City of Saskatoon eyes vacant downtown property for future ‘Imagine Idylwyld’ redevelopment

There’s a big price tag for a small piece of property the City of Saskatoon is looking at buying.

The recommendation was made by administration during the city’s finance committee meeting Tuesday.

The property and building, located behind the Cactus Club Cafe at 123 Auditorium Ave., was once a bridal shop.

The price tag for the parcel of land, which is .267 acres, is $1,290,000 plus another $30,000 for contaminated soil cleanup. The latter amount, according to a city report, will be shared with the company that’s selling the property.

A building that sits on the land is described in the report as being about 6,400 square feet but is listed on a sign at the site as being 6,560 square feet.

The area is slated for redevelopment in the future as part of the “Imagine Idylwyld” project begun in 2016, and several other properties in the area are also city owned.

According to information posted on the City of Saskatoon webpage: “The purpose of Imagine Idylwyld is to develop a vision and conceptual plan to improve the function, safety, connectivity and quality of the roadway and public realm along Idylwyld Drive, between 20th Street and 25th Street East.”

The last update posted on the city’s website in May 2018 indicates the project is in Phase 4, with the final concept design completed.

While the sale of the property is recommended by administration, it still has to be approved by city council.

No one from the city was available Thursday for an interview regarding the cost of the property and when redevelopment may actually go ahead.