The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread - Page 165

PersonPlaceorThing · #**3281** Posted **Sep 12, 2008, 11:50 PM**

There is a storey in The Globe and Mail Report on Business titled Re-energizing Saint John talks about many of the energy and industrail projects planned for Greater Saint John.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080912.SRCATALYSTSSTJOHN12/TPStory/Business

GUB · #**3282** Posted **Sep 13, 2008, 1:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PersonPlaceorThing

There is a storey in The Globe and Mail Report on Business titled Re-energizing Saint John talks about many of the energy and industrail projects planned for Greater Saint John.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080912.SRCATALYSTSSTJOHN12/TPStory/Business

Good article---thanks for the link.

Ronald Jack · #**3283** Posted **Sep 14, 2008, 4:37 PM**

Yes, Mr. Pitts article in the G&M was interesting.
He's an established business writer with four books
under his belt. That article will be read by many.

If you're keen you might also like to read a piece
which appeared in the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
on the same day - Sept. 12. "SAINT JOHN: CANADA'S
NEW ENERGY HUB"
It details some of the reasons why U.S. energy
conglomerates found Saint John to be a great investment.
Environmental issues and the like.
My favorite quote comes from Jack Keir:

“New Englanders may not be able to site some of these energy needs, but we can,” says New Brunswick’s minister of energy, Jack Keir. “Our goal is to go from being a ‘have-not’ to a ‘have’ province, so we can contribute to the [Canadian] federation rather than take from it. The energy sector can take us there.”

Millions of Westerner's would sigh contentedly over that apparent change of direction in the N.B. administration.
Maybe there is some hope for a reform of Canada's
skewed Constitution and making a run at de-enshrining the welfare clause. But not yet.
Have a read...
http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/09/12/saint-john-canada%e2%80%99s-new-energy-hub/

Cheers
Ron Jack in Vancouver

PostModernPrometheus · #**3284** Posted **Sep 15, 2008, 11:22 AM**

Saint John's changing skyline
Published Monday September 15th, 2008

Development Hardman Group will appear before council tonight in hopes of beginning the process that would see Market Square undergo a two-storey expansion

C1BRUCE BARTLETT
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

SAINT JOHN - A commercial developer's bid to expand Market Square will come before common council tonight.

The Hardman Group wants to add a two-storey addition to the uptown business and shopping complex, at the corner of Union and St. Patrick streets.

The expansion of 41,000 square feet, or 3,800 square metres, would be zoned for commercial development, under the Hardman Group's proposal.

*sic*

full article link: http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/city/article/414957

PostModernPrometheus · #**3285** Posted **Sep 15, 2008, 11:24 AM**

lol...when i read the first few lines and saw "Hardman", my first thought was "Coast Guard Site"....

PostModernPrometheus · #**3286** Posted **Sep 15, 2008, 11:27 AM**

also a story on the www.cbc.ca/nb site today re: an meeting in Maine between the eastern canadian provinces & new england states....energy distribution / sharing & transportation links appear to be high on the agenda...

PostModernPrometheus · #**3287** Posted **Sep 15, 2008, 11:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PersonPlaceorThing

There is a storey in The Globe and Mail Report on Business titled Re-energizing Saint John talks about many of the energy and industrail projects planned for Greater Saint John.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080912.SRCATALYSTSSTJOHN12/TPStory/Business

nice to see more and more attention being paid to the region on the national level....and they are certainly right, saint john has been a up/down - boom/bust city for decades. . .hopefully, the more sustained momentum and greater degree of planning this time around will help to moderate that kind of cycle into something more sustainable

kwajo · #**3288** Posted **Sep 15, 2008, 12:22 PM**

Apparently there is a good chance that the Market Square addition will use metal alpolic wall panels on the exterior. I'm not sure how feel about this, as they can look quite good in some installations, and incredibly cheap in others. I guess we'll just have to wait and see with this one.

Ottawa · #**3289** Posted **Sep 15, 2008, 10:12 PM**

I wasn't sure what metal alpolic was, so I found a link to a few projects by one manufacturer.

http://www.altechpanel.com/project_gallery.html

PostModernPrometheus · #**3290** Posted **Sep 16, 2008, 11:16 AM**

the 40,000+ sq. foot multilevel Marquest Square expansion passed the hurdle at council last night

i believe that work starts on it later this fall.....

helladog - better move this one from the "proposed" to "approved" subheadings on the compilation page...

PostModernPrometheus · #**3291** Posted **Sep 16, 2008, 11:17 AM**

ps: aren't we due for the "major announcement" from Cyr holdings anyday?!?!?

PostModernPrometheus · #**3292** Posted **Sep 16, 2008, 11:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ottawa

I wasn't sure what metal alpolic was, so I found a link to a few projects by one manufacturer.

http://www.altechpanel.com/project_gallery.html

thanks for the link...some of the buildings actually look pretty decent (i.e., Southeast Georgia Health System). . .contrasting the modern metal accents with another material (?? sandstone). . . that being said, some of the others look wretched. . .

kwajo · #**3293** Posted **Sep 17, 2008, 12:40 PM**

Well the drawings of the Market Square expansion are out, and to me are incredibly disappointing. It's square, uninteresting and short. Whoopie!

