Official Fredericton, NB projects thread

[Blue Blazer]

Just saw online that Bouclair home is filing for bankruptcy, that was a decent size store in Fredericton opens another slot in the Corbrett Center

[DyAm00394]

Bouclair will file for bankruptcy, store closures expected

https://www.iheartradio.ca/610cktb/n...pJmVNBvbT2RI3c

The future of the home-decor chain Bouclair appears uncertain. The company says it plans to file for bankruptcy as part of a plan to be acquired by a new investor group that includes its chief executive.
The company says it will close some of its stores, and will seek an order authorizing a liquidation process for the assets in certain stores that will not be part of the transaction. Bouclair is a privately owned Canadian company that has 102 stores across Quebec, Ontario, Western and Atlantic Canada. The company has 45 stores in Ontario, including one in St. Catharines.
The Niagara Falls location at Niagara Square shuttered last year.

It appears that the Fredericton location might be closing because the Fredericton store (as well as the Dartmouth, NS store) no longer shows up on their website. So I would assume that these two locations will be closing then. Only the Moncton store shows up. The St.John's Newfoundland location also shows up on their website.

So from what I've gathered is that the Moncton and St.John's Newfoundland locations will remain open. The other two (Dartmouth and Fredericton) will be closing here in Atlantic Canada.




(Edit: just noticed Blue Blazer posted about it before I did, whoops lol)

[Taeolas]

Always sad to hear a business shutting down; but like downtown and Regent Mall, I doubt the spot will be empty for long.

And glad the Microunits project was approved. I wonder if that will warrant a crane as well?

[OliverD]

CBC article about the Waterloo Row project approval: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-b...356902?cmp=rss

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Always sad to hear a business shutting down; but like downtown and Regent Mall, I doubt the spot will be empty for long.

And glad the Microunits project was approved. I wonder if that will warrant a crane as well?

The renderings for the micro units project showed 5 floors. I think it will warrant a crane. This project should be very successful IMHO.

This is the developers web site:
https://www.microboutiqueliving.com/index.php

[Taeolas]

Yeah I just saw another copy of the rendering on FB and realized it will probably use a crane (especially considering how tight the build site will be). So with that, the Legion and the Risteen and 343 Queen projects, we have a decent chance of having 4 cranes in the Freddy skyline next summer.

Getting a shot with all four at once will probably be tricky with how far Waterloo Row is away; but I'm sure we'll be up for the challenge.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Yeah I just saw another copy of the rendering on FB and realized it will probably use a crane (especially considering how tight the build site will be). So with that, the Legion and the Risteen and 343 Queen projects, we have a decent chance of having 4 cranes in the Freddy skyline next summer.

Getting a shot with all four at once will probably be tricky with how far Waterloo Row is away; but I'm sure we'll be up for the challenge.

It's an exciting project. In their other locations they have ground floor commercial and the residential units above. Makes for a more upscale looking building IMHO.

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by Blue Blazer

Just saw online that Bouclair home is filing for bankruptcy, that was a decent size store in Fredericton opens another slot in the Corbett Center

Likely will be others. There is always a rush to bankruptcy after Xmas. It will be interesting to see who's on the naughty list this year. Sad but its a normal part of the commercial lifecycle

[jonny golden]

Chicken Bones Liqueur made at Moonshine Creek Distillery in Waterville!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-b...ueur-1.5358743

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

Likely will be others. There is always a rush to bankruptcy after Xmas. It will be interesting to see who's on the naughty list this year. Sad but its a normal part of the commercial lifecycle

I know here in Atlantic Canada it's only the Fredericton store and the Dartmouth store (Nova Scotia's last remaining location) that will be closing. (The Moncton store and St.John's, Newfoundland store will remain open). I've saw over on Retail Talk & Share that someone (who has a friend working in the Fredericton one) said that the Fredericton store will be closing by the end of December. It is indeed sad to see store closures but like you said, it's a normal part of the business cycle. I believe the new investor group that acquired the company, is using this bankruptcy as a means to "get rid of" under performing stores and to trim their store count a bit.

