The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread

[mylesmalley]

Definitely. In the same vein Moncton needs to develop the side streets leading to the boardwalk park. A nice gateway. Right now if I'm walking downtown and want to go to the park, I end up cutting through the parking lot between Blue Cross and Studio 700.



Hell yes. I drive my wife to work every day on Lutz and it is pitiful. I was almost disappointed when they added the expansion to the old Hawk building on the corner because I thought it would have been a great opportunity to expand Lutz to at least 3 lanes at the intersection and resurface everything below Main as you suggested.

I really think it's one of those 'if you build it, they will come' sort of situations. A year or two ago, someone proposed building a pretty big condo project on Lutz. It wouldnt' surprise me that it fell through because of the embarrassing state that road is in. I think if the city made an effort to fix it up, you'd see that street and it's many empty lots get developed rather quickly.

[mmmatt]

I really think it's one of those 'if you build it, they will come' sort of situations. A year or two ago, someone proposed building a pretty big condo project on Lutz. It wouldnt' surprise me that it fell through because of the embarrassing state that road is in. I think if the city made an effort to fix it up, you'd see that street and it's many empty lots get developed rather quickly.

I agree. That street needs a lot of work. Hopefully it will come to the forefront soon enough.

[bam63]

I noticed they are doing soil testing today at the proposed condo project on main next to Staples.

[ErickMontreal]

The average rental apartment vacancy rate decreased in Moncton from 4.3 % to 2.4 % from October 07 to October 2008.

Here`s the tables of vacancy rates :

http://www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2008/images/Table-1_E_revised_2.gif

[mmmatt]

The average rental apartment vacancy rate decreased in Moncton from 4.3 % to 2.4 % from October 07 to October 2008.

Here`s the tables of vacancy rates :

http://www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2008/images/Table-1_E_revised_2.gif

Awesome! So many new apartments lately, good to hear they are being filled quicker than built :)

[mylesmalley]

I noticed they are doing soil testing today at the proposed condo project on main next to Staples.

What? Already? I thought that was months or more away.

[mmmatt]

I noticed they are doing soil testing today at the proposed condo project on main next to Staples.

Wow, that was fast...now lets see some renders!! :D

Im hoping for 6 floors AT LEAST...hopefully its 7 or more, that would certainly make my day/week/month haha.

[mylesmalley]

Downtown Moncton to get $10M condo
Published Tuesday November 4th, 2008

80-unit condominium, commercial development to be built on Main St. just outside of Dieppe
C2
By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff

Moncton's downtown is poised to get just the sort of eastern gateway it has been seeking for years. Moncton's city council divulged last night that an 80-unit, high-rise condominium and commercial development will be built on land at 299 Main Street, between the Staples store and Harper Street.

The news became public after council voted yesterday in private session to sell the city-owned land to developer Valmond Robichaud for $204,000. The decision was inspired by the fact the city will receive $250,000 per year in property tax from the completed development and because the proposed development is in keeping with the city's established development plan for the area.

Robichaud, whose past projects include the Manoir Notre Dame and adjacent Robichaud Apartments complex of seniors housing on Moncton's Murphy Avenue, is expected to spend about $10 million on the downtown project. Expected to be six or seven storeys high, the building will also have an estimated 15,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor.

A community created vision for downtown development in 2006 called for the land in question to be used in just such a way.

"Frankly if we could find a way to have more development of this type in the downtown, we would benefit tremendously," Mayor George LeBlanc said as council publicly ratified the decision.

Under the deal, the developer will have 24 months to complete the project or else the contract of purchase and sale will be nullified. Typical in such contracts however, it would be council's option to extend the development deadline if it saw fit. Council was also told the contract will require the building be completed in substantial conformity with the plans that were presented to council.

[bam63]

Wow, that was fast...now lets see some renders!! :D

Im hoping for 6 floors AT LEAST...hopefully its 7 or more, that would certainly make my day/week/month haha.

1st floor is commercial with 80 condos on top.At six floors it would need to be one huge footprint.Seriously i'd like to see ten floors,that area would become an extension of downtown.

[MonctonRad]

Downtown Moncton to get $10M condo
Under the deal, the developer will have 24 months to complete the project or else the contract of purchase and sale will be nullified. Typical in such contracts however, it would be council's option to extend the development deadline if it saw fit. Council was also told the contract will require the building be completed in substantial conformity with the plans that were presented to council.

So.......it has to be completed in two years. A high quality 7-8 storey building likely would take at least a year to construct. This means that construction will have to start by next September at the latest. Somehow I'm not surprised that they are doing soil testing right now. :tup:

[Sony500]

It will be nice to see that old building taken out of there and replaced with this building

[mmmatt]

It will be nice to see that old building taken out of there and replaced with this building

Very true...I look at that lot and think "It needs less random vacant yellow garage, more condo tower" haha :)

Seriously though, I am very happy to see this development have some action, and hopefully we will see a crane up on that site in 2009! That would be two downtown this coming year :tup: (Im assuming a building of the Justice centers size will require a tower crane)

[mylesmalley]

1st floor is commercial with 80 condos on top.At six floors it would need to be one huge footprint.Seriously i'd like to see ten floors,that area would become an extension of downtown.

The T&T tends to underestimate height.

There was an article a lng while back about a new courthouse. They said it would be in the range of 125,000 sq/ft, and the Transcript estimated that it would have to be 'at least two floors'

[mmmatt]

The T&T tends to underestimate height.

There was an article a lng while back about a new courthouse. They said it would be in the range of 125,000 sq/ft, and the Transcript estimated that it would have to be 'at least two floors'

HAHAHA! man that would be one massive building!! It wouldn't fit on the beaver lumber site that's for sure.

Well if they were off by more than 1/2 on that building maybe we can assume this condo will be in the 12-14 floor range??? haha, I highly doubt that however. 10 would make my year :P

[mmmatt]

Heres an interesting pic I found (however I doubt the Moncton one will be nearly this nice) this is a 78 unit condo tower:

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/blogs/dirt/media/broadwaytower02.jpg
credit: www.spokesmanreview.com

14 floors...however this tower has 2 levels of parking on the bottom, but still, that tells us that a 78 unit condo building = 12 floors with a sizable footprint. In other words, if it ends up being less than 8 floors expect a huge footprint.

[mylesmalley]

Heres an interesting pic I found (however I doubt the Moncton one will be nearly this nice) this is a 78 unit condo tower:

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/blogs/dirt/media/broadwaytower02.jpg
credit: www.spokesmanreview.com

14 floors...however this tower has 2 levels of parking on the bottom, but still, that tells us that a 78 unit condo building = 12 floors with a sizable footprint. In other words, if it ends up being less than 8 floors expect a huge footprint.

You raise an interesting point. Where are people going to park? 80 unit condo tower would probably need 100 parking places. Unless they plan on tearing down the houses in behind on Harper Street, they're probably going to need one or two levels of parking. Plus, the lot is small enough, it'd probably have to be at least 7/8 floors to accommodate that much retail and 80 apartment units.

[MonctonRad]

Very true...I look at that lot and think "It needs less random vacant yellow garage, more condo tower" haha :)

Seriously though, I am very happy to see this development have some action, and hopefully we will see a crane up on that site in 2009! That would be two downtown this coming year :tup: (Im assuming a building of the Justice centers size will require a tower crane)


I agree, there will almost certainly be two tower construction cranes in downtown Moncton for 2009. This should make for interesting times. The third downtown project for next year (the Ashford office building at Vaughn Harvey and Main) is only going to be four stories so I imagine that won't need a crane. Still, not bad for a recession!

[mmmatt]

I agree, there will almost certainly be two tower construction cranes in downtown Moncton for 2009. This should make for interesting times. The third downtown project for next year (the Ashford office building at Vaughn Harvey and Main) is only going to be four stories so I imagine that won't need a crane. Still, not bad for a recession!

Very true...one of the best construction seasons for Moncton in quite a while, not only those three buildings but the large Fed. building on Weldon will be finishing up in the summer as well. Construction expanding the "limits" of downtown on both ends of main, and also starting the much needed density on Assumption. Downtown is about to get much bigger :D

[bam63]

You raise an interesting point. Where are people going to park? 80 unit condo tower would probably need 100 parking places. Unless they plan on tearing down the houses in behind on Harper Street, they're probably going to need one or two levels of parking. Plus, the lot is small enough, it'd probably have to be at least 7/8 floors to accommodate that much retail and 80 apartment units.

I suspect the project goes deeper,by that i mean some houses will be torn down in behind the garage.When i went by this morning i also noticed stakes in the ground ,no orange paint though?

[JimiThing]

I suspect the project goes deeper,by that i mean some houses will be torn down in behind the garage.When i went by this morning i also noticed stakes in the ground ,no orange paint though?

I know for a fact that some of the houses along Harper street are involved in this deal.

[MPSE]

I'm not sure who had mentioned that the Sony store was leaving Champlain mall but I doubt they will be moving in at Mapleton now either... Sony is cutting 16000 jobs and pulling out of businesses...

the tender is called for the sony store in mapleton. it's going to get built

[mylesmalley]

I imagine retail would be the last place a company would want to make cuts. Savings can be made by tightening the belt and finding inefficiencies in the supply chain, but closing down otherwise profitable stores would end up losing them even more money.

