The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread

[JimiThing]

Agreed. The year stamp works well.

Agreed, I would enjoy this format as well. Start a new thread in 2011. This way it would be much more effortless to search for a certain project or post 4-5 years down the road.

[MonctonRad]

:previous:

This thread will likely be good into 2012 (which will be the end of the world in any event :haha: ), so we probably should let sleeping dogs lie for the time being in any event.

BTW, both 8,000 posts and 800,000 views!

:banana: :banana: :banana:

[MonctonRad]

Things have been pretty dead over the holidays.......

Just a couple of notes to jump start things:

- The new RBC branch at the corner of Gorge and Mountain is scheduled to open in February (this project has progressed very quickly).

- Across the street, they have demolished one house and moved another one at the corner of Evergreen and Mountain to create new retail. I'm not sure what this is supposed to be. Stay tuned....

[mylesmalley]

Things have been pretty dead over the holidays.......

Just a couple of notes to jump start things:

- The new RBC branch at the corner of Gorge and Mountain is scheduled to open in February (this project has progressed very quickly).

- Across the street, they have demolished one house and moved another one at the corner of Evergreen and Mountain to create new retail. I'm not sure what this is supposed to be. Stay tuned....

Cough...cough...

SQI87lYz1Vs

[porchmouse]

Things have been pretty dead over the holidays.......

Just a couple of notes to jump start things:

- The new RBC branch at the corner of Gorge and Mountain is scheduled to open in February (this project has progressed very quickly).

- Across the street, they have demolished one house and moved another one at the corner of Evergreen and Mountain to create new retail. I'm not sure what this is supposed to be. Stay tuned....

Also, word is that they want to put another traffic light in at the corner of Mountain Road and Evergreen, even though there is one at the corner of Mountain Road and Gorge. This is to help with the traffic to and from the bank, as well as with whatever else is going in across the street and in the same parking lot as the new branch.

[MonctonRad]

Also, word is that they want to put another traffic light in at the corner of Mountain Road and Evergreen, even though there is one at the corner of Mountain Road and Gorge. This is to help with the traffic to and from the bank, as well as with whatever else is going in across the street and in the same parking lot as the new branch.

I have often thought that the Mountain/Evergreen intersection should be signalized. The traffic on Evergreen waiting to turn right on Mountain inbound can be horrendous in the morning rush. I know this is very close to the existing signals at Mountain/Gorge, but they could be easily synchronized.

The best solution would have been to reallign Gorge and Evergreen at Mountain to produce a single intersection, but I imagine the window of opportunity for that solution has passed.

[mylesmalley]

I have often thought that the Mountain/Evergreen intersection should be signalized. The traffic on Evergreen waiting to turn right on Mountain inbound can be horrendous in the morning rush. I know this is very close to the existing signals at Mountain/Gorge, but they could be easily synchronized.

The best solution would have been to reallign Gorge and Evergreen at Mountain to produce a single intersection, but I imagine the window of opportunity for that solution has passed.

You'd need a massive amount of space, too. Gorge and Evergreen would hit Mountain at an angle as tight as at Mapleton.

Mind you, it would make a lot of sense. If more people were able to get onto Gorge from the North End, more people might use the TCH rather than city streets to get to work.

Then again, they were supposed to connect Twin Oaks to the TCH ramp as well, and we all know what happened there.

[MadeWithCare]

I heard a rumor that Crystal Palace was sold and the amusement park is to be removed and hotel/shopping to be built in its place.

Is this true?

[acrew79]

I heard a rumor that Crystal Palace was sold and the amusement park is to be removed and hotel/shopping to be built in its place.

Is this true?



Personally I think Crystal Palace is a huge revenue generator, and a huge tourist attraction. Not sure what a developper would gain by replacing it with shopping. IMO.

Doing a little digging on the Internet, there is in fact a "Crystal Palace" being sold ... but its in the UK. :S perhaps this is where the rumour ( if it is infact a rumour) started..




http://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2010/05/crystal-palace-sale-imminent/

[BlackYear]

I heard a rumor that Crystal Palace was sold and the amusement park is to be removed and hotel/shopping to be built in its place.

Is this true?

There's already a hotel, Ramada. I can see them removing the amusement park and replace this will retail. I would assume retail stores will bring in more income than the current amusement park.

[MonctonRad]

I imagine this rumour is unfounded. Cadillac Fairview owns both Champlain Place and Crystal Palace so I don't know who Crystal Palace would be "sold" to. I really can't imagine Cadillac Fairview stoking the competition.

Also, Crystal Palace has top attraction status with Tourism NB. It fills a niche in the city and helps to draw people to Champlain Place next door.

I could see Crystal Palace being renovated and/or expanded.

[mmmatt]

Hello folks, sorry I don't post very often now, been very busy...

Just thought I would throw in a few words...

Today I had a delivery at 12 Millennium (newest building in the Emmerson business park) and am happy to report that it is nearly (Id say 95%) full!

This means that the 3 buildings on the site are now essentially full so we may soon see new development there...

The tenants are as follows:

Building 1: Exxon, RCMP (Full)
Building 2: Asurion, Remax, GTech (90%+ Full Id say)
Building 3: Blue Cross, Exxon, CGI (95% Full Id say)

[MonctonRad]

:previous:

Good to hear mmmatt. It would be nice to have a new 3-4 story building facing Vaughn Harvey. Perhaps one will be built soon. :tup:

You've been missed mmmatt, try to post as often as you can. Your input has always been most welcome! :)

[Lrdevlop]

Hey everyone what is your wishlist for Moncton in 2011? What would you like to see happen in Moncton in 2011?

(Ive seen this in Hamilton SSP and thought it was a good idea)

[mylesmalley]

I must admit, I'm not terribly excited about the thought of more buildings in the Emerson Park area right now. The city's demand for commercial space grows by around 50,000 sq/ft a year (I don't have a source for that, but I read it in an industry publication about a year or so ago). For a bit of scale, that's around 1/5 the size of the assumption tower. If leasable space outside of downtown continues to expand, there won't be much demand at all for new investment in commercial real estate in the core. With the exceptions of the Ashford building and government offices on Weldon, there really hasn't been a lot of new commercial space in downtown for years. Our commercial occupancy rate is also pretty low. Basically, if we want to see any sizable commercial development downtown, we're going to need demand to build up to justify it.

[mylesmalley]

Actually, here's a good report:

http://www.colliersmn.com/prod/ccgrd.nsf/publish/7BC3A8FDF174587B852577900054ED79/$File/M_2Q10.pdf

[Taeolas]

I'm a Freddy Beacher, but for what it's worth, based on what I've read here and my own preferences, I'd love a few things:

* An announcement of a new arena/concert venue downtown as many have already said was needed. When I was down at Moncton for a concert, I agree you really need a new site down there.

* An announcement for an expansion/renovation of Crystal Palace, with the addition of an Imax theatre. I know that really wouldn't happen, but still I have only been to 1 Imax film (in Vegas) and I'd love to be to more of them, but Halifax is just too far away for me to go.

[MonctonRad]

Hey everyone what is your wishlist for Moncton in 2011? What would you like to see happen in Moncton in 2011?

(Ive seen this in Hamilton SSP and thought it was a good idea)

OK, I'll bite too........

1- A formal announcement for a new downtown arena/events centre with 10,000 seats, an integrated convention facility, a hotel and shopping/restaurants along the street front. The facility will also require an integrated transit hub as well. Announcement in 2011, opening in 2014.

2- Beginning of construction of at least one of the three proposed downtown condo projects. Valmond Robichauds project on East Main is probably the development closest to fruition but I like the idea of the one on Assomption Blvd that city hall was hinting at earlier this year.

3- The rebirth of the Mapleton Power Centre project. Now that construction on Mapleton Road is finished and the recession is over, we may see some movement on this development this year.

Those are my top three choices. :)

[mmmatt]

OK, I'll bite too........

