North Prairie aiming sky-high with plans for new hotel-condo tower
North Prairie Development is set to alter Saskatoon’s city skyline with plans to build the tallest building in the province.
Construction on the new luxury hotel/condo highrise, City Center Tower, is expected to begin this spring, and the building is slated to open in spring 2016, says North Prairie president John Williams.
The $80 million to $100 million City Centre Tower will be at the corner of Third Avenue and 22nd Street, currently occupied by Affinity Credit Union.
City Centre Tower will be at least 27 storeys and close to 90 metres high, Williams said.
“We want it to be an award-winning building. It should change Saskatoon’s skyline.
“We expect this project to be on par or to exceed that of some of the downtown highrise projects located in larger cities like Calgary or Vancouver.”
The Tower will include a hotel and about 200 residential condo units in varying sizes, with the largest units on the top floors.
“We are still in the process of sorting out the details and concepts,” Williams said. “Our architects are working with all of the concepts as we speak. I think we will get most of that nailed down in the next month or so.”
While building amenities are still in the planning stages, an underground garage, fitness centre, meeting centre and an on-site restaurant are slated for development. The exterior is expected to have floor-to-ceiling glass, which would complement the 54,000 sq-ft Discovery Plaza next door, also developed by North Prairie and now home to BHP Billiton. Together, the two buildings will make up the City Centre Tower Phases I and II.
Williams said the company is currently in negotiations with hotel operators.
“It is a matter of making sure we get the right product for the right marketplace,” he said, adding North Prairie will not be the operator of the hotel.
Right now Saskatoon’s tallest building is the 24-storey, 79.2 m (260 ft) La Renaissance Apartments. The second-tallest building in the city is the Hallmark Place, standing at 78.8 m (259 ft) tall with 27 storeys.
Victory Majors Investments Corp. and Cavalier Enterprises have plans to build a 27-storey residential tower at River Landing, which early plans said would rise to 95 meters.
The tallest building in Regina is the 20-storey Mosaic Potash Tower, which is 84.5 m (277 ft) high.
Williams said the downtown area is full of activity and now is a great time to add to the housing market.
“A lot of amenities have gone into downtown — the Farmer’s Market, all the little shops and restaurants — and we think it is time for some downtown condo product here,” Williams said.
The family owned and operated North Prairie Developments was established by John and Bernice Williams in 1987 and is one of Saskatoon’s largest housing, commercial and land developers.
North Prairie currently has residential and commercial development projects underway in Saskatoon, Regina and Martensville.