The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[Wrightguy0]

if it's not in trinity royal, i say go for it, build a 20 story tower, we need more

[Joe]

SAINT JOHN - The city will assume ownership of the coveted six-acre Coast Guard site tonight, after years of on-again, off-again talks,

The Coast Guard site sits across from the Market Square boardwalk. "It's really a big step," Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase said on Saturday.

"What will happen on Monday is that council will ratify a deal with the federal government and then we'll move very quickly to formalize a development agreement with private-sector interests.

"It's really an exciting story for the development of uptown Saint John."

The pact has been a long time in the making, a result of eight years of sporadic negotiation, along with three more years of talks with both the federal government and the Hardman Group, which will oversee construction.

It was way back in March of 2008 that then city manager Terry Totten announced that an agreement had been reached with the federal government to purchase the land.

Earlier this month, officials said the deal was "very close" to being signed, with only a couple of small legal issues to be settled.

The city has set aside $3 million for the purchase, but there is no doubt that will be recovered with development, Chase said.

Chase said the city will take the site over in two phases.

"That is reasonable considering the development that will take place over a few years," he said.

"We're setting up development, which is the bigger prize, providing jobs and opportunities for people to live, shop and work uptown."

Kent MacIntyre, general manager of Saint John Waterfront Development, said earlier this month that there is good interest in the Coast Guard property from private developers, to whom it will be sold off in parcels as a part of a multi-phased development.

The Hardman Group, which owns nearby Market Square, has expressed an interest in building a hotel, condominiums and an office tower on the Coast Guard site for the past six years.

"As we finalize things with The Hardman Group, we will have more to announce very shortly on what we will be doing on that site," MacIntyre said earlier this month.

Mayor Ivan Court has said he hopes there will be development on the site by spring.

[OliverD]

Is the new Welsford bypass going to be four lanes or two?

[kwajo]

Four lanes all the way.

Great news about the Coast Guard site - FINALLY.

[nwalbert]

The Coast Guard site announcement is HUGE for the uptown. It is impressive see that despite Irving calling off both of their major projects within the city we are still experiencing a boom in construction. Not only uptown but also retail.

When the Irving projects resume, which many believe they will, the city will really be in a position to take off.

[kwajo]

It's official, with more details from Hardman hopefully soon to follow.

Council Approves Coast Guard Agreement
January 31, 2011
(Saint John, NB) The City of Saint John has reached an agreement of Purchase and Sale with Fisheries and Oceans Canada for a piece of harbourfront property on Water Street in the City Centre known as the “Coast Guard Site.” The agreement was approved by Saint John Common Council at the January 31 meeting. The property will be acquired in two phases -- phase one in January 2011 ($832,000) and phase two ($1,967,000), 18 months later. The sale also includes all buildings on the property.

“This is one of the most preferred parcels of properties on the waterfront and it is now a long-term asset for us,” said Ivan Court, Mayor of Saint John. “This development will be a major enhancement to our Uptown, and is very much in line with what citizens have been telling us through the PlanSJ, the process for our new municipal plan – encouraging revitalization in the Uptown by providing commercial, residential and waterfront access.”


Acting on behalf of the City of Saint John, Saint John Waterfront Development (SJWD) negotiated the acquisition over a period of nine months. Saint John Common Council has now instructed Saint John Waterfront Development to continue to manage the phased development of the site. This will be the first major private development on the City’s waterfront since 1992.


Over the past several months, SJWD has also been working with potential investors and developers to kick-start the phased build-out of the property. The City of Saint John has entered in Memorandum of Understanding with the Hardman Group as developer.


SJWD will work with the Hardman Group to ensure development will include significant public access to the waterfront. Work on the site is expected to begin later this year.

http://www.saintjohn.ca/en/home/newsroom/newsreleases/councilapprovescoastguardagreement.aspx

[ErickMontreal]

Awesome news! Thanks Kwajo

I hope the whole thing will move ahead as proposed in the first place.


Coast Guard Site Redevelopment Plan
Saint John, NB










http://www.ekistics.net/images/portfolioUD/pdf/7-StjohnCoastG.pdf

[ErickMontreal]

Coast Guard site could be home to major Canadian hotel



Published Tuesday February 1st, 2011
C1april cunningham
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

SAINT JOHN - The city has purchased prime waterfront property for $2.8 million in a long-awaited deal that will eventually see a hotel, condominiums, office space and retail replacing buoys, concrete and Coast Guard equipment.

"It's at the bottom of King Street, it's waterfront property, it's the centre of the downtown core. So this will be a primary space that will be significant and will make our job easier to attract developers on such a significant site."

The deal places six acres of property on the east side of the harbour - now used by the Coast Guard - in city hands before it is resold to the Hardman Group, which owns Market Square nearby.