1- A formal announcement for a new downtown arena/events centre with 10,000 seats, an integrated convention facility, a hotel and shopping/restaurants along the street front. The facility will also require an integrated transit hub as well. Announcement in 2011, opening in 2014.

2- Beginning of construction of at least one of the three proposed downtown condo projects. Valmond Robichauds project on East Main is probably the development closest to fruition but I like the idea of the one on Assomption Blvd that city hall was hinting at earlier this year.

3- The rebirth of the Mapleton Power Centre project. Now that construction on Mapleton Road is finished and the recession is over, we may see some movement on this development this year.

Those are my top three choices. :)

Well said...I agree on all fronts...I would also add that I would love to see another large concert this summer and lots of movement on the new Halls Creek Villages ("vision lands")

[gehrhardt]

As for me, I too would like to see something nailed down for a new downtown arena. Don't forget the unfinished Mapleton power centre either. It's starting to become an eyesore.

On a more general note, it'd be nice if Codiac transit would start up some commuter buses like in SJ and Halifax. Give Shediac and Salisbury a try, maybe expanding to Hillsborough, Sackville, and up route 11 if it works out.

Also, it'd be nice if someone would do something about the now dead hotel project in Salisbury. I would think it could be taken over and construction could pick up where it left off 2 years ago. The foundation, curbing and road work are all done. That has to save a bit of $$$. Except for a couple of small motels on the old highway, there are no hotels between Moncton and Sussex (or Oromocto, for that matter). There should be some demand, I would think.

[Sony500]

I don't know if someone clarified this or not, but the gates at the causeway are still open and the water runs freely

[MonctonRad]

:previous:

Yes, I've noticed the misinformation on the CBC New Brunswick website as well......

The causeway gates are indeed open and the river flows free. We still need to convince the Alward government to proceed with replacing the causeway with a partial bridge.

Ideological considerations aside, given the current fiscal reality being faced by the province it will be all to easy for Alward to say no to this or, to say that "further study is advisable".

The time for action is now.......:yes:

[jenike]

:previous:

What I find kind of ironic is that the people on the "lake" side did not want the gates opened or to have a bridge. Now that the gates are open and will likely remain that way, they will notice that the silt is building up on that side because of the lack of tidal flow across the entire width of the river. So I wonder if they are changing their minds on building a partial bridge to let the river naturally remove all of this silt? If we keep it the way it is we will likely just see a narrow river all the way along the river (on both sides of the causeway). To restore the river, the causeway needs to be removed. Nobody will be happy if you just keep it the way it is now. No other way to look at it in my mind.

[NBNYer]

:previous:

What I find kind of ironic is that the people on the "lake" side did not want the gates opened or to have a bridge. Now that the gates are open and will likely remain that way, they will notice that the silt is building up on that side because of the lack of tidal flow across the entire width of the river. So I wonder if they are changing their minds on building a partial bridge to let the river naturally remove all of this silt? If we keep it the way it is we will likely just see a narrow river all the way along the river (on both sides of the causeway). To restore the river, the causeway needs to be removed. Nobody will be happy if you just keep it the way it is now. No other way to look at it in my mind.

Have you noticed this build-up of silt on the lake side? Or has it been suggested by one of the of studies maybe?

If it is the case though, I hope you're right in predicting the reaction of the "pro-lake" side. However, given the type of arguments that were put forward for "preserving" the lake and masquerading as ecologically sound, I think this is most likely what you will get: "See, silt is building up! It doesn't work! Building a bridge will make it worst!..." and so on. Hopefully the government will not bite.

With the overwhelming support for this project in the area, I hope as many people as possible will voice their concern. Write to your MLAs guys! :tup:

[MonctonRad]

I agree.

Just by casual observation, I too believe that the silt and mud is building up on the "lake" side of the causeway. This is to be expected. The silt is carried upstream on the incoming tide and is getting trapped by the causeway. I predicted this, and this was one of the reasons why I originally opposed opening the causeway.

My mind has changed however. Since the gates have opened, the river seems much more vigourous and healthy. I'm particularly intrigued by the rapids that have developed next the the causeway gates.

The gates must remain open, but in order to restore the river as much as possible, the causeway itself has to be replaced by a bridge. This has to be done very soon or else the window of opportunity will be lost and the original width of the river will never be restored.

No more study, no more procrastination, the time for action is now or never!!

[C_Boy]

Co-op Atlantic to build new feed mill
Allan Dearing - Staff Jan 10, 2011 MONCTON, N.B. -

http://www.iWebPhoto.com/iWebPhoto_free_upload_photo/222599/Album1/Co-opAtlantic.jpg

Co-op Atlantic plans to build a new animal feed mill on Halifax Street in Moncton.

Company CEO John Harvie says the $7.5-million facility will replace the existing mill, which is more than 60 years old.

"We are confident that the livestock industry in New Brunswick will not only survive, but will prosper. This investment actually strikes to the heart of issues such as food sovereignty, food quality, and supporting local."

The existing mill will be torn down, with the new mill expected to be ready by this fall.

It will be built on the same site as the current mill.

The modern feed mill will serve hundreds of farmers throughout New Brunswick.

[mmmatt]

Co-op Atlantic to build new feed mill
Allan Dearing - Staff Jan 10, 2011 MONCTON, N.B. -


This is great news! I had heard a while ago that the old mill would be shut down and was very upset! Not that it is the most beautiful structure, but I find it has a certain type of "big" industrial appeal that is not common in Moncton and fit the area well...(I think there is a similar feed mill in Caledonia but not this big.)

Glad to hear it will be replaced bigger and better :D

bit bigger:
http://media.greenradio.topscms.com/images/e2/3c/5dc2688c4b648a8eae4e1ad00891.jpeg

[MonctonRad]

Abridged from today's T&T

Justice centre opens next month
Published Monday January 10th, 2011

Justice minister touts 'first-class' Moncton Law Courts, says careful transition plan in place to avoid disrupting courtroom activity
By Craig Babstock
Times & Transcript Staff

The new Moncton Law Courts on Assumption Boulevard will open on Feb. 14. New Brunswick Justice Minister Marie-Claude Blais says the Department of Supply and Services has confirmed the new Moncton Law Courts on Assumption Boulevard will open Feb. 14.

"It's a first-class building and I'm really proud it's opening in Moncton and I'm not afraid to say it will become a jewel of our justice system," says the minister.

The $55-million justice centre replaces the current courthouse, which is spread over the first, second and third floors of Assumption Place. The courts have been located in that building since the early 1970s, but the location is no longer adequate.

The new facility is approximately 12,150 square metres (135,000 square feet) and has 15 courtrooms, two hearing rooms and 13 holding cells instead of the current two. It also has secure underground parking for unloading prisoners and corridors to transport them to courtrooms, along with secure parking and corridors for judges.

Some of the furniture and equipment from the current location will be used in the new location and is already starting to be transported. For example, $500,000 was spent renovating one courtroom in fall of 2009 for an upcoming organized crime trial with multiple accused and Justice Department officials said at the time that the new tables, computers, flat-screen television screens and other electronic equipment from that courtroom will be moved to the new building.

Blais says the transition has to be well planned to avoid any major disruption while the courts continue to operate in Assumption Place for the next month.

Blais says sheriff's officers are receiving some extra training in the new building due to the expanded mandate of the sheriff's department. They will be responsible for building security, which the minister says will include "airport-style security," along with the operation of a 13-cell detention centre.

With a secure underground garage to bring prisoners into the building, Blais says the chances of a prisoner escaping custody during transport - which happened a couple of weeks ago when a prisoner fled sheriffs while walking to a van - will be eliminated.

"Everyone's looking forward to going to the new facility," says Blais. "We'll be able to deliver better service to the community in general."

[MonctonRad]

Riverview council looks at capital budget tonight
Published Monday January 10th, 2011
Times & Transcript Staff

Riverview council members will debate the town's 2011 general capital budget tonight at its regular council meeting.

