The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[cdnguys]

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[UptownJeff]

Spoke to the owner of Sagrati’s yesterday in the market. He has closed permanently as he just can’t make a living. Very sad as he was one of the only good places to eat. If it wasn’t for the tourists the market would be virtually empty. I still think that with the city going to a four day work week they significantly changed the dynamic of uptown. This city has made some dumb decisions but the four day work week is right up there.

[gtsoc]

Originally Posted by UptownJeff

Spoke to the owner of Sagrati’s yesterday in the market. He has closed permanently as he just can’t make a living. Very sad as he was one of the only good places to eat. If it wasn’t for the tourists the market would be virtually empty. I still think that with the city going to a four day work week they significantly changed the dynamic of uptown. This city has made some dumb decisions but the four day work week is right up there.

This is the second restaurant in the city market that has been recently taken over that is now closed (Sister's being the other).

I still question why the city went entirely four days, as opposed to other towns/cities that had a rotation of employees working 4 days each week (Mon - Thur, Tue - Fri), but remaining open five days a week.

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

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Looks like a great project that will fit the neighbourhood well, can't wait to see it completed!

[adamuptownsj]

Don't get me started about the 4-day city workweek. Friday is the most convenient day for anyone to get away from their desk or job site to deal with the city. For the first few months they did seem to be available and working until 7 PM M-Th or so... that didn't last. They're charitably clocking 32 hour workweeks on our dime.

Sagratis unlike Sisters actually improved with the new owner. It's a shame to lose them.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by UptownJeff

Spoke to the owner of Sagrati’s yesterday in the market. He has closed permanently as he just can’t make a living. Very sad as he was one of the only good places to eat. If it wasn’t for the tourists the market would be virtually empty. I still think that with the city going to a four day work week they significantly changed the dynamic of uptown. This city has made some dumb decisions but the four day work week is right up there.

That's a real shame. The Market is literally dying a lingering death. Judging by the number of people in Slocum and Ferris the past few times I've walked through I worry it might be next.

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by sailor734

That's a real shame. The Market is literally dying a lingering death. Judging by the number of people in Slocum and Ferris the past few times I've walked through I worry it might be next.

I suspect you may be right. We have family here from Ontario and they haven’t been in a few years. Their comments have been how shocked they were with the decline in both the market and Brunswick square. I recognize there are other positive developments but the city can’t seem to get out its own way.

The Market in particular is a disgrace and all you ever hear is “we’ve developed a 10 year plan”. Talk to the longtime vendors and they all say it’s been all talk and absolutely no action. Council seems more concerned with photo ops and regarding 3 councillors in particular, their planned runs for provincial and federal politics.

[cdnguys]

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[sailor734]

Article in the TJ this morning with Percy Wilbur dumping much of the blame for 99 King being stalled on the city and specifically it's various economic development agencies. Agencies he says "led him down the garden path" with promises of being an anchor tenant for the two floors of office space.....and then choosing space in the Brunswick Square tower instead.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Article in the TJ this morning with Percy Wilbur dumping much of the blame for 99 King being stalled on the city and specifically it's various economic development agencies. Agencies he says "led him down the garden path" with promises of being an anchor tenant for the two floors of office space.....and then choosing space in the Brunswick Square tower instead.

Everyone and everything is to blame but him. Wish he’d sell to a Moncton developer so construction can start within weeks. I hear Moncton has some of those most sought after transformers hidden away in a warehouse

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

Everyone and everything is to blame but him. Wish he’d sell to a Moncton developer so construction can start within weeks. I hear Moncton has some of those most sought after transformers hidden away in a warehouse

A Saint John business plan…cross your fingers and hope for the best. No bank is going to give you financing based on a verbal promise of an anchor tenant.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by UptownJeff

A Saint John business plan…cross your fingers and hope for the best. No bank is going to give you financing based on a verbal promise of an anchor tenant.

