The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by random11

[email protected]
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[email protected]

And last and most importantly:

[email protected]

The more noise that is made in support of development the better.

sentiment echoed.

thanks for the addresses.

[PostModernPrometheus]

One wonders how the news last week that the new proposed refinery in come by chance, NL is / or may be applying for bankruptcy (???sp??? that word just doesnt look right....) protection may impact the NB refinery proposal...

Also, there were a few evening news stories in NL last week discussing ways to meet the workforce needs of the region with multiple megaprojects in the works...it was nice to see some people thinking how best to address the needs of the REGION (i.e, NL + maritimes) in terms of staggering projects so as to minimize the competition for a limited # tradespeople. ....

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by SJTOKO

http://urbanplans.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-06-20T11%3A24%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=10

Interesting perspective....long wharf looks huge from the air....anyone know the surface area of the site??

[kwajo]

I believe it's something along the lines of 10 hectares, at least that's what I remember being said at the Irving press conference.

[PersonPlaceorThing]

Originally Posted by PostModernPrometheus

Thats a reallty impressive relative - and absolute - drop...any guesses on what happened between 07 & 08 to fill up comercial / office vacancies to that degree??

As I understand Class A space (the space referred to in the numbers) is top quality office accommodation - in Saint John I would guess that Brunswick House, Brunswick Square, City Hall and Mercantile Centre are the majority of this space.

I think Brunswick House is full and Brunswick Square is one of the places that Irving said its employees are now located. I bet if Irving Oil has moved into some space in the class A space as it expands and plans its expansion, this would be a major factor.

[Helladog]

Old facade will be given a new life
Published Tuesday July 1st, 2008
SANDRA DAVIS
Telegraph-Journal C1

SAINT JOHN - The facade is all that is left of a Queen Street building, more than a century old, that is being transformed into 21 apartments.


Noel Chenier/Telegraph-Journal

With just the facade of a demolished Queen Street building still standing, an excavator scoops up debris from the structure. A new building will incorporate the old front.

South City Housing Co-Op has owned the property since the early 1980s, says Kit Hickey of Housing Alternatives.

The building was too expensive to repair, having been vandalized, stripped of copper and set on fire, said Hickey.

So it was demolished and will be rebuilt with the help of a $30,000-per-unit capital grant through the federal-provincial Affordable Rental Housing Program.

The city's heritage development board required that the front facade of the building be retained. To that end, a small heritage grant will be forthcoming, as well as cash from Efficiency New Brunswick, she said.

The apartments, which will be rented based on income, are one- and two-bedroom units and will be ready in January or February, said Hickey.

A second proposal to develop 11 apartments in the city's north end is also being considered by government, said Hickey, declining to provide further details.

"We're hoping that we'll be hearing back soon."

Hickey said the vacancy rate in the city is dropping fast because landlords are updating their buildings to accommodate workers who are coming into the city, thereby displacing the poor.

[Helladog]

Move ahead with skateboard park - council members
Published Wednesday July 2nd, 2008
JOHN MAZEROLLE
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL C4

Common council Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase, Coun. Donnie Snook want the project built 'as soon as possible'

SAINT JOHN - Spurred on by one long-time and one new council member, the city promises to push its plans for a long-awaited skateboard park to the top of the pile.


Peter Walsh/Telegraph-Journal

Eric Corbin, 14, of east Saint John should soon have a place to skateboard hassle-free if council is successful. The proposed park is expected to be built below the Main Street viaduct.

City manager Terry Totten and commissioner of leisure services Bernie Morrison presented a report to council last week that said the park "may" be constructed in 2008 - and may was underlined.

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase asked what council could do to speed up a project that has taken seven years already, and Coun. Donnie Snook spoke in support of expediting the process.

"I'd like to see that park built as soon as possible," Chase said.

"It's just time to seal it," Snook said.

As far back as 1996 the city and the police have been trying to find an appropriate spot for a skateboard park. The project got off the ground in 2001 after clashes between skateboarders and residents led to a public meeting. Shortly afterward, the skateboarders formed the Fundy Skateboard Association.

By December 2004, the final plans for the skateboard park were presented. A $499,000 contract with Newline Skateparks was approved last year, after the skateboarding association raised $540,000.

The location under the Main Street viaduct was chosen by two separate consulting firms because of its easy access, its protection against the weather, its distance from residential areas, and the lack of other development opportunities there beyond parking.

However, it comes with some of its own problems.

Because of its location near infrastructure, it requires the permission of the city, the city's water utility, Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, NB Power, the provincial Department of Transportation, NB Southern Railway, Canadian National Railway, and the Harbour Station Commission.

"The concerns cited range from security to programming, design elements to impacts on parking at, and egress from, the Harbour Station parking lot," the report states. "All the grantors will expect some level of indemnification from incidents which may occur as well as insurance considerations. Many of these concerns were experienced as the rights to build, operate, and maintain Harbour Passage were being negotiated."