[mmmatt]

the tender is called for the sony store in mapleton. it's going to get built

Man, too bad they cant keep both locations, I'd hate to see them leave the mall.

[C_Boy]

I know for a fact that some of the houses along Harper street are involved in this deal. Not 100% certain but I think the building will have a sort of L-shape design.


Maybe they have the same L-shape design as the Mariot in mind, with the parking garage to fill the "L" ?

[mylesmalley]

Maybe it might be a really big two story building after all.

[mmmatt]

Maybe it might be a really big two story building after all.

Highly doubtful. I would say 6 at the very least. and then it would be abount the same size as Marriott, which would fill that lot easy.

Whos to say what would be better though...a 6 story building that fills the lot and makes the whole area much more urban, or a 10 floor building with a parking lot around it. A Marriott type building does fill the lot quickly...and the more lots we fill up the more people will be forced to build taller. However it will be a long time before anyone is "forced" to build tall around here haha.

[bam63]

Highly doubtful. I would say 6 at the very least. and then it would be abount the same size as Marriott, which would fill that lot easy.

Whos to say what would be better though...a 6 story building that fills the lot and makes the whole area much more urban, or a 10 floor building with a parking lot around it. A Marriott type building does fill the lot quickly...and the more lots we fill up the more people will be forced to build taller. However it will be a long time before anyone is "forced" to build tall around here haha.

I like the idea of a 1 or 2 story oversized base with retail/commercial.The condo tower 6-8 flrs rises from that base.
Check out Astor Place in new york city,picture a unit like that on main.All the aluminum and glass was produced and shipped from scoudouc.

[bam63]

I like the idea of a 1 or 2 story oversized base with retail/commercial.The condo tower 6-8 flrs rises from that base.
Check out Astor Place in new york city,picture a unit like that on main.All the aluminum and glass was produced and shipped from scoudouc.

I'd post a pic but i'm computer stupid.

[mmmatt]

I'd post a pic but i'm computer stupid.

haha...

http://www.nycsr.org/files/photos/ny-astor-after.jpg
credit: http://www.nycsr.org

Is this what you are talking about? (glass building)

If so its a really nice building...not likely to be built in Moncton now...but Id like to think someday...:)

[bam63]

haha...

http://www.nycsr.org/files/photos/ny-astor-after.jpg
credit: http://www.nycsr.org

Is this what you are talking about? (glass building)

If so its a really nice building...not likely to be built in Moncton now...but Id like to think someday...:)

Thats the one,there are full views of it.A vertical tower from a larger base,it can work on a smaller scale.I just wish developers around here would use more imagination.Big block buildings are so blaaa!!

P.S.Comcast in philly was also done in scoudouc 1000 footer.

[mmmatt]

Thats the one,there are full views of it.A vertical tower from a larger base,it can work on a smaller scale.I just wish developers around here would use more imagination.Big block buildings are so blaaa!!

P.S.Comcast in philly was also done in scoudouc 1000 footer.

Yeah I agree, there is a lot of room for improvement in design around here, but it could be much worse.

Thats cool, I love Comcast Center...what company in Scoudouc is doing this? I had no idea any companies like that existed around here.

[MonctonRad]

the tender is called for the sony store in mapleton. it's going to get built

Are you aware of any other tenders for the Mapleton Power Centre? Inquiring minds want to know.

[mylesmalley]

The 'pedestal' idea is actually outlined in the city's Vision plan. It calls for any major buildings to have a 3-5 floor base, followed by a gradually narrowing tower on top. This is to give the effect of an urban canyon, while at the same time allowing natural light to hit the street level.

[mmmatt]

The 'pedestal' idea is actually outlined in the city's Vision plan. It calls for any major buildings to have a 3-5 floor base, followed by a gradually narrowing tower on top. This is to give the effect of an urban canyon, while at the same time allowing natural light to hit the street level.

Interesting...and in the T&T article they did mention "the proposed development is in keeping with the city's established development plan for the area." So maybe we might be onto something here :P

However that probably just means the city wanted condos and retail to go there, not necessarily that it matches up with the "Development Vision" plan of 2006.

[bam63]

Yeah I agree, there is a lot of room for improvement in design around here, but it could be much worse.

Thats cool, I love Comcast Center...what company in Scoudouc is doing this? I had no idea any companies like that existed around here.

Enclos Corp.american owned.Finished product is shipped to jobsites on the eastern seaboard.Comcast consisted of over 10,000 units every single one fabbed,assembled,glazed in scoudouc.450 truck loads.
Trump Soho was also done here.
You learn something new everyday.Pretty cool eh!!

[mmmatt]

Gov't green lights new schools for southeast N.B.

Moncton to get new north-end school, Rexton school to be replaced

By Mary Moszynski
Times & Transcript Staff
Published Saturday December 13th, 2008

FREDERICTON - Two new schools for the southeastern region are one step closer to becoming a reality.

The provincial government has issued a call for expressions of interest from companies looking to build and operate a new north-end school in Moncton as well as replace Eleanor W. Graham Middle School in Rexton.

The schools will be built through a public-private partnership. The province wants a private developer to design, construct, build, finance, operate and maintain the building.

"By packaging the two schools together into one public-private-partnership, we are creating efficiencies for the province as well as opportunities for developers," said Supply and Services Minister Ed Doherty.

Developers have until Jan. 9 to submit their proposals. The department will develop a short-list from the developers and ask them to submit a more detailed proposal before awarding a contract to a developer to build both schools.

Construction on the schools is expected to begin next summer with an expected opening date of September, 2010.

A new north end school is necessary to relieve overcrowding at Evergreen Park and Magnetic Hill schools. Evergreen Park has become so crowded that some students are being bused out of the neighbourhood to Queen Elizabeth School.

The Moncton north school will serve Kindergarten to Grade 8 students. It will have 27 classrooms to accommodate 650 students, a large gymnasium and cafeteria, science and technology labs, an art and music room and student service area.

It will be built on a 22-acre parcel of land at 1392 Ryan Road, directly across where Augusta Terrace meets Ryan Road. The land cost $1.2 million.

The new Rexton school will accommodate 350 students in Grades 6-8 from the Rexton-Richibucto area and Elsipogtop First Nation. The new school will have 13 classrooms, a large gymnasium and cafeteria, a library and a native cultural centre. It will be built on a 27-acre site on Albany Road, off Route 134.

Doherty said both schools will achieve a "silver rating" under industry standards to measure "green" buildings in Canada.

Mary Laltoo, a member of the District Education Council, said she's pleased the north end project is moving forward.

"The urgency has been there for some time and it's nice to see that we're moving ahead with it," she said.

Aubrey Kirkpatrick, director of finance, administration and communications for District 2, said the next step for the district is to begin identifying the necessary boundary changes.

The new boundaries will reduce the number of students at Evergreen Park and Magnetic Hill schools, as well as leave space at the new school for further growth in the north end.

"The school district's very excited about this call for expressions of interest," he said. "It means we're one step closer to having that school becoming a reality for the north end of Moncton and that would mean a great deal to alleviate the overcrowding."






- I know people personally who chose not to move into the evergreen area simply because their kids would have to be trucked off to another school far away. Im sure this new school will promote further growth in that already quickly growing area.

[MonctonRad]

Moncton High repairs soar to $60M
Published Tuesday December 16th, 2008

Costs to upgrade landmark building now more than five times original estimate
By Mary Moszynski
Times & Transcript Staff

FREDERICTON - Moncton High School might need to be replaced rather than restored since the initial estimates to fix the building have jumped dramatically.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=222902&size=0x400
Moncton High School might need to be replaced after the initial estimate to fix the building jumped dramatically from $12 million to $60 million.

The Department of Education says the cost to upgrade the building has grown as much as five times the original estimate of $12 million, to roughly $60 million.

It would cost between $20 million and $25 million to build a new school to accommodate 1,350 students.

The school is in District 2, which oversees English schools in southeastern New Brunswick.

The District Education Council will receive a report on Jan. 6 outlining the costs of the necessary upgrades to the school.

Moncton East Liberal MLA Chris Collins said although the council must work with the department to make a final decision, the provincial government must balance the needs of students and taxpayers.

"That school has reached its life expectancy," said Collins, who has been pushing for upgrades to the school since winning his seat in the legislature. "It's a beautiful school, but it's 70 years old. It's served the City of Moncton very, very well."

The province budgeted $500,000 last year to begin the design work for the $12-million renovation project that officials estimated would take roughly five years.

At the time, Education Minister Kelly Lamrock said he wasn't convinced it would be cheaper to build a new school and stressed that the community and parents wanted to keep the existing building.

Electrical wiring, ventilation and leaky roofs are among the long list of problems cited by education officials, community members and parents.

"The building's safe and work has been done to ensure the safety of the building," said Valerie Kilfoil, Education Department spokeswoman.

