Regina Construction III

[jigglysquishy]

Originally Posted by Spongebob

i would think with SGI offices staying put, 1855 Rose is basically dead.

Brandt is telling their employees that they're moving into the 1855 Rose building, but I wonder how much truth there is to it.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Nathan

I think you are correct. The only ones left are the two questionable ones (Rose and Capital Pointe).

We should still give these two projects a chance --- for they are a couple of monster-sized projects for a city of Regina's size.

I remember (ahem, back in '82) when Victoria Plaza was first proposed. The first tower was completed in '85; and the other was completed in '92.

[sask1982]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

We should still give these two projects a chance --- for they are a couple of monster-sized projects for a city of Regina's size.

I remember (ahem, back in '82) when Victoria Plaza was first proposed. The first tower was completed in '85; and the other was completed in '92.

Except the difference is the Twins were built by the Hills. Look at what's gone up in downtown the last 2 years...Tower 3, Agriculture Place (currently)...both Hills. Have they ever proposed something that major that hasn't happened (in Regina)? Not to my knowledge.

If any of the proposed projects were related to Hills I'd have no doubts. Sure, I would love to see 1855 Rose happen, but unless a major tenant comes out of the woodwork, I think (personally) it's doomed. As are projects at Broad & Vic (proposed) and 1700 block Hamilton street beside Delta. If nothing else, look at all the vacant office space now. Regina's economy doesn't need anymore additional commercial space than what's already being constructed (with existing tenants downtown).

[Regina Boi]

I'm not sure why people in Regina put so much emphasis on office towers. Saskatoon in my opinion, is far ahead of Regina in terms of redeveloping their downtown. Recent additions include expanding the riverfront, building a farmers market, movie theater expansion, a brand new art gallery and a performing arts center. Saskatoon is also fortunate enough to have a ton of locally owned shops, restaurants, and pubs downtown. I love the fact that I can walk through downtown at 11pm on a weeknight, and see the streets packed with people. This is what makes a downtown.

[jigglysquishy]

All we can do is hope that Regina continues to grow and demand increases. The Regina CMA grew by 7500 people last year. Yes, the economy is slowing down, but we should still see some impressive numbers. By 2020 the Regina metro will be between 265,000 and 285,000. We could certainly see demand for office space to greatly increase in the coming five years.

Edit: And with the (apparent) success of Centre Square and Gardens on Rose we might see a few more condo towers pop up. The demand for downtown living is certainly there.

[sask1982]

Originally Posted by Regina Boi

Saskatoon in my opinion, is far ahead of Regina in terms of redeveloping their downtown. Recent additions include expanding the riverfront, building a farmers market, movie theater expansion, a brand new art gallery and a performing arts center. Saskatoon is also fortunate enough to have a ton of locally owned shops, restaurants, and pubs downtown. I love the fact that I can walk through downtown at 11pm on a weeknight, and see the streets packed with people. This is what makes a downtown.

I agree 100% - it would be a dream come true to see Regina's downtown even come close to achieving what Saskatoon's downtown has regarding night life. I absolutely soak up every opportunity I have to spend a night in downtown Saskatoon.

[sask1982]

Do we know yet what is happening at Vic Square? (re: back wall, south side, demolished)

[Drofmab]

Originally Posted by sask1982

I agree 100% - it would be a dream come true to see Regina's downtown even come close to achieving what Saskatoon's downtown has regarding night life. I absolutely soak up every opportunity I have to spend a night in downtown Saskatoon.

IMHO, comparing downtown Regina to downtown Saskatoon is apples to oranges.

Regina's focal-point is Wascana Centre (and it lives up to this - it's a destination. Look at Wascana on an average day - summer or winter, rain or shine - there are always people/activity).

By its very nature a city's downtown will always be a focal point, the degree to which it draws depends on the city's other activity hubs.

The vibrancy of Saskatoon's downtown benefits from the river flowing through it (as do most cities with a DT body of water). I think people are drawn to water & natural urban settings. This creates a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy: people are DT enjoying the natural surroundings, so businesses, recreational & cultural facilities choose to locate near these areas. More amenities, and a sense of energy/activity draws more people. In turn, this draws more amenities....