The capital budget, which funds municipal construction, will be far smaller than it has been in recent years. Riverview council plans to borrow no money this year as its debt ratio is close to the provincially-set limit of 20 per cent.

Town council has said that 2011 will be a lean year for projects in Riverview, however it is expected to start the reconstruction of Pine Glen Road, between Whitepine Road and Gunningsville Boulevard. That phase of the multimillion-dollar project is expected to cost $2.2 million.

Other projects planned for this year include sidewalk construction and street paving, including a final coat of asphalt for Lawson Avenue, which was completely overhauled over the last two summers.

Also tonight, council will hold the first reading of a bylaw amendment relating to the regulation of traffic, parking and use of streets in the town.

The meeting takes place at 7 p.m. in Riverview Town Hall, 30 Honour House Crt.

Dieppe debates capital works budget tonight
Published Monday January 10th, 2011
Times & transcript staff

Dieppe city council will debate its 2011 capital works budget as well as its water and sewer operating budget when it meets for a regular session tonight.

Council is also expected to approve a new agreement for dog-control services in the city.

Two major road projects are also on the agenda, including improvements to the intersection at Regis and Acadie streets and revamping the section of Paul Street from Sunset Street to Champlain Street.

The meeting gets under way at 7 p.m. in council chambers on the ground floor of Dieppe City Hall. Residents are invited to attend and simultaneous translation will be provided.

[MonctonRad]

Metro sees house boom in '10
Published Wednesday January 12th, 2011

Moncton analyst says steady growth in housing, renovations a clear indicator of consumer confidence
by alan cochrane
Times & transcript staff

Metro Moncton saw a boom in housing construction in 2010 as building permits for more than 300 single family homes and hundreds more apartment units were issued in Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=658859&size=500x0
GREG AGNEW/TIMES & TRANSCRIPTRiverview saw two major projects come to completion last year: a Canadian Tire store and a Sobeys store.

According to year-end building permit reports, there were 152 new single-family homes constructed in Moncton, 154 in Dieppe and 36 in Riverview for a total of 342.

Multiple dwellings were also rising like crops in Metro Moncton. According to the year-end report, Moncton had six condominium projects (19 units), 110 new duplexes (220 units) and nine apartment buildings (166 units) for a total of 405 units of new living spaces. Dieppe's report says there were 411 multiple-dwelling units. The report for Riverview says there were three 17 new duplexes for 34 units and three new apartment buildings but the number of units was not included.

"This was our third biggest year for housing, which shows that we are still growing," Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc said yesterday.

While there was a housing boom in 2010, the total value of building permits for Moncton was down from 2009. In 2009, there were 1,151 permits issued for a total value of $217,761,187. That figure dropped to 1,057 permits worth a total of $148,296,742.

Ben Champoux, director of Community Business Development for the City of Moncton, said yesterday the steady increase in housing is a clear indication of consumer confidence and overall growth. The increase in housing goes hand-in-hand with the increase in population, which in turn feeds the service sector. For every one of those new homes, people will be out shopping for fridges, stoves, furniture and everything else they need.

City officials say the total value went through the roof in 2009 thanks to big projects like the new downtown courthouse, the new Stade Moncton 2010 Stadium and the $90-million Casino New Brunswick on Mountain Road. And when you look at the 10-year comparison, the value of building permits has gone from $78 million in 2001 to $148 million in 2010.

And even though the 2010 totals were eclipsed by the 2009 numbers, officials in Moncton said 2010 was a better year than expected.

Besides new homes, the 2010 report for Moncton shows two new health clinics, one school, one religious building, one university building, two office buildings, two outdoor recreation buildings, three new retail buildings, and 23 new swimming pools.

Besides new construction, there were hundreds of renovation and addition projects. Permits were issued for 36 additions and 123 renovations to single-family homes in Moncton, and six homes were moved. In all, there were close to 450 permits for renovations and additions to homes, duplexes, restaurants, bars, offices, retail stores, service stations and other buildings.

The City of Dieppe reported a total of 612 building permits in 2010 for a total value of $72,842,097. That's up by $4 million from the 2009 numbers of 628 permits for a total of $68,651,651.

Dieppe Mayor Jean LeBlanc said several major projects took shape in 2010.

"I believe that we will also see several projects in 2011, both on the residential and commercial fronts," LeBlanc said. "More multi-residential projects are on the drawing board and, in the spring of 2011, three new commercial projects will be undertaken. This shows that it will be another exciting year on the construction front."

In the Town of Riverview, there were a total of 236 building permits issued in 2010 for a total value of $31,801,810. The total for 2009 was 242 permits with a value of $25,455,692. Riverview set a new record in 2008 with 242 permits valued at $42,892,198.

Building activity in the smaller communities outside of Metro Moncton was lower in 2010. In Salisbury, there were 51 permits worth $3,373,149. In Petitcodiac, there were 23 permits worth $1,326,983. In Hillsborough, there were 19 permits worth $1,178,375.

In Alma, there were 10 permits worth $302,361. In Riverside-Albert, there were seen permits worth $417,800. And in the unincorporated areas covered by the Greater Moncton Planning District Commission, there were 123 permits worth $50,573,208.


----

The number of building permits and their value over the last 10 years, as reported by the City of Moncton:
* 2001: 939 permits, $78,682,395.
* 2002: 1,153 permits, $144,757,553.
* 2003, 1,148 permits, $122,672,327.
* 2004: 1,169 permits, $136,505,712.
* 2005: 1,157 permits, $134,977,281.
* 2006: 1,191 permits, $151,912,722.
* 2007: 1,176 permits, $131,510,790.
* 2008: 1,205 permits, $127,503,436.
* 2009: 1,151 permits, $217,761,187.
* 2010: 1,057 permits, $148,296,742.

Building permits and their value over the last 10 years in Dieppe:
* 2001: 462 permits, $40,515,255.
* 2002: 484 permits, $33,901,947.
* 2003: 523 permits, $48,551,793.
* 2004: 627 permits, $51,484,279.
* 2005: 660 permits, $73,735,806.
* 2006: 671 permits, $74,830,843.
* 2007: 657 permits, $73,816,905.
* 2008: 677 permits, $78,912,177.
* 2009: 628 permits, $68,330,651.
* 2010: 653 permits, $72,842,097.

Building permits and their value over the last 10 years in Riverview:
* 2001: 182 permits, $11,361,851.
* 2002: 216 permits, $12,292024.
* 2003: 220 permits, $15,728,148.
* 2004: 255 permits, $15,827,392.
* 2005: 220 permits, $16,304,838.
* 2006: 244 permits, $24,980,494.
* 2007: 229 permits, $26,678,800.
* 2008: 242 permits, $42,892,198.
* 2009: 242 permits, $25,455,692.
* 2010: 236 permits, $31,801,810.

Personal note - counting for all forms of new housing, there were about 1,200 new units built in the tri-community area last year and total building permit value in Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview exceeded $250M.
This counts as a very good year.

It's interesting to note that residential construction in Dieppe is essentially equivalent to that in Moncton, despite the disparityin size of the two communities. Dieppe continues to be one of the most rapidly growing communities in the country (on a per capita basis).

[MonctonRad]

Target's Buys Zellers From HBC

U.S. retailer Target said Thursday it is buying the store leases of Canadian discount retail chain Zellers from Hudson's Bay Co. for $1.8 billion.

Under terms of the deal, Minneapolis-based Target will pay two payments of $912.5 million in cash, in May and September 2011, to acquire the leasehold interests of 220 Zellers locations in Canada.

The Zellers locations will continue to exist under that brand name for "a period of time," HBC said in a release. But Target will convert 100 to 150 of those Zellers locations to Target stores in 2013 and 2014 and sell the rest of the current Zellers network of store leases to other retailers

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2011/01/13/target-zelles-takeover.html#ixzz1Avfxj5t0

It will be interesting to see what this means for the two Zellers locations in Moncton. I can see the Northwest Centre location becoming a Target's. I'm not so sure about the Superstore Mall location.