"Clearly, down the road, some decisions are going to have to be made."

Although the building is known for its grand, commanding presence in the city, the school isn't a designated heritage building, said Kilfoil.

"We have, as a government, a responsibility to the taxpayers and we also have a responsibility to the students," said Collins. "I'm confident that by the end of the process we'll be able to find something that both the taxpayers of New Brunswick and the students of Moncton High School (will approve of)."

It's unlikely money for a new school would be included in this year's capital budget that was announced last week.

But Collins said he's urging government to move quickly on the file.

"The minister and I are in agreement that this a situation we want to see remedied as quickly as possible," he said.

"I've visited classrooms where they have to move the desks away from the centre of the room after it rains because of leaking roofs."

Personal note - It would be a real shame to lose this important part of our architectural history but if the repairs for this structure really will cost $60M, it will be very difficult to convince the government to do anything other than tear MHS down and replace it.

[MonctonRad]

The structural steel for the McManaman Complex on Mapleton Road is going up.

[P Unit]

Tearing down Moncton High should not even be considered an option. Build a new school, fine, but that building cannot be destroyed. Land in Moncton is not in such short supply that it couldn't, in a worst case scenario, be left alone until someone thinks of something to do with it..

[mmmatt]

Moncton High is one of the best looking buildings in Moncton...top 10 for sure. They cannot tear it down! They would probably replace it with some run-of-the mill pre-fab concrete building. Cost is not everything.

[mylesmalley]

Worse than that; it'd probably get torn down and rebuilt at the edge of town like l'Oddysee or Matthew Martin leaving a huge empty lot right at the centre of the city.

[gehrhardt]

I think that a new school should be built in a central location, but don't tear down the current Moncton High. It's a landmark building and it would be a real shame to see it destroyed.

$60M is an insane amount for repairs and the government would be right in deciding to build a new school. One word of advice to the government, though. Don't build the school to hold 1,350 students. Build it for 1,800+. I went to KVHS before Hampton High and Rothesay High were opened. It was so overcrowded that you felt like cattle being herded through the halls. :gaah:

[JasonL-Moncton]

Notice there was no mention of 'why' it jumped from $12M to 'sixty million'?? Did someone just pull that $60M out of their butt? That's a bizarre number to repair a school, even one of Moncton High's age...think about that, that's only slightly less the cost of the plan to fix the river and replace it with an new bridge (and we all know bridges are expensive) so I'm sure there are things that on the 'fix list' that can be remove to bring that back down.

JL

[MonctonRad]

We seem to have unanimous support for preserving this building. We have lost so much of the architectural heritiage of this city that we can ill afford to lose any more. Moncton High is one of the defining buildings of our community. It can not be lost.

I agree with JasonL, $60M seems like an absurd amount of money for retrofitting this building. It only cost $48M for the new ambulatory care centre/laboratory/emergency department at the Moncton Hospital. There is something fishy with these figures. Surely the amount can be pared down somehow.

[ErickMontreal]

Downtown residential complex in works
Multi-million-dollar, 80,000-square-foot development should benefit Moncton businesses

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=223346&size=500x0

Published Wednesday December 17th, 2008
A4
By Eric Lewis
Times & Transcript Staff

The potential spin-offs of a new multi-million-dollar downtown Moncton residential complex are many, says the head of Moncton's economic development office.

Excavators clear a block bounded by Dominion, High and Gordon Streets yesterday.

Ben Champoux says a new development on Gordon Street will mean more people will live downtown, which is good for business and good for the environment if more people are driving less to reach shopping centres, grocery stores, restaurants and bars.

Valmond Robichaud, owner of Manoir Notre Dame nursing home and the adjacent Robichaud Apartments on Murphy Avenue in Moncton, is the developer behind the project.

He purchased the entire block of aging houses between Gordon, High and Dominion Streets for the new project. Dominion wraps around the block in an 'L' shape, meeting High on one end and Gordon on the other.

Many of the houses in the block were demolished yesterday and the remaining two will be tore down early next year once the tenants have moved.

Robichaud has had the development in mind for the last year or so. He says he saw the potential for more downtown living.

"I honestly believe it's time for downtown living," he says.

The project is early in the planning stages at this point, so Robichaud isn't able to give out too much information, but he is excited at what the future holds for the site, which is visible off Vaughn Harvey Boulevard and is only a minute or two walk from Highfield Square, the new Sobeys complex, the upcoming Shoppers Drug Mart and businesses and restaurants along Main and St. George Streets.

"Everything is within walking distance," he says. "You can go downtown, you want to go eat downtown, you want to go for a drink after hours, you don't need your car."

Robichaud says the city block is roughly 200 by 400 feet (61 by 122 metres), so it will lead to an 80,000 square foot (24,400 square metre) complex.

At this point, Robichaud hopes the development will be a series of high-end condominiums, but he says it could instead be a series of apartments. He is working with a Halifax-based architect to determine which route is best.

His vision would see the entire first floor be ground-level parking, on top of which would sit two separate apartment or condo buildings. Between the two buildings, but also on top of the parking garage, would be a courtyard, which would play into the environmentally-friendly approach he wants to take with the development.

Robichaud estimates the development will cost $10 to $12 million, but he says that is an early estimate that could change.

Champoux, the city's business development specialist, says the development should help liven up the city's downtown core.

"Any project that will bring people downtown is great," he says. "We all want a vibrant downtown, and in order to get a vibrant downtown you need people living in your downtown."

Having more jobs in the downtown is one piece of the puzzle, he says, but you need people living in the downtown to keep businesses alive and well.

Restaurants, bars and other businesses all stand to benefit from the new complex, and it could spur the development of other such businesses, including along St. George Street, an area the city has been wants to see grow.

Champoux notes the environmental benefit of the new building as well, suggesting that if people move from the outskirts of the city to live in the new complex, they won't need to drive as far to get to shopping centres or to the grocery store.

"Change breeds change," Champoux says. "Whenever you have a major residential project downtown, another one that comes of this magnitude and does well, then it attracts others. It sets the tone."

[gehrhardt]

Wow, where did that come from? Has anyone mentioned this development in the thread before? Someone must have noticed that a whole block of houses downtown was purchased at the same time.

Here's hoping for at least 7 stories. :tup:

[MonctonRad]

Great news, counting the new condo development going up off of East main Street and the condos proposed for Cameron Street, this will mean three major new condo developments in downtown in the next couple of years!

This development will be right next door to the new Ashford office building going up on Main and Vaughn Harvey. This is really going to change the appearances of this part of the street.

Combining this condo development with the new Ashford building, the other new condo project proposed for Cameron Street and the new federal office building on Weldon, the west end of downtown is going to have a complete makeover.

[C_Boy]

Woah I never heard of this ! That is great news :) . Hopefully it's design will not disapoint.

[Haliguy]

We seem to have unanimous support for preserving this building. We have lost so much of the architectural heritiage of this city that we can ill afford to lose any more. Moncton High is one of the defining buildings of our community. It can not be lost.

I agree with JasonL, $60M seems like an absurd amount of money for retrofitting this building. It only cost $48M for the new ambulatory care centre/laboratory/emergency department at the Moncton Hospital. There is something fishy with these figures. Surely the amount can be pared down somehow.

I seen this building on the news last night. It would be an absolute shame if they were to tear it down.

[mylesmalley]

Fantastic news!
Just want to point out that it would have a footprint of 80,000 square feet. The actual square footage of whatever is built there will be a lot bigger. With such a large number of parking spaces, you're definitely looking at something at least 6 floors.

MonctonRad, whereabout on Cameron is that other condo building going up?

[mylesmalley]

Moncton High:

I totally agree with all of you. The province should make an effort to preserve the building. It'd be a terrible shame to see such a stately old building meet the wrecking ball. Maybe it could have a new life as offices or something. Worst case, they could gut the building, leaving the facade and restoring the nicer parts.

I think it's ridiculous that the project has ballooned to such an amount. However, I'm not sure what I find crazier. The fact that it's going to cost that much, or the fact that the original estimate was so far off the projected cost.

It begs the question though. If the Irvings can build that massive office building in Saint John for 30 mil, and the provincial government can put up the E-Centre office building for 45 or so, what about the Moncton High restoration would cost $60 million?

[riverviewer]

Great scoop on the Dominion Condos. There's a good reason to put Transcript articles on this site. I didn't get a copy of the paper today and wouldn't know about it without you guys here. Thanks for sharing the good news.

[MonctonRad]

@Myles:

This is a picture of the proposed Cameron Street condo project that Matt dug up.

http://www.youronlineagents.com/listingphotos/1721/large_106212_284465_01.jpg

It is a rather humble building but is similar in style to the pre-existing condo next door. I can't guarantee the precise location, but I believe that it will go up at the corner of Cameron and Gordon Street.

[bam63]

Correct me if i'm wrong,but thats the same developer proposing the condo unit on main next to staples.

[MonctonRad]

Correct me if i'm wrong,but thats the same developer proposing the condo unit on main next to staples.