Actually to be fair, I'm not really "disappointed" since I didn't have high expectations for a two-story expansion anyway, but I'm always optimistic that things will surprise me.

kwajo · #**3294** Posted **Sep 17, 2008, 12:45 PM**

More details

Quote:

Market Square expansion closer to reality
Published Wednesday September 17th, 2008

Development Company expects to introduce tenant for two new floors sometime next month
C3
BRUCE BARTLETT
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

SAINT JOHN - The Hardman Group expects to announce in early October the name of the single tenant interested in renting both floors of the expansion proposed for Market Square.

Monday night, city council gave its stamp of approval to the project, which will add 3,800 square metres (41,000 square feet) of office space to the uptown.

"We have a few more steps to go through, but that was certainly important last night," said Colin Whitcomb, executive vice-president of the Hardman Group, Tuesday.

A few more items remain to be settled with the tenant, but at this point it appears solutions can be found, he said.

"Our intent is to be under construction this fall and our intent is to deliver the premises to the tenant by the end of next summer," he said.

Whitcomb is hopeful that the Hardman Group and the tenant will be ready to make a joint announcement on the project around Thanksgiving.

When Market Square was constructed in the 1980s, the area at the back, bounded by Smythe, Union and St. Patrick streets, was prepared for a future expansion.

"The foundation is essentially in place as well as a lot of the mechanical and electrical systems, so it will be a fairly quick construction," he said.

In documents provided to council, city staff raised some concerns about the proposal to use metal siding on the building. Documents provided showed it to be a high quality product, but staff had not completed its own research.

Whitcomb said there was a long meeting Monday, involving city staff, the architect and contractor.

"We are all comfortable with the direction it is taking," he said.

Architectural drawings for the project show an open space on the St. Patrick Street side, which is labeled Winter Garden. The Hardman Group plans to landscape the area, but it will be a private space, said Heather Peterson, manager of the complex. It could be used at some future date for expansion.

According to the report from the city's planning department, the parking garage at Market Square already has enough space to accommodate the expansion. The formula used by the city calculates that 40 parking spaces would be needed for 3,800 square metres of office space.

This development comes at a time when the city's uptown office space is almost entirely full. Saint John has the lowest vacancy rates for both office and industrial space in New Brunswick.

There is a 5.4 per cent vacancy rate for Class A office rental space in the city and it is the third straight year the number has gotten smaller. Class B space is also tight with a 2.3 per cent vacancy rate, said Imelda Gilman, president of the Saint John Board of Trade. But Class C space, which has fewer amenities, is growing in supply.

The demand for higher end office space is still rising. Many businesses already in the city, such as engineering firms and consultants, are spread out and would like to find space under one roof, she said.

The Board of Trade has also heard from companies looking to expand into Saint John who are concerned about office space. They are looking for quality space but are open to older buildings that have been renovated if they have a nice atmosphere, she said.

Anyone have bets on who the single tenant will be? Is it another call centre, or is an existing company re-locating?

SJTOKO · #**3295** Posted **Sep 17, 2008, 1:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwajo

Well the drawings of the Market Square expansion are out, and to me are incredibly disappointing. It's square, uninteresting and short. Whoopie!

Actually to be fair, I'm not really "disappointed" since I didn't have high expectations for a two-story expansion anyway, but I'm always optimistic that things will surprise me.

Terrible, just terrible. I'm in shock!!!!! The lighthouse... hahahahahahahahahahaha

PostModernPrometheus · #**3296** Posted **Sep 17, 2008, 3:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwajo

Anyone have bets on who the single tenant will be? Is it another call centre, or is an existing company re-locating?

NB Museum is STILL my gut feeling.

PostModernPrometheus · #**3297** Posted **Sep 17, 2008, 3:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwajo

Well the drawings of the Market Square expansion are out, and to me are incredibly disappointing. It's square, uninteresting and short. Whoopie!

LMAO...well, it's true that this is not that interesting, but still...better than the unused space that's there already...

that being said...i do wonder how well the expansion is going to jive with the existing structure . . . less brick, more metal and windows....

the TG article keeps alluding to the very low office vacancy rates . . . hopefully, this inclines people to start building and expanding in the UPWARDS direction . . .

PostModernPrometheus · #**3298** Posted **Sep 17, 2008, 3:58 PM**

story on CBC today re: SJ considering going geothermal for municipal buildings...

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2008/09/17/geothermal-municipal-buildings.html

PersonPlaceorThing · #**3299** Posted **Sep 17, 2008, 4:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwajo

Anyone have bets on who the single tenant will be? Is it another call centre, or is an existing company re-locating?

I wonder if CRA might need more room. They considered Market Square before going east. Maybe the old postal office isn't meeting their needs.

I think the building with windows and the like will look better than the back of Market Square as it is.

kwajo · #**3300** Posted **Sep 17, 2008, 4:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PersonPlaceorThing

I wonder if CRA might need more room. They considered Market Square before going east. Maybe the old postal office isn't meeting their needs.

I think the building with windows and the like will look better than the back of Market Square as it is.

Oh definitely, but I said the same about the Irving building on Long Wharf ("It's not how I would have done things, but it is better than the current waste of space."), and I'm starting to think that maybe we should start getting more discriminating with our in-fill projects before we run out of first class real estate.