Marshall's is also coming to Canada and plans to open 100 locations. This sort of roll out should include Moncton. If Target's is planning to sell some of it's newly acquired Zeller's properties, I could see Marshall's perhaps taking over the Superstore Mall location.

Lowe's is planning on 75-100 Canadian home improvement stores. Again, this sort of expansion should include Moncton. It will be interesting to see what happens here.

The retail landscape is changing..........

[David1gray]

^^^ interesting, as some one who worked at zellers for a little over 2 years i will interested in where this goes.

[kwajo]

Target's Buys Zellers From HBC

U.S. retailer Target said Thursday it is buying the store leases of Canadian discount retail chain Zellers from Hudson's Bay Co. for $1.8 billion.

Under terms of the deal, Minneapolis-based Target will pay two payments of $912.5 million in cash, in May and September 2011, to acquire the leasehold interests of 220 Zellers locations in Canada.

The Zellers locations will continue to exist under that brand name for "a period of time," HBC said in a release. But Target will convert 100 to 150 of those Zellers locations to Target stores in 2013 and 2014 and sell the rest of the current Zellers network of store leases to other retailers

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2011/01/13/target-zelles-takeover.html#ixzz1Avfxj5t0

It will be interesting to see what this means for the two Zellers locations in Moncton. I can see the Northwest Centre location becoming a Target's. I'm not so sure about the Superstore Mall location.

Marshall's is also coming to Canada and plans to open 100 locations. This sort of roll out should include Moncton. If Target's is planning to sell some of it's newly acquired Zeller's properties, I could see Marshall's perhaps taking over the Superstore Mall location.

Lowe's is planning on 75-100 Canadian home improvement stores. Again, this sort of expansion should include Moncton. It will be interesting to see what happens here.

The retail landscape is changing..........
There was word a few years ago, when JD Irving was having even bigger financial troubles than they are now, that they were close to selling all the Kent locations to Lowe's. It'd be a great way for the retailer to get a foothold in the region, but I can't see how likely it is these days.

[gehrhardt]

Target's Buys Zellers From HBC

U.S. retailer Target said Thursday it is buying the store leases of Canadian discount retail chain Zellers from Hudson's Bay Co. for $1.8 billion.

Under terms of the deal, Minneapolis-based Target will pay two payments of $912.5 million in cash, in May and September 2011, to acquire the leasehold interests of 220 Zellers locations in Canada.

The Zellers locations will continue to exist under that brand name for "a period of time," HBC said in a release. But Target will convert 100 to 150 of those Zellers locations to Target stores in 2013 and 2014 and sell the rest of the current Zellers network of store leases to other retailers

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2011/01/13/target-zelles-takeover.html#ixzz1Avfxj5t0

It will be interesting to see what this means for the two Zellers locations in Moncton. I can see the Northwest Centre location becoming a Target's. I'm not so sure about the Superstore Mall location.

Marshall's is also coming to Canada and plans to open 100 locations. This sort of roll out should include Moncton. If Target's is planning to sell some of it's newly acquired Zeller's properties, I could see Marshall's perhaps taking over the Superstore Mall location.

Lowe's is planning on 75-100 Canadian home improvement stores. Again, this sort of expansion should include Moncton. It will be interesting to see what happens here.

The retail landscape is changing..........

Not surprising on Zellers. If you've ever shopped for clothing at Target, they sell almost identical brands to Zellers.

Isn't Marshalls owned by the same company as Winners? If so, it may just be a re branding.

I'd be surprised if Moncton got a Lowe's. Isn't the reason we don't have a full Rona here because of the overabundance of home improvement chains here already?

Personally, whenever my family and I go shopping in Bangor (at least a couple of times per year), we hit the Target (pun intended) every time. I think we've been to Marshall's once. Now if Kohl's would open in Canada, that'd be something to get excited about. :)

[cl812]

Marshalls is owned by TJX which owns Winners and TJ Maxx.

[MonctonRad]

Not surprising on Zellers. If you've ever shopped for clothing at Target, they sell almost identical brands to Zellers.

Isn't Marshalls owned by the same company as Winners? If so, it may just be a re branding.

I'd be surprised if Moncton got a Lowe's. Isn't the reason we don't have a full Rona here because of the overabundance of home improvement chains here already?

Personally, whenever my family and I go shopping in Bangor (at least a couple of times per year), we hit the Target (pun intended) every time. I think we've been to Marshall's once. Now if Kohl's would open in Canada, that'd be something to get excited about. :)

- Supposedly Rona is going to build a store on Dieppe Blvd., across from the new Co-op supermarket.

- Kohl's is planning on entering the Canadian market, beginning in Ontario.

[Alberta Bound]

- Supposedly Rona is going to build a store on Dieppe Blvd., across from the new Co-op supermarket.

- Kohl's is planning on entering the Canadian market, beginning in Ontario.

They recently opened a Lowes in Calgary near where I live and I don't find it that special. On the other hand, Rona I like mainly because they offer better weekly sales than Home Depot or Lowes. I could live without Lowes to be honest.

[acrew79]

Hey all... Not sure if it was mentioned or not..

Jagoe Jewellers on Main street is closed( closing) and a new gourmet burger joint is opening.

RELISH GOURMET BURGERS is opening at 806 main Street

http://www.relishme.ca/the-menu/moncton

[Taeolas]

I guess that means Gene won't have to go to Oromocto to get his burgers next time he's in the Maritimes. :)

[mmmatt]

Hey all... Not sure if it was mentioned or not..

Jagoe Jewellers on Main street is closed( closing) and a new gourmet burger joint is opening.

RELISH GOURMET BURGERS is opening at 806 main Street

http://www.relishme.ca/the-menu/moncton

Heard about this a while ago, cant wait, I heard they were really good...Jagoes has been out of there for a while, they didn't close though, they moved to Shediac rd...they are one of my regular deliveries :) they said they moved for the lower rent and better parking.

[mylesmalley]

Relish is great! I've been to the one in Fredericton a few times.

[MonctonRad]

Editorial from today's T&T

Moncton council priorities skewed
Published Saturday January 15th, 2011

Moncton City Council is struggling with approving its capital works budget for this year, but it is time for councillors to step back and consider their priorities. Citizens are getting fed up with all the council hand-wringing over progressive projects that are designed to, and will without doubt, bring growth and revenue to the municipality.

It is time our councillors recognized that what Moncton does best is recreation (sports and entertainment) and tourism. We invariably shine and win great praise for our events, large and small, and they bring tens of thousands of visitors to the city who spend huge amounts while here and boost our economy. Sometimes it is big concerts, sometimes festivals, sometimes large sporting events and sometimes other attractions, but the point, and their benefits, are the same. But Moncton cannot continue growing and continue to sustain such activity - and again it is what we are best at and what is pushing our city to the forefront in our region - without investing in the necessary infrastructure.

We note that Saint John is beginning to understand this and is correctly being urged by its newspaper to continue investing in recreation and quality of life facilities, not only because citizens want it but also because these things are what define a city and its quality of life and what help make it attractive to investors and visitors alike, thus spurring growth.

Meanwhile, despite all Moncton's success and proven track record, we still hear hand-wringing on council over the cost of the new stadium, including a modest last minute overrun. But Mayor George LeBlanc is correct: the spending was justified and the stadium will continue paying big dividends to the city over many years to come as it hosts more and more events.

Council does have 'meat and potatoes' items to attend to, including roads, but city council is also spending all kinds of money on questionable projects when it ought to be putting the cash into what we do best. Why is the city engaging in political pandering by funding universities (two of them) when it is a provincial responsibility? And that was done essentially behind closed doors and with little debate or hand-wringing.

Why is council planning expensive traffic circles when citizens neither like them nor need them? Why has council in the past put a rooftop garden on city hall, inaccessible and unseen? And the list can go on. Moncton City Council needs to get its priorities straight.

Personal note - The tone of the last two paragraphs is a little harsh, but aside from that, this is a very good editorial and serves to highlight the fact that Moncton does indeed need to invest in the in the necessary infrastructure to continue our progress towards being a regional entertainment, retail and sports hub. We need a new downtown arena/events and convention centre to complement our existing facilties and infrastructure. This will likely mean a civic investment of $30-40M, supplemented by federal and provincial funding and hopefully some private sector involvement as well. This investment however is necessary, especially when you see new convention facilities in Fredericton, Charlottetown and Halifax and when you realize that the Coliseum is actually the oldest major arena in the region. This needs to be done.......

[MonctonRad]

They are beginning to put up the structural steel for the new medical/dental building on Mapleton Road, next to Lady Ada Street and the Future Inn.

:tup:

[benvui]

I took my family to a Wildcats game this weekend, and it will be the last one we go to for a long time. There was nothing wrong with the product on the ice (even though the Wildcats lost), the problem was the building. We had tickets in the upper bowl and we couldn't stay to watch the end of the game. The problem was the heat, it was so hot that my daughter ended up getting sick and my son who is less than a year old was sweating and uncomfortable the whole time. It is amazing to me that on a cool January day (-6 at game time) that they are unable to keep the arena at a reasonable temperature.
I was there during the Memorial cup a few years ago when it was warm outside and it was unbearable then, but I attributed it to the unseasonably warm temperatures outside. It it time for a new venue. The coliseum being over 40 years old was not built with the changing environment in mind. Aside from all the other advantages of building a new facility, the fact that they can't regulate the temperature in the building properly should be cause enough to get something built. Its time to put up the money and get this project started. In my mind there is no sound argument about not doing this and even if the provincial and federal governments won't put up enough to cover the one third of the project required (according to one of the MANY reports) I think the city should find other ways of funding this, whether it be a public/private partnership or whatever they come up with. Until then, I'll be listening to the games on the radio.

[BlackYear]

"There was nothing wrong with the product on the ice"

I agree 100%. I've attended 1 Wild Cats game since day one, and that was last year. I want to attend more, but never again at the Coliseum. It's not even a price of admission issue, it's purely a horrible venue experience which is keeping me away from this building.

[gehrhardt]

"There was nothing wrong with the product on the ice"

I agree 100%. I've attended 1 Wild Cats game since day one, and that was last year. I want to attend more, but never again at the Coliseum. It's not even a price of admission issue, it's purely a horrible venue experience which is keeping me away from this building.

I agree as well. When I lived in SJ, my wife and I had season tickets to the Flames. We moved to the Moncton area almost 6 years ago and I have been to exactly one Wildcats game. It was very uncomfortable sitting in those stands and I am not going out of my way to see games until the situation with the Coliseum is resolved.

[David_99]

I think I've been to a total of 2 Wildcats games. I was dragged to both and never went back.
I've been to the Bell Centre twice as many times. Great memories! Hockey belongs downtown!

[MonctonRad]

Well, as a Wildcats seasons ticket holder, I feel compelled to offer some defence of the team and of the venue.....

Firstly, as other people have mentioned, there is nothing wrong with the product. In fact, the Wildcats are the most successful franchise in the QMJHL over the last five years, having gone to the Memorial Cup twice during that time. The team should not be punished for the failings of the venue.

My defence of the Coliseum is much more muted. The most I will say is that lower bowl seating is somewhat better than upper bowl seating and that the arena tends to be less stuffy when you don't have full houses like we did on the weekend :)

I think the main take away from the opinions expressed above is that the franchise should be even more successful when relocated to a new downtown arena. The Wildcats have the third best attendance in the Q at present at about 4,800 per game. In a new venue, I wonder if attendance would increase to between 5,500 and 6,000?

Yet another reason to build a new arena. :tup:

[David_99]

:previous:

Oh, of course. I don't think anyone's complaining about the product. I'm a huge hockey fan and would love to see more games, but not in their current location. A big thing for me when it comes to hockey is the excitement before hand and the celebration after a win. I can't get excited knowing I'm going to the coliseum and I can't celebrate a Wildcats win without waiting in my car for an hour+ to get out of the parking lot. I'd much rather park downtown early, eat, go see the game and experience a nice atmosphere, then downtown again afterwards.

[MonctonRad]

Metro plans traffic future
Published Monday January 17th, 2011

Communities creating regional master plan to deal with changes in traffic volume and flow
By Eric Lewis
Times & Transcript Staff

As Metro Moncton continues to grow both residentially and commercially, the traffic hot spots are well known to local residents.

If you're a Riverview resident working in Moncton, you probably know exactly the time of day West Main Street at the causeway bottlenecks and it's easier to take the Gunningsville Bridge home.

If you're a Dieppe resident trying to get to and from Moncton, it's likely you are able to time your commute so finely that you're convinced it saves you five seconds every morning on Champlain Street, Paul Street or Veterans Highway, Highway 15.

And if you live or work in north-end Moncton ... if you can avoid the Trinity Drive, Plaza Boulevard and Mountain Road area, your day probably runs a lot smoother.

As Metro grows, so do its traffic problems. In recent years, each municipality has made strides in trying to improve traffic flow, including in the trouble spots just mentioned.

In fact, tri-community staff and councils are just starting the process of working together to form a regional transportation master plan.

Michel Ouellet, director of engineering and public works with the Town of Riverview, says the project is literally just beginning, so he couldn't offer anything in the way of details.

Riverview Mayor Clarence Sweetland says the idea is to paint an "overall picture of the tri-community, which is pretty sizable."

For Riverview's part, the smallest of the three municipalities rarely sees a bottleneck of traffic, aside from the occasional, brief backups on Coverdale Road next to the Atlantic Superstore and fast food restaurants.

The biggest road construction project taken on in the town in recent history is the construction of the new Gunningsville Bridge, along with Gunningsville Boulevard, which wraps around the middle of town, connecting the bridge with the town's burgeoning Findlay Park business area.

"Our problem always was the old bridge," Sweetland says, explaining that it would create traffic delays and make it difficult getting in and out of town.

The new four-lane bridge opened in 2005, and was followed in 2008 by Gunningsville Boulevard, which a study that year said diverted 2,800 cars daily off of Coverdale Road. Coverdale is the town's main artery that sees 22,000 vehicles per day in the heart of downtown.

The purpose of the new road wasn't so much to divert traffic as it was to open up land for possible development.

"It's kind of built more for the future than it was to fix a problem now," explains Ouellet.

Riverview may not have serious traffic troubles, but Moncton and Dieppe both have their difficult areas.

In Moncton, a massive project on Mapleton Road near Trinity Drive has improved traffic in that area, and the city also completed a project at the intersection of Horsman and Berry Mills roads. Another possible change in the future would see the addition of another turn lane off Berry Mills onto Edinburgh to ease congestion.

Stephane Thibodeau, transportation co-ordinator, says the city usually waits about a year after any major traffic changes to calculate exactly how traffic flow was impacted. So while numbers aren't available yet, Thibodeau says the changes Moncton made in recent history have made a difference.

"It usually takes about six months for motorists or drivers to get accustomed to changing their travel habits," he says.

"We've noticed for the first couple months, nothing really changed much for Mountain Road when Horsman and Berry Mills were opened. But as it came toward the sixth month, you noticed a big difference in the morning, especially trying to go down Mountain Road; it's less congested."

Mountain Road at Trinity Drive, its busiest spot, sees an average of 32,000 vehicles a day. Only a few kilometres up Mountain, at Gorge Road, an average of 21,000 vehicles travel there a day.

As far as Mapleton goes, Thibodeau says opening up extra lanes in the power centre changed traffic flow "over night."

"It works much, much better," he says. "We're hoping that will really stimulate more development growth in the area."

He says there are no plans to widen the rest of Mapleton Road past Carson Drive, heading toward Mountain Road, as it isn't meant to be a major traffic artery and it's in a more residential area.

Another big project the city just completed was the somewhat hidden but oft-used Millennium Boulevard, which connects Vaughn Harvey Boulevard to Killam Drive next to the Moncton Coliseum.

"Millennium is a long-term project," Thibodeau explains. It now has sidewalks and curb and gutter, but eventually the city wants to improve access to Millennium at Pacific Avenue and Vaughn Harvey Boulevard.

In addition, there are long-term plans to align Millennium with Worthington Avenue on the other side of Killam into one large intersection.

Next year, a roundabout is planned, connecting Russ Howard Drive to Killam, Purdy and Collishaw.

Thibodeau says there are always areas that can use improvement, but those are the big projects planned. As for the Trinity, Mountain, Plaza bottleneck, he says there's not much that can be done. He says traffic lights have been adjusted to help ease congestion, and also noted that changes to nearby Mapleton and the Berry Mills/Horsman area have helped.

The transportation co-ordinator says the transportation master plan with Riverview and Dieppe will involve councils, staff, the province, the public and consultants. It will deal not only with private vehicles, but also pedestrian traffic and public transportation.

It is expected take a year to two years to complete.

In Dieppe, the obvious recent traffic change was work completed to Paul Street, a major artery that connects downtown Dieppe to Champlain Place and Crystal Palace, Highway 15 and Wheeler Boulevard.

Jacques LeBlanc, the city's director of engineering and public works, says Paul Street receives an average of 30,000 vehicles a day.

No new information on traffic flow is available yet, since the road only completely reopened a few months ago, but LeBlanc believes traffic is flowing much better on Paul than it used to.

"You don't see any lineups, there's no queue lineups coming out of the traffic circle," he says. "People that come out of the traffic circle that want to access Paul Street ... before at Christmastime, you'd have people backing into the traffic circle. That's a thing of the past."

The city has been fine tuning traffic lights to make the best use of the revamped thoroughfare, and work on that continues.

LeBlanc says Dieppe is eyeing a few more major projects, but they are not necessarily in the city's immediate future.

There are plans to one day widen Champlain Street, which sees an average of 31,000 vehicles per day, into six lanes. That project would involve the city and province.

In addition, Dieppe has hopes of easing congestion on Dieppe Boulevard, which today sees an average of 24,300 vehicles per day, a 20 per cent increase over 2008 numbers.

"The numbers reflect what people experience," LeBlanc says, "the delays and all that, in that area. And that's probably our most congested area right now."

The city also wants to see better access to Highway 15, Veterans Highway, from the Dieppe and Harrisville boulevards area.

"We're working with DOT and the City of Moncton and the airport to try to come up with a design that's going to move traffic a lot easier on a 20-year horizon," he says.

Once planning is complete, the city will seek funding and develop a timeline for the project, but nothing concrete is planned at this time.

Meanwhile, a roundabout will be constructed this year, connecting Acadia, Regis, Evangeline and Thibodeau streets.

"Roundabouts ... are fairly new to the area, so that should be a challenge for us as far as construction-wise, but (also) just to get people to get the right habits to drive into and out of the roundabouts," the director of engineering and public works says.

In a city growing as quickly as Dieppe, LeBlanc says it can be difficult to keep up with the changes. However, he was happy to note that while Paul Street was a maze under construction this past summer, residents were accommodating, likely because they knew the end result would be positive.

"For us, it's a matter of coping with the changes," he says. "It's always changing because of the growth we're experiencing. It's hard to stay on top of it.

"We find ourselves reacting to things we hadn't planned for or didn't see coming. Most times we try and stay ahead of it and do the corrections as we can."

[stephan.richard]

Well, as a Wildcats seasons ticket holder, I feel compelled to offer some defence of the team and of the venue.....

Firstly, as other people have mentioned, there is nothing wrong with the product. In fact, the Wildcats are the most successful franchise in the QMJHL over the last five years, having gone to the Memorial Cup twice during that time. The team should not be punished for the failings of the venue.

My defence of the Coliseum is much more muted. The most I will say is that lower bowl seating is somewhat better than upper bowl seating and that the arena tends to be less stuffy when you don't have full houses like we did on the weekend :)

I think the main take away from the opinions expressed above is that the franchise should be even more successful when relocated to a new downtown arena. The Wildcats have the third best attendance in the Q at present at about 4,800 per game. In a new venue, I wonder if attendance would increase to between 5,500 and 6,000?

Yet another reason to build a new arena. :tup:


I agree totally with MonctonRad on this one I am also a season ticket holder for the Cats and I have been in a few arena's accros the Q league and I am somewhat proud of the product we have for the moment but we are in need of a new Venue downtown hopefully where the Highfield Square is and make it good for 10K plus hockey configuration and 12k concert with a lower bowl and full upper bowl with corporate boxes. the only advise i have to give to anyone going to the Coliseum is to take you seat in the lower bowl VS the balcony... But all we can hope is the city goes ahead this year with the groundbreaking of the site... BTW MonctonRad I am in Section 23 and what section are you in.. message me we could meet up for a beer down the road at the coliseum..

[NBNYer]

Looks like ambitious plans! :tup:

20% increase in traffic on Dieppe blvd is pretty surprising. During the planning stages for this project, I remember reading that 4 lanes were contemplated but finally rejected for now. So I'm sure they planned for widening in the future, still, it seems like a tight squeeze for expansion in some areas between the high tension lines on one side and the metal lamp posts on the other.

Champlain could benefit from a similar revamp as Paul st. There are too many access points/driveways, cars driving onto and trying to exit by turning left slow down everyone. Widening with a centre median could be justifiable I think.

[pierremoncton]

Biggest news for a while, and I'm pasting it before MonctonRad does!

--

Source: http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/article/1371723

Downtown office building in works
Moncton council discusses sale of land for $10M project
BY BRENT MAZEROLLE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

There are still a number of hurdles to clear, but plans are afoot for a $10-million, six-storey office complex that could one day serve as one of the gateways to downtown Moncton.

Developers want to build the office and retail complex at the northeast corner of Vaughan Harvey Boulevard and Assomption Boulevard, a development that would greet visitors travelling into Moncton from the Gunningsville Bridge.

The City of Moncton currently owns the land, which is bound on the west by Vaughan Harvey, on the south by Assomption, and on the north by CN's national rail line.

On the east is land owned by John MacIntyre MacLean, accessible from Albert Street.

Last night, Moncton council voted to start the legal process of disposing of the land. If at the end of the process, council votes to sell the land to the developers who have approached them, the proposal is that the city would receive $50,000 for the property.

Councillor Nancy Hoar, whose ward includes the land, said she thought it sounded like a fine development, but raised concerns on a few fronts.

She didn't like the way the sale and the price felt like a done deal, she was concerned that it meant filling in yet another piece of wetland, and she noted the council would have to rezone the land, which currently has a P-2 parkland designation.

However, Mayor George LeBlanc pointed out MacLean is one of the development partners, and because he already owns the adjacent land providing the only access to the site, it is highly unlikely anyone would be willing to pay the city more for land they can't get to.

Also, because the building planned would reap $200,000 to $250,000 every year in property taxes, he and other councillors argued getting $50,000 for what he called a piece of "swampland" sounded like a good deal.

As for the wetland issue, city staff advised the council the provincial Department of Environment had given approval to infilling the marsh without the usual conditions because it is very small and surrounded by roadways and the railroad land on all sides.

Last year, the City of Moncton created a much larger piece of wetland across the street from the parcel in question, which is where area waterfowl that had used the smaller wetland seemed to have re-established themselves.

That's not to suggest a net gain in wetland, however, since what the city created to the east of the Gunningsville Bridge was done to offset the wetland lost to the roadbeds of Assomption and Vaughan Harvey.