Yes, you are quite right. I double checked and it seems Valmond Robichaud is behind both the $10M condo project on East Main Street as well as this other new $10-12M condo project near Vaughn Harvey on Dominion Street.

I guess he wants to become the condo king of greater Moncton.

[brod3211]

I can't see it being that apartment there, mainly because he states in the article he would like to have ground parking then two separate apartments on op top so I would be thinking this will be in the 5+ stories range..

[MonctonRad]

I can't see it being that apartment there, mainly because he states in the article he would like to have ground parking then two separate apartments on op top so I would be thinking this will be in the 5+ stories range..

I'm just guessing at what you are referring to but my post above with the photo is regarding a third condo project on Cameron Street, at the corner of Gordon Street.

Just to be clear, there are three condo projects in play on the forum right now:

1 - East Main Street. $10M, likely 6-7 stories
2 - Dominion & Gordon Streets near Vaughn Harvey. $10-12M, two buildings with a common base. likely also 6-8 stories.
3 - Cameron & Gordon Streets. cost unknown. Vinyl sided, 3-4 stories

[MonctonRad]

Can Moncton High be saved?
Published Wednesday December 17th, 2008

Municipal heritage designation might not be enough if province chooses to replace 73-year-old school
By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff

Jean Leighton isn't happy with this week's talk that Moncton High School might have to be replaced instead of repaired in light of a report suggesting it would cost $60 million to bring the 73-year-old school up to code.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=223362&size=800x0
Although Moncton High School is not a provincially designated heritage property it is recognized as such by the city. This photo is from the 1930s postcard when it was simply known as the 'new high school'. "I can't see that it would cost that much," the class of '41 grad said yesterday. "I think it's ridiculous. They must just want a new school."

The former Jean Miller was at Moncton High from 1939 to 1941 and her husband Keith Leighton was class president when he graduated in 1938, part of the first group of students to get their entire high school education at the stone castle of a school.

Reached at the couple's home yesterday, Jean Leighton was also questioning a provincial claim reported in yesterday's Times & Transcript that the landmark building, built by Ambrose Wheeler in the midst of the Great Depression, is not a heritage property.

In that, she is right -- but so is the Education Department spokeswoman who said otherwise yesterday.

Moncton High School is not a provincially- or federally-designated historic place, but it is a municipally-designated heritage property.

The authority of the City of Moncton to draft and enact its own heritage bylaws is derived from provincial legislation, the Municipal Heritage Preservation Act, which explicitly states in section 2.2, "the crown is bound by this act."

But if you think that guarantees Moncton High School can't be demolished because of the designation, you're in for a disappointment.

The bylaw allows for demolition of a heritage property if the owner no longer needs the property and can't sell it. There are a number of conditions on how long it must be listed for sale and detailed rules on how well it must be advertised for sale before demolition can be done. As well, it must be sold at fair market value, lest it be deliberately overpriced to discourage new owners.

In most cases, a Moncton heritage property must be up for sale for a period of six months. While that may be sufficient to sell a heritage home, the bylaw seems to anticipate the challenge involved in selling something as big as Moncton High.

Section 9(1) of Moncton's heritage bylaw reads, "if the nature of a property to be sold is such that it would require more than six months duration in order to attract potential purchasers, the (Heritage Review) Board may require the Notice of Offer to Sell or MLS listing be extended for a further period not to exceed six (6) months."

Therefore, should the decision come one day to replace the school instead of renovating it, the building would likely have a maximum stay of execution of one year.

It was one year ago this week that Education Minister Kelly Lamrock triumphantly announced the first $500,000 in spending on what was then estimated to be a $12-million renovation.

"It was a personal priority for me," he said at the time. "Much like (the school) in Drummond, it is really to the point where it is sending the wrong message for what we want for our kids."

As for the question Jean Leighton and many others in the community are asking, an explanation of the precise means by which an original repair estimate should jump 500 per cent has not yet been made public and won't be until it is presented to the District Education Council at a meeting Jan. 6.

[Dmajackson]

Re Moncton High:

Looking at the pictures I agree with everyone else that this building should be saved. It looks really neat :tup:

Re Gordon St. Block:

It sounds nice. Does anyone know anything about the architects? We've had some nice proposals lately in Halifax and well if they are from here its a good chance they've designed one of our proposals.

[churchill25]

Just thought I would say hello,
I'm working on the Dominion and Harper Street Developments...

I'm Alan Robichaud, my father is Valmond Robichaud.
It's a very exciting time for us and Moncton. :tup:

I was searching the forums to see what was going on in the area, glad to see our projects made it to the discussion area...

[brod3211]

OH! thank you for replying, that clears it up I didn't know there were two projects on the same street.. thats great news! It is so nice to see the city growing.

[mylesmalley]

Just thought I would say hello,
I'm working on the Dominion and Harper Street Developments...

I'm Alan Robichaud, my father is Valmond Robichaud.
It's a very exciting time for us and Moncton. :tup:

I was searching the forums to see what was going on in the area, glad to see our projects made it to the discussion area...

Welcome to the boards!

Seems your father's doing a lot to improve downtown :worship:

Any chance there's a rendering of either project kicking around?? :jester:

[MonctonRad]

Just thought I would say hello,
I'm working on the Dominion and Harper Street Developments...

I'm Alan Robichaud, my father is Valmond Robichaud.
It's a very exciting time for us and Moncton. :tup:

I was searching the forums to see what was going on in the area, glad to see our projects made it to the discussion area...

Welcome to the forums Churchill25. The two condo projects that you and your father are working on will help to change the appearance and the flavour of downtown Moncton. It is very important to get people back living downtown. This will help to promote the development of ancillary shops and services.

When you are able to, we would all love to see renders of these important developments. :tup:

[P Unit]

His vision would see the entire first floor be ground-level parking, on top of which would sit two separate apartment or condo buildings. Between the two buildings, but also on top of the parking garage, would be a courtyard, which would play into the environmentally-friendly approach he wants to take with the development.


lol

[mmmatt]

Awesome news on the new condo project! :D

Very happy to see that area of town re-born with new density.

Also a big welcome to churchill25! I have to say, you dad is my hero right now :)

[mylesmalley]

Now is 'perfect time' to build metro centre
Published Thursday December 18th, 2008

Downtown leader says idea has huge support; Moncton mayor says it's absolutely a priority
A1
By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff

This is the perfect time to build a downtown metro centre, says the head of Downtown Moncton Centre-Ville Inc.

"We'll never have the federal and provincial governments more ready than they are right now," DMCI general manager Daniel Allain said yesterday.

The idea of a multi-purpose, sport, entertainment, retail and convention facility in the heart of downtown has been talked about for several years, but has gelled in the past year as political candidates at both the municipal and federal levels have made it an election issue, and provincial politicians, including Premier Shawn Graham, have expressed strong support. (Allain was one of those candidates in the last federal election; he and incumbent Brian Murphy both said at the time they had the support of their parties on the issue).

"Construction costs are going to drop in the next couple of years and the costs will never be lower than in the next couple years," Allain said.

He said he's convinced the project has widespread support and needs to happen in the short-term rather than the long term.

"The Metro Centre is our (DMCI's) number one priority. It's the number one priority of our members, and I think the public is ready."

Indeed, the public in Metro Moncton has expressed support approaching 90 per cent, according to polling done in the past three years by Omnifacts Bristol.

Allain also says he's had questions from business people interested in the possibility of public private partnerships but he's not in a position to name names. Nevertheless, he said it's been encouraging to hear Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc talk about pursuing partnerships not just with the other levels of government, but also with private interests.

"It's much more than just an arena," he said, talking about the retail, entertainment, convention space and other components that could be part of it. "It's a centre for the whole community."

Mayor LeBlanc said he was gratified to hear the downtown leader echoing what he's hearing.

"I welcome Daniel Allain's comments on this. I have been approached by countless people supporting this," LeBlanc said.

The mayor, who was among the municipal candidates who made such a facility part of their platform, said his thinking has not changed.

"It is absolutely a priority for me, no ifs, ands or buts."

He said the fact there is no space devoted to such a project in the five-year capital budget draft released by the city this week should not be taken as an abandonment of the idea. Rather, he said, it would be presumptuous to budget for something before a feasibility study is done. He has said many times that though he wholeheartedly supports the concept, it must make sound business sense before he would vote to build it.

The City of Moncton is on the verge of awarding a Request for Proposals for a feasibility study on the basic plans and scope of such a facility.

The RFP competition closed at the end of November and city staff are evaluating the responses before making a recommendation to council, who will likely vote on awarding it in January.

The ideas being floated are likely a 15,000 to 20,000-seat facility with at least one ice surface and space for retail shops and services, possibly linked to convention space. The location has not been finalized, but there are several areas downtown that would be suitable, Allain said. The centre would not replace the existing Moncton Coliseum and Agrena complex, which has a seating capacity of 5,000 to 7,000 for hockey games and concerts, plus extensive convention and trade show space.

Asked for his take on Allain's assessment that now is the time to proceed, LeBlanc echoed the position. "In uncertain times, opportunities arise."

