Regina Construction III

[BrutallyDishonest]

Originally Posted by GypsyRobbo

I've heard that Pasta Prima is being renovated into some sort of Piano bar... does anyone know anything on this?

Nothing more than that. Can confirm I've heard the same thing.

[BrutallyDishonest]

Originally Posted by sastaunik44

I have been told that JYSK is going into the old Zellers for 29,000 square feet worth. I was also told that Marks Work warehouse was looking to move in there

The plan as it stands is for JYSK to go in and they're going to do a Mark's and Atmosphere like in the Southland.

[Drofmab]

Originally Posted by Baker58

The second thing they told me was that a company who is doing some initial research in the same area is none other than Ikea. Now he clarified to me that this wasn't a sure thing and they are a long way from making it official but they love the area right by the bypass as it is a once in a generation location for the city. I'm not saying they are coming but they are doing their research and it is a possibility that an Ikea opens here sometime in 2018.

Like a phoenix, the Regina IKEA pink elephant rises from the flames again. The Regina IKEA Phoenix typically rises once a decade - so I would have figured 2016 for the rumour to start up again... since the initial rumour started in 1976. As I've said before, I'll believe it when I see a press release from IKEA and a shovel in the ground.

The key issue is IKEA's selection criteria - internationally, it's generally 1 IKEA per 2million population within 40-60miles. IKEA's obviously altered this for Canada (otherwise Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa wouldn't have IKEAs). The general rule for Canada appears to be 1 IKEA per 1million Metro/2.5 million market area.

There are only 12 IKEAs in Canada (or 1:3million people) - I'd say the prairies are over-served already:
- AB+SK+MB= 5.9million people. There are 3 IKEAs serving the prairie market, or approx 1:2million people;
- BC has 2 - 1:2.3million;
- QC only has 2 stores - 1:4million;
- ON has 5 (4 of which are in the GTA) - 1:2.75million
(though, New England states' IKEAs are likely factored into the market area for ON & QC; and Washington state IKEAs are likely factored into BC's market area)

Even with massive population growth (e.g. YQR & YXE growing to 600k each), a Saskatchewan IKEA is exceptionally unlikely.

[Baker58]

Originally Posted by Drofmab

Like a phoenix, the Regina IKEA pink elephant rises from the flames again. The Regina IKEA Phoenix typically rises once a decade - so I would have figured 2016 for the rumour to start up again... since the initial rumour started in 1976. As I've said before, I'll believe it when I see a press release from IKEA and a shovel in the ground.

The key issue is IKEA's selection criteria - internationally, it's generally 1 IKEA per 2million population within 40-60miles. IKEA's obviously altered this for Canada (otherwise Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa wouldn't have IKEAs). The general rule for Canada appears to be 1 IKEA per 1million Metro/2.5 million market area.

There are only 12 IKEAs in Canada (or 1:3million people) - I'd say the prairies are over-served already:
- AB+SK+MB= 5.9million people. There are 3 IKEAs serving the prairie market, or approx 1:2million people;
- BC has 2 - 1:2.3million;
- QC only has 2 stores - 1:4million;
- ON has 5 (4 of which are in the GTA) - 1:2.75million
(though, New England states' IKEAs are likely factored into the market area for ON & QC; and Washington state IKEAs are likely factored into BC's market area)

Even with massive population growth (e.g. YQR & YXE growing to 600k each), a Saskatchewan IKEA is exceptionally unlikely.

I never said it is happening. I said that they are really looking at the location since a location like this doesn't come around often and likely won't in Regina for the next 50 years. That is apparently what is causing Ikea to debate coming here. The person I heard this from is part of the new Costco construction and knows a thing or two about what is going on in the city construction wise. Here is going to happen there:

option 1: They come to the city at the East Bypass location
option 2: They try to buy the land and come to the city at a later date (least likely option)
option 3: They don't come

I am not exactly a big Ikea shopper so I could really care less one way or another if they do come but the fact of the matter is that Regina is being seriously looked at for a location.

[Drofmab]

Originally Posted by Baker58

I never said it is happening. I said that they are really looking at the location since a location like this doesn't come around often and likely won't in Regina for the next 50 years. That is apparently what is causing Ikea to debate coming here. The person I heard this from is part of the new Costco construction and knows a thing or two about what is going on in the city construction wise. Here is going to happen there:

option 1: They come to the city at the East Bypass location
option 2: They try to buy the land and come to the city at a later date (least likely option)
option 3: They don't come

I am not exactly a big Ikea shopper so I could really care less one way or another if they do come but the fact of the matter is that Regina is being seriously looked at for a location.

I'm happy to be wrong on this... it'd be nice to see a 40 year-old urban legend finally put to bed.

[brithgob]

Originally Posted by Drofmab

I'm happy to be wrong on this... it'd be nice to see a 40 year-old urban legend finally put to bed.

I didn't know anyone knew who IKEA was in 1976. I only became aware of them from their former West Edmonton Mall location.

[StealthGirl]

Originally Posted by cbc

The City of Regina wants to sell a parcel of prime downtown real estate for $2.3 million for a major housing and commercial development.

If the plans of the Namerind Housing Corp. go ahead, the southwest corner of 11th Avenue and Lorne Street will someday be home to 170 apartment units, a daycare, a grocery store and some office space.

Currently, the 18,750-square-foot property at 2301 11th Avenue (kitty corner from SGI's head office) is a large parking lot.

...The proposal goes to the city's finance and administration committee later today.

