Saskatoon | River Landing Village | 88m-63m-50m-55m | 18-20-17-13 floors | U/C

[Echoes]

Good perspective of the construction action:



https://twitter.com/thinktankSK

[Stormer]

Outstanding photo - even captured the riverboat. One for the history books for the next time they blow up the bridge!

[Arts]

Good photo ^^

Here's a wider shot of the River Landing area which I posted on the Saskatoon thread the other day:

[Wpg_Guy]

Video update from aodbt architecture + interior design

https://www.facebook.com/11206609891...7531178842633/

[alt_center]

Oct. 4th Pictures:



^^^ Today it looked like they were pouring part of the third floor. At least I assume its the third floor. The building is starting to look big in person.



^^^ Looks like formwork for some concrete in front of the electrical and gas service areas.



^^^ They poured an elevated concrete pad at the condo entrance. Its got to be a good two feet above the road level. The elevated surface looks like it will continue along the front of the condo. I hope it does not prevent a restaurant patio in front. It seems like that area has a little micro climate. Its in full sunshine all day even in the winter. Last year there was no snow at all in front. It all just melts. If a restaurant patio is around the corner, it will be shaded a lot of the time and will probably be much cooler.



^^^ The black siding looks excellent.

[Ricopedra]

Pics - thanks! So the 'fins' on the outside of the office buildings are going to be black aluminum, which should tie in nicely with other site elements. Cool! (At least according to their meewasin submission, as some pics show white fins.) The look and feel seems to be top-notch...just that transparent/clear glass on the main floors I guarantee you is going to have some folks bouncing their faces off the panes. Pages 7 and 11 are informative:

https://meewasin.com/assets/upload/r...inal-email.pdf

[Crisis]

Sounds like the shoring for the North Tower parkade should begin before the end of October. Excavation will take place through the winter, similar to what we saw for the previous two parkades on the site.

This is great to see and many years ahead of what I'd figured we'd be seeing when the overall River Landing project was first announced. Nutrien taking a bunch of floors makes all the difference. Going to be great for this project, but I wonder how much more new downtown office building construction we will see in the next few years. There's going to be a lot of existing space emptying out over the next few years as these two River Landing office towers are occupied. Who knows, it may provide the opportunity for some current suburban operations to move downtown.

[prairieguy]

As much as I would like to see at least some of suburban businesses relocate to downtown, I just think the cost per sq foot and ample free parking is just too much of a good thing for them to now consider a relocation. Hope I am dead wrong!!!

[YXE]

Especially when you consider that the old police building will soon have 4 available floors for office space. My guess is it will be quite some time before we see WTC do anything...

[alt_center]

Originally Posted by YXE

Especially when you consider that the old police building will soon have 4 available floors for office space. My guess is it will be quite some time before we see WTC do anything...

I agree... but here is an anecdote (which does not a trend make).... a few years ago in a previous life I worked for a company that lost its office lease. The principals wanted to relocate to the North Industrial area, basically for parking. However, many of us peons cycled and/or walked to work. We lobbied relentlessly and they finally gave in and decided to locate right downtown. Well in hindsight they are thrilled with the outcome. The type of people they hire want to be downtown, not driving to some tin warehouse in some nondescript industrial area.

On another note... I was thinking that maybe we'll see a building or two get a reclad or something to stay competitive. River Quarry is looking nice and I would not be surprised if it gets leased quickly... probably at the expense of some other downtown building.

RL Pics Oct. 15:



^^^ Glass going onto condo 19th floor. Some south tower third floor columns up.

[YXE]

While downtown office space has become more desirable, I think it will take a few years before we start to see a shift from the burbs. I'm not sure about leases of that nature, but I know that retailers such as Winners, London Drugs etc. have signed long-term leases for 15+ years. This is why I don't think we will see a shift right away, as companies will be forced to ride out their existing leases; many of which were signed within the last 5-7 years in the new suburban inventory.

[Crisis]

Agreed that the current attitude in Saskatoon is generally not focused on downtown office locations. I do think that there will be a decrease in commercial rental rates in what would have been considered AAA space but are now likely to be downgraded due to the availability of new space. If those rates are attractive enough and there is a strong staff desire to move downtown, we may see some relocations to the core.

[Ricopedra]

Originally Posted by Crisis

Sounds like the shoring for the North Tower parkade should begin before the end of October.

Awesome! Will they have a ceremony with 'concrete' details?>)

And btw, for those speculating on future office demand just remember, Saskabush don't live in no bubble. K+S took 3 big floors, an entire new bldg, because it was there. ...And who are those guys out of Australia? They took 4 and then some in River Landing 1...all new builds. It's way easier to decide on opening an office if its worth it. Nobody wants to show off there 'new digs' in a 60's or 70's high-rise that's never been upgraded. Just look at an old split-level house that you might be thinking of buying, but it's never been renovated. Same old crap kitchen, shag rug (not bad in itself), etc. Next door, same house, newly renovated. Next to that, a brand new build. Hmmm, let me think...and the location, now?... "Let's open a branch office in Saskatoon!" says the CEO of some big insurance company.

It's not all just moving around office space already spoken for, it's about new demand. Now we're getting into the economy. Saskatoon, the new Bud, I mean Hub City for pot company 'head' offices! Cheers!

[YXE]

If anyone is wondering how much this development means to Saskatoon, compare the number of views for this forum vs. the Saskatoon one. This one has more!!

[prairieguy]

When I drove by the site yesterday, it sure looked like the location of the NorthTower has been totally cleaned up. Everything removed from there, so it would seem they ARE getting ready to do some work there soon!!!

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by prairieguy

When I drove by the site yesterday, it sure looked like the location of the NorthTower has been totally cleaned up. Everything removed from there, so it would seem they ARE getting ready to do some work there soon!!!

The plan is to excavate down about 6' to get rid of a lot of the boulders near the surface (as that is what was encountered on the previous excavation). That should begin this week.

They will then install the piles for the shoring system and commence the deep excavation.

[roryn1]

Anyone know when the smaller Tower's crane could be jacked up, and the Nutrien tower's crane could be in place by?

[mitchellk12]

Originally Posted by roryn1

Anyone know when the smaller Tower's crane could be jacked up, and the Nutrien tower's crane could be in place by?

east tower cranes wont be raised until they hit the 6-8th floor i think. The lower crane will be close to one of those floors, so by then they will do both, and im assuming just the one time and go full height.

As for the north tower, wont be until next year until we see a crane(s).

[YXE]

Urban Capital and ALT Hotels seem to be doing a lot of mixed-use projects together. Recently Urban Capital announced the "Mckenzie Tower" in Edmonton. It will feature something like 17 floors of ALT hotel with about 20 residential above that... looks really sleek.

[The Bess]

Thanks for the pictures Alt, your going to have quite the collection by the time its done