Both community leaders spoke of the desirability of getting community leaders from the private sector on board, similar to how the Capitol Theatre was restored in the 1990s and Moncton itself was restored in the 1980s.

"It's important that the community get involved in this," LeBlanc said. "The greatest successes have come from the grass roots."

LeBlanc was confident that would be forthcoming if the feasibility study should find the complex made financial sense.

_________________________________________________________________

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=223819&size=500x0
As estimated repair costs soar, politicians, alumni weigh in on future of landmark building
A1
BY ALAN COCHRANE & MARY MOsZYNSKI
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

Earlier this week, the Times & Transcript reported that the estimated cost of repairing Moncton High School had skyrocketed from $12 million to $60 million.

RON WARD/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT
Moncton High School might need to be replaced after the initial estimate to fix the building jumped dramatically.
However, a report to be presented to the District 2 Education Council on Jan. 6, predicts the cost will be at least $48 million, but could rise to even more than $60 million once the work begins.

The original number was based on a preliminary review by architects and engineers.

Last year, the province spent $500,000 on a report outlining the real cost of renovating and expanding the 70-year-old school, and now that the numbers have been released, many are wondering how the project could cost that much.

"It's like renovating an old house, you could go into it thinking it will cost so much but you never really know what's behind those walls," Valerie Kilfoil, communications officer for the Department of Education said yesterday.

The Department of Education said it would not release the report or details of it to the media until it has been presented to the education council. District 2 administers English-language schools in Metro Moncton.

Kilfoil said the report to the DEC cites an estimated $48 million to fix the aging building and bring it up to a standard for long-term use as a high school, but engineers and architects have already warned that it could go much higher. The province won't say exactly what the problems are with the building, but it is believed there could be issues with mould between the stone walls and the internal structure. Kilfoil said inspectors have certified the building to be safe and sound for now, but it will need work in the future. The school currently has about 1,200 students in Grades 9 through 12.

The estimated cost of fixing Moncton High appears very high when you consider the Trueman House at Mount Allison University was totally gutted and renovated over a three-year period at a cost of about $15 million. The five-storey Trueman House now serves as the university's student centre and is being hailed as an example of an environmentally-friendly smart building.

Education Minister Kelly Lamrock would not comment on possible technical problems with the building or details of the report.

"I'm not going to give technical briefings on architecture," Lamrock said in Fredericton yesterday. "We knew we had a school that had been neglected by previous governments. That's why last year we spent half a million dollars looking at what it would take and the answers the professionals gave us are quite high."

He said the district will have to decide how renovations at MHS fit into the priority list and what options the government should consider for its next capital budget.

"Obviously, at that price tag, there would be some difficult choices. There's no question the amount is conservatively what it would take to build three or four new schools. One has to always keep in mind, as a provincial minister, that if a district asks for something that will necessarily mean saying no in three other communities, that would be harder to do."

Lamrock said he is aware of the historical significance of the Moncton High building but isn't sure what the future holds for it. He said there are other historical schools in New Brunswick which are facing a similar dilemma.

"The fate of a building isn't always the same question as the fate of a school. Sometimes there are other options that open up and other levels of government that can be part of a heritage situation. To be blunt, the feds and the municipalities can fund heritage projects -- they may not fund schools."

Moncton North MLA Mike Murphy, who graduated from Moncton High School in 1976, said the huge estimated cost of renovations creates a serious dilemma.

"There's a huge number out there floating around of $48 million to renovate it. There's no way the government can commit to a $48 million high school," Murphy said yesterday.

"What has to be done? I'm not sure. At some point there's going to have to be a new high school. Moncton High's in a fragile state. We face the dilemma of well, do you build a new high school on the site and where do the put the students? Number two, do you take a heritage building like that and tear it down without consulting the people of Moncton? And finally, if you do build a new high school where do you build it and what becomes of the old?"

Murphy said he'd like to see some of the architectural integrity of the old school maintained in a new school, but wonders how that could be done without displacing students during the construction period.

"I'm going to have to say whatever the solution is, it's going to have to be something that is very modern and provides up-to-date facilities for the students and is safe."

Moncton East Liberal MLA Chris Collins says a decision is a long way off. He said the province's first priority is to create a safe and healthy environment for the students.

"Nobody should assume automatically that it will be destroyed," Collins said yesterday, noting that it could be several years before a decision on the building's future is made.

Riverview Conservative MLA Bruce Fitch, who graduated from MHS in 1977, said there is tremendous amount of emotional attachment to the school but agrees there may be difficult decisions ahead. He said he toured the school with classmates at last year's 30th anniversary reunion and joking hoped a millionaire would sweep in to save it.

"They'd have to be a millionaire many, many times over to cover those costs."

Fitch said some of the conditions at the school are deplorable, and at the same time there is pressure from people in his constituency to build a new Gunningsville School.

"It's one of those difficult decisions where there are so many tremendous needs in various areas and now there's some of these fire codes in some of the schools that have jumped ahead of some of the other projects."

He said the future of the building poses a difficult question.

"You could probably try and keep it going for a little bit but eventually you are going to have to build another school. What do you do with the other school? Maybe it becomes something else," he said, noting that the Moncton High predecessor found new life as the Aberdeen Cultural Centre.

"It's such a landmark. Personally, I'd rather not see the landmark go."

[JasonL-Moncton]

Just thought I would say hello,
I'm working on the Dominion and Harper Street Developments...

I'm Alan Robichaud, my father is Valmond Robichaud.
It's a very exciting time for us and Moncton. :tup:

I was searching the forums to see what was going on in the area, glad to see our projects made it to the discussion area...

Welcome Alan...glad to see the projects your father is building...bravo. Hope you can provide us with some renders soon! I too hope that these buildings are going to be aesthetically pleasing, as they should be, in the downtown core.

Good luck to you and your father and we can't wait to hear more reports.

JL

[callaby]

Just thought I would say hello,
I'm working on the Dominion and Harper Street Developments...

I'm Alan Robichaud, my father is Valmond Robichaud.
It's a very exciting time for us and Moncton. :tup:

I was searching the forums to see what was going on in the area, glad to see our projects made it to the discussion area...

Hi Alan

It's good to see some development in this part of town. I own the house on the northeast corner of High and Gordon, so I'm especially glad to see some of the more dilapidated houses in the area being razed. I hope you'll keep us posted as the project develops.

Curtis

[mylesmalley]

Hi Alan

It's good to see some development in this part of town. I own the house on the northeast corner of High and Gordon, so I'm especially glad to see some of the more dilapidated houses in the area being razed. I hope you'll keep us posted as the project develops.

Curtis

Welcome, Curtis!

Any guesses as to how many forumers are from Moncton now?

[mmmatt]

Welcome, Curtis!

Any guesses as to how many forumers are from Moncton now?

Yes welcome Curtis :)

As for a forum count Id estimate around 15...

[churchill25]

Thank You,,,
When I'm able I'll certainly post some renderings.
Right now its simply too soon...

[mmmatt]

Thank You,,,
When I'm able I'll certainly post some renderings.
Right now its simply too soon...

Excellent :D

looking forward to it...its nice to have an insider on our side!

By the way if you do have any swing with your dads design ideas make sure you add the words "glass", "small footprint", "urban" and "small to no setback" into your daily conversations...something like "hey dad, look at that building, it looks really nice with its glass, small setback and footprint...its so urban, really a defining building." (perhaps when passing Moncton Place (BMO building)) or something haha just a suggestion. :tup:

[MonctonRad]

Moncton High School a 'symbol of permanence'
Published Thursday December 18th, 2008

Teachers, alumni hope building can be saved
BY ALAN COCHRANE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

It needs a lot of work, but the Moncton High School building at the corner of Church and Mountain Road is one of the most important architectural landmarks in Metro Moncton and has a special place in the hearts and minds of thousands of former students.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=223820&size=500x0
The entry way to the Moncton High School Auditorium makes one believe they are entering a magical place.

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=223821&size=500x0
The auditorium at Moncton HIgh School is an irreplaceable gem in the Gothic Collegiate-styled building.

"I think that building symbolizes a permanence in Moncton and it brings back memories and nostalgia to a lot of people," says Dale Turner, a former teacher, sports coach and vice-principal at Moncton High.

"I do a lot of tours with reunion groups and when they come back to the building they see that it hasn't changed that much. It still has the ambiance and the skill of craftsmanship in the building and the woodwork. People love it."

Turner graduated in 1969 and returned to work as a teacher from 1976 to 2007. He said the classrooms, corridors, staircases and other architectural details give the building a character of its own.

The province recently commissioned a report by architectural engineers which indicates the cost of renovating, repairing and updating the 70-year-old school would cost at least $48 million, but that price could skyrocket to $60 million or more depending on what contractors find once they start tearing walls apart.

Since a new school would cost about half of that, there have been instant fears that the school would simply be demolished to make way for a new one.

"To tear down that school would be a travesty," retired history teacher Ken Murphy said yesterday. "The building is more than just a stone structure. It is a piece of architecture that if replicated today would cost tens of millions of dollars. The newer schools are crackerboxes that have no character."