What's unusual in this case is that it's planned as a direct sale.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchew...arking-lot-turned-into-housing-1.2857165

[StealthGirl]

Google Namerind. 100% Aboriginal ownership. Was this group selected for political reasons for this build?

http://www.namerindhousing.ca/

[scotty c]

Originally Posted by StealthGirl

Google Namerind. 100% Aboriginal ownership. Was this group selected for political reasons for this build?

http://www.namerindhousing.ca/

Could potentially become an Urban Reserve

[StealthGirl]

Originally Posted by scotty c

Could potentially become an Urban Reserve

Yeah because we really need a prime piece of real estate in downtown Regina to be a tax-free property.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by scotty c

Could potentially become an Urban Reserve

They will sign an agreement with the City to pay grants in lieu of taxes if it becomes a reserve. I am not sure if the grants are equal to the full amount of taxes but they at least have to pay for the services they use including infrastructure, fire, police, etc.

This would be a big development for a fairly small company. It would be great to see that site developed and a grocery store would be great too.

That corner has been vacant for about 40 years. in the 80's there was a proposal for an office tower that went nowhere.

[scotty c]

Originally Posted by StealthGirl

Yeah because we really need a prime piece of real estate in downtown Regina to be a tax-free property.

I'm not an expert in urban reserves by any stretch but how I have had it explained to me is that they essentially pay a service fee that is similar to what they would have paid in property taxes. I'm sure there is some discount or something but it's not like they get off without paying anything.

The big benefit is actually in the people that work there, if they hold their treaty cards then they don't have to pay income tax on their earnings as it's considered to be on reserve land. No personal income tax on a few salaries is a small price to pay to get a grocery store and more daycare spaces open in downtown.

[thefourthtower]

Two towers at 80 million

[Treesplease]

Affordable housing is a good thing. The more of it that can be built without my tax dollars the better as I currently need as much of my disposable income as possible to pay off my own non-subsidized mortgage. However, the general premise of going after some of the most expensive real estate in the city is perhaps not the best approach and the square footage cost of building up in the downtown core will be anything but cheap. Yet this seems to be of such stategic importance to the city that they are going to bypass the public tender process and potentially higher bids. I believe the city administration is outside of its mandate in this affair. Will they not have oodles of land in the next few years at the railyards and mosaic stadium site to pursue their strategic objectives? Or will those be direct sales as well?

[StealthGirl]

Leader Post has an article up on this now.

Originally Posted by leaderpost

The building’s low rents will be supported through commercial elements: A grocery store, a daycare, and four floors of office space. The building will also have 200 underground parking stalls.

Namerind prides itself on its social enterprise model. It adopted the role of business owner (it has a retail mall, pharmacy and landscaping operation to its name) to fund its affordable housing projects when federal and provincial funding agreements began to dry up.

With an $80-million estimated ticket price, though, social enterprise won’t be enough to fund this project. Byers said Namerind has been working on the project for three years and is building potential partnerships.

http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Housing+project+model+city/10431318/story.html

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Treesplease

Affordable housing is a good thing. The more of it that can be built without my tax dollars the better as I currently need as much of my disposable income as possible to pay off my own non-subsidized mortgage. However, the general premise of going after some of the most expensive real estate in the city is perhaps not the best approach and the square footage cost of building up in the downtown core will be anything but cheap. Yet this seems to be of such stategic importance to the city that they are going to bypass the public tender process and potentially higher bids. I believe the city administration is outside of its mandate in this affair. Will they not have oodles of land in the next few years at the railyards and mosaic stadium site to pursue their strategic objectives? Or will those be direct sales as well?

Why would you assume there are no tax dollars involved? Where do you think Namerind gets their funds.

[CoR East]

Originally Posted by StealthGirl

Google Namerind. 100% Aboriginal ownership. Was this group selected for political reasons for this build?

http://www.namerindhousing.ca/

They chose themselves. They are financing it themselves. Their model of housing development relies on generating revenue from related and spin-off businesses to support their core mission, housing. More housing, especially rental and modest ownership is excellent. The location is great, best access to transit in the City, more opportunities for people to live and work in the downtown. At grade uses proposed (grocery and daycare) are both important for a complete community, and the grocery is one of those things that people always site as a deterrent to living downtown.

Active storefront uses on that site will help knit 11th Avenue back together between Cornwall and Smith streets. Now if we could only get the school board to move upstairs, replaced with active uses in their building across the street, and get the Bay to activate their facade, then we might have a half-way viable commercial strip between MacIntyre and Hamilton Streets

[SkydivePilot]

Originally Posted by thefourthtower

Two towers at 80 million

Would two highrises even fit in that space?

[thefourthtower]

Housing project a ‘model’ for the city

By Natascia Lypny, Leader-Post December 2, 2014 8:05 AM
This parking lot at 11th Ave. and Lorne St. in Regina could be sold for a future 15-storey affordable housing structure.

REGINA — Lorne Street and 11th Avenue might one day be home to a towering mixed-use apartment building that sets an example for affordable housing in the city.

Namerind Housing Corporation has its sights on a parking lot on that corner for a 15-storey, two-tower complex that will feature 170 residential units. It will be the biggest project the local organization has ever taken on.

FROM THE LEADER POST

[thefourthtower]

Originally Posted by StealthGirl

Leader Post has an article up on this now.



http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Housing+project+model+city/10431318/story.html

Thank you for posting this , maybe they will be twin towers