Saskatoon Construction

[swilley]

First Question: Brown is our civic colour, so the DCD guidelines state all buildings of significance must be brown, or brownish, or sometimes pink.

Second Question: Again, as part of the DCD guidelines, only 14-story (brown) senior’s complexes are permitted within the core. As for outside the core, sometimes the Heritage society allows 12 story (brown) buildings to be built.

[ReginaGuy]

^^ Hey, the Meridian isn't brown! Its Beige! hah I actually really like the Meridian project. It's unfortunate that the NIMBY's reduced the height, but it'll still really add to the area.

But it's too bad they didn't built that sexy tower in your pic, swilley

[jaysfan99]

I think we all need to get together and pass a motion to change the DCD guidelines. The new color should be blue and green.

Originally Posted by swilley

First Question: Brown is our civic colour, so the DCD guidelines state all buildings of significance must be brown, or brownish, or sometimes pink.

Second Question: Again, as part of the DCD guidelines, only 14-story (brown) senior’s complexes are permitted within the core. As for outside the core, sometimes the Heritage society allows 12 story (brown) buildings to be built.

[molasses]

This is a wee bit of a shocker.....check page 158 of March 12th City Council Agenda........there is a letter from Remai Ventures saying that due to the rising costs of construction and difficulty finding skilled labour, they will not be proceeding with the construction of a Hotel & Spa for the River Landing.

I guess the land now goes back to the city (part of the agreement of sale was that if Remai did not develop the site into a Hotel/Spa they had to sell the land back to the city for the same price they paid).

Pretty crazy and rather unfortunate.

[macca]

Originally Posted by molasses

This is a wee bit of a shocker.....check page 158 of March 12th City Council Agenda........there is a letter from Remai Ventures saying that due to the rising costs of construction and difficulty finding skilled labour, they will not be proceeding with the construction of a Hotel & Spa for the River Landing.

I guess the land now goes back to the city (part of the agreement of sale was that if Remai did not develop the site into a Hotel/Spa they had to sell the land back to the city for the same price they paid).

Pretty crazy and rather unfortunate.

Also from the letter: Christmas is canceled.

[Echoes]

Isn't the issue of rising construction costs and shortage of labour present everywhere? Yet things keep getting built everywhere else. But here's Saskatoon, currently one of Canada's best economic performers with a bright looking future, and we're seeing next to NOTHING in terms of downtown/highrise construction. So it's THAT expensive to build in S'toon??? If developpers are accommodating rising costs elsewhere, why can't they do it here? Do they not expect to make enough of a profit here to justify the added construction cost? First the Meridian was cut down in size, now another one bites the dust... Bye bye Remai Hotel, the project that seemed to be a FOR SURE and would sooner or later get built is history.

[richmond]

I'm guilty of mostly reading but have barely posted. Anyways, find the conversations interesting.

I think the Remai project was done in as much by changing hotel demographics than rising construction costs. Hotels seem to be going two ways: boutique hotels or crappy motels a la Motel 6 / Days Inn / Super 8. The Remai project seemed a dinosaur in comparison.

So, would rather see a sliver of a boutique hotel go up on Broadway! River Landing will just be stuck with those flagpoles. Ugh!

[jaysfan99]

Well we are in demand of more condos in Saskatoon. Maybe someone can step up and build a condo tower. The demand just keeps growing!

Originally Posted by richmond

I'm guilty of mostly reading but have barely posted. Anyways, find the conversations interesting.

I think the Remai project was done in as much by changing hotel demographics than rising construction costs. Hotels seem to be going two ways: boutique hotels or crappy motels a la Motel 6 / Days Inn / Super 8. The Remai project seemed a dinosaur in comparison.

So, would rather see a sliver of a boutique hotel go up on Broadway! River Landing will just be stuck with those flagpoles. Ugh!

[macca]

It's too bad Remai doesn't also do condo developments. Oh wait...

[circle33]

Crap. I leave town for a few days and this happens. (Toronto doesn't seem to have any trouble getting highrises built, just in case you were wondering). So, as I see it, a sharp economic downturn is needed in order to get some highrises built.

Actually I think Richmond is right. The numbers for a hotel just don't add up. I was always a little leary of the spa thingy. How many does the province need?

[swilley]

The heritage society is probably pissed now. Tear the Legion down for a parking lot!

[ReginaGuy]

was the Legion already demolished?

[circle33]

/\ No. They are pulling up the old dance floor as we speak, but the building still stands.

