A proposal by Duchuck Holdings to redevelop the former Saskatoon Star Phoenix building into a major mixed-use complex featuring residential towers, retail and office space is being positioned as a catalyst for revitalizing downtown Saskatoon.

The plan, led by Brent Suer, president of Duchuck Holdings, would see the existing roughly 120,000-square-foot building redeveloped and expanded with additional floors for amenities and commercial uses, including a potential grocery store, alongside two new residential towers of up to 35 and 24 storeys with about 600 units as well as 540 parking spaces.

The project could introduce significant new housing supply, combining rental and condominium units, while adding street-level retail and services aimed at increasing activity in the downtown core.

A public forum is scheduled for Thursday to gather community input. Local business leaders say the development could help address a longstanding imbalance between jobs and residents in the city centre. 

Shawna Nelson, executive director of the Downtown Saskatoon Business Improvement District, said the proposal is “a great thing for downtown Saskatoon.” She said boosting the downtown population is key to supporting businesses and creating a more vibrant, complete community, noting the project could bring 600 new housing units and 1,200 residents to the area and generate momentum for further investment.

“Right now, within our business improvement district, we have 160 blocks, 1,000 businesses, and 18,000 employees, but only 3,000 residents. We definitely want more density, and this project is really going to inject life into our downtown,” she said.

Duchuck's plans for the property

Suer said his company focuses on building, or purchasing and developing properties. He’s been involved in real estate in the United States under a different company, which one point held interests in over three million square feet of real estate with its partners.

“I focus on buying existing properties that have upside, often older buildings with vacancy. I bring them back to life. That involves replacing mechanical and electrical systems, redoing the building exterior, adding new elevators and renovating interiors. It’s a full redevelopment,” he told RENX. 

He purchased the former Star Phoenix building in December 2024 from newspaper owner Postmedia. Suer said he looks for buildings that have been vacant or under-used for a while. That’s his opportunity.

“Owners have to go through the realization that the building isn’t worth what they think. Then comes the challenge: buying an empty building, financing it and investing capital to bring it back to life. It’s a lot of work and risk,” he said.

The vacated Star Phoenix building is about 120,000 square feet including the basement and two floors with about 40,000 square feet per floor.

Suer said the plan is to add three floors to that building. The main floor is proposed to have retail along 5th Avenue and down 23rd and 24th Streets, with a grocery store occupying the north part of the building. The upper floors would be a mixture of medical office and amenity space with the fifth floor slated to be a 21,000-square-foot amenities level with a pool, indoor pickleball court, gym, banquet and meeting rooms for residents and tenants.

Suer said the two residential towers would be a mixture of rentals on the lower floors and condos on the upper floors.

“Pre-sales are critical, along with CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) financing. It’s a big project, so I need to be comfortable with the risk. I may consider a partner depending on how things line up,” Suer said. “We have a public forum (on Thursday). If that goes well, we move to the next stage.... I like real estate, that’s why I do it. I liked the site when it first came up.”

Duchuck Holdings has been an active private developer in downtown Saskatoon over the past few years, with a mix of office acquisitions, redevelopment projects and more recently, major residential proposals.

Enthusiasm from downtown BIA

This resonates with Nelson and the downtown BIA.

“As we evolve and grow as a city, especially downtown, we want more livability. We want to build a connected, accessible, and complete downtown that supports business success and everyday life. By having more residents downtown supporting restaurants and retail, and helping create nightlife, that’s something we strongly support.”

It could also contribute to improving the retail mix in the area. 

“What makes it even more sustainable is the possibility of attracting a grocery store to the development. Amenities like a pharmacy, medical clinics, and a grocery store make it much more attractive for people to not only work and play downtown, but also live there,” Nelson added.

It can also lead to a domino effect.

“When businesses cluster and support each other, it creates momentum," she said. "On Second Avenue, for example, there’s a strong restaurant scene. If one place is full, people simply go next door.... The same applies to residential development.... Once one project moves forward, it creates a domino effect and helps build a thriving community, which benefits the entire city."