Developer says Capital Pointe construction to start next week

Developers are again promising that construction on along-delayed condo project in central Regina will be a go.

Construction will begin next week on the Capital Pointe hotel and condo building, the proposed replacement for the former Plains Hotel at the corner of AlbertStreet and Victoria Avenue,according to the project's developers.

• Development firm will take Plains Hotel sign

When first proposed, it wassupposed tobe one of the province's tallest buildings, with tenants moving in as early as 2013.

Greg Black, spokesman and director for the project, told reporters on Tuesday that he understands mounting skepticism about the completion of the building.

"You know, I expect people are going towant to waitand see. I expect they'll be looking to see what happens next week and the week after," he said. "But this is the commitment we can make today, that we will start next week, and the week after there'll be heavy-duty equipment onto the site."

The spokesman said he expects the building to be completed in the spring of 2018.

Black said the real estate development company,Fortress Real Developments, hiredITC Construction Group to work as the construction manager for the project.Doublestar Drilling will do the shoring and excavation work at the site, he said.

Since the demolition of the Plains Hotel in 2011, the site has remained an empty lot.

In September of that year, the then-developer of the site,BrightstarCorp., confirmed it refunded $25,000 deposits to each of six prospective owners.

The developerhad received 55 deposits on the144-condo-unit project.