Grasslands Development- Regina

[Riderfan4life]

Here's the website and some other information on construction time lines at the Grasslands development on south Lewvan Drive and 25th Ave. Wallyworld is up already, Days Inn is close to complete and Lowe's Home Improvement is nearing it's start date. Going to be impressive when done.

http://www.grasslands.ca/index.php



These are proposed completion dates of the various buildings going up.

1St Building - Multi-Tenant - August 15, 2010.
2nd Building - Dairy Queen - September 1st, 2010.
3rd Building - Bulk Barn - September 6th, 2010.
4th Building - Royal Bank - October 1st, 2010.
5th Building - Urban Barn - October 1st, 2010.
6th Building - Sleep Country - October 1st, 2010.
7th Building - Multi-Tenant - October 30th, 2010.
8th Building - Golf Town - October 30th, 2010.

[dsim249]

A thread for a big box development? Okkk.

[someguy]

This is one of the worst developments Regina has ever seen. It's the same crap that is built in the east end, right down to the curved road that wraps around it (Harbour Landing Drive/Quance St.)

Regina council and mayor should have never approved any of this junk.

[djforsberg]

Originally Posted by someguy

This is one of the worst developments Regina has ever seen. It's the same crap that is built in the east end, right down to the curved road that wraps around it (Harbour Landing Drive/Quance St.)

Regina council and mayor should have never approved any of this junk.

How else would you accommodate the commercial growth in this part of the city? This is actually the first truly planned suburban commercial development in southern Sask I heard. It is much different than the east end as the busiest road in the city doesn't make its way right through it.

[youngregina]

I actually like how for a suburban commercial development, they actually tried to make this into a 'town centre' for the area. The stores are quite densely packed in and looks like there is a lot less parking for the average commercial project. Even the superwalmart, I expected there to be more parking for.

[CCF]

Originally Posted by someguy

This is one of the worst developments Regina has ever seen. It's the same crap that is built in the east end, right down to the curved road that wraps around it (Harbour Landing Drive/Quance St.)

Regina council and mayor should have never approved any of this junk.

Seconded.

I'm actually somewhat surprised to see a thread on this development.

Harbour Landing is the same mistake that we have made previously on Victoria Avenue East and to a certain extant in the NW along Rochdale.

Traffic may be better accommodated for in Harbour Landing as opposed to Vic Ave, but truly that remains to be seen. From a an urban design and a planning perspective it has been done before and shouldn't have been repeated again.

It's the same big box formula, completely unfriendly to the pedestrian as evident by the acres of parking and generous setbacks from the property lines. They tout this development as "urban" but one block of buildings built to the sidewalk surrounded with big box format retail does not make this an urban environment. I guarantee that the component pretending to be "urban" will have just as many people walking to it as will the new Walmart. Where are these pedestrians going to be coming from? They certainly won't be walking from the new Walmart and I guarantee they won't be walking to and fro from the nearby residential as the road layout is again completely unfriendly and inconvenient to the pedestrian (cul-de-sacs and collector roads rather than the grid layout).

How could this commercial been any different? Ditch the big box format, go to the new urbanism design . That means commercial on the main floor and residential and office on the upper floors. Buildings would be a minimum of 3-5 stories in height. Buildings would be built to the sidewalk instead of considerable setbacks from the property lines. Parking would be accommodated through on-street parking as well as tucked in behind the buildings and underground wherever possible. The neighbourhood would have a mix of housing types including residential above commercial in the heart of the neighbourhood, and would accommodate for individuals of all ages and incomes. The neighbourhood would be well served by transit as the grid formation would better accommodate the movement of busses as opposed to the curved roadways we have been presented with instead. Of course this is just a few of the alterations that one should make to the plan.

We have started to demand more in terms of what we should expect downtown, the same needs to be done for greenfield developments.

[Riderfan4life]

Originally Posted by CCF

Seconded.

Harbour Landing is the same mistake that we have made previously on Victoria Avenue East and to a certain extant in the NW along Rochdale.