The development agencies had to vacate their premises on King St - my understanding is they went to City Market Tower as a temporary measure as they will be a tenant at 99 King. I assume they went to B Sq due to lack of action at 99 King and no commitment to a start date. My in laws moved into The Wentworth when it first opened - to this day they are still missing some kitchen cupboard doors and door jams among other several deficiencies waiting to be fixed. If Percy can’t get the small things done, not sure about a 12 story building.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

The development agencies had to vacate their premises on King St - my understanding is they went to City Market Tower as a temporary measure as they will be a tenant at 99 King. I assume they went to B Sq due to lack of action at 99 King and no commitment to a start date. My in laws moved into The Wentworth when it first opened - to this day they are still missing some kitchen cupboard doors and door jams among other several deficiencies waiting to be fixed. If Percy can’t get the small things done, not sure about a 12 story building.

Aren't there a bunch of lawsuits from unpaid contractors pending over the Wentworth.....or have they been settled?

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Aren't there a bunch of lawsuits from unpaid contractors pending over the Wentworth.....or have they been settled?

Haven’t heard any further updates. There are 2 sides to every story, and I have to say if you saw the workmanship in that building you wouldn’t want to pay the holdback to your contractor either. Rents jumped $60 on first year anniversary with very little action on deficiency list. How would you like to lay in bed in a high end apartment and stare at the wall with dried up gobs of paint running down the wall? And see your food in cupboard from living room because the cupboard door is missing, still after 17 months. Doors won’t latch because they forgot to notch out the wood behind the door jams.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

Haven’t heard any further updates. There are 2 sides to every story, and I have to say if you saw the workmanship in that building you wouldn’t want to pay the holdback to your contractor either. Rents jumped $60 on first year anniversary with very little action on deficiency list. How would you like to lay in bed in a high end apartment and stare at the wall with dried up gobs of paint running down the wall? And see your food in cupboard from living room because the cupboard door is missing, still after 17 months. Doors won’t latch because they forgot to notch out the wood behind the door jams.

Oh, absolutely. Contractor/developer disputes are rarely black and white.

[UptownJeff]

Had family in town and thought we’d spend a part of the afternoon on Grannan’s patio. We had our oysters and a drink and could barely hear each other due to the construction going on. Now I completely understand that work on the market square area has to proceed but, for Gods sake, could they not try to do the “heavy” stuff during peak hours? The dust and noise were unbelievable and we finally just left. I spoke to our waitress and she said they’ve tried to get them to work with the restaurants to No avail. They’ve also closed off access from water street to put down new pavers. Is there not other work that could’ve been done to leave that access open? As a local I know how to get to the restaurants but they were saying they’ve lost a lot of tourists because no one knows how to get to them.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by UptownJeff

Had family in town and thought we’d spend a part of the afternoon on Grannan’s patio. We had our oysters and a drink and could barely hear each other due to the construction going on. Now I completely understand that work on the market square area has to proceed but, for Gods sake, could they not try to do the “heavy” stuff during peak hours? The dust and noise were unbelievable and we finally just left. I spoke to our waitress and she said they’ve tried to get them to work with the restaurants to No avail. They’ve also closed off access from water street to put down new pavers. Is there not other work that could’ve been done to leave that access open? As a local I know how to get to the restaurants but they were saying they’ve lost a lot of tourists because no one knows how to get to them.

It always makes me shake my head the way government construction projects (and roadwork) seem to give zero thought on how to minimize the impact on those negatively effected. Could not the areas of the plaza immediately by the Market Square patios have been done in one year? In fact, the timeline for the whole project seems pretty leisurely.

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by sailor734

It always makes me shake my head the way government construction projects (and roadwork) seem to give zero thought on how to minimize the impact on those negatively effected. Could not the areas of the plaza immediately by the Market Square patios have been done in one year? In fact, the timeline for the whole project seems pretty leisurely.

Or could they have done the work at overnight?

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by bridgeoftea

Or could they have done the work at overnight?

I've always wondered why especially disruptive road work wasn't done during low traffic times (evenings/overnight) the way it is in many US jurisdictions. I'm assuming it's due to extra labour costs that would result in higher bids from contractors?

[RR Drummer]

While walking my dog today when I went by the Irving Oil Field House into the EPR parking lot there was temporary fencing up blocking some of the EPR parking lot off. Interesting. Does anyone know what’s going on?