Saskatoon Construction III

[phone]

Originally Posted by 905er

This is hideous.. please tell me it was't approved. .. this already looks like an early 90's build.

I have vague memories of this proposal from the late 00s (unless I'm mistaken). Don't worry, it is long dead in the water.

[Echoes]

It's incredible to me that many opponents of Knox Tower would feel that a design like that with brick and other mimicry would better complement the nearby churches than a contemporary glass tower.

Design like that does an absolute disservice to adjacent heritage. It only serves to blend St. John's into the brick tones of the higher building rather than to contrast with the heritage church and help it stand out as a distinct building from a distinct era.

The Remai site will be developed someday - no question - but it's unlikely that it will be with that hideous thing. Thank God.

[Echoes]

Delete.

[Echoes]

Delete.

[mmx]

The new library first look is fairly disappointing IMO. For a $130 million 4-storey building I was expecting something less derivitive, a little more different, exciting. Then again when you are talking public facility guess you got to prepare to be brutally underwhelmed.

[phone]

Originally Posted by mmx

The new library first look is fairly disappointing IMO. For a $130 million 4-storey building I was expecting something less derivitive, a little more different, exciting. Then again when you are talking public facility guess you got to prepare to be brutally underwhelmed.

It's fine, yes it is somewhat derivative but it's certainly not ugly or unattractive. "Brutally underwhelmed" would be an overstatement to me. I'm just plain "whelmed"

It looks like it will be perfectly functional, spacious, full of light, and a much needed revamp over the current facility. I'm looking forward to it.

[Saskabusher]

never mind this is saskatoons gugenheim

[phone]

Originally Posted by Saskabusher

why not go to the library thread? And by derivative do you mean the architect is just rehashing old projects, or copying or what...? It's obvious in design for a reason, and better done than expected. wide streets to small trees and this wonderful architecture opening up to the living skies. it'll be compared to the guggenheim in ny, but locals won't know till they're told from afar.... nevertheless, where's my parking!? Anyone wanting to find a place to relax and sees that last picture- in saskatoon! will never think to be underwhelmed. the wood and windows and view are fantastic. i think I'm insulted when something such as this is being given to the public and they say its nothing different than what we already have. where in saskatoon can you go to a place like this for free?

Maybe I'm underselling how I feel about the library. I do like it. It will suit Saskatoon's needs very well, and it is a handsome building, and a huge improvement over what we have. But it's not wrong to say that it's derivative. I'm specifically thinking of Calgary's new central library, which bears more than a passing resemblance to this one. Saskatoon's looks like it was modelled after Calgary's at least to some extent, but with cheaper exterior treatments. But I completely agree with your point that most locals won't notice or care.

[Saskabusher]

oh phone, you got me, hahaha. i don't think so, calgarys library is unique and amazing in its own right, just cause its white and rounded and... never mind

[Wyku]

If it's copying another library, better it be Calgary than Edmonton's.

[Saskabusher]

just a blurb on Sask crime, to move this over from the library thread. Crisis has a good point where i said Warman's had some serious crime lately and it's rising, so wherever people want to go, the problems will follow. anyone with teenagers knows, ha, but i was mistaken, i thought the murder involving 3 people was in Warman by residents there. nevertheless, as sky-high rates of crime have bin fallin' round Canada, in Warman, they've gone up a whopping half percent. how do you feel about your neighborhood?
https://www.areavibes.com/warman-sk/crime/

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by Saskabusher

just a blurb on Sask crime, to move this over from the library thread. Crisis has a good point where i said Warman's had some serious crime lately and it's rising, so wherever people want to go, the problems will follow. anyone with teenagers knows, ha, but i was mistaken, i thought the murder involving 3 people was in Warman by residents there. nevertheless, as sky-high rates of crime have bin fallin' round Canada, in Warman, they've gone up a whopping half percent. how do you feel about your neighborhood?
https://www.areavibes.com/warman-sk/crime/

Sorry, what does this have to do with construction? Not sure why you posted in the library thread and then felt compelled to attempt to move the conversation here...

[Saskabusher]

wow i'm hitting nerves left and right. forget about it! it's over now. um, any news on the construction front?...

