[Saint John] Uptown Thread

[Seely32]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Infill at St Andrew and Sydney proceeding. Not sure what it is just yet, but I assume it'll be 2-3 floors and residential. https://imgur.com/a/bj2HvaJ

How are your projects coming along any updates or eta on a start? One near Waterloo and if I remember correctly you were doing some renos/conversions around Harding St. as well.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Agreed, lots of places in the uptown that would benefit.

How about the corner of Union and Coberg?

Another uptown location that would seem to be crying out for something to be built is the northwest corner of Charlotte and Princess that was left vacant several years ago after a fire.

Too often fires in SJ's uptown seem to result in gravel parking lots rather than new buildings.

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Another uptown location that would seem to be crying out for something to be built is the northwest corner of Charlotte and Princess that was left vacant several years ago after a fire.

Too often fires in SJ's uptown seem to result in gravel parking lots rather than new buildings.

I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one, IOL bought it during the construction of their HQ and they don’t have the best record of Uptown development.

[KnoxfordGuy]

The fire = empty lot seems to be common in a lot of cities. Even the big ones. In centuries past the lot wouldn't even have time to cool before framing was up for a new building.

[adamuptownsj]

Irving's habit of sitting on vacant land in the PDA and doing nothing with it has to stop. Why they don't develop or sell lots like this is beyond me. How does it benefit them? This should be a premium mixed-use building and it's been gravel for a decade. They're not the only guilty party, but they're the only one that could spin up a vertically-integrated development company overnight.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Irving's habit of sitting on vacant land in the PDA and doing nothing with it has to stop. Why they don't develop or sell lots like this is beyond me. How does it benefit them? This should be a premium mixed-use building and it's been gravel for a decade. They're not the only guilty party, but they're the only one that could spin up a vertically-integrated development company overnight.

It wouldn't be so bad if these vacant properties were assessed at fair market value and taxed appropriately.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by sailor734

It wouldn't be so bad if these vacant properties were assessed at fair market value and taxed appropriately.

Assessed at $97,200, tax bill of $4,589. The three lots at Union and Waterloo are only assessed at $37,100 and taxed at only $1,692. Dozens more examples. Those are JDI owned, but still. Pennies.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Assessed at $97,200, tax bill of $4,589. The three lots at Union and Waterloo are only assessed at $37,100 and taxed at only $1,692. Dozens more examples. Those are JDI owned, but still. Pennies.

Have any political parties actually talked about taxation issues regarding vacant land? It's not something the city can really do anything about, as far as i know.

Now would seem to be the time to try and pressure the parties running to make more explicit promises regarding comprehensive tax reform and make it an election issue.

I know Susan Holt's Liberals have promised to bring about comprehensive tax reform, but I'm not too sure on the details of their intended reforms.

Municipalities should have the power and authority to increase taxes on vacant property, along with being able to set different rates for different types of commercial and industrial properties.

I know it's a boring issue, but damn is it an important one, and more people need to speak up on this issue to make it more important in the election than some of these other far less consequential issues which seem to be getting far more attention.

The need for tax reform is near the top of the list in terms political and economic issues impacting Saint John, hopefully it becomes a much bigger election issue than it's seemed to be so far in the lead up to the campaign.