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The company's presentation included a concept drawing for a small park on the site that would include features representing its history as home to a church dating from the 1840s.
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They were just going to leave it as open space? FFS. That prominent corner site deserves an occupied building to add density and life to the area - a park would have been redundant as the site is across the street from the Old Burial Ground and a block away from King's Square. I honestly would have been okay to see the building demolished if it meant a larger redevelopment (perhaps in tandem with the neighbouring lot), but given the circumstances I think the HDB made the right decision.
JDI badly needs some senior leadership that "gets it" with regard to contributing positively to the urbanity of the Peninsula and elsewhere in Saint John. As it stands they still own a number of vacant lots in the King Street East/Elliott Row area that have been underutilized since their new parking garage opened, and are ripe for infill. Unfortunately it's clear that they have no interest in developing their urban properties or even selling surplus lots to someone who would. So many wasted opportunities.