If we were to shift downtown Regina to the area around Wascana, I think we could be on par with Saskatoon... but moving DT seems unlikely In the absence of this, more pubs, restaurants, condos, apartments, theatre, etc DT will assist in drawing people, but I don't think we'll ever have the "feel" of DT Saskatoon.

Interesting to note that Wascana Centre has a distinct lack of business amentieis & it still draws crowds.

[Drofmab]

Originally Posted by sask1982

Do we know yet what is happening at Vic Square? (re: back wall, south side, demolished)

I also noticed they haven't just opened up the wall -- some of the roof is gone... it's almost as if they're pushing the structure back to facilitate more parking directly in front of (presumably) retail that will face Quance. There was very little parking in that corner previously - which I'd expect to be a drawback for potential tentants of the space (if subdivided, with storefronts facing Quance).

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Drofmab

IMHO, comparing downtown Regina to downtown Saskatoon is apples to oranges.

Regina's focal-point is Wascana Centre (and it lives up to this - it's a destination. Look at Wascana on an average day - summer or winter, rain or shine - there are always people/activity).

By its very nature a city's downtown will always be a focal point, the degree to which it draws depends on the city's other activity hubs.

The vibrancy of Saskatoon's downtown benefits from the river flowing through it (as do most cities with a DT body of water). I think people are drawn to water & natural urban settings. This creates a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy: people are DT enjoying the natural surroundings, so businesses, recreational & cultural facilities choose to locate near these areas. More amenities, and a sense of energy/activity draws more people. In turn, this draws more amenities....

If we were to shift downtown Regina to the area around Wascana, I think we could be on par with Saskatoon... but moving DT seems unlikely In the absence of this, more pubs, restaurants, condos, apartments, theatre, etc DT will assist in drawing people, but I don't think we'll ever have the "feel" of DT Saskatoon.

Interesting to note that Wascana Centre has a distinct lack of business amentieis & it still draws crowds.

I've lived in both cities, and what you stated here is extremely well stated!!! (And most true.)

[jigglysquishy]

As Regina grows there will be a stronger push southward towards College. As that happens there will be more and more restaurants/pubs towards the river.

As it is now, La Bodega, Leopold's and The Lobby are all within five minutes of the lake. I expect College between Albert and Broad to become a significant bar district 20+ years down the line.

[thefourthtower]

Originally Posted by Regina Boi

I'm not sure why people in Regina put so much emphasis on office towers. Saskatoon in my opinion, is far ahead of Regina in terms of redeveloping their downtown. Recent additions include expanding the riverfront, building a farmers market, movie theater expansion, a brand new art gallery and a performing arts center. Saskatoon is also fortunate enough to have a ton of locally owned shops, restaurants, and pubs downtown. I love the fact that I can walk through downtown at 11pm on a weeknight, and see the streets packed with people. This is what makes a downtown.

You are kidding ? All these developments in the core of Regina are amazing tower after tower , with two massive condo towers set to open soon , Capital Pointe on the way all adds people to the central city ,new pubs new restaurants it's improving every year , adding the plaza has helped give it a few more years , once the CFF tower opens up more shops and restaurants will be added , rumour of another condo tower , When these condo towers are occupied hundreds more will be living downtown , as one poster put it wascana park is close enough to downtown it gets thousands of visits daily , when your downtown regina it feels like a major city withall those glass towers ,I'm sure some cities can only hope to have towers like regina does , give it time baby change is going come

[Dougler306]

Regina has its farmer's market downtown. Last year during the night market, they clipped 20k people. Ever come to downtown Regina during the day, lets say around noon. Sidewalks packed, shops full, food vendors lined up. I wonder what the day time is like in DT stoon. Regina has a great big city feeling during the day that is hard to compare too for city's are size.

And as a side note, alot of crime still takes place in Saskatoon's inner and downtown core regardless of how many people are down there on a weekday at a 11pm.

