[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by Mattyyy

If I had my guess - I think the Ashford development is considering the possibility of 2 towers at 25 floors each. 50 seems excessive and out of place, and would be a wasted opportunity in creating infill of downtown land.

Imagine 2 new buildings each at 25 floors, joined by shared ground space containing a relocated city market, convention space plus a new city library. One building a hotel, the other residential.

And as I think this further - I suppose the buildings do not need to be 25 each (may be too much for a hotel?). So perhaps a building at 30 or even 35 (residential) plus a shorter hotel at 15-20.

That's a good point. If there was a residential tower of 30-32 floors, a hotel could be 18-20. And the podium would be 2-3 floors with the market and a convention center. That would make a hotel more plausible.

[Riberview]

So we "know" that the city market is relocating to the northern corner of the Ashford parking lot, consider this the south-west corner of where the new road parallel with Main St will intersect Downing St.

We are assuming that this will be a handful of storeys.

We also know the City has requested a feasibility study concerning a possible convention centre. This is and the delay in infrastructure announcements are the reasons for a delay in any announcement by the Ashford group.

There is a possibility that the market and convention centre are in the same building. So does this now add four or more storeys to this corner? Are we now looking at a six to eight storey building?

Or does the convention centre act as the podium to the other two buildings to the south of this corner? One at north-west corner of Assumption/Downing and one between the two..

[Leroy321]

Originally Posted by Riberview

So we "know" that the city market is relocating to the northern corner of the Ashford parking lot, consider this the south-west corner of where the new road parallel with Main St will intersect Downing St.

We are assuming that this will be a handful of storeys.

We also know the City has requested a feasibility study concerning a possible convention centre. This is and the delay in infrastructure announcements are the reasons for a delay in any announcement by the Ashford group.

There is a possibility that the market and convention centre are in the same building. So does this now add four or more storeys to this corner? Are we now looking at a six to eight storey building?

Or does the convention centre act as the podium to the other two buildings to the south of this corner? One at north-west corner of Assumption/Downing and one between the two..

When is the convention Center study going to be finished?

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by Leroy321

When is the convention Center study going to be finished?

All they said was that it's expected to be completed by this fall.

Jim Dixon of Ashford Group said that the company expects to be able to comment on their plans after the study is complete.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Riberview

So we "know" that the city market is relocating to the northern corner of the Ashford parking lot, consider this the south-west corner of where the new road parallel with Main St will intersect Downing St.

We are assuming that this will be a handful of storeys.

We also know the City has requested a feasibility study concerning a possible convention centre. This is and the delay in infrastructure announcements are the reasons for a delay in any announcement by the Ashford group.

There is a possibility that the market and convention centre are in the same building. So does this now add four or more storeys to this corner? Are we now looking at a six to eight storey building?

Or does the convention centre act as the podium to the other two buildings to the south of this corner? One at north-west corner of Assumption/Downing and one between the two..

I would imagine a proper convention centre (and possible hotel) would want a street front presence, which would place the principal entrance and main convention halls within the podium, presumably facing Downing Street probably down by the corner of Downing with Assumption Blvd. The associated hotel could be in a tower above the convention centre (but with a separate street entrance and lobby space +/- bar & restaurant on the ground floor).

The city market is planned to be located on the northern segment of Downing, close to the Delta Beausejour, just as you mentioned.

I would wager that the (possible) hotel, convention centre and city market would end up taking the entire western side of Downing Street (with room for a little street front retail).

In this situation, i am not quite sure where the residential tower would go, but positioning of this building is less critical as it will be non commercial. It could go on the new street going in behind Assumption Place. The parking structure would be hidden in between the hotel/convention centre and the residential tower.

This is speculative of course.

[MonctonRad]

Here is the original concept drawing of the Ashford development (from 2017).



As you can see, the city market was envisioned as an about seven storey building.

The market was to go in the podium of the building in the foreground. The nature of the tower above was speculative, but some people thought a relocated city library could go there. The tower portion of this building could also be used for the potential convention centre, but, it would be very unusual for a convention centre not to have a street presence of some kind.

The tower in the distance was to be the apartment building (~15 storey), but, obviously this has been changed and more height is anticipated.

If the apartment building was swapped out for a convention centre/hotel, then the height could remain the same. The apartment building would be located elsewhere.

[mylesmalley]

You guys are really setting yourselves up for disappointment if it turns out to be a 2-story commercial strip mall.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

You guys are really setting yourselves up for disappointment if it turns out to be a 2-story commercial strip mall.

With a Tim Hortons and a Dollarama in it.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

With a Tim Hortons and a Dollarama in it.

Or, even worse, a Timarama!!!





Speculation is 3/4ths of the fun, especially when you only have the barest hints of what might be planned.......

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Or, even worse, a Timarama!!!

Think bigger...

[MonctonRad]

Only if Ashford sells the Assumption lands to Corey Craig.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Only if Ashford sells the Assumption lands to Corey Craig.

Home of the Double Double:

[MonctonRad]

Good name for a coaster!

[josh_cat_eyes]

On a serious note, do I remember the city creating a study for a pool/field House facility in downtown? I wonder where such a project could go. Also, who currently owns the delta? What if a convention centre was build as an extension of this hotel, rather than a new one? Just a thought.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

On a serious note, do I remember the city creating a study for a pool/field House facility in downtown? I wonder where such a project could go.

There was something. I think the city may be looking to partner with UdeM on this as the CEPS is reaching the end of it's useful life.

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

Also, who currently owns the delta? What if a convention centre was build as an extension of this hotel, rather than a new one? Just a thought.

Good thought. A convention facility could be built on the back end of the Delta Beausejour, facing the new east/west road that they will be building. It would be small, but perhaps this is all the city wants, and would complement existing convention facilities in the hotel.

[Leroy321]

Work has begun today with the Vaughn Harvey/ main st 6 story apartment

[MonctonRad]

Indeed. There was a crane there this afternoon unloading construction materials at the site.



Will this building require a full tower crane? My gut feeling is yes. This building will be of reinforced concrete construction.

[NBNYer]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Indeed. There was a crane there this afternoon unloading construction materials at the site.

Will this building require a full tower crane? My gut feeling is yes. This building will be of reinforced concrete construction.

Isn’t it wood framed? I thought that was part of the reason they reverted to 6 stories?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by NBNYer

Isn’t it wood framed? I thought that was part of the reason they reverted to 6 stories?

The components being unloaded today were the platforms you use to support concrete floors after they are poured.

[BlackYear]

Originally Posted by NBNYer

Isn’t it wood framed? I thought that was part of the reason they reverted to 6 stories?

I just puked in my coffee mug!