The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Wishblade

The fact that that many people showed up for a job at Costco probably says something about the job market. It's a shame that the refinery and HQ projects have been shelved, and this is showing why.

In a rather poor city like Saint John, offering minimum pay of $11/hour +100% medical is rather enticing to most people.

They're taking 400 interviews a day (Or, 1200 in total this weekend), and received about 7-10K resumes online for this store. All for about 100 jobs.

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by GregHickman

In a rather poor city like Saint John, offering minimum pay of $11/hour +100% medical is rather enticing to most people.

They're taking 400 interviews a day (Or, 1200 in total this weekend), and received about 7-10K resumes online for this store. All for about 100 jobs.

I agree, it's not entirely a statement about the job market, more about the good employer CostCo is. I know a number of people who have full-time work elsewhere who applied at the new store because they like the promise of pay and benefits.

[Helladog]

I agree with Kwajo, in that Cost-co is providing good incentives to sign on, and is known as a good employer. The last time I checked, the SJ employment numbers were good, and most of the ppl applying for these jobs aren't qualified to work at a refinery or in construction of an HQ anyway.

Prolly ppl from all over NB looking for a position.

[JHikka]

You are both correct.

Most of the people I talked to in the line weren't unemployed, they were simply looking for a better job. I know there were people from everywhere between Hampton and St. George, so it wasn't just a Saint John thing.

[kwajo]

No discussion over the city's new budget including money for an expansion to the Trade & Convention Centre? Personally I think it's great news (much more exciting than the police station debacle), I can't wait to see the preliminary drawings!

[PersonPlaceorThing]

The province or their contractor is putting up barricades between the building beside Vito's and the old YMCA site. Perhpas the courthouse construction will start soon.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by kwajo

No discussion over the city's new budget including money for an expansion to the Trade & Convention Centre? Personally I think it's great news (much more exciting than the police station debacle), I can't wait to see the preliminary drawings!

Has anything been released in regards to how they will be expanding the T&CC?

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by PersonPlaceorThing

The province or their contractor is putting up barricades between the building beside Vito's and the old YMCA site. Perhpas the courthouse construction will start soon.

The tender for work stated March as the construction start date, so they'd better be getting underway.

As for the T&CC, I haven't seen anything yet, but I am curious how they plan to expand it. There is room to expand Market Square between the recent expansion and St. Patrick Street, and the older part is designed to take an extra two stories I believe, so we'll have to wait and see.

[RaginRonic]

You know, I just thought of one store that could fit in well with the ones already out East, and at East Point Shopping in particular.

The largest Electronics retailer in the U.S. and a player here in Canada, Best Buy.

I know that the East Side already has Future Shop, but I know of at least 1 retail area in Canada, South Edmonton Common, that has both stores.

Another factor that could work in favor of Best Buy being out East would be that 2 separate companies would be in charge of either store...East Point-Best Buy, and SmartCentres!-Future Shop.

And a 3rd factor in favor of Best Buy being in that part of Saint John is that both BB and FS cater to different demographics as well.

Just some thoughts.

[michael_d40]

Originally Posted by RaginRonic

You know, I just thought of one store that could fit in well with the ones already out East, and at East Point Shopping in particular.

The largest Electronics retailer in the U.S. and a player here in Canada, Best Buy.

I know that the East Side already has Future Shop, but I know of at least 1 retail area in Canada, South Edmonton Common, that has both stores.

Another factor that could work in favor of Best Buy being out East would be that 2 separate companies would be in charge of either store...East Point-Best Buy, and SmartCentres!-Future Shop.

And a 3rd factor in favor of Best Buy being in that part of Saint John is that both BB and FS cater to different demographics as well.

Just some thoughts.

It was in the newspaper a couple months ago that Best Buy will definitely have a store at East Point within the next two years.

[kirjtc2]

Best Buy's already picked locations in each of the big 3 cities in NB. They just have to build them.

[dhottawa729]

There's almost always a BestBuy right next to Futureshop. They promote competition by making it easy to walk between them. Someone told me they are owned by the same corporation and they do this on purpose.

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by dhottawa729

There's almost always a BestBuy right next to Futureshop. They promote competition by making it easy to walk between them. Someone told me they are owned by the same corporation and they do this on purpose.

Yep....Heard the President of BB talk last summer. He stated that they increase market share by locating a BB and FS within close proximity to each other rather than just build another FS in the same market. He also stated that BB would be building in the 3 NB cities. Also mentioned that FS may undergo a site expansion as well to complement their NB plans.

[philster]

Originally Posted by dhottawa729

There's almost always a BestBuy right next to Futureshop. They promote competition by making it easy to walk between them. Someone told me they are owned by the same corporation and they do this on purpose.

It's the perfect way for the parent corporation to gain consumer confidence.
Check out two stores for prices, make purchase.

When Dartmouth Crossing in Nova Scotia opened a few years ago, Best Buy Set up shop there, the first in Atlantic Canada. I was there visiting two weeks ago and across the street is a Futureshop, maybe a bit more distance than the Futureshop here and Walmart in walking distance.

[philster]

I was driving by Fairville Boulevard West last week there was a sign posted on the lot between Canadian Tire and Cox's "New Store Coming here" with the Canadian Tire Logo.

I drove by yesterday afternoon, and all the demolition equipment was parked on the site, building still standing. It may be gone now, or coming down this week to make way for the new Canadian Tire Store.

[Dmajackson]

Hey,

The Tallest U/C In Your City thread has been reactivated recently and in hopes of updating the list I am going from city thread to city thread to see if the tallest under construction has changed recently.

I currently have the Long Wharf listed as the tallest in SJ. If I am not mistaken this has been delayed or cancelled lately (I loosely follow this thread). If SJ has another building under way I'll gladly update the list to reflect that.



-DJ

[dhottawa729]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

Hey,

The Tallest U/C In Your City thread has been reactivated recently and in hopes of updating the list I am going from city thread to city thread to see if the tallest under construction has changed recently.

I currently have the Long Wharf listed as the tallest in SJ. If I am not mistaken this has been delayed or cancelled lately (I loosely follow this thread). If SJ has another building under way I'll gladly update the list to reflect that.



-DJ

We're been left in suspense for far too long on the coast guard site, fort dufferin condos and YMCA. No updates??

[philster]

Originally Posted by dhottawa729

We're been left in suspense for far too long on the coast guard site, fort dufferin condos and YMCA. No updates??

The Y had a booth set up at the homeshow, but all it mentioned was that they had narrowed it down to 4 possible locations. Nothing that I don't believe has been mentioned here before, the last I read in the TJ was they were looking for land along the waterfront, IE Red Rose Parking lot...

[kwajo]

The tallest U/C would probably be the courthouse at 6 (?) floors on the low end of the hill, although if the Harbourfront Residences finally start this spring, they'll take the lead at 9 I believe

I heard the same about the Y, they have narrowed down the possible locations but haven't decided - that's been the line for almost 6 months now.

[expofan]

Emails sent to purchasers this week: Ground to be broken within a month or so, applications for final building permits sent to the city, public hearings regarding required road closures during excavations set for march 29th.
It will be nice to finally see work being done on the site.