The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[Wrightguy0]

They can,t block that orange and black navigation tower on the hill above long wharf, so we may not see much more height on the Irving proposal.

[Lamezia]

Originally Posted by Seely32

Well all in all I am not impressed with the height but if they go go through with the gardens green space and walk across the slip It's not that bad. I would have like to see an additional 2 stories. Hopefully this will also have a trickle down effect and attract more stores, restaurants, and retail to support the amount of people who will work in this building. The foot traffic alone will be astronomical and it will help uptown seem way more lively.

Further on restaurants, I wonder what is happening with the Keg, I know they were in town looking at the city last year and I think the amount of development on water street alone could merit one in saint john. There buildings are usually quite nice and hopefully can be added to water street.

I was told that they are part of the proposal for a hotel/keg at Pugsley Park that the port is considering for their lands between the cruise terminal and the coast guard site.

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by PostModernPrometheus

That corner lot was for sale for years as the land around was being purchased...I could never figure why it wasnt scooped up & built on before this (besides the fact that it looks like a bit of a swamp)....

Traffic flow could be a nightmare if there are multiple entrances directly onto McAllister & Westmorland....

What they should do is widen the existing Mcallister Place entrance/exits that join Parkway Mall on one side and McAllister Drive on the other, then allow Sobey's to use them. Maybe that's asking to much from the planning department...

[SJTOKO]

It's time

[Wrightguy0]

To do what? Tear down the bank of Canada building? cause I'd gladly do that.

[Helladog]

Is Long Wharf the "golden egg"?

June 20, 2008 - 7:02 pm
By: Denise Barkhouse - News 88.9 Staff

SAINT JOHN - The International Longshoremen's Association thinks this proposed development smells a lot like the LNG tax deal struck between Irving and the city a few years back.

I-L-A Local 2073 President Terry Wilson said the Port Authority can not afford to give up land as valuable as Long Wharf.

"You have 14 pier, 13 pier, 12 pier, 11 pier all falling in the harbour...that's over one hundred million dollars to repair it," he said.

"Long Wharf, a perfectly perfect wharf, very little maintenance, why would you give away your golden egg?"

The Association believes this proposal was put together "behind closed doors" and that the port shut off any activity over the last couple of years to accommodate the "deal" while it was in the works.

But Enterprise Saint John Chair Dale Knox said this proposal gives Saint John a leg up.

"Now all of a sudden we're going to have two cruise ship terminals, to me, that means we're going to be pretty competitive in the cruise ship business as well," he said.

The proposal is expected to go through public consultation before any final decision is made.

[Helladog]

Remember the photo of the "articulated" bus?

I've got a limo that's forty, or more, feet long...

June 20, 2008 - 2:07 pm
By: Andrea Cyr - News 88.9 Staff

SAINT JOHN - A new, longer, more energy efficient City Transit bus will be on the streets of Saint John for a day.

The articulated, or accordion style busses, are hybrid vehicles that carry 20 more passengers than regular city busses.

The bus is on loan to the city for a few days to test its potential on local routes.

Transit Commission Chairman Mike Hunter said the goal is to grow the transit service to accommodate as many passengers as possible.

Photo: Helladog

[SJTOKO]

Originally Posted by Wrightguy0

To do what? Tear down the bank of Canada building? cause I'd gladly do that.

I'd like to see an LCD screen there and some adverstisments....

[nwalbert]

I just finished reading this mornings paper and it was refreshing to see virtually everyone questioned in support of the latest mega project for the city. It really feels like the attitude has changed in the city and we really are open for business now.

It is still hard to believe how different the city is going to look and feel after all of these projects are completed. This project will certainly add a lot more value to Rocca's development and the eventual Coast guard site development.

[Joe]

Should be an interesting Common Council meeting tonight.

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by SJTOKO

I'd like to see an LCD screen there and some adverstisments....

I agree with Wrightguy, I'd like to see that whole building replaced, sooner rather than later. Or at the very least they should do something about the midget parking structure, which is a complete waste of prime Uptown land.