Built in the mid-1930s, the school was built in the Gothic Collegiate style similar to that used in New England and other parts of Canada. Some people have compared its look to a church, with its stone walls, peaked roof sections and stained glass windows.

Inside, the school bears the wear and tear of many generations of students. The steel and concrete staircases are well-worn by the hundreds of thousands of feet who have scuffed their way to classes. The wooden handrails on the cast iron railings are also worn smooth. There are cracks and chips everywhere, and some of the ceilings bear witness to the occasional leaky roof. But the school shows its character and craftsmanship in the wood panelling, carvings, vaulted plaster ceilings, wooden doors, antique hinges and other details that abound through this storied building.

All along the hallways, there are composites of photos showing graduates back to the 1930s.

The two-level auditorium, with its original wooden seats and ornate details, has been used for generations to host musical and theatre events. The auditorium actually has 500 more seats than the nearby Capitol Theatre and is well-known for its acoustic qualities.

The foyer entry to the auditorium still has the original wood panelling, plastered walls and exposed wood beams. Above the doors are posters from bygone years of high school musicals like Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof, Camelot, Hello Dolly, Little Shop of Horrors and Footloose.

"If you sat there in 1942, you can still go back and sit in that same seat again," said Turner. "With this ever changing world, there's some tradition that has remained constant with that building. The building has evolved but it hasn't changed very much."

There is also a plaque paying tribute to students of Moncton High who left school to join the armed forces during the Second World War and never returned home.

Turner said the school has a strong legacy of sports, arts, entertainment, culture and innovation. He said the hockey team carries on a legacy that was started in the 1890s at Aberdeen, and the football teams have won many championships. Graduates have gone on to success as doctors, lawyers, dentists, business tycoons, journalists, authors, politicians and many other professions. Not all of the building dates back to the 1930s. Some parts were added on later, and the gymnasium was built in 1988 following an alumni fundraising campaign.

Murphy -- who taught at Moncton High from 1967 to 1998 and retired as a vice-principal -- said he still has a trunk full of baseball caps, T-shirts, buttons and other memorabilia. He won't throw it out and hopes to donate it to a MHS museum someday.

Both Turner and Murphy believe there would a public outcry if the province decided to demolish the building, but aren't sure how to deal with the huge pricetag for renovations.

"I had a long enjoyable career in that old building. It does have its physical limitations in the electrical system and plumbing but it has real character that should be preserved."

Personal note: The more I consider this debacle, the more I think that there will be a universal groundswell of support amongst the population of greater Moncton in favour of preserving this building in some form; hopefully in it's current incarnation as a school. They just don't build schools like this anymore. Sure, a replacement school might have better heating and ventilation and more modern wiring, but will it have any soul? I didn't go to MHS but I imagine that there is a certain pride amongst the graduates of that institution that does not exist in graduates of other "cookie cutter" high schools. There is something to be said for grandeur, style and for substance. $60M is too much for repairs but perhaps a compromise can be reached with a smaller premium to be paid in maintaining this institution. Perhaps bare bones necessary repairs can be made for $35-40M. This building can not be lost.

[bam63]

Excellent :D

looking forward to it...its nice to have an insider on our side!

By the way if you do have any swing with your dads design ideas make sure you add the words "glass", "small footprint", "urban" and "small to no setback" into your daily conversations...something like "hey dad, look at that building, it looks really nice with its glass, small setback and footprint...its so urban, really a defining building." (perhaps when passing Moncton Place (BMO building)) or something haha just a suggestion. :tup:

Cheer's to two great proposals,one on each end of the downtown core.Hmmm stratagy,i think so and i like it.
Moncton is ripe for a development that includes a commercial/retail base with 8-10 floors of residential.Don't forget the floor to ceiling glass on at least one corner.:notacrook:

[mmmatt]

^ I completely agree, I think the whole city would rally behind saving Moncton High...its just such a defining structure. There are only a handful of buildings of this calibre in Moncton, along with the Cathedral and Castle Manor. We need to make sure it is preserved for generations to come.

Personally having graduated from McNaughton which is a perfect example of a "cookie cutter school" I did sometimes long for a structure of character, although we were the newest high school in the city there is just something lacking in a building like that...Im sure Myles would agree with me.

[mylesmalley]

Downtown vision comes into focus
Published Friday December 19th, 2008

New major developments provide book-ends to heart of Moncton
A7
By Brent Mazerolle
Times & Transcript Staff

Daniel Allain loves to see a plan come together, especially when it's a plan for developing downtown. That's why the general manager of Downtown Moncton Centre-Ville Inc. said he was delighted this week to see an area developer with a solid track record announce his second major project in six weeks, two large-scale constructions that will practically book-end the Business Improvement Area Allain oversees.

One, a high-rise condominium with ground-floor retail, is slated for east Main Street near Harper's Lane. That building will serve as the gateway to downtown for visitors entering from Dieppe.

That project became public knowledge in November when Moncton City Council voted to sell the land to developer Valmond Robichaud for $204,000. The decision was inspired by the fact the city will receive $250,000 per year in property tax from the completed development and because the proposed development is in keeping with the city's established development plan for the area.

Robichaud, whose past projects include the Manoir Notre Dame and adjacent Robichaud Apartments complex of seniors housing on Moncton's Murphy Avenue, is expected to spend about $10 million on the downtown project.

He is also the developer behind a new residential development between Dominion and High Street in the Gordon Street area, near the northwest corner of the downtown BIA. That project was reported in Thursday's Times & Transcript.

Allain praised Robichaud for boldly going forward, especially in the face of economic uncertainty.

"This is the type of development we want and this is the type of developer we want."

Much of the marriage of minds springs from the establishment of a downtown vision document in 2006. As aspects of the document took another step toward becoming enshrined in the city's zoning bylaws, with amendments reviewed by Moncton City Council this week, the downtown leader said the document has done a lot to improve developers' and investors' confidence. The development process has gotten streamlined and less expensive for developers now because they have a much better idea from day one of what sort of project will and won't be approved by city hall.

Allain also praised the City of Moncton's economic development office for making the east Main project come together.

"I was the first point of contact," Allain said, recalling how quickly Robichaud's initial expression of interest in the Main Street property came to fruition. "I gave him two names, Ben Champoux (the City of Moncton's business development specialist) and Don MacLellan (the acting city manager). Within two months he was buying the land."

"It's great to see them cutting the red tape at city hall," he said. "Developers realize there's someone pushing their file forward."

Meanwhile, another proposed project in the more easterly parts of Main Street is on hold for now, Allain said. A developer had approached the city with an interest in buying the parking lot at the eastern corner of Main and Lewis Streets to build condo space.

In behind that property is where there's at least a pencilled in plan for the city to one day have a parking garage.
______________
Lewis street would be a pretty good spot to put a multi-level parking structure. I'd sooner see it closer to the centre of downtown, but with the amount of residential construction that seems to be coming out of the woodwork, maybe that is the best spot.

"But until that's done, the parking (where the building would have gone) can't really be given up," Allain said, especially now that The Keg has joined the other businesses in the neighbourhood.

[callaby]

Thanks for the welcome guys :)

To be honest I never even knew of this site until yesterday when i decided to look for more information about the new development in my neighbourhood. I'm not very knowledgeable about architecture, but this is a pretty good source of information about local development. I'll be sure to check in from time to time.

As for the discussion about Moncton High, I am in agreement that it is a unique building and that it would be a real shame if it were torn down. However, as a graduate of the school, I think the students and taxpayers would be better served by a more modern facility that provides a more comfortable learning environment with a lower operating cost.

If two new schools could in fact be built for the same cost as required repairs to Moncton High, I really do not think the government can justify repairing Moncton High. The real problem in my mind is finding an alternate use for the building that would allow for its preservation.

[David_99]

Meanwhile, another proposed project in the more easterly parts of Main Street is on hold for now, Allain said. A developer had approached the city with an interest in buying the parking lot at the eastern corner of Main and Lewis Streets to build condo space.

In behind that property is where there's at least a pencilled in plan for the city to one day have a parking garage.
______________
Lewis street would be a pretty good spot to put a multi-level parking structure. I'd sooner see it closer to the centre of downtown, but with the amount of residential construction that seems to be coming out of the woodwork, maybe that is the best spot.
.

Which parking lot are they referring to? The one behind InColor or Gifts Galore?

[C_Boy]

Which parking lot are they referring to? The one behind InColor or Gifts Galore?

They are saying the eastern corner. Now looking at what we have got there, I would asume the parking lot behind incolor. It is a fair size. Would be nice to see one there because there are also quite a few restaurants and little shops very close nearby.

[mmmatt]

Great news about the proposed condo project...almost too much going on downtown to keep track of...not that I mind at all :)

Ill have to update my little downtown project map what with all these new developments.

[MonctonRad]

Metro hiring climate sunny
Published Saturday December 20th, 2008

Most employers plan to maintain or increase staffing levels in coming months
By James Foster
Times & Transcript Staff

Metro Moncton employers expect an upbeat hiring climate for the first four months of the new year, the latest Manpower Outlook Survey says.

