RIVER LANDING COULD BE HOME TO SASK.’S TALLEST BUILDING.
The final piece of River Landing could eventually be home to Saskatchewan’s tallest building.
As part of plans to get more people living in the currently undeveloped River Landing area near the Farmer’s Market, a city report going before a citizen planning committee today recommends removing some height restrictions on developments.
“We are trying to make an economic business case and that comes with having people — either people buying there, living there, or shopping there,” said Alan Wallace, the city’s manager of planning and development. “The important thing is the density.”
Previous guidelines for the final pieces of the River Landing puzzle — with a combined value of $20.8 million — imposed height restrictions for any potential developers. The properties are all west of the Idylwyld Freeway surrounding the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Now defunct plans for an eco-housing community in the area directly west of the farmer’s market, for example, were restricted to four levels.
With some of those restrictions removed, Saskatoon’s riverbank could be home to 30-storey skyscraper, alongside developments on sites that include land that once housed the A.L. Cole power plant. If the skyscraper is built to 30 storeys, it would beat out a planned 27-storey structure being erected next door by Victory Majors Development Corp. on Parcel Y — the signature project of River Landing.
“Over time the attitudes have changed. It’s downtown and people expect there to be buildings that are higher than 20 storeys,” Wallace said.
Loosening the restrictions will attract more developers to the area, Wallace said.
Victory Majors Investments Corp. has already submitted detailed plans to city hall for a development permit for the landmark $250-million hotel-condo-office complex at River Landing. The plans are expected to go before council next week. The focus is now shifting to the parcels of land further upstream on the river bank in vacant land surrounding the farmer’s market.
“It certainly gives more flexibility to a developer, which hopefully makes it more attractive to those who wish to build and develop the sites,” said Jill Cope, a project manager with city.
“While we can’t say it will increase land values, (the changes) will increase flexibility for the developers.”
The height restrictions on two parcels will be changed from 14 to 24 metres and 68 to 95 metres.
If the changes are approved, the first piece of land — bordered by Avenue C and 19th Street — could go up for sale this year. The parcel that could include a 30-storey skyscraper will hit the market in 2014 with the last pieces of land up for development in 2016.