[Freddypop]

There is a proposal by Kileel Developments to repurpose the Centennial Building into a Marriott Hotel, a new Playhouse and a parking garage. There would also be retail on the ground floor. The city would lease the proposed playhouse from the proponent. Kileel is waiting for the province to make a decision to proceed with the sale or not. The city ppears to be amenable to the proposal

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

There is a proposal by Kileel Developments to repurpose the Centennial Building into a Marriott Hotel, a new Playhouse and a parking garage. There would also be retail on the ground floor. The city would lease the proposed playhouse from the proponent. Kileel is waiting for the province to make a decision to proceed with the sale or not. The city ppears to be amenable to the proposal

That’s a great plan. Hopefully it moves forward.

[cl812]

Interesting proposal, will be curious to see what happens.

[Blue Blazer]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

There is a proposal by Kileel Developments to repurpose the Centennial Building into a Marriott Hotel, a new Playhouse and a parking garage. There would also be retail on the ground floor. The city would lease the proposed playhouse from the proponent. Kileel is waiting for the province to make a decision to proceed with the sale or not. The city ppears to be amenable to the proposal

That is a lot of hotels in such a small area, I cant see that happening but would be interesting at least with the playhouse 2.0 and a parking garage , and stores on the bottom

[Taeolas]

I think I'd like to see the plans more before getting too excited about it; but the idea is intriguing.

I would assume that the existing building would have the upper floors transformed into hotel rooms somehow. The main lobby (with IIRC some of the murals they want to protect?) would be the hotel lobby. Ground floor retail would either be off the lobby or the first floor of the existing building.

The new Playhouse would be built at the rear of the building where it was already torn down, with the underground parking (Flood risk?) being under that new section.

It seems like an intriguing idea, but I'm not sure how feasible it is. Converting all that office space to hotel space seems like a LOT of work.

That would be 3 major hotels within 3 blocks of eachother downtown; but it is also the space in downtown that needs the hotel space, between the Playhouse, the Conference Centre and the Legislature, there is likely a lot of demand for hotel space.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

I think I'd like to see the plans more before getting too excited about it; but the idea is intriguing.

I would assume that the existing building would have the upper floors transformed into hotel rooms somehow. The main lobby (with IIRC some of the murals they want to protect?) would be the hotel lobby. Ground floor retail would either be off the lobby or the first floor of the existing building.

The new Playhouse would be built at the rear of the building where it was already torn down, with the underground parking (Flood risk?) being under that new section.

It seems like an intriguing idea, but I'm not sure how feasible it is. Converting all that office space to hotel space seems like a LOT of work.

That would be 3 major hotels within 3 blocks of eachother downtown; but it is also the space in downtown that needs the hotel space, between the Playhouse, the Conference Centre and the Legislature, there is likely a lot of demand for hotel space.

I believe the demand is there. Attending a conference in a Fredericton hotel recently, I found out the hotel was fully booked. Staying at another hotel was less convenient. And that was booking the room a couple of months in advance of the event. I don't have occupancy figures, but I'm sure the developers wouldn't invest $ millions in a new hotel without doing their research. Having the Centennial building re-developed would be great for downtown Fredericton.

[OliverD]

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

It seems like an intriguing idea, but I'm not sure how feasible it is. Converting all that office space to hotel space seems like a LOT of work.

Not really. The interior of the building is completely gutted.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by Blue Blazer

That is a lot of hotels in such a small area, I cant see that happening but would be interesting at least with the playhouse 2.0 and a parking garage , and stores on the bottom

How is it different from the plethora of hotels we have on Bishop and Prospect?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by OliverD

I like this proposal - all of it.

I'm also glad to see them adding a parking structure - something that remains anathema here in Moncton........