Metro Moncton employers expect an upbeat hiring climate for the first four months of the new year, the latest Manpower Outlook Survey says. Of local employers polled for the survey, 77 per cent expect no changes to their current staff levels and another 16 per cent said they would be hiring new people in early 2009, says Mindy Stoltz of Manpower's Moncton office. Only six per cent expect to be laying off workers.

Subtracting the number that will be laying off from those remaining static or hiring more people gives Metro Moncton a Net Employment Outlook of 10, which is better than the average of all Canadian cities polled and dramatically higher than the NEO registered last year at this time.

It's also a "slight decrease from the previous quarter when the Net Employment Outlook was 13 per cent," Stoltz says, "however this quarter's outlook is an increase from the same time last year when employers reported an outlok of minus three per cent, indicating a positive first quarter to 2009.

Manpower looked at 10 sectors in compiling their statistics, which show the WHolesale and Retail Trade sector to be strongest for hiring, with an NEO of 34 per cent, followed closely by Construction at 31 per cent.

All figures are seasonally adjusted. Employers in the Services sector also anticipate a healthy first quarter of 2009 with an outlook of 20 per cent.

The figures follow on the heels of similarly strong numbers for the last quarter of 2008 despite an economic slowdown in other areas of the country and in other parts of the world, says Lori Rogers, VP of Operations for Manpower Canada.

Nationally, Rogers says, "this quarter's Net Employment Outlook indicates that the steady hiring climate experienced in the previous quarter will continue into the first quarter of 2009. Despite the global slowdown, seasonally adjusted data reveals employers in Canada will continue to expand their payrolls and at a slightly stronger pace than in the previous quarters."

For the sake of comparison, nationally the outlook number is seven per cent, about the same as at this point last year but down by six percentage points from the last quarter of 2008.

And across Atlantic Canada, the NEO equals Moncton's at 10 per cent, led by the sectors of Transportation and Public Utilities at 25 per cent, and Wholesale and Retail Trade at 21 per cent.

Across the Atlantic region, hiring propects were best in Saint John (20 per cent); Halifax (17 per cent); Fredericton (16 per cent); and St. John's (13 per cent.)

Charlottetown and Cape Breton fare poorly for job prospects early in the new year, with employers in each area reporting outlooks of minus three per cent, down considerably from the last quarter of 2008 by 13 per cent and 19 per cent,respectively.

Comparing the different regions of the nation, western Canada and Quebec registered outlooks of 12 per cent, the only two regions to surpass Atlantic Canada's 10 per cent; while Ontario expects a relatively quiet first quarter of 2009 for hiring, with an outlook of three per cent.

Manpower has 50 offices across Canada. They've been conducting their quarterly hiring surveys ffor more than 45 years, based on interviews with more than 71,000 employers worldwide

Personal note: It looks like all of the major Atlantic Canadian cities are expected to do reasonably well for the next six months. This does not necessarily mean that we will escape the recession however. In my experience, the Maritimes ofter seem to have a "phase shift" of 6-18 months with relation to economic (and social) trends elsewhere in North America. Recessions tend to hit certain resource based (mining, oil) sectors as well as the manufacturing base first, and then gradually infiltrate through the rest of the economy. I suspect that will also happen here and that the latter part of 2009 may be tough for us. I hope I'm wrong but we'll see....

The fact that the Maritimes are not affected by the real estate collapse seen elsewhere may argue in our favour.

[mmmatt]

^ Good to hear we are still in good shape...in fact better than last year! :)

Im looking forward to Jan for annual stats like airport passenger traffic, building permit values etc.

[MonctonRad]

Matt, I'm looking forward to seeing your revised map of downtown showing where all the building projects are going. This will be very interesting to see.
:tup:

[mmmatt]

Matt, I'm looking forward to seeing your revised map of downtown showing where all the building projects are going. This will be very interesting to see.
:tup:

Yeah hopefully I can get that posted tonight, Id do it now but Im trapped in the confines of work :(

[mmmatt]

Updated in light of a few new developments since the last map :)

Downtown Development

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/montage/downtowndev.jpg

1. Ashford Building

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/Small/COMINGSPRING2009.jpg

Status: U/C
Completion:Summer 2009
Use: Offices
Floors: 4

2. Vaughn Harvey Extension

Status: Complete
Completion: 2007
Use: Roadway

3. Crombie Retail Project

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/Small/DSCN1694.jpg

Status: U/C
Completion: Unknown
Use: Retail (anchors: Sobeys, Shoppers Drug Mart)

4. Highfield Square Redevelopment

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:0ZkE8Do8RSercM:http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php%3Fid%3D139230%26size%3D500x400

Status: Planning
Completion: 2010+
Use: Unknown, Possibly 10,000-12,000 seat arena

5. Apartment Building

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/Small/DSCN1638.jpg

Status: U/C
Completion: 2009
Use: Residential
Floors: 4

6. Federal Offices

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/Small/DSCN1636b.jpg

Status: U/C
Completion: 2009
Use: Office
Floors: 3

7. Assumption Blvd. Extension

Status: Complete
Completion: 2007
Use: Roadway

8. Skate park Expansion

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/Small/DSCN1738.jpg

Status: U/C
Completion: Summer 2009
Use: Recreational

9. Justice Center

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=215265

Status: Approved
Completion: 2010
Use: Government
Floors: 5

10. Blue Cross Centre Expansion

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/Small/BlueCrossExpansionartistsrendering.jpg

Status: Complete
Completion: 2006
Use: Office
Floors: 4

11. Marriott Residence Inn

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f232/stu_pendousmat/Small/DSCN1975.jpg

Status: Complete
Completion: 2008
Use: Marriott Hotel, The Keg Restaurant
Floors: 6


12. Robichaud Condos

Status: Approved
Completion: 2010
Use: 80 Unit Condo Tower, retail on ground level
Floors: 6/7+

13. Robichaud Apartments/Condos

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=223346&size=500x0

Status: Site Prep (demolition of existing structures)
Completion: 2010?
Use: Apartments/Condos
Floors:2 x 6/7+

14. Cameron Condos

http://www.youronlineagents.com/listingphotos/1721/large_106212_284465_01.jpg

Status: Approved
Completion: 2009
Use: Condos
Floors: 4

15. Lewis Condos

Status: Proposed
Use: Condos
Floors: ?

[mylesmalley]

Excellent job, Mat! It's surprising to see just how many projects, especially residential, are going up in the Gordon/Vaughan Harvey/High/Main rectangle.

By the way, I drove past that new Fed building yesterday. It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be. That big parking lot looks a lot better now that it's framed in on three sides.

[MonctonRad]

Thanks Matt:

I agree with Myles, the sudden growth spurt in the Vaughn Harvey/Main St. neighbourhood is quite interesting. I have no doubt that this is directly related to the Vaughn Harvey extension/new Gunningsville Bridge project just completed a year ago. I always knew that this would be a catalyst for growth downtown and there is much more to come.

As they say, "If you build it, they will come.......".

This could also become the mantra for the proposed downtown arena/convention/commercial complex.

The city has to be aggressive regarding this proposal. There will be a lot of federal infrastructure monies available in the next 1-2 years. This will likely be the best chance ever of seeing this development happen. The time is now!!

[mmmatt]

^ Agreed. The time IS now. We need to keep going on this track and build on our momentum.

PS: I had my name changed, as people in other forums always assumed my name was "Stu" haha. Figured Id just remove the confusion :)

[riverviewer]

Great job on the map. Will you be expanding it to incude all of Greater Moncton? I'd love to see what's happening in Dieppe and Riverview too.

BTW with all the federal money soon to be available, maybe some of it could be spent on the removal of the scaffolding on the Post Office at the corner of Highfield and Main. If the scaffold is going to be a permanent fixture, maybe they can replace it with an external frame and cover it with glass panels so we could see the building behind.

[mylesmalley]

A glass exterior would be pretty cool... Regardless of what they do, they have to get rid of that scaffolding. It's been there for years and not a thing has been done to fix up the old building. Pretty shameful...

[MonctonRad]

^ Agreed. The time IS now. We need to keep going on this track and build on our momentum.

PS: I had my name changed, as people in other forums always assumed my name was "Stu" haha. Figured Id just remove the confusion :)

Yeah, back when you and I were spending so much time on the Wikipedia article on Moncton, I thought your name was "Stu". :haha:

Are you changing your name for Wikipedia too?

[mmmatt]

Yeah, back when you and I were spending so much time on the Wikipedia article on Moncton, I thought your name was "Stu". :haha:

Are you changing your name for Wikipedia too?

I dont think I can...besides making a new account and losing my status as a long-standing good editor (nearly 3,000 edits). I dont really talk to anyone on there anymore...so its not a big deal. :)

[mmmatt]

Great job on the map. Will you be expanding it to incude all of Greater Moncton? I'd love to see what's happening in Dieppe and Riverview too.

BTW with all the federal money soon to be available, maybe some of it could be spent on the removal of the scaffolding on the Post Office at the corner of Highfield and Main. If the scaffold is going to be a permanent fixture, maybe they can replace it with an external frame and cover it with glass panels so we could see the building behind.