Whoever ultimately buys and builds on the land would have to divert a major trunk sewer line on the property at their cost, and the developers who approached the city have said they are willing to do the estimated $400,000 worth of work.

[gehrhardt]

Duplicate post...

[pierremoncton]

Meanwhile, in Dieppe:

Source: http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/article/1371679

Apartment building slated
Published Tuesday January 18th, 2011

Dieppe project expected to get underway in May
Times & Transcript Staff

Developers are tentatively planning a new apartment building on Gauvin Road in Dieppe, near Pascal Street.

While no building permit has been applied for yet, a company is setting the stage for a six-storey building at that location, with eight units per storey, for a total of 48 apartments. The property is already zoned R3, which permits these types of buildings, so there is no need for the proponents to go through a rezoning process. The project is tentatively slated to get underway in May.

--

Is there even already a 6-storey building in Dieppe?

[MonctonRad]

Biggest news for a while, and I'm pasting it before MonctonRad does!

Dammit, beat me to it! :haha:

I am pleased to see this proposed development. That's a high profile corner that I assumed would not remain vacant for long.

Hopefully within the next 10-12 years, there will be a string of high quality developments along the entire north side of Assomption. We already have this proposal, the new law courts and a rumoured condo development across the street from the law courts. Who knows what else is brewing.......

Assomption Blvd. should be quite attractive to developers. It is a major crosstown route and an entry to the downtown core. It's also situated on the riverfront with the riverfront trail close at hand. This could be the start of many good things...

:tup:

[mylesmalley]

Let's hope this is the first of many... It's going to look pretty lonely all by itself at that corner.

[BlackYear]

Developers are tentatively planning a new apartment building on Gauvin Road in Dieppe, near Pascal Street.

While no building permit has been applied for yet, a company is setting the stage for a six-storey building at that location, with eight units per storey, for a total of 48 apartments. The property is already zoned R3, which permits these types of buildings, so there is no need for the proponents to go through a rezoning process. The project is tentatively slated to get underway in May.

--

Is there even already a 6-storey building in Dieppe?

Does this mean it's going to have a steel frame? Is 4 stories the highest you can go on a wood frame structure?

Will the residents of this corner kick & scream and protest this project because of privacy issues? :haha:

[BlackYear]

Assomption Blvd. should be quite attractive to developers. It is a major crosstown route and an entry to the downtown core. It's also situated on the riverfront with the riverfront trail close at hand. This could be the start of many good things...

:tup:

I really really hope Tim Horton stays away from this area.:yes:

[gehrhardt]

Biggest news for a while, and I'm pasting it before MonctonRad does!

--

Source: http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/article/1371723

Downtown office building in works
Moncton council discusses sale of land for $10M project
BY BRENT MAZEROLLE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

There are still a number of hurdles to clear, but plans are afoot for a $10-million, six-storey office complex that could one day serve as one of the gateways to downtown Moncton.

Developers want to build the office and retail complex at the northeast corner of Vaughan Harvey Boulevard and Assomption Boulevard, a development that would greet visitors travelling into Moncton from the Gunningsville Bridge.

The City of Moncton currently owns the land, which is bound on the west by Vaughan Harvey, on the south by Assomption, and on the north by CN's national rail line.

On the east is land owned by John MacIntyre MacLean, accessible from Albert Street.

Last night, Moncton council voted to start the legal process of disposing of the land. If at the end of the process, council votes to sell the land to the developers who have approached them, the proposal is that the city would receive $50,000 for the property.

Councillor Nancy Hoar, whose ward includes the land, said she thought it sounded like a fine development, but raised concerns on a few fronts.

She didn't like the way the sale and the price felt like a done deal, she was concerned that it meant filling in yet another piece of wetland, and she noted the council would have to rezone the land, which currently has a P-2 parkland designation.

However, Mayor George LeBlanc pointed out MacLean is one of the development partners, and because he already owns the adjacent land providing the only access to the site, it is highly unlikely anyone would be willing to pay the city more for land they can't get to.

Also, because the building planned would reap $200,000 to $250,000 every year in property taxes, he and other councillors argued getting $50,000 for what he called a piece of "swampland" sounded like a good deal.

As for the wetland issue, city staff advised the council the provincial Department of Environment had given approval to infilling the marsh without the usual conditions because it is very small and surrounded by roadways and the railroad land on all sides.

Last year, the City of Moncton created a much larger piece of wetland across the street from the parcel in question, which is where area waterfowl that had used the smaller wetland seemed to have re-established themselves.

That's not to suggest a net gain in wetland, however, since what the city created to the east of the Gunningsville Bridge was done to offset the wetland lost to the roadbeds of Assomption and Vaughan Harvey.

Whoever ultimately buys and builds on the land would have to divert a major trunk sewer line on the property at their cost, and the developers who approached the city have said they are willing to do the estimated $400,000 worth of work.

Crap!! We both posted it on the same MINUTE. :haha:

[theshark]

2 good projects of 6 stories announced in the same week, I almost fainted when I saw that. Can't wait to see renderings!!!!

[theshark]

Does this mean it's going to have a steel frame? Is 4 stories the highest you can go on a wood frame structure?

Will the residents of this corner kick & scream and protest this project because of privacy issues? :haha:

If the developper would make it the right way, i would expect a concrete structure for the appartment building

[mylesmalley]

Does this mean it's going to have a steel frame? Is 4 stories the highest you can go on a wood frame structure?

Will the residents of this corner kick & scream and protest this project because of privacy issues? :haha:

We're sailing into relatively uncharted waters here. Hard to say what bad weather we might hit.

[mmmatt]

This is awesome! Great news all around with the proposed developments...I may have some interesting pixels to share, today as I was doing deliveries I happened upon Gauvain rd on my way to Cyr st. Didn't even hear of this development yet and I passed by a sign that I HAD to share! lol and here I was thinking I would post it to ask if anyone had heard of it...fearing it was old and not going to happen!

Here it is:

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/9365/photo0189copy.jpg

[mylesmalley]

Finally!

Looks like Dieppe's about to get a new tallest building.

[mmmatt]

Finally!

Looks like Dieppe's about to get a new tallest building.

Yep...looks nice to me from the render...my only beef is the location...on Gauvin rd...tiny little street behind Champlain...

We need more buildings like this downtown...I would even prefer this to go up in "downtown" Dieppe. It seems like a waste of a nice 6 floor residential development to plunk it in a sleepy little neighborhood.

It will be visible driving up Champlain, but that's not really a huge consolation

[theshark]

No news if there will be retail on street level?

[BlackYear]

I assume Gauvin Estates will be located somewhere within the red box.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j303/blacquiere/Moncton/dieppe05.jpg

[NBNYer]

Yep...looks nice to me from the render...my only beef is the location...on Gauvin rd...tiny little street behind Champlain...

We need more buildings like this downtown...I would even prefer this to go up in "downtown" Dieppe. It seems like a waste of a nice 6 floor residential development to plunk it in a sleepy little neighborhood.

It will be visible driving up Champlain, but that's not really a huge consolation

Not a bad looking building at all! :tup: I agree about the location, it would have looked nice downtown. On the other hand, these new projects are a vote of confidence in the local market, maybe it will help move some other projects out of limbo... i.e. downtown residential on Est Main and Vaugh Harvey area.

[NBNYer]

No news if there will be retail on street level?

Rendering and location would both suggest residential only

[Dmajackson]

No offense to Moncton/Dieppe but that building would be classified as ugly in Halifax (along the lines of Hydrostone Place).

But congrats on starting to get some more height in the urban core. :tup:

[mylesmalley]

The important thing to consider here is that it's a sign that developers at least considering building up rather than out. The tallest residential building to go up in Moncton in the last 15?? years is Belmar Plaza, and it's a whopping 6 stories as well. The fact that this is over 4 is a major accomplishment and hopefully will be a good sign of things to come.