When Chase asked what could be done to make sure the file is completed, Totten said that council should simply give the word and it will be given priority.

Reached last Thursday, Snook said he wanted the project done in honour of the people who have put years of effort into theplan. He also said the price will inevitably rise the longer it takes to get done. He wants to hear what the specific issues are at the next council meeting.

"Let's do what we can about them in a timely manner," Snook said.

[random11]

Originally Posted by PersonPlaceorThing

As I understand Class A space (the space referred to in the numbers) is top quality office accommodation - in Saint John I would guess that Brunswick House, Brunswick Square, City Hall and Mercantile Centre are the majority of this space.

I think Brunswick House is full and Brunswick Square is one of the places that Irving said its employees are now located. I bet if Irving Oil has moved into some space in the class A space as it expands and plans its expansion, this would be a major factor.

It's funny, I worked in the Aliant Tower (Fortis Tower) for 4 years and I know this is considered Class A space however, that building - built in 1976 - is full of leaky windows, poor air conditioning and other issues. Irving currently has the 4th floor and they might possibly have one more however, their departure won't have much effect on the 18 story building.

[PostModernPrometheus]

Phase two for the benefits blueprint plan
July 02, 2008 By: Teri Wallace - News 88.9 Staff


SAINT JOHN - The provincial government's benefits blueprint road map to prosperity has a new lead man.

Mayors and councillors have been given an update on the new direction and agenda.

The blueprint development team has announced the hiring of a staffer to drive the ambitious agenda and liaison with various government departments.

Ross Jefferson will leave his post as General Manager of the Saint John Waterfront Development Commission to take on the new position.

Provincial Energy Minister, Jack Keir told our newsroom that the blueprint won't just drive southern New Brunswick but the province as a whole.

"It's not going to happen by itself," he said.

"Everybody just thinks all this stuff is going to happen and it won't unless we make it happen and so, you know, part of the messages is to make sure everybody understood the importance of what the opportunities were and that we all took advantage of it."

Keir said the benefits blueprint seizes the potential and opportunities that come with having six huge energy-related industrial projects in the region

[PostModernPrometheus]

Housing prices rise in Saint John
Last Updated: Monday, June 30, 2008


The usually flat real estate market in Saint John, N.B., is reaching heights the port city has never seen before, local realtors say.

"Often times you're having five, six, sometimes even more offers on the same property," said realtor Martha Lister. "So [it's] very much a bidding war."

According to Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. projections, the average resale price of a home in Saint John will reach $145,000 by the end of 2008.

In 2005, the average amount paid was $119,718.

"At one time you could buy a home between $80,000 and $100,000 and now it's becoming almost impossible," realtor Pam DeCourcey said.

Affordable houses are selling fast and getting multiple offers to the point they being sold for far above the asking price, Lister said.

The prospect of building a second refinery in the city is already luring out-of-province investors to Saint John, realtors told CBC News.

Many properties are being sold before they're even finished, which is further forcing prices up, realtors said.

*sic*


http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2008/06/30/nb-real-estate.html

[PostModernPrometheus]

[QUOTE=Helladog;3646792]Old facade will be given a new life
Published Tuesday July 1st, 2008
SANDRA DAVIS
Telegraph-Journal C1

SAINT JOHN - The facade is all that is left of a Queen Street building, more than a century old, that is being transformed into 21 apartments.


Noel Chenier/Telegraph-Journal

With just the facade of a demolished Queen Street building still standing, an excavator scoops up debris from the structure. A new building will incorporate the old front.

*sic*

The city's heritage development board required that the front facade of the building be retained. To that end, a small heritage grant will be forthcoming, as well as cash from Efficiency New Brunswick, she said.
[QUOTE]


I'm a little ignorant re the heritage bylaws - that being said, I can't recall ever hearing that it was OK to tear an entire building down & yet be required to preserve a small portion of the front facade of that building. I assume that there must be something particularly significant from a historical perspective about that small part of the building?? I don't mean to sound ignorant - I'm a big believer in preserving some of our antique architecture and heritage - I just don't quite understand the logic here....

[PostModernPrometheus]

I can't remember where I saw the article recently ...TJ maybe? Anyway...the gist was car sales in the area are way up, and SJ Toyota was talking as if expanding / opening a Lexus dealership was going to happen...anyone know how close to reality this is?? High end car dealerships opening up is yet one more sign of a confident economic environment in the area. . . despite the continent being in the early phases of an economic slowdown. . . .

[random11]

Originally Posted by PostModernPrometheus

I can't remember where I saw the article recently ...TJ maybe? Anyway...the gist was car sales in the area are way up, and SJ Toyota was talking as if expanding / opening a Lexus dealership was going to happen...anyone know how close to reality this is?? High end car dealerships opening up is yet one more sign of a confident economic environment in the area. . . despite the continent being in the early phases of an economic slowdown. . . .