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by Saskabusher

wow i'm hitting nerves left and right. forget about it! it's over now. um, any news on the construction front?...

Sometimes you just can't win. I'll share the blame on this one, as I drove it off topic in the Library thread.

There is the Western Expresso thread for OT conversations, unfortunately, it rarely gets used or even viewed. If I'd been thinking I should have made my response to the Warman crime comment in that thread and posted a link to it in the Library thread.

That being said, I wouldn't worry about it too much - look at what goes on in the Regina Construction thread. Not that I'm saying we want to emulate that...


As for Construction news, in a Q&A that ran in Saturday's S-P, Mike Brennan from GW Brewing notes that they're a few weeks away from building permit application for their expansion:

Q: The deal with the Flames is another way of expanding the reach and scope. GW is also expanding at home, with the $40-million expansion and renovation to your facilities that will double your production capabilities from 50 million cans annually to about 100 million. What’s the status report?

A: It’s moving as fast as I can get it to move. It’s a long process. Firstly, we’re building a brewery that will stand for the next hundred years to replace the one that’s almost 100 years old, or tie in to the existing structure. We’ve got to make sure we’re doing everything right. We are weeks away from hopefully submitting our building permits. It ties into the growth, the plans we have.

https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca...he-stanley-cup

[djforsberg]

Originally Posted by Crisis

That being said, I wouldn't worry about it too much - look at what goes on in the Regina Construction thread. Not that I'm saying we want to emulate that...

To be fair, the only developments we have to talk about lately are new parking lots and an arena to keep up with you guys

[Wyku]

If we want to discuss Warman/Martensville construction (or at least projects on hold ), there have been repeated failed attempts in Warman to get funding from the Provincial Goverment for an expansion to the Legends Centre facility to add 2 more rink surfaces, which has always been the plan for the facility. There was talk of adding $192 per year for every property for 15 years, but that got voted down/put back to administration... for now.

https://globalnews.ca/news/9103609/w...nsion-project/


Martensville is also working on a new arena development. It was slated to be done in 2022, but I think they've only maybe just broken ground on the development area. There was some heavy duty equipment around the area a few weeks back, but nothing of substance.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7308581/m...tion-facility/

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by Wyku

If we want to discuss Warman/Martensville construction (or at least projects on hold ), there have been repeated failed attempts in Warman to get funding from the Provincial Goverment for an expansion to the Legends Centre facility to add 2 more rink surfaces, which has always been the plan for the facility. There was talk of adding $192 per year for every property for 15 years, but that got voted down/put back to administration... for now.

https://globalnews.ca/news/9103609/w...nsion-project/

I'd be shocked if the addition to Legends centre didn't proceed. I've been staying in touch with this project for a few years and the plan always seemed to be to exhaust all the additional sources of funding prior to going it alone. Now that those funding sources are not going to contribute, I fully expect the City to borrow the money required to complete the project. There is tremendous demand for ice time, not just from Warman organizations but from the Greater Saskatoon area as well. The second sheet of ice will get used and generate income, unlike some other recreation expenditures.

Warman was in the same situation during the early stages of the original Legends Centre project. The Town (at the time) was unsuccessful in securing any additional government funding and actually halted construction for several months prior to biting the bullet and borrowing the funds required to finish the facility. I think most would agree that was the right call at the time and I believe it will be again now.

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

To be fair, the only developments we have to talk about lately are new parking lots and an arena to keep up with you guys

C'mon now, you've recently had some riveting discussion of crosswalk lines...

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by Crisis

Warman was in the same situation during the early stages of the original Legends Centre project. The Town (at the time) was unsuccessful in securing any additional government funding and actually halted construction for several months prior to biting the bullet and borrowing the funds required to finish the facility. I think most would agree that was the right call at the time and I believe it will be again now.

Do you recall what the financial impact was on residents at the time of the original project? When the rumblings of the vote for the plan for how to address this expansion with the 15-year flat-rate property tax impact came up it didn't go over well and enough feedback got pushed back to the mayor/council to at least take another look at things before bringing it up again.

[CanadianDriverYXE]

Update on the construction site across the Delta hotel downtown.