Moncton is lagging way behind the rest of the Maritimes with regard to high-rise residential construction. Even Fredericton, at 2/3 our size, just finished one 6 story building, a 7-story is U/C, and a 7-story I think has just been approved, and that's all within the last year.

[MonctonRad]

No offense to Moncton/Dieppe but that building would be classified as ugly in Halifax (along the lines of Hydrostone Place).

But congrats on starting to get some more height in the urban core. :tup:

Well, at least it's not four stories and vinyl clad......

It might be a relatively uninspired style and a poor location but it is still an indication that the local market is changing and becoming more sophisticated. The new apartment complex that they built on Lewisville Road last year was quite nice too.

I'm taking this as a further vote of confidence in the community and a harbinger of good things to come, such as the condo developments proposed in the downtown core.

[BlackYear]

Anyone know the approximate price tag on such a project as this (Gauvin Estates)?

[curious]

In the mall comes Bath and body works and Victoria secret. Both of these were rumoured to come to the Mapleton power centre. Now it is an eye sore. I hope something goes there..

Any news on any new stores opening on Main St. The "Style" shoe store although $$ seems to be doing well.

[MonctonRad]

In the mall comes Bath and body works and Victoria secret. Both of these were rumoured to come to the Mapleton power centre. Now it is an eye sore. I hope something goes there..

Any news on any new stores opening on Main St. The "Style" shoe store although $$ seems to be doing well.

Interesting......

I predicted Victoria's Secret several months ago when La Senza was bought out by them. Since there was both a La Senza and a La Senza Express in the mall, I assumed one of them would be converted. I noticed the other day that the La Senza location was renovating.

Is Bath and Body Works moving into the old Sam's location next to H&M?

[ErickMontreal]

Greater Moncton is so far ahead in terms of retail within New-Brunswick...

The last two years was crazy in that regard, off the top of my head : Bath and body, H&M, La vie en Rose, Victoria's Secret, Bikini Village, Stockhomme, Jacob, David's tea, Laura, Aearoportale, Linen Chest, Sirens, Costa Blanca have been added to the market.

[nwalbert]

Greater Moncton is so far ahead in terms of retail within New-Brunswick...

The last two years was crazy in that regard, off the top of my head : Bath and body, H&M, La vie en Rose, Victoria's Secret, Bikini Village, Stockhomme, Jacob, David's tea, Laura, Aearoportale, Linen Chest, Sirens, Costa Blanca have been added to the market.

Is the Moncton female population percentage high? I don't recognize most of these stores, but seems like they are all female focused retailers. Just seemed odd.

Personally I think Moncton's retail edge evaporated with Costco. It is a huge draw,and most Fredericton folks now come to the SJ Costco. I don't think too many people drive 1.5 hours to go to Bikini Village or David's tea.

[MonctonRad]

:previous:

Costco would certainly appeal to a different demographic than David Tea or Victoria's Secret.............:haha:

Champlain Place is actively promoting itself as a "fashion mall", which means that there isn't too much there for male members of the population.

As far as Costco is concerned, I don't get the impression that the Moncton location is that much less busy than before the SJ Costco opened. I think the majority of the shoppers there are local, from the north of the province and from PEI and northern NS.

[nwalbert]

:previous:

As far as Costco is concerned, I don't get the impression that the Moncton location is that much less busy than before the SJ Costco opened. I think the majority of the shoppers there are local, from the north of the province and from PEI and northern NS.


That is good to hear. Would be really nice if the "region" could work together and say to potential large retailers we can support two Costco's.

[JasonL-Moncton]

Victoria's Secret is coming to Champlain Place? Seriously? I'm actually quite surprised by this.

Jason

PS> Wish we could get an Abercrombie or a Hollister.

PPS> Maybe they should make Mapleton the "male" shopping area, Kent, Home Depot, Costco, Future Shop, and in a Best Buy, and some other male demographic centered store along with men's clothing :P

[JHikka]

Victoria's Secret is coming to Champlain Place? Seriously? I'm actually quite surprised by this.

It was announced a few months ago that VS wanted to expand their Canadian market.

[mylesmalley]

and some other male demographic centered store along with men's clothing :P


A store that sells axes, cigars, and sports cars.

[JHikka]

A store that sells axes, cigars, and sports cars.

Please. I always feel hated-on for being a man every time I visit Champlain Place.

[mylesmalley]

That's why I never go :haha:

[theshark]

A store that sells axes, cigars, and sports cars.

And Monster trucks!!!

[Steelcowboy]

The ultimate "MAN's STORE" would be BASS PRO SHOPS...It would do very well up here with all the outdoor activities in the maritimes....the "Lure" has to be cast out to them in order for them to the the maritime light :) I'm sure many US visitors would drive up for that as well, unless there's one in Maine somewhere.

:cheers:

[Steelcowboy]

The closest one is in Foxborough, MA a future store in Montreal. I'm surprised they don't have one in Minnesota...land of 10,000 lakes.

[JasonL-Moncton]

LOL...they could put a "Cabela's" or a "Bass Pro Shop" out at Mapleton too...highway access...perfect.

[cl812]

That is good to hear. Would be really nice if the "region" could work together and say to potential large retailers we can support two Costco's.

Actually, soon to be three Costco locations :). The Fredericton store is due to open in August.

[curious]

Yah seriously VS and bath and body works. I do agree the mall is horrible for males and even women over 40. I really want to open a MEC or Cabela's. I have emailed both and no response :(.

Victoria's Secret is coming to Champlain Place? Seriously? I'm actually quite surprised by this.

Jason

PS> Wish we could get an Abercrombie or a Hollister.

PPS> Maybe they should make Mapleton the "male" shopping area, Kent, Home Depot, Costco, Future Shop, and in a Best Buy, and some other male demographic centered store along with men's clothing :P

[David_99]

Is it now mandatory for every second store in Champlain to have a headache inducing perfume smell to them? I worked in that mall about 8 years ago with no problems. Now I can't spend 5 mins in it without having to leave due to dizziness and headache.

Oh well. I prefer to spend my money in Moncton anyway.

[mylesmalley]

If I wasn't so cheap, I'd suggest we all chip in and open up a mall that caters to people such as ourselves.

I hear there's some significant retail space downtown with great access to major roads which is going for bargain-basement prices. Who's with me!? :haha:

[JHikka]

Who's with me!? :haha:

I'm down with that.

[curious]

When I went to peoples the other day they told me they are moving to the old Mappins area and bath and body works was going in there? I really wish some stores would open up down town instead of in the mall. Downtown Moncton is so empty. It is an eye sore. :(


Interesting......

I predicted Victoria's Secret several months ago when La Senza was bought out by them. Since there was both a La Senza and a La Senza Express in the mall, I assumed one of them would be converted. I noticed the other day that the La Senza location was renovating.

Is Bath and Body Works moving into the old Sam's location next to H&M?

[MonctonRad]

When I went to peoples the other day they told me they are moving to the old Mappins area and bath and body works was going in there. :(

So:

- Peoples is moving into the old Mappin's location.
- Bath and Body Works is moving into the old Peoples location.
- Victoria's Secret is (presumably) moving into the La Senza location
- They are also renovating the old Sam's location next to H&M. There must be something moving into there as well. I know that Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory has been interested in moving into Champlain for some time......

[mmmatt]

the old Sams is going to be EB games...which will be at least 3 times bigger than their current locale. Read it on the building permit above the door yesterday :)

So perhaps the old EB will be Rocky Mountain Chocolate? Seems like the perfect size for a candy store...

[theshark]

So no more eb games at Champlain, no more reason for me to go here anymore....... Haaaa read it wrong , there is still hope

[mmmatt]

So no more eb games at Champlain, no more reason for me to go here anymore....... Haaaa read it wrong , there is still hope

Ya...that end of the mall is kinda manly with Sport Chek, Eddie Bauer and now EB Games haha

[MonctonRad]

Hmmmmm........

The old EB location is right next to People's isn't it. Maybe it's going to get incorporated into the Bath & Bodyworks location