[Scruff Bucket]

I just happened on the Smithsonian Channel on Accesscomm (channel 565 HD) TV last night to catch an episode of Canada: Over the Edge (documentary) featuring Saskatchewan Prairies, covering select areas of southern Saskatchewan, showing an impressive mix of aerial and terrestrial landscape scenery, including a blurb about Regina, which highlights views of downtown, and the Legislative Building! It features relatively recent downtown scenery, as Mosaic/Hill Tower 3 is visible. Pretty good for a documentary, overall!

If you're interested and you have access to the HD channel (Sorry, I see it listed only on Accesscomm!) or another network that will carry the show, there's at least one more showing on Saturday, at 4:00pm to check it out! Otherwise, the series is available for purchase on the internet at arcadiatv.com!

Edit: Ok! May be available for online streaming at smithsonianchannel.ca/video/

[TechnicalRecession]

Originally Posted by Dougler306

Regina has its farmer's market downtown. Last year during the night market, they clipped 20k people. Ever come to downtown Regina during the day, lets say around noon. Sidewalks packed, shops full, food vendors lined up. I wonder what the day time is like in DT stoon. Regina has a great big city feeling during the day that is hard to compare too for city's are size.

And as a side note, alot of crime still takes place in Saskatoon's inner and downtown core regardless of how many people are down there on a weekday at a 11pm.

There are actually 5 restaurants/pubs under construction in downtown Regina currently and more to come. It may not have quite the number that Saskatoon does but more and more entrepreneurs are selecting downtown Regina to setup shop.

Whenever I am in Saskatoon's downtown I get a tourist town type feel. I mean that in a good way as there are lots of restaurants/bars to take in, but it doesn't have that big city density vibe as there are not the modern sky scrapers and the streets seem really wide. It is a distinctly different feel than Regina's that's for sure.

[TechnicalRecession]

Anyone know the deal with the relatively new office building on Albert and 11th? Construction seems to have been completed months ago, and they have leased out the bottom two floors to Indian affairs but the non existent side walk is basically a pile of dirt and is fenced off. Why are they not constructing the new side walk? You'd think the city would be all over them to complete it and it can't help them as they try to lease the remaining floors.

Overall the building is a pretty big disappointment. They dumbed down the actual building from the renders, there is no street level retail and they've got a pile of rubble for a side walk.

[thefourthtower]

Originally Posted by TechnicalRecession

There are actually 5 restaurants/pubs under construction in downtown Regina currently and more to come. It may not have quite the number that Saskatoon does but more and more entrepreneurs are selecting downtown Regina to setup shop.

Whenever I am in Saskatoon's downtown I get a tourist town type feel. I mean that in a good way as there are lots of restaurants/bars to take in, but it doesn't have that big city density vibe as there are not the modern sky scrapers and the streets seem really wide. It is a distinctly different feel than Regina's that's for sure.

Exactly Regina has hundreds of millions invested in all these modern super amazing towers , I might add the Hill family has a taste for flare , the towers are built making it much more easy to add the restaurants pubs , nite clubs and what ever have you , the policies are in place for these developments outlined in the city's downtown plan , new towers are to have ground level retail , that said add in the multiple year redevelopment of the regina revitalization project which includes the new stadium , the city's core is poised for an amazing transformation , just imagine the possibilities , for the Taylor field site , the old superstore lands and finally the the total makeover of the CPR vacated lands , the Queen City will be no longer a push over of trash talk , ohh that stadium that is where it begins

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by Dougler306

And as a side note, alot of crime still takes place in Saskatoon's inner and downtown core regardless of how many people are down there on a weekday at a 11pm.

Sorry, what? How is this any different than the crime in Regina's downtown and inner city? We trade places annually as crime capitals. What's your point, and what is your source? I've lived in downtown Saskatoon for years and not once has my safety felt threatened.

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by Echoes

Sorry, what? How is this any different than the crime in Regina's downtown and inner city? We trade places annually as crime capitals. What's your point, and what is your source? I've lived in downtown Saskatoon for years and not once has my safety felt threatened.

I agree. It is unfortunate that both our cities [plus Victoria] flip-flop between #1, #2, #3 in overall crime stats in Canada.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Can anyone take some updated pictures of the new restaurants/pubs downtown, Gold's Gym from the outside and if there are any streetscape improvements? Is the Ohanlons patio under construction?