[Helladog]

Job creation announcement coming today

Business TD Insurance Home and Auto expanding service in Saint John by more than 200 jobs

michelle porter
telegraph-journal
Published Monday June 23rd, 2008
C1

SAINT JOHN - The creation of more than 200 jobs in Saint John will be announced at a press conference later today.

This will be the first of several similar announcements expected this week, a government source says.

In total five announcements involving job creation are expected this week, creating a total of 430 jobs across the province.

Later today Premier Shawn Graham will be joined by the president and CEO of TD Insurance, Alain Thibault, Saint John East MLA Roly MacIntyre and Saint John Mayor Ivan Court to make the announcement.

With money from the provincial government, TD Insurance Home and Auto will expand its Saint John Client Service Centre operation and create a new National Claims Response Centre.

"We will be assisting TD as we do most ICT firms. The money will be in the same range as other ICT announcements," the source said.

With the expansion and the new response centre, 200 jobs will be created, the government source said Friday. The source described the jobs as "higher end", saying that some are in one of the province's targeted sectors, the financial sector.

The source further said that the provincial government will provide TD Insurance Home and Auto with assistance for each of the 200 jobs created at its operations in Saint John. The Client Service Centre already employs more than 200 people.

Further details will be provided at the press conference.

This announcement is the result of meetings Premier Shawn Graham or Business New Brunswick minister Greg Byrne have had with stakeholders in Toronto, as part of a new provincial focus on missions to the area to attract investment.

"It stems from the investment missions that the Premier and Business New Brunswick minister have been taking to Toronto," the source said.

[Helladog]

Sod turning for new E-R

June 23, 2008 - 4:40 pm
By: News 88-9's Terri Wallace

SAINT JOHN, NB - The provincial health minister in Saint John today for the official sod-turning to mark the start of construction on a new emergency department at the Saint John Regional Hospital.

Mike Murphy says government continues to address the growing emergency care needs in Saint John.

He says, "A new larger E-R department will reflect the Saint John Regional Hospital's designation as a Level 1 trauma facility."

He says, "This new 30-million dollar addition is vital to improving health care services."

Gulf Operators Ltd. has been awarded a 5.4 million dollar contract for excavation of the construction site.

Meanwhile, Murphy says the new addition is expected to be complete by early 2010.

I'd like to see a rendering; I wonder if one is floating around...

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by Helladog

I'd like to see a rendering; I wonder if one is floating around...

Haven't seen any plans for it (translation - it'll probably be unimaginative & functional, but hey - its an ER...) at any rate, it's a sorely, sorely needed addition & it's nice to see it moving forward . . .

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by kwajo

I agree with Wrightguy, I'd like to see that whole building replaced, sooner rather than later. Or at the very least they should do something about the midget parking structure, which is a complete waste of prime Uptown land.

LOL....true....a 18 or so car capacity won't help the coming traffic crunch very much... unless they add another 15 or so stories to it

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by Joe

Should be an interesting Common Council meeting tonight.

when ISN'T it interesting!??!?!

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by Helladog

I wonder what it costs, vis a vis a non hybrid regular new bus....

Seems like a smart investment, if for no other reason than for the postive eco-friendly PR....

[Wrightguy0]

Originally Posted by kwajo

I agree with Wrightguy, I'd like to see that whole building replaced, sooner rather than later. Or at the very least they should do something about the midget parking structure, which is a complete waste of prime Uptown land.

It's also ugly and makes poor use of the water street side, prince william is a little better, but the whole thing is just unfriendly and horrid in general.

[PersonPlaceorThing]

Originally Posted by Wrightguy0

It's also ugly and makes poor use of the water street side, prince william is a little better, but the whole thing is just unfriendly and horrid in general.

I imagine that Water Street will see some redevelopment once (or before) Rocca's project is complete. With more people walking on the street I imagine that non-storefront uses will move from the ground floors of buildings to make way for higher rent businesses which will hopefully include stores and dining establishments.

[Wrightguy0]

They could at least remove the bars from the bottom windows of the customs building