[ToddStoon]

Well I'm not on the heritage group (which seems to get an undue bad rap around here) but I think it's a big shame that Remai gets the Legion to start ripping up their place AND then blows away their plans. The inside of the legion was quite nice. I understand that it didn't fit into their plans but now that the plans are gone, this building could have potentially fit into some other kind of development.

Some are also saying this is the city's fault in that they expected the building to be a landmark building and Remai thought that would cost too much. Well, I would rather have something a bit interesting on the most primo piece of real estate in our city than some stupid Holiday Inn Express looking building.

Ok.. Rant off. I'm just really disappointed in this development. My hope now is that this will all be turned into condos. I've given up on this being a place that I'll ever be able to really go to have fun or enjoy myself so we may as well get more population density downtown so that other places like that might spring from it.

[swilley]

Originally Posted by ToddStoon

Well I'm not on the heritage group (which seems to get an undue bad rap around here) but I think it's a big shame that Remai gets the Legion to start ripping up their place AND then blows away their plans. The inside of the legion was quite nice. I understand that it didn't fit into their plans but now that the plans are gone, this building could have potentially fit into some other kind of development.

Some are also saying this is the city's fault in that they expected the building to be a landmark building and Remai thought that would cost too much. Well, I would rather have something a bit interesting on the most primo piece of real estate in our city than some stupid Holiday Inn Express looking building.

Agreed. But as I said before, the first design for the hotel/spa was not all bad...

[macca]

Originally Posted by ToddStoon

.

Ok.. Rant off. I'm just really disappointed in this development. My hope now is that this will all be turned into condos. I've given up on this being a place that I'll ever be able to really go to have fun or enjoy myself so we may as well get more population density downtown so that other places like that might spring from it.

River Landing (conceptually and in reality) is a wonderful place, and the idea of creating a place such as you describe is certainly noble; the city should be acknowledged for attempting something this ambitious. However, it is my feeling that these places "spring" from residential density. It's a bit of chicken and egg, but amenities on the level that the city (and the public) have in mind for River Landing follow increased population density, not the other way around. It's like the grocery store. If you build it they will come vs. if the people are there it will be built.

Long story short, I'd love to see some high density residential there with a retail component.

[jaysfan99]

That is kind of funny. Now we will all have to hear about.

Originally Posted by swilley

The heritage society is probably pissed now. Tear the Legion down for a parking lot!

[jaysfan99]

I think Meridian Dvelopments could do something special there. They have shown that they are capable of developing quality projects. The city should approach them.

QUOTE=macca;2675134]River Landing (conceptually and in reality) is a wonderful place, and the idea of creating a place such as you describe is certainly noble; the city should be acknowledged for attempting something this ambitious. However, it is my feeling that these places "spring" from residential density. It's a bit of chicken and egg, but amenities on the level that the city (and the public) have in mind for River Landing follow increased population density, not the other way around. It's like the grocery store. If you build it they will come vs. if the people are there it will be built.

Long story short, I'd love to see some high density residential there with a retail component.[/QUOTE]

[Echoes]

I also questionned if we really needed another hotel. But then I thought, hey, they're in the business so they must know what they're doing... but now the plug has been pulled.

I don't doubt that something will get built there, its just going to be further away from now to see something under construction than we originally expected. My vote is for a nice and tall condo.. the design of which certainly needs to be landmark. The condo should have retail, restaurant and nightclub space on the first few floors as was planned for Remai's Hotel. Atch says there's been alot of interest from developpers regarding River Landing. Either this is true, or he's making things up.. But if there is so much interest, when are we going to see the rest of block 146 and other properties there being sold off and built up? Bring on the high density residential!

[jaysfan99]

Tell me what you guys think about this idea. Take the current Radisson tower and turn that into condos, and build a new Radisson Hotel where the Remai's Hotel was going to be. I think it is a good solution.

Originally Posted by Country

I also questionned if we really needed another hotel. But then I thought, hey, they're in the business so they must know what they're doing... but now the plug has been pulled.

I don't doubt that something will get built there, its just going to be further away from now to see something under construction than we originally expected. My vote is for a nice and tall condo.. the design of which certainly needs to be landmark. The condo should have retail, restaurant and nightclub space on the first few floors as was planned for Remai's Hotel. Atch says there's been alot of interest from developpers regarding River Landing. Either this is true, or he's making things up.. But if there is so much interest, when are we going to see the rest of block 146 and other properties there being sold off and built up? Bring on the high density residential!