Traffic may be better accommodated for in Harbour Landing as opposed to Vic Ave, but truly that remains to be seen. From a an urban design and a planning perspective it has been done before and shouldn't have been repeated again.

It's the same big box formula, completely unfriendly to the pedestrian as evident by the acres of parking and generous setbacks from the property lines. They tout this development as "urban" but one block of buildings built to the sidewalk surrounded with big box format retail does not make this an urban environment. I guarantee that the component pretending to be "urban" will have just as many people walking to it as will the new Walmart. Where are these pedestrians going to be coming from? They certainly won't be walking from the new Walmart and I guarantee they won't be walking to and fro from the nearby residential as the road layout is again completely unfriendly and inconvenient to the pedestrian (cul-de-sacs and collector roads rather than the grid layout).

How could this commercial been any different? Ditch the big box format, go to the new urbanism design . That means commercial on the main floor and residential and office on the upper floors. Buildings would be a minimum of 3-5 stories in height. Buildings would be built to the sidewalk instead of considerable setbacks from the property lines. Parking would be accommodated through on-street parking as well as tucked in behind the buildings and underground wherever possible. The neighbourhood would have a mix of housing types including residential above commercial in the heart of the neighbourhood, and would accommodate for individuals of all ages and incomes. The neighbourhood would be well served by transit as the grid formation would better accommodate the movement of busses as opposed to the curved roadways we have been presented with instead. Of course this is just a few of the alterations that one should make to the plan.

We have started to demand more in terms of what we should expect downtown, the same needs to be done for greenfield developments.

Why is that? Lets be realistic here. I think it's great that "big" companies want to come to Regina and build their stores. These stores only work in the suburban sprall like Grasslands.

I'm all for residential above commercial thing but, there's a place for it and south Lewvan it's one of them. The only way some of these companies will build is if they can do it around Walmart, Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. That's just the way it is. Tell me, if you were an investor looking to build a urban commercial business, where would you look? If it was me, I'd pick a place where lots of people gather....

[CCF]

Originally Posted by Riderfan4life

Why is that? Lets be realistic here. I think it's great that "big" companies want to come to Regina and build their stores. These stores only work in the suburban sprall like Grasslands.

I'm all for residential above commercial thing but, there's a place for it and south Lewvan it's one of them. The only way some of these companies will build is if they can do it around Walmart, Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. That's just the way it is. Tell me, if you were an investor looking to build a urban commercial business, where would you look? If it was me, I'd pick a place where lots of people gather....

Cities larger and smaller than Regina have put forward a much better effort in terms of the standard they demand from developers with regards to planning/urban design. These companies do not have to follow the suburban model, they certainly are willing to cater to the demands of cities that require better. Take a stroll through Vancouver, you'll see Costco, Futureshop, Chapters and the like taking a more urban form in terms of their building design. Buildings built with a 0 setback, wide pedestrian spaces with office and residential above. Set the standards by which these companies must comply and I guarantee that they will. This isn't Regina of the 90's where we should be happy that a retailer is willing to establish themselves in Regina....this is 2010 and Regina and Saskatchewan are in many ways the envy of the country. If developers, investors and the like aren't willing to up the standard than they are the ones missing out on a booming economy. I guarantee they wouldn't pass up the opportunity over some simple urban design changes. And if they are....are they truly worth welcoming into our community?

If Lewvan is no place for residential, than I suppose you can agree that all of Harbour Landing should be axed. I can certainly agree with that and that's a much better option than what I'm proposing.

Suburban sprawl benefits no one. Even those developers are missing out on a tonne of potential revenue. It's an outdated way of planning and it needs to be changed.

[Riderfan4life]

Originally Posted by CCF

Cities larger and smaller than Regina have put forward a much better effort in terms of the standard they demand from developers with regards to planning/urban design. These companies do not have to follow the suburban model, they certainly are willing to cater to the demands of cities that require better. Take a stroll through Vancouver, you'll see Costco, Futureshop, Chapters and the like taking a more urban form in terms of their building design. Buildings built with a 0 setback, wide pedestrian spaces with office and residential above. Set the standards by which these companies must comply and I guarantee that they will. This isn't Regina of the 90's where we should be happy that a retailer is willing to establish themselves in Regina....this is 2010 and Regina and Saskatchewan are in many ways the envy of the country. If developers, investors and the like aren't willing to up the standard than they are the ones missing out on a booming economy. I guarantee they wouldn't pass up the opportunity over some simple urban design changes. And if they are....are they truly worth welcoming into our community?