Hi,

The Lexus dealership is in the bag and was announced a few weeks back. Here is the article:

Lexus, the division of Toyota Canada that manufactures and sells luxury cars, will be setting up shop on Rothesay Avenue later this year, or early in 2009.

Keary Coyle, the president of Coyle Auto Group, confirmed Monday he has secured a Lexus dealership - only the second in Atlantic Canada - to add to his stable of auto-related companies.

The new dealership will join Saint John Toyota, Coyle Nissan and Preferred Collision Centre under the Coyle Auto Group umbrella.

"We've been awarded the franchise and we're currently working with an architectural firm on the building design," said Coyle, adding the dealership will be located across the street from the home of Saint John Toyota at 410 Rothesay Ave.

"We'll have the exclusive rights for Lexus in New Brunswick."

Coyle estimated the dealership would start with about 12 staff members and eventually grow to about 25 employees.

He said he's been trying to acquire a Lexus dealership for the better part of a decade.

"I've been prodding Lexus for 10 years," he said. "I've made my annual call for 10 years.

"It paid off. They knew that I wanted it and nobody else in New Brunswick had spent the time to haunt them like I did," he added with a laugh.

Coyle said the company did its homework and decided it liked what it saw in Saint John's development as the region's energy hub.

"They did a study and they felt that Saint John was the right spot for Lexus to go with what's going to be going on here for the next five to 10 years," he said.

Coyle said he has a major construction project underway at Saint John Toyota and when that is complete crews will set their sights on the Lexus dealership.

"We're hoping for a late fall or early spring opening," he said.

"We're undergoing a 10,000-square-foot expansion at our Toyota operation. So that will be done first and then we're going to do a 15,000-square-foot Lexus building."

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by random11

Hi,

The Lexus dealership is in the bag and was announced a few weeks back. Here is the article:

Lexus, the division of Toyota Canada that manufactures and sells luxury cars, will be setting up shop on Rothesay Avenue later this year, or early in 2009.

Keary Coyle, the president of Coyle Auto Group, confirmed Monday he has secured a Lexus dealership - only the second in Atlantic Canada - to add to his stable of auto-related companies.

The new dealership will join Saint John Toyota, Coyle Nissan and Preferred Collision Centre under the Coyle Auto Group umbrella.

"We've been awarded the franchise and we're currently working with an architectural firm on the building design," said Coyle, adding the dealership will be located across the street from the home of Saint John Toyota at 410 Rothesay Ave.

"We'll have the exclusive rights for Lexus in New Brunswick."

Coyle estimated the dealership would start with about 12 staff members and eventually grow to about 25 employees.

He said he's been trying to acquire a Lexus dealership for the better part of a decade.

"I've been prodding Lexus for 10 years," he said. "I've made my annual call for 10 years.

"It paid off. They knew that I wanted it and nobody else in New Brunswick had spent the time to haunt them like I did," he added with a laugh.

Coyle said the company did its homework and decided it liked what it saw in Saint John's development as the region's energy hub.

"They did a study and they felt that Saint John was the right spot for Lexus to go with what's going to be going on here for the next five to 10 years," he said.

Coyle said he has a major construction project underway at Saint John Toyota and when that is complete crews will set their sights on the Lexus dealership.

"We're hoping for a late fall or early spring opening," he said.

"We're undergoing a 10,000-square-foot expansion at our Toyota operation. So that will be done first and then we're going to do a 15,000-square-foot Lexus building."

It sounds like a done deal to me...hopefully they start providing good customer service and stop ripping off people at the service dept. I won't know, cause I'll never shop there.

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by kwajo

Of course the downside of all this is that since the Port will have the Sugar Refinery site, it probably won't see re-development into residential/commercial space any time in the foreseeable future.

There go my dreams of increasing population density Uptown by building residential towers down there

True, but that being said, I don't think the deal is all that bad....in a way, having some limits put on when/where residential development can happen might actually be a good thing....this way, most of the planning & focus in the uptown remains on the water street area, market sq / coast guard site and north of union...and perhaps, in a way, a little more effort and thought will go into maximizing density within these sites with the knowledge that the sugar site will be essentially "off limits" to devlopment in the foreseeable future...

[Wrightguy0]

The old Lantic site isn't a good site either, you're surrounded by the port, isolated from the city, not to mention it gets bitterly cold down there in summer

[PostModernPrometheus]

The SJ Waterfront Development site has a few updates...



http://www.sjwaterfront.com/


- requests for public input on reversing falls redevelopment on the main page



http://www.sjwaterfront.com/saint_john_w...ld_contribute_to_Fort_LaTour_project.htm

- fort la tour development linked to proposed Irving Oil development

[PostModernPrometheus]

wow. . . half of the new Three Sisters condo units on water street have apparently been sold . . . at least according to the website . . .


http://www.harbourfrontnb.com/harbourfront/news.cfm

[Helladog]

Harbour Passage Reversing Falls Lookout


Saint John Waterfront Development Partnership

[Helladog]