The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by darkharbour

About time something new went in those commercial spaces, the building looks awful these days.

Used to spend a a fair bit of time there as a kid, my mom was always going to Fabricville there and our dentist was in the upper floor above where Crowe's was. Plus the KFC too of course.

The only time I was ever inside the building was drinking underage at Crowe's. When did it have national scale franchises in it?

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

The only time I was ever inside the building was drinking underage at Crowe's. When did it have national scale franchises in it?

This would have been the very late 80s and early 90s at some point when I was a kid. It was a busy place with the bowling alley up there too.

[Ire Narissis]

I still remember the spinning KFC bucket sign! And when Fabricville was in there.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by Ire Narissis

I still remember the spinning KFC bucket sign! And when Fabricville was in there.

I remember that too. Steve's Fish and Chips was in that area too.....not actually in the plaza but right by it on City Road. As a small kid I recall Christmas tree lots in Haymarket Square (before the overpass to the throughway was built on top of it).

[cdnguys]

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by bingun

We've got some concrete details on the Belyea Arena redevelopment. This is going to PAC on June 16th. 209 units total, with 196 of those being from 3-story stacked townhouses.

Packed in like sardines! I wonder what the neighbours will think.

Will be interesting to see the neighbourhood response to this versus the response they had to Brent Harris’s proposal to turn the shut down arena into a transitional housing site with a gigantic soccer dome in people’s “backyards”.

I still think it’s major BS the city ended up closing the Belyea Arena when it was in better shape than the rink in Millidgeville. Instead of shutting down a rink, the city should have went through with their threat to slap recreation fees on the thousands of residents from the suburbs outside the city that use our city owned rinks and other recreational facilities.

I feel like some city staff and council members always had the plan in mind to use the Belyea as a homeless shelter. From what I’ve heard, the genius on staff that came up with that disastrous idea that was unleashed on the Bayshore neighbourhood for a few years until the Fire Marshal shut it down for being unsafe, was a resident of Hampton.

Can anyone imagine how Hampton residents would have reacted if someone on their council proposed replacing their local arena with a transitional housing facility for the unhoused population of Uptown Saint John?

It’s a shame council used the cover of Covid-19 to vote on shutting down the arena in the first place, as very little few residents of the neighbourhood were too concerned about it at the time. Had the neighbourhood shown a similar opposition to the idea of shutting down the area, as they did to Brent Harris’s transitional housing proposal for the arena, council might have thought twice about shutting down any arenas at all.

I don’t think the city should have shut any arenas down until they actually started to build the multiplex in East Saint John. Moreover, the West Side (and its leaders/ councilors) should be pushing for another multiplex arena facility to be built on this side of town next!

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

Will be interesting to see the neighbourhood response to this versus the response they had to Brent Harris’s proposal to turn the shut down arena into a transitional housing site with a gigantic soccer dome in people’s “backyards”.

I still think it’s major BS the city ended up closing the Belyea Arena when it was in better shape than the rink in Millidgeville. Instead of shutting down a rink, the city should have went through with their threat to slap recreation fees on the thousands of residents from the suburbs outside the city that use our city owned rinks and other recreational facilities.

I feel like some city staff and council members always had the plan in mind to use the Belyea as a homeless shelter. From what I’ve heard, the genius on staff that came up with that disastrous idea that was unleashed on the Bayshore neighbourhood for a few years until the Fire Marshal shut it down for being unsafe, was a resident of Hampton.

Can anyone imagine how Hampton residents would have reacted if someone on their council proposed replacing their local arena with a transitional housing facility for the unhoused population of Uptown Saint John?

It’s a shame council used the cover of Covid-19 to vote on shutting down the arena in the first place, as very little few residents of the neighbourhood were too concerned about it at the time. Had the neighbourhood shown a similar opposition to the idea of shutting down the area, as they did to Brent Harris’s transitional housing proposal for the arena, council might have thought twice about shutting down any arenas at all.

I don’t think the city should have shut any arenas down until they actually started to build the multiplex in East Saint John. Moreover, the West Side (and its leaders/ councilors) should be pushing for another multiplex arena facility to be built on this side of town next!

City has too many arenas for the demand, 13% prime time not being booked. People may say that’s a loss for west side residents, but anyone who has played hockey knows whatever rink time you have at any given rink, most everyone is from somewhere else in the city - you go to the rink because of schedule not location. As for packed development, this is the missing middle housing we desperately need.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

The arena was at the end of its functional life and city decided the dollars would be better spent on a new modern multi rink complex out east, which I agree with. People may say that’s a loss for west side residents, but anyone who has played hockey knows whatever rink time you have at any given rink, most everyone is from somewhere else in the city - you go to the rink because of schedule not location. As for packed development, this is the missing middle housing we desperately need.

From everything I’ve heard, the Gorman was even close to the end of its functional life, and should have been the one chosen to be shut, but council decided to permanently shut the Belyea instead. I don’t think any rink should have been closed down until work had at least started on the new rink. There’s been a lot of talk about the new multiplex arena facility… but has there been any actual work on building it yet?

As you point out, most users of rinks are from another part of the city, or region. On that point, the city should have showed some courage and stuck with their plan to slap recreation fees on “out of towners” using city rinks and other recreation facilities. Instead, the city folded like a cheap tent when the hotel association made a one time payment to the tune of $60,000 (if I remember the figure correctly)… and hasn’t revisited the idea since.