If Lewvan is no place for residential, than I suppose you can agree that all of Harbour Landing should be axed. I can certainly agree with that and that's a much better option than what I'm proposing.

Suburban sprawl benefits no one. Even those developers are missing out on a tonne of potential revenue. It's an outdated way of planning and it needs to be changed.

Well said but I'm not sure things will not change for some time.

First of all I was referring to Harbour landing "Commercial" not residential.

I wasn't disagreeing with the fact that something different could be done, it was the fact that it appeared you were disgusted with the project all together? Until those issues are resolved with our planning commission, I guess we'll have to take it for what it's worth. I also agree with the planning of the Vic east commercial stuff. I've told everyone things could have been different but....

I'm familiar with what Vancouver has but honestly if they didn't plan for that as soon as they did, that city would be a mess in terms of useful vacant land. It's like comparing apples and oranges. we're not at that stage yet.

Looking for better ways of doing business is okay with me.

[Stormer]

The website has been updated now that stores are open:

http://grasslands.ca/shop/

This franchise is new to Regina:

http://www.fiveguys.com/home.aspx

[brithgob]

Originally Posted by Stormer

This franchise is new to Regina:

http://www.fiveguys.com/home.aspx

I have heard very good things. Anyone remember the last new fast food chain to hit Regina? It's been a while -- I guess Taco Del Mar would have been the last.

[drumuser]

Originally Posted by Stormer

This franchise is new to Regina:

http://www.fiveguys.com/home.aspx

holy crap!! 5 guys is awesome. they are all over the western us........


stoked. now if we can only get a fatburger here....

[RTD]

Originally Posted by drumuser

holy crap!! 5 guys is awesome. they are all over the western us........


stoked. now if we can only get a fatburger here....

Five guys have been in Brandon for about a year now, and will soon be in both Regina and Winnipeg.

[drumuser]

Originally Posted by RTD

Five guys have been in Brandon for about a year now, and will soon be in both Regina and Winnipeg.

brandon has one?

[brithgob]

And Medicine Hat had the first. Seems to be a strategy...

[Stormer]

Tenders are out for constructing buildings 22, 38 and 39.

22 is a mirror of the existing building that houses Jones New York, etc. Tenants listed here:

http://grasslands.ca/lease/img/build...-bot_right.jpg

38 and 39 are a bit smaller and are south of Gordon Rd.

http://grasslands.ca/lease/img/buildings/specialty2.jpg

[jvj]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Tenders are out for constructing buildings 22, 38 and 39.

22 is a mirror of the existing building that houses Jones New York, etc. Tenants listed here:

http://grasslands.ca/lease/img/build...-bot_right.jpg

38 and 39 are a bit smaller and are south of Gordon Rd.

http://grasslands.ca/lease/img/buildings/specialty2.jpg

Tenders were submitted this week. Should be an award in the near future.

[jvj]

Thought I'd revive this thread relating to everyone's favorite development.

5 Guys Burgers opened on Tuesday. It's been super busy for the first 3 days. Made my first trip there yesterday to try the single (Little) burger. Good but not outstanding. Have to rest up and head back for the double burger, which is actually just called a standard burger. A little confusing I guess, and it does seem like you're getting steered toward the larger (double) burger. You certainly do get a lot of fries...a regular order is good for 2, and a large order would probably be enough for 4.

Have to say I still miss Fuddrucker's though!

[blacktrojan3921]

Might consider checking it out tomorrow and try it out for myself

[Stormer]

Construction (interior fit up) has begun on The Lancaster Taphouse at Grasslands:

http://www.facebook.com/TheLancaster#!/TheLancaster