SASKATOON SEEXPRESS - January 18-24, 2016 - Page 1
Feb 7, 2016
Volume 14, Issue 2, Week of January 18, 2016
Saskatoonʼs REAL Community Newspaper convert the Fairbanks-Morse building at 23rd Street and Idylwyld into condos. “I helped them with a project that they had started, and enjoyed the complete chaos of it so much that I started my own company,” said Olson. “I learned a lot along the way with that project. It hit a bull’s-eye for me. You can buy a building or a piece of land, and it’s a blank canvas. You’re only limited by two things: one is your creativity and design ability, and the second is your ability to get it financed. “Our company has proven that we have a pretty decent track record for bringing new ideas and not just designing them, but getting them built and delivered, as well.” Olson, with a degree in engineering physics, notes that development is both highly creative, and as technical as you want it to be, dealing with architects, structural engineers, building officials, permitting and building codes. “I like those challenges and I pay attention to the details,” he said. “I’m a pretty hands-on developer. And it’s highly entrepreneurial. You’re not stuck in one business model if you don’t want to be.” True to those words, Olson has taken on both commercial and residential projects. The Two Twenty, for example, combines office and retail space on 20th Street. It was imagined as a co-working space, and originally came about because he needed a place to work, as did his friends, he said. “I bought a building way bigger than what we needed, so we had to make a Curtis Olson’s vision for Riversdale and Caswell Hill is progressing one project at a time (Photo by Joanne Paulson) bunch of other friends.” Joanne Paulson back up to his house. to take on the risk, the workload and the He later added 226 20th Street to the Saskatoon Express As Olson tells it, he lives, works, and burden of doing a project.” concept begun at 220. Today, there are hen Curtis Olson gets up at six breathes in the core of Saskatoon. The Plus, he’d have to get into a car and 60 businesses in the space, and 160 people in the morning, he literally starts owner of Shift Development has a vision drive to the project. working there. his day at a run. for Riversdale and Caswell Hill, and he is “I won’t,” he says, with emphasis. “I “I don’t know if you could find what’s He begins at his house in Caswell Hill, making it happen. usually walk here.” happening in this building anywhere else and runs down Avenue D past the city bus “Nothing is by accident,” said Olson in Building a history in Canada. I haven’t seen it. It’s because barns. He continues on by The Edge, the a recent interview in his office at The Two Olson and his wife, musician Carrie as a company, Shift Development, we live housing development built by Victoria’s Le Twenty. “There’s a map in our office here Catherine, made headlines when they reno- and work in the neighbourhood we operate Fevre and Company; he turns to go by The that shows our relative proximity to all our vated a home in Caswell Hill eight years in, we live and work in the buildings that Mosaic, his own townhouse development; projects. I honestly don’t look at projects if ago. The 1,800-square-foot home hosted we create, and we are building a commuand then runs by Element Urban Village, I can’t walk to them.” many house concerts until their two little nity and a neighbourhood one project at a his current residential project. Indeed, he has been approached several boys came along, now aged five and two, time.” From there, he curves down to the times to take on projects in other areas of when they took a break. But the concerts A residential shift riverbank, stops at the workout gym and the city, such as one near the airport. are starting up again. Shift’s first townhouse project, called does chin-ups before going through River “For me, the answer is very simple. That personal venture came soon after Mosaic, was built in partnership with Landing, past The Banks (also a Le Fevre That doesn’t interest me, because I can Olson’s first foray into property develQuint Development, the non-profit housing project), the Farmers’ Market, his office/ only look at that strictly through a financial opment in 2006-07, when he helped his corporation. retail complex called The Two Twenty and lens. For me, personally, that’s not enough father, Peter Olson, and uncle, Ian Stark, (Continued on page 5) JW15792.A18 James
In his Element Curtis Olson shifts the core vision
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