The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by thefishingnut

I hate to agree with the Port, but if it is structurally sound, it should stay up.

good point, but i would add structurally sound + currently / imminently useful to the qualification . . .




lol...remember the old macknight (?) garages at the rothesay ave / mccallister intersection? THAT was technically structurally sound for the longest time. . . :S

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by PersonPlaceorThing

I'll have to get a drawing soon, but as it stands...

The project will front on Duke and Charlotte. From Charlotte the buildings will appear to have five storeys, with the fifth storey set back so that its not visible to a pedestrian on Charlotte (this is based on the heritage development requirements); except nearest Horsefield where the five storeys will be visible.. On Charlotte there will be two buildings connected by a interior pedway (at all levels except the ground). There will be ground level parking under the apartments and behind the buildings accessed from under the breezeway.

We won't be much higher than the Pizza Place on Charlotte and Horsefield that will be our neighbour.

From Duke on will see the corner of our building, an entrance to underground and ground level parking and two townhouses near the western property line.

The lower two floors of the main development will be made up to look like and act as townhouses - much like Rocca is proposing for his condos.

The material will respect the character of the neighbourhood and exterior siding will likely either be brick, or former concrete in the style of sandstone.

THIS sounds impressive...5 stories for that area is plenty...won't destroy the character, and it will be a tremendous addition to the area. good luck!

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by PostModernPrometheus

THIS sounds impressive...5 stories for that area is plenty...won't destroy the character, and it will be a tremendous addition to the area. good luck!

But the really important questions still remain, like how will this development survive union violence?



Seriously now, the description of the development sounds very interesting, and I am waiting on the edge of my seat to see some renderings. It sounds great though, exactly the kind of thing that Uptown needs as infill and something I hope we will see more of in the next couple years.

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by kwajo

But the really important questions still remain, like how will this development survive union violence?

[PersonPlaceorThing]

Originally Posted by kwajo

But the really important questions still remain, like how will this development survive union violence?



Seriously now, the description of the development sounds very interesting, and I am waiting on the edge of my seat to see some renderings. It sounds great though, exactly the kind of thing that Uptown needs as infill and something I hope we will see more of in the next couple years.

I'll see if I can get a rendering soon.
We expect to have a public meeting in September where we can get some input from the community. I'll let you folks know when it is.

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by PersonPlaceorThing

I'll see if I can get a rendering soon.
We expect to have a public meeting in September where we can get some input from the community. I'll let you folks know when it is.

Thanks, I'd love to attend, seeing as how I'm a resident of Uptown and I have a direct interest in increasing its population base (I'm out at the bars every weekend trying my best).

[thefishingnut]

Originally Posted by kwajo

Thanks, I'd love to attend, seeing as how I'm a resident of Uptown and I have a direct interest in increasing its population base (I'm out at the bars every weekend trying my best).

We're looking forward to your presentation : "The positive effects of high density in-fill mixed use housing on the Saint John singles scene."

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by thefishingnut

We're looking forward to your presentation : "The positive effects of high density in-fill mixed use housing on the Saint John singles scene."

LMAO!!

and the "last call" tune tonight as you leave the bar...."Stairway to Rocca"

[PostModernPrometheus]

Three firms bid to look at public-private partnership for north of Union project
Published Saturday August 23rd, 2008

Development Winning bidder would determine if P3 would be beneficial

B4John Mazerolle
Telegraph-Journal


SAINT JOHN - Three companies have put their name forward to help determine whether a public-private partnership is feasible for the north of Union project.

The job of the eventual winning bidder "is to determine whether it would be beneficial for a public-private partnership to proceed," said deputy city manager Pat Woods, a member of the police-justice steering committee. "And if it is, how to do it so that the city's interests are protected."

The request for proposals was made on July 24, and closed Thursday. The city's purchasing agent, David Logan, said the three bidders were Deloitte & Touche's Toronto office, PricewaterhouseCoopers' Montreal office, and the Saint John office of Ernst & Young.

The successful bidder will likely be chosen in the next two to four weeks, Logan said.

The north of Union project is an approximately $100-million development that will see the construction of a provincial justice building, a new police headquarters, a parking garage, an outdoor park and plaza, and the refurbishment of the exterior of the Saint John Arts Centre.

The city's portion of the price tag, if no public-private partnership is found, would be approximately $50 million.

The $47-million justice building is a provincial project and a public-private partnership, also known as a P3.

The private company will construct, own, finance and operate the new facility and lease it back to the province.

The deputy city manager said the company would determine different partnership options and who the potential investors might be.

The firm the city hires is not allowed to be part of the public-private partnership itself.

Woods said the outside help was a necessity. "We just don't have the experience or expertise," he said.