Thanks! However I dont think Ill expand it out...their are a lot of projects going on around metro over a large ammount of space, so it would be difficult to do it in any good looking way. The only other area I could see doing would be upper Mountain rd / Mapleton area, where there is a lot of activity in a fairly small area. (Casino, Microtel Inn, Motel 6, Mapleton Power Center, St. Hubert, 3 retail strips on Mountain, Mapleton Expansion, Dental/Retail center on Mapleton etc etc)

Other than that I cant think of any areas with such a concentration of activity.

I agree with you about the scaffolding, its a disgrace to the city that the Feds do not fix that building, it is one of the best gems of downtown. :hell:

[gehrhardt]

I was driving by the Mountain Rd area on the TCH this morning and saw that there is a big mobile crane up at the Casino site. It looks like they'll be doing as much as they can over the winter. :tup:

[mmmatt]

I was driving by the Mountain Rd area on the TCH this morning and saw that there is a big mobile crane up at the Casino site. It looks like they'll be doing as much as they can over the winter. :tup:

Excellent!

Yeah Im surprised at how much construction is going on this winter.


to name a few:

- Casino
- Mapleton Power Center / Dentist Center
- A few large apartment complexes (prolly more)...Bella Casa Riverview, Robichaud By Vaughn Harvey, One near the Moncton Hospital etc.
- Retail strips on Mountain keep trucking

:)

[MonctonRad]

Since it's a slow news time of year and we do (occasionally) post historical photos of Moncton in this thread, I thought I would post this picture from 1915 showing MFD pumper #1 in front of the (former) St. George St. firehouse. Enjoy!

http://susan.chin.gc.ca/~images99/GUAEAP/wagon.jpg

Hard to imagine this was only 93 years ago. There are people still alive who can remember scenes like this!

[mmmatt]

^ Nice pic!

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! Now back to business :P

Metro retail environment set record pace in 2008

Industry expects robust growth to continue in region into 2009

By James Foster
Published Saturday December 27th, 2008
Times & Transcript Staff

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=226991&size=500x0
The Mapleton Power Centre began to take shape this year. While the global economy is struggling, Moncton continues to be a successful and growing shopping mecca.

Metro Moncton's efforts to position itself as the retail hub of Atlantic Canada isn't just so much propaganda.

A look at the numbers shows that without doubt, this area is the shopping basket of the east coast and will remain so for some time to come. The retail industry says sales should hit about $2.3 billion in 2008 (that's 32 per cent higher than the average Canadian metropolitan area) and grow by more than 20 per cent over the next five years.

A number of factors have conspired to push Moncton to the top of the retail market. It's not just the fact that, thanks to the Metro area's central location, more than one million consumers live within a 2-1/2-hour drive.

First of all, area residents have money to spend, with employment reaching a record 75,100 people as of late November. About 7,500 new jobs were created in Metro Moncton in the past year alone.

The population is growing in lockstep with the local economy. A record 126,424 people now live in the Metro area, creating a healthy home-grown market for retailers because 17.3 per cent of the entire province's population now lives in the metropolitan area, which is another record.

Four out of every 10 Metro residents are between the ages of 25 and 64, considered most people's prime earning years.

The retail industry measures the buying power of consumers using a complex formula which shows that Metro Moncton consumers have more buying power than any other Atlantic Canadian city and far more than the national average.

Growth for the next five years in the retail sector is estimated at 24.6 per cent, higher than the national average and more than any other Atlantic Canadian centre.

That's a few of the reasons why retail construction reached approximately $50 million last year, with major renovations undertaken at the area's largest shopping mall, Champlain Place in Dieppe, and the ongoing construction of a new retail fashion centre in the Wheeler Park shopping district. The stores that will move to the new centre have not yet been identified and shoppers are buzzing about the rumoured names. That development, at the north-east corner of the intersection of Mapleton Road and Wheeler Boulevard, will feature four separate buildings just to start, and will be known as the Mapleton Power Centre, featuring almost 200,000 square feet of new retail space with parking for more than 800 vehicles. Further development is expected at that location.

Metro Moncton is already home to an unusually large number of retailers who have only one outlet in the province, which also serves to attract shoppers from across the Maritimes to the city.

The city's economy has much diversified in the past two decades, which means that when the economy turns bad, maybe some sectors will be affected in the metro area but others will not.

It's just one more factor behind the rosy outlook for the retail sector in Metro Moncton for the years to come.

Other than the Trinity Drive-Mapleton Road area, another area primed for further development is at the southern end of Vaughan Harvey Boulevard, where a new Sobey's and liquor store has already attracted a new drug store and shoe store to set up shop at that location.

Developers are currently haggling with owners of land directly across the street from the existing development, with an eye toward future growth.

As well, the twinning of Mapleton Road northward to the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 2) is also expected to spur further development in that area.

[mmmatt]

2008 was big year for Metro real estate

Cheap mortgages, constant growth, low prices conspire to keep housing market humming in 2008

By JAMES FOSTER
Published Saturday December 27th, 2008
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT

http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=226916&size=500x0
Other regions may be seeing their real estate markets taking a hit as the economy has taken a serious tumble, but Metro markets continue to remain strong.

Real estate activity will almost, but not quite, reach record levels in Metro Moncton for 2008.

"But remember we've just had, I think, six consecutive record years, or maybe it's seven," says Paul Burns of Century 21 Countryside Realty and the incoming president of the Moncton Real Estate Board.

A number of factors have converged to make Moncton the most active real estate market in the province, Burns says: low interest rates, a stable and diversified economy, low housing prices, high-quality homes and constant economic and population growth in the southeast of the province.

"We have some of the most inexpensive houses in Canada, and they're very well built," Burns says. "We have some excellent home builders in this city."

The top sellers in 2008 were homes priced between $120,000 and $139,900, by far, and among the most sought-after homes were semi-detached houses. In fact, more semi-detached homes are sold in Metro Moncton than all the rest of the province combined.

The average price of a new home in 2008 was $156,000, up from $152,000 the previous year, or an increase of 2.6 per cent. That's a sign of a well-balanced market, where modest price increases keep homes affordable for buyers, while sellers can see that their investment has appreciated.

By year's end, the volume of sales across Metro Moncton should come in at only about two per cent lower than last year's record levels.

"New Brunswick in general is doing really good," Burns says of the real estate business, "and Moncton in particular is doing really good.

The cost to build in Moncton is still quite reasonable. The cost of land is still reasonable."

Five-year mortgages can be had for about 4.9 per cent and the interest-rate trend is downward and that should serve to attract first-time home buyers, Burns expects.

As well, in-migration from other areas of the province and the country, as well as immigration from other countries, is up, keeping the housing market busy.

Many new jobs were created in Metro Moncton in 2008 as well, helping to spur the construction of new homes and sales of existing homes.

"We're getting a lot of good news from different directions," Burns says.

The influx of newcomers is also affecting the rental market, with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation noting that the vacancy rate in the Metro area fell this autumn to 2.4 per cent from 3.5 per cent, pushing the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment to $638, $625 and $630 for Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview respectively.

For example, in October there were 234 vacant apartments for rent in Metro Moncton, down dramatically from 419 a year earlier, despite record construction of apartments in 2006 followed by higher-than-average construction of new units in 2007 and 2008.

The most dramatic drop in vacancy rates occurred in newer apartments that were built since 2000 and in apartments that had higher rents.

For the sake of comparison, vacancy rates dropped in both Fredericton and Saint John, to 2.2 per cent and 2.1 per cent respectively.





- The thing that amazed me most about housing in Metro this year was the fact that we have been building the most new rental units of any municipality in NB (by quite a bit) for the past few years on a consistant basis, and yet the vacancy rate was still able to go down that much.

[jenike]

On the Moncton High debate. I agree the facade of the building is beautiful and a one of a kind on the Moncton area, but it is a mess for being a school. The building itself should be preserved, but not as a school. I've been in the facility many times, and although it like a walk through history, it doesn't serve it's purpose anymore.

I would assume some of the costs would come in terms of making the building operationally efficient. It's absolutely freezing in that school. I can only imagine how well it's insulated and what the wiring is like. The old gym that hidden in the basement looks like it could fall down at any time, and I would love to see what the air quality is like in that school.

Unfortunately the school system does a poor job of maintaining the structures they have. I know that Riverview High has had a leaking gym roof for 7 years now that doesn't seem to get repaired. And the condition of the school in Gunningsville is absolutely ridiculous. They have more trailer classrooms than they do classrooms in the actual school. Considering that area is the fastest growing residential area of Riverview, that situation is going to need to be resolved fast!

[mmmatt]

I just realized that there is a possibility of 4 tower cranes in Moncton this coming summer, and 3 of those downtown. :)

- Casino (Crane for 6 floor hotel) - Very Likely
- Justice Center - Very Likely
- Robichaud Apartments/Condos near Vaughn harvey - 50/50
- Robichaud Condo Tower on Main - 50/50

Looks like we may have a very exciting construction season on our hands :tup: