Official Sydney and Area Projects Thread

[theshark]

Welcome back!

[Smevo]

Yes, it's that again.

https://www.capebretonpost.com/busin...opment-501587/

The CEO of the firm that has the contract for marketing the port claims everything is in place, including shipping lines and port operators, to get the port going, with one exception. He claims the rail line having to be repaired and upgraded is the only stumbling block, and since it's foreign-owned, there's nothing they can do until a guarantee is in place that it will be restored. He's claiming that with that guarantee, they are ready to put shovels in the ground for the port.

We'll see what happens. Fingers crossed.

The article also has a conceptual image of the logistics park that would supposedly go along with this development. If it's anywhere near accurate, it's clear this would have a huge impact on the area.

[MonctonRad]

The province should buy the rail line back!

[Franco401]

As cool I think it would be to see that go to Saint John, I can scarcely believe that Saint John could steal this from Sydney. If repairing a line doesn't go through, SJ would still have to likely build a whole new line to an unoccupied waterfront site, a difficult task given the terrain of the unoccupied waterfront sites, and/or reclaim a bunch of land along the water.

[Smevo]

We'll see if the province has the political guts to buy the rail-line and do the work needed. Despite the business case if SHIP CEO's comments are the full reality, I'd be surprised if the current owners of the rail line forked out the cash. They've been trying to abandon the line for years. It would be nice to see the line be Canadian owned again though, whether that's the province or one of the Canadian rail companies.

[Smevo]

https://www.capebretonpost.com/news/...vation-513455/

Subscriber only article, but it does mention it's an $80m building before it gets cut off.

[Smevo]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...ging-1.5730315

Stumbled on this today, even though it's from just over a month ago.

800 steel piles are being driven for the foundation of NSCC, likely still happening now. They expect it to last a couple of months from this article.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Smevo

https://www.capebretonpost.com/news/...vation-513455/

Subscriber only article, but it does mention it's an $80m building before it gets cut off.

They talked about this on CTV News Atlantic tonight. Dave Dingwall announced the building even though he has not secured any federal or provincial funding yet. That certainly takes some balls. He was essentially daring the governments not to fund it!!!

Rendering showed an interesting circular shaped building with green cladding. I'm sure there will be an image available on line shortly.

[MonctonRad]

Here's an image from the Chronically Horrid online:

the proposed 80,000 square-foot centre will be built between the Verschuren Centre and the Shannon School of Business on the campus. The Arseneau-Britten building will be demolished to account for 50,000 square feet of the space needed to build a modern research and instructional facility featuring cutting-edge design and clean technology.

State-of-the-art research and research training laboratories, with innovation space to facilitate industry partnerships, are among its other features.

The centre will also house the Marshall Institute which will focus on environmental justice and Indigenous approaches to climate change.

https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/ne...vation-513455/ (paywall)

[Smevo]

Yeah, the post had that image as well, as does this CBC story about it, but it had been a while since I had posted images and didn't want to go against posting rules.

David Dingwall definitely showed some balls with the announcement, but he also has the connections to do so.

This will definitely look...um...interesting...next to it's neighbouring buildings. As a standalone, I like the design though. And it looks like it will be on the opposite side of the neighbouring buildings from the main roads (Grand Lake Rd and University Blvd), so may not be so bad next to the Verscheuren Center and Shannon School of Business from that side.

[Smevo]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/cbrm-getting-millions-to-move-fire-station-for-new-nscc-1.5757941

The province gave the municipality $4.75M to relocate the station to free up room for the new waterfront NSCC. The new station will be located at Pitt and George St, where a surface parking lot now sits. The site is near the Highland Arts Theater, which is why people are having issues with the location chosen, since blaring sirens only add the desired effect to a very small number of plays.

The councilor interviewed is right, the public consultation on it was terrible, even if it is the best option with all things considered (property ownership, quick major road access, coverage area, etc.)

