[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by sailor734

I certainly think these are exciting times to be in Moncton. The only possibly negative thing I see from these developments (sisters, brothers, St Bernard, Icon, Ashford) is how linear they are and how spread out. I would think a cluster could do more to create street level businesses, activity and a "downtown core"

This again goes back to the origins of Moncton, and the fact it is an accidental (and not planned) city. Any rural village in the 1850s would have been a string of houses and businesses along the road leading into and out of town. There might have been a central area where the bulk of the businesses were set up, as well as the village church, but, the arrangement of the settlement would be linear and not volumetric. This is the setting that Moncton had to deal with as it started to grow.

I am not surprised that the new towers being built or proposed are following this pattern. Over time, densification will happen, especially south of Main Street. It will just take time to happen. Come back in 50 years and all the parking lots will be gone, and there will be a continuous built up area from Vaughan Harvey to the Dieppe traffic circle.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by jnaygull

In due time, infilling will happen where the core will become taller. Right now, vacant lots are getting all the love for the projects that require a bigger footprint. That being said, we're seeing a lot of older rundown houses being plowed down for 6-story apartment buildings in the downtown area. I think you'll start to see Assumption (and the new street crossing the pavement jungle) become the "new" downtown and Main St will become one-way or even a pedestrian-only street.

Sorry, I'm not a fan of the argument to pedestrianize Main Street. I don't mind pedestrianizing side streets (like Downing), but Main is a thoroughfare, and one of the principle routes for east-west traffic movement in the city.

[lirette]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Sorry, I'm not a fan of the argument to pedestrianize Main Street. I don't mind pedestrianizing side streets (like Downing), but Main is a thoroughfare, and one of the principle routes for east-west traffic movement in the city.

I don't see enough justification of it at the moment anyway. I love pedestrian streets, but in its current state downtown still relies heavily on cars coming downtown and parking in various areas and removing the main corridor makes that much more difficult to navigate. I also don't see massive congestion on the sidewalks of Moncton happening.

Its far more likely we see temporary closures increase a few times a year. We see this today with the friday of the car show, the santa clause parade, the new years eve celebration closed a section of main street off to make it pedestrian. Had the Wildcats gotten the Memorial Cup I'd imagine there would have been a street festival setup as well. Temporary closures on the evenings and weekends are not a big issue. A permanent closure of main street to cars just doesnt make sense to me at the moment. Like you said Downing Street was created with this vision in mind, once the 2nd portion of the street is complete and the buildings like the future market are added that will be the focus point of pedestrian streetscapes.

[Nashe]

Updated graphic with colour coding. Have added the "original" Downing proposal (not the 50 storey one).
Also added Tannery 1, 2, "Tomato Building" and Highfield & Gordon, just for kicks.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Moncton has come along way since the stage of the Rolling Stones Concert was the the 3rd tallest structure in the city haha.

[MonctonRad]

Thanks for your hard work Nashe!

Now that you have created the model, is it possible to rotate it so that it could be seen from a different perspective and a different elevation? It might be interesting to see what things might look like from a western perspective and lower elevation.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Now that you have created the model, is it possible to rotate it so that it could be seen from a different perspective and a different elevation? It might be interesting to see what things might look like from a western perspective and lower elevation.

Yup. It's just a bunch of 3D polygons in Google Earth so it can be viewed from any angle.
Here is from just beyond Jones Lake:

[MonctonRad]

[stephan.richard]

I am glad that we are seeing a densification of the downtown core. I wish our downtown had more of a downtown feel than what we have.

[new kid in town]

Nice images @nashe

[jnaygull]

Originally Posted by stephan.richard

I am glad that we are seeing a densification of the downtown core. I wish our downtown had more of a downtown feel than what we have.

I agree, and I have hope that with all of the new Assumption development that is eventually going to happen and we'll get more density downtown. However, until our population is willing to walk further than 5 feet from their car to a local business, we will continue to struggle to get peeps and new businesses downtown. But I feel a positive change is coming to that mindset with the influx of new people moving here who are used to walking a bit more.

[new kid in town]

Not sure about everyone's opinion here and preference for local vs chain or high end vs affordable, but most large cities with sizeable and dense downtowns have several fast food and/or coffee chains. We have a lot of business downtown but a lot of them are restaurants designed to sit in and enjoy. Might be a chicken ans egg situation but I do wish to see something like a Starbucks in there.

[MonctonGoldenTri]

Originally Posted by new kid in town

Not sure about everyone's opinion here and preference for local vs chain or high end vs affordable, but most large cities with sizeable and dense downtowns have several fast food and/or coffee chains. We have a lot of business downtown but a lot of them are restaurants designed to sit in and enjoy. Might be a chicken ans egg situation but I do wish to see something like a Starbucks in there.

IMO I hope Moncton pass's a bylaw for new buildings 6s+ to mandate the buildings first story to be retail/resto space. No more lawyer/accountant/real estate firms, please leave those to the 2nd/3rd floors.

I know Moncton has plans for St George but I hope they convert the majority of the street into a shopping district.

I'm a little puzzled as to why the Tim Horton's on Main street still closes at 3pm!!!!???

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by MonctonGoldenTri

I'm a little puzzled as to why the Tim Horton's on Main street still closes at 3pm!!!!???

Homeless people seeking someplace to keep warm (and to use the washroom, either to relieve themselves or shoot up).

Sad, but true.

[MonctonGoldenTri]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Homeless people seeking someplace to keep warm (and to use the washroom, either to relieve themselves or shoot up).

Sad, but true.

Have you noticed an improvement with the homeless since the new RCMP office opened?

I work on the west end of Main street so rarely go down.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by MonctonGoldenTri

Have you noticed an improvement with the homeless since the new RCMP office opened?

I work on the west end of Main street so rarely go down.

I'm rarely in downtown either. I live in the suburbs and the Moncton Hospital is suburban. I only go downtown to visit my accountant or financial advisor for the most part.

From what I can tell, just driving through on Main Street, I don't see as many vagrants on the street as last year, but, I think the problem has just been displaced to St. George Street. I don't think it has gone away.

[SevenSquared]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Homeless people seeking someplace to keep warm (and to use the washroom, either to relieve themselves or shoot up).

Sad, but true.

In most cities, this sort of thing is easily mitigated by installing blue lights in the washrooms, and at worst, a part-time security guard.

Closing at 3pm is just bizarre

[jonny golden]

In the few years before covid, downtown Moncton was a lot more vibrant. There were a lot of office workers around who would spent their lunch hours on Main Street. Starbucks on the corner of Church was always packed. When the workers started to work from home, everything changed.

Hopefully, when these large developments come online we'll see a rejuvenation, as there'll be a lot more people downtown.

[MonctonRad]

That's the plan!

I am actually optimistic. The Avenir Centre was absolutely necessary for rejuvenation of the core. We are already seeing it's effects on the downtown west end. Ashford/Downing hopefully will have a similar effect on the downtown east end. With further infill, we will see both ends of downtown uniting together into a functional and complete whole.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

That's the plan!

I am actually optimistic. The Avenir Centre was absolutely necessary for rejuvenation of the core. We are already seeing it's effects on the downtown west end. Ashford/Downing hopefully will have a similar effect on the downtown east end. With further infill, we will see both ends of downtown uniting together into a functional and complete whole.

Agreed. I just hope that the Junction developers decide to do a significant next phase building. Since their residential buildings have been so successful, and they were planning a hotel, a 10-12 floor FiveFive Queen type of building along Main St. would make a great addition.

Then all we'd need is for Crombie to be a good corporate citizen and do something with 1222 Main. Such an awful eyesore in an important and prominent location.