The north of Union plaza will also go through a new round of public presentations and consultations, next Tuesday and Thursday at the Arts Centre. Presentations begin at 7 p.m.

"We want to explain how we've responded to the first round of consultations and see if we missed anything," Woods said. A public input form is currently on the city's website, www.saintjohn.ca.

In March, after sometimes testy public consultations, city manager Terry Totten suggested changing the location of the police station and the parking garage, saving more of the heritage buildings at the site, and focusing more on biking and public transit. The project's leadership has since altered the plan accordingly.

link: http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/city/article/394651

[random11]

I am really excited about this new development on Duke / Charlotte. It's great to see parking lot's in Saint John being turned into development as opposed to the other way around - which has been the case for the past 30 years. It's a painfully slow process watching this city turn the corner which seems to have no end however, it is exciting nevertheless.

[Helladog]

Yeah, like 2 down, 98 to go...

[Helladog]

Ground breaks on a Quispamsis nursing home

August 22, 2008 - 7:20 pm
By: Denise Barkhouse - News 88.9

SAINT JOHN - The first few shovels have been put in the ground at the official sod turning for the Shannex Nursing Home in Quispamsis.

Parkland in the Valley is designed after a model the company built in Darmouth last year.

The home is campus style with three different buildings and features a 69-unit traditional retirement home.

Shannex New Brunswick's Jason Shannon said all different kinds of activities will be made available to keep the seniors living there active.

"There will be a two-lane bowling alley in the facility, a full bar and dance hall," Shannon began. "Movie theatres and doctors' offices, a spa, reception facilities, consierge services....and all the people living there will have access to provided transportation."

This portion of the 15-acre project is expected to be complete by next October.

In addition to the retirement suites, Shannex will build a 72-bed nursing care residence and 60-suite special care residence.

[Helladog]

Let's hound council for a 30 000 seat stadium and land a CFL before Halifax and Moncton.

[Wrightguy0]

Why not get them to bid on the 2020 Olyimpic games too XD

[Helladog]

Photo taken and stitched by Helladog

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Helladog

Photo taken and stitched by Helladog

Beautiful building, where in Saint John is this?

My 100th post and it has to go in the Saint John thread.....damn.(just kidding)

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Beautiful building, where in Saint John is this?

Here it is....uptown:

My 100th post and it has to go in the Saint John thread.....damn.(just kidding)

Come on, you know you wanted to put it here!

[PostModernPrometheus]

Market Square plans to expand

Published Tuesday August 26th, 2008

Business Uptown business and shopping complex wants to expand by 41,000 square feet
C3John Mazerolle
Telegraph-Journal

SAINT JOHN - The planned expansion of Market Square will come before council next month.

Enlarge Photo Peter Walsh/Telegraph-JournalA public hearing on the possible expansion of Market Square will be held Sept. 15 in the council chamber. The Hardman Group has plans to add a two-storey addition to the uptown business and shopping complex, at the corner of Union and St. Patrick Street.

The loading docks on the north side of Market Square were constructed on a development pad - the footings to support the weight of the expansion were already designed into the current structure, as it was built with expansion in mind.
Colin Whitcomb, the Hardman Group's executive vice-president, could not be reached for comment. But in its application to City Hall, the group says the expansion will be 41,000 square feet, or 3,800 square metres.

The facade materials will be brick or precast metal and glazing.

It was not clear from the application whether the expansion was meant for more office space, an expansion of the New Brunswick Museum, or some other use.

If it were for new offices, it would come at a time when Saint John's uptown office space is almost entirely in use. Saint John has the lowest vacancy rates for both office and industrial space in New Brunswick, and this is the third straight year the vacancy rate in office rental spaces went down. The vacancy rate is 5.7 per cent.

In 2007, Market Square had made a bid to expand the building with a three-storey add-on that would have housed the local office of Public Works and Government Services Canada. However, Market Square was one of five potential bids turned down by the federal government. The office was instead built on McAllister Drive.

At the time the deal fell through, Whitcomb said expanding the building would always be tricky because it would require a client who needed at least 30,000 square feet.

The public hearing into the request is scheduled for Sept. 15 in the council chamber.



(empahases are my own.....)





full link: http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/city/article/396982

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Beautiful building, where in Saint John is this?

My 100th post and it has to go in the Saint John thread.....damn.(just kidding)

GGAGAGAGAGGHHHHHHH

PERFECT....but for the plentiful, spaghetti-ish damned power lines....

[PostModernPrometheus]

I'd hazard a guess that the MSq expansion would be mostly to accomodate the NB museum...they've been looking to expand, and the planned expansion section of the complex would be kind of cut off from the rest of the retail shops...