[Smevo]

https://www.capebretonpost.com/business/local-business/something-new-and-exciting-planned-for-derelict-sydney-rail-station-514499/

No details yet, just something to keep an eye on. The property has a pending sale to DORA Construction being finalized, with "something new and exciting" planned as a new development on the site, so it must be at least a bungalow style tourist shop.

[Smevo]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...ment-1.5782412

This development specifically is a restaurant on the lower level (Prince St entrance), a small food court on the main level (Charlotte St entrance), and apartments on the third floor.

The article is worth a read through, as it mentions a lot of what's going on and proposed in the downtown area, some of which has been posted here, while others may not have. Even the vibe from the article is extremely promising for downtown.

[MonctonRad]

Good to hear that Sydney may be turning a corner.

Hopefully the pandemic won't interfere with these plans, but CBRM is somewhat dependent on the tourism sector for growth, both via visiting cruise ships, and land based tourism to places like the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Bell Museum, Louisbourg and cultural tourism too.

[Smevo]

Yes, the tourism industry is a definite concern of mine. Although the new developments in the economy are less dependent on this. There's a definite drive to turn the tourism industry into the area's "fun money", so to speak.

[Smevo]

Well, they were right about new and exciting. It'll be nice to see some true renders, though the massing looks decent.

Derelict Sydney train station back on track

A visual image depicting where Somerled Properties/DORA Construction will be constructing new multi-residential and mixed-use buildings on the site of the former train station on Dodd Street in Sydney. The site highlights the prime location, on the edge of the heart of the downtown, backdropped by Sydney harbour. CONTRIBUTED/DORA Construction

https://www.capebretonpost.com/news/local/derelict-sydney-train-station-back-on-track-515783/

As you can see, it's two multi-storey mixed use buildings (no firm details as the design is still in progress). Phase 1 is planned to start in the first half of the new year. This just further solidifies that there's a major transformation underway in the city, especially the downtown area.

[Smevo]

Bad news first...


Whitney Pier overpass to remain closed until mid-November


The Sydney-Whitney Pier viaduct will remain closed to traffic until the middle of November. Bad weather and some unexpected obstacles on the overpass have led to a slight delay in its re-opening which was to have been at the end of October. Motorists who regularly use the overpass have been utilizing the Lingan Road detour for the past six weeks. DAVID JALA/CAPE BRETON POST

They found issues with the cement and rebar conditions, which is sadly typical for bridge rehabs here. One might think NSDOT underestimates the wear and tear on infrastructure in the area.


And some good news to balance, in Glace Bay no less...

South Indian restaurant in Glace Bay proving popular

It's called AHS South Indian Restaurant, opened in Glace Bay by international students from India. They've expanded recently to include a lounge, and they're mentioning more expansion is possible.

[Smevo]

People powering Cape Breton company Protocase to continued expansion


The building in the picture is nearing completion, and will house the manufacturing of large scale servers for clients in the research, finance, surveillance and law enforcement industries. This is also the second of two new buildings, the first being completed last year to manufacture a product to serve the aerospace and defense industries.

They aren't pretty, but in an industrial/commercial park (Harbourside), they don't really have to be.

The company itself has grown to employ ~250 people. Not too shabby for a homegrown business.

[MonctonRad]

It is home grown enterprises like this that are the most important. They are much more likely to "stick" than another carpetbagging call centre from central Canada or Texas.

[Smevo]

Two-year $150 million deal for Cape Breton-founded company

The company produces non-caustic, non-toxic, and biodegradable lubricants and cleaners for heavy industrial applications. The $150M contract is with a Nigerian engineering company. Airesun Global has offices is Cape Breton and Manitoba, with the HQ in Glace Bay. This contract is estimated to directly create 150 jobs on the island.

Sydney trail to become more accessible

$10K to replace a couple of bridges and make some improvements to the trail. There were previous improvements which made the trail wheelchair accessible as well, meaning it's one of the few recreation trails that are. The article calls it a "downtown" trail, which is misleading, but it is an urban forest in an old-stock developed area of the city, mostly just inside the boundary created by Hwy125 here.