The city should absolutely revisit that idea again and charge user fees on the many people from Quispamsis, Rothesay, Grand Bay, etc that use city rinks and other recreation facilities, but whose communities don’t pay their fair share towards building and maintaining recreational facilities in the city of Saint John.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

From everything I’ve heard, the Gorman was even close to the end of its functional life, and should have been the one chosen to be shut, but council decided to permanently shut the Belyea instead. I don’t think any rink should have been closed down until work had at least started on the new rink. There’s been a lot of talk about the new multiplex arena facility… but has there been any actual work on building it yet?

As you point out, most users of rinks are from another part of the city, or region. On that point, the city should have showed some courage and stuck with their plan to slap refraction fees on “out of towners” using city rinks and other recreation facilities. Instead, the city folded like a cheap tent when the hotel association made a one time payment to the tune of $60,000 (if I remember the figure correctly)… and hasn’t revisited the idea since.

The city should absolutely revisit that idea again and charge user fees on the many people from Quispamsis, Rothesay, Grand Bay, etc that use city rinks and other recreation facilities, but whose communities don’t pay their fair share towards building and maintaining recreational facilities in the city of Saint John.

I misspoke - turns out there was life left in it. It was an exercise of saving $155,000 a year, proceeds of sale and additional tax revenue from development. Point taken above but still support the move - be nice to see development over there - such a great area of city

[bingun]

I know you are very passionate about it, Envision, but sadly, that ship has sailed. Hopefully, after the new rink on the east side is complete, they can consider one for the west side. If anything, the increased population from developments like this could help justify that. I'd have to go dig back into the capital plan, but work was supposed to start on that before the end of the decade.

There isn't much detail in the uploaded document about the number of bedrooms, but let's say 2 people per unit; that's +400 for that part of the west side. Is there even 400 people in the area enclosed by Sea Street, Dufferin Row, and City Line as it is?

This could also help justify improvements to the Shoreline Trail, Bayshore Beach, and Seaside Park, all things I am passionate about.

[ell]

Originally Posted by bingun

There isn't much detail in the uploaded document about the number of bedrooms, but let's say 2 people per unit; that's +400 for that part of the west side. Is there even 400 people in the area enclosed by Sea Street, Dufferin Row, and City Line as it is?

Yes! Probably not many more though

Originally Posted by bingun

This could also help justify improvements to the Shoreline Trail, Bayshore Beach, and Seaside Park, all things I am passionate about.

My personal wishlist is for a canteen (or at least food truck) at the newly paved access to Bayshore! Public washrooms would be great too

[cdnguys]

[cdnguys]

https://www.540kitchenandbar.com/

[bingun]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

https://www.540kitchenandbar.com/

It makes sense they'd try to imitate the roundhouse; it is extremely popular in Fredericton. Their outdoor space is great, especially on warm summer evenings. They also have a coffee place in that space. I wonder if they'll try the same at Fundy Quay.

Does anyone know what they're trying to do here on Commerce Drive? They've done a whole bunch of earthworks and raised/flattened the site. I don't recall seeing any plans for this.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by bingun

It makes sense they'd try to imitate the roundhouse; it is extremely popular in Fredericton. Their outdoor space is great, especially on warm summer evenings. They also have a coffee place in that space. I wonder if they'll try the same at Fundy Quay.

Does anyone know what they're trying to do here on Commerce Drive? They've done a whole bunch of earthworks and raised/flattened the site. I don't recall seeing any plans for this.

It looked like used asphalt that they spread to me. No recent land sales on it so it’s a mystery. Be a good lot for an apartment building

[DyAm00394]

Ravelin Reit, (owners of Brunswick Square and Kings Place Mall in Fredericton), has been acquired by Clarke Inc. https://ravelinreit.com/press-releases/clarke-inc-completes-acquisition-of-ravelin-properties-reit/

AllNewBrunswick has a new headline about this saying Clarke Inc. is going to be leasing up Ravelin’s properties.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

Ravelin Reit, (owners of Brunswick Square and Kings Place Mall in Fredericton), has been acquired by Clarke Inc. https://ravelinreit.com/press-releases/clarke-inc-completes-acquisition-of-ravelin-properties-reit/

AllNewBrunswick has a new headline about this saying Clarke Inc. is going to be leasing up Ravelin’s properties.

Interesting, Clarke seems to be quite a small company taking on Ravelin. Their website lists its holdings - a handful of budget hotels, a ferry, an apartment building, and one major hotel in London, ON

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

Interesting, Clarke seems to be quite a small company taking on Ravelin. Their website lists its holdings - a handful of budget hotels, a ferry, an apartment building, and one major hotel in London, ON

It's a George Armoyan vehicle.

[adamuptownsj]

Buried in the council agenda for tonight, under Charlotte Street infrastructure upgrades... the presumed Lafford project at Tin Can Beach will be 404 units (see page 36): https://pub-saintjohn.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=26246

IIRC, Three Sisters is about 450 units and Gateway is 375.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Buried in the council agenda for tonight, under Charlotte Street infrastructure upgrades... the presumed Lafford project at Tin Can Beach will be 404 units (see page 36): https://pub-saintjohn.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=26246

IIRC, Three Sisters is about 450 units and Gateway is 375.

To clarify, Three Sisters is 458 units and Gateway will be around 420 units according to an official with Lafford.

The SJ project is good sizeable project then, looking forward to seeing renderings soon.