a request to remove what’s known as the holding symbol on a parcel of land in Rosewood where Arbutus wants to build an apartment tower. The hold blocks work on the building until the lot is serviced. Arbutus is required to put in $7 million worth of sewer infrastructure as a condition of allowing work to proceed.

[...]

Full article: https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca...st-in-rosewood

I admire Arbutus's willingness to step up and put forward novel proposals, but they always come across as somewhat petulant when the City declines to contravene its own process for the developer's benefit. Seems to me like a tit for tat move rather than something driven by actual business considerations.

[Echoes]

A major rehabilitation of the Murray Library on campus is set to begin, with a crane expected to arrive in the coming weeks.

The project includes upgrades and repairs to the Tyndall stone building envelope. Some of the stone facade will be removed to add banks of windows between the 3rd and 6th floors.

[asdfgh]

I just noticed this on the city's engagement page. Has anything about this been posted before?

It's a pretty nice-looking building and a great concept. Nice to see something more urban and mixed-use being proposed.
https://www.saskatoon.ca/engage/8th-...roadway-avenue

[phone]

Originally Posted by asdfgh

I just noticed this on the city's engagement page. Has anything about this been posted before?

It's a pretty nice-looking building and a great concept. Nice to see something more urban and mixed-use being proposed.
https://www.saskatoon.ca/engage/8th-...roadway-avenue

Oh man. I so hope that goes ahead! That corner has been a dead spot for as long as I can remember.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by asdfgh

I just noticed this on the city's engagement page. Has anything about this been posted before?

It's a pretty nice-looking building and a great concept. Nice to see something more urban and mixed-use being proposed.
https://www.saskatoon.ca/engage/8th-...roadway-avenue

What a great bookend for Broadway. Excellent scale and form for that intersection.



https://www.saskatoon.ca/engage/8th-...roadway-avenue

[ninipanini]

Is this the south west corner of Broadway and 8th? While going by there yesterday, I did notice that a lot of the trees that were on that lot were cut down... maybe some movement there finally? I can't remember when the old houses on that lot were demolished, but I think it must go back close to 20 years at this point. Would be great to see this location get some use!

Originally Posted by Echoes

What a great bookend for Broadway. Excellent scale and form for that intersection.



https://www.saskatoon.ca/engage/8th-...roadway-avenue

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by ninipanini

Is this the south west corner of Broadway and 8th? While going by there yesterday, I did notice that a lot of the trees that were on that lot were cut down... maybe some movement there finally? I can't remember when the old houses on that lot were demolished, but I think it must go back close to 20 years at this point. Would be great to see this location get some use!

I was wondering the same thing. I saw this post yesterday, then on the local CTV news, there was a story that made me think of this. A man was cutting down trees at 8th & Broadway, when one of the trees fell on him. He was taken to hospital but injuries weren't thought to be serious.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by Roquentin

Wow, I don't love that. I wish they'd been able to make the current location work. That part of town will be left with a big gap to fill. I guess that could also be called an opportunity, but things happen slowly here. I predict big box stores after a long vacancy/demolition process, though I'd much rather see high-density mixed use of course. With respect to the other side of the river, Preston will be in need of a BRT line before long. I wonder what the timeline is on that.

I completely agree with you. Losing an anchor like this will be destabilizing to the neighbourhoods around the current campus. I wish they viewed the campus project as a city-building opportunity to create something more meaningful than just plunking down a cluster of buildings. I would've loved for them to look at a portion of the City Yards (maybe along 25th where the arena is unlikely to end up), which could've helped jumpstart the North Downtown neighbourhood while giving Downtown a bit of a shot in the arm and keeping the campus centrally located.

An "innovation corridor" on Preston with the U of S, Innovation Place, and SK Polytech is a nice sounding idea, but I'm imagining the new campus in a windswept field. At least it's not going out on the periphery of the city, and at least a BRT route is planned for Preston.

Originally Posted by Built different

I don't think this has been posted yet. This was released all the way back in 2018. It's the University of Saskatchewan College of Engineering Master Plan, designed by Brook McIlroy. Recently, the University said demolition of the old arena will begin. Hopefully they have maintained the same design. The University could really benefit from a project like this.

https://brookmcilroy.com/projects/un...g-master-plan/

Thanks for sharing! I've never seen this before, and I was actually just thinking about mentions of this project from a couple years ago when the university had announced demolishing Rutherford and looking to give away those old agricultural buildings to make way for this. I wonder what the timeline is.

Originally Posted by ninipanini

Is this the south west corner of Broadway and 8th? While going by there yesterday, I did notice that a lot of the trees that were on that lot were cut down... maybe some movement there finally? I can't remember when the old houses on that lot were demolished, but I think it must go back close to 20 years at this point. Would be great to see this location get some use!

Yes, this is the southwest corner. Per the info on the city website, it's proposed for the entire block between 7th and 8th.

[phone]

Originally Posted by Echoes

A major rehabilitation of the Murray Library on campus is set to begin, with a crane expected to arrive in the coming weeks.

The project includes upgrades and repairs to the Tyndall stone building envelope. Some of the stone facade will be removed to add banks of windows between the 3rd and 6th floors.

Any renderings? A part of me will mourn the loss of our Tyndall-clad death star library, but I acknowledge that the addition of windows is most certainly for the best.