While Mayor Ivan Court said ground could be broken as soon as the spring, that may be a bit optimistic, said Charlie Swanton, chairman of the waterfront group, in an interview outside the council chambers.

"I think we'd like to do it by the summer or fall," said Swanton, who has been involved in negotiations his entire eight years as chairman.

An office complex could be the first building to go up, he said, adding more details would be divulged in future announcements.

The site could also be the home to a "major Canadian hotel firm," which has expressed interest in using the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre nearby, and which also wants to connect to the pedway - allowing people to reach the City Market indoors, Swanton said.

The city also wants to continue leasing the office space now used by the Coast Guard. The building is about 40 per cent full.

"What's important is to keep as many people uptown as we can," Swanton said.

The city is buying the land from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in two phases. The first is by April 1 at $832,000 and the second, for about $2 million, is by June 1, 2012. Swanton said the Coast Guard needs time to move its equipment from the waterfront.

The land will then be resold back to the Hardman Group, which has had a strong interest in the site from the beginning.

"The city will keep the administration and shop buildings and the rest of it will be portioned off to the Hardman Group," Swanton said.

He said the $2.8-million purchase price is slightly below market value and the city will get back its investment when the land is resold. The agreed price was an average of appraisals, he said.

The city has been talking about buying the Coast Guard site for 10 years, with formal discussions starting in 2005.

Swanton said the economic downturn and going through several appraisal reports contributed to the delay.

"Everything takes a bit longer when you're dealing with different levels of government," he said.

This will be the first major private development on the waterfront since 1992, according to a city press release.

The mayor thanked the waterfront development group for sticking with negotiations for so long.

"We were hoping it'd be before Christmas, but it's a late Christmas present," he said during council.

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase said the development will significantly change the downtown core.

"When you drive across the Harbour Bridge, that drive is one of my favourite passages in the city," he said. "You can see how magnificent the city is. It is a beautiful city. And that addition of the Coast Guard site will make it even more marvellous."

[nwalbert]

This development is really going to change the feeling of the whole downtown core and really make the waterfront a nice place to be. When you combine the Hilton, Delta, and Marriott towers all within walking distance of the convention center it makes a very nice story. Add in the boardwalk and we really have something special that few cities in Canada have.

Looking forward to hearing more news on this. Good day for NB, Moncton gets a big concert and SJ sees a massive development announced. Go NB!

[kwajo]

I really hope they keep to roughly the same plan as was shown before but update the architecture to something a bit more contemporary. I love the density (although it could be tighter-knit IMO), the re-opening of the old streetgrid, the public spaces, the height (three buildings between 12-14 storeys), etc., so it'd be a shame to have this be scaled back and include less density or chopping height from the final design, especially as this is on the waterfront in front of the hill, shorter buildings would be lost in the skyline. Also the articles this morning only mention office space and a hotel, but clearly a large residential component is a MUST for this site, both rental and condo space should be a foremost priority for anything Uptown from now on.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by nwalbert

This development is really going to change the feeling of the whole downtown core and really make the waterfront a nice place to be. When you combine the Hilton, Delta, and Marriott towers all within walking distance of the convention center it makes a very nice story. Add in the boardwalk and we really have something special that few cities in Canada have.

Looking forward to hearing more news on this. Good day for NB, Moncton gets a big concert and SJ sees a massive development announced. Go NB!

Do we know for sure its a Marriott? They say a big Cdn hotel chain - maybe it's Fairmont?

[cdnguys]

www.saintjohn.ca has a different rendering I did not see before.

[GUB]

This development is great news and might eventually spur the Irving HQ project back to the waterfront?

[ErickMontreal]

The City Announces A Deal To Buy The Waterfront Property
February 1, 2011 10:21 AM

Kent MacIntyre and Charlie Swanton with Saint John Waterfront Development tell us what the deal announced last night at city council means for the bottom of King Street.

http://www.cbc.ca/informationmorningsain...-buy-the-waterfront-property.html#111518


Some more interesting insights...

Phase 1 :: Retail/Commercial building by Water street.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by GUB

This development is great news and might eventually spur the Irving HQ project back to the waterfront?

Mr. Swanton said an office building may be the first building to be built - given the available office space in uptown Saint John right now, that is a confident statement to make. I would only imagine he could be that confident if Hardman was in negotiations with a potential tenant - the only tenant now that would fill a building would be IOL.

[ErickMontreal]

Waterfront deal applauded
Development: Work to transform former Coast Guard site could begin later this year and take a decade to complete


Published Wednesday February 2nd, 2011
C1April Cunningham
Telegraph-Journal

SAINT JOHN - As city organizations praise a deal that puts the former Coast Guard site on the waterfront in city hands, the head of the Hardman Group says it could take 10 years before the entire project is complete.

Enlarge Photo Photo: Cindy Wilson/Telegraph-JournalA view of the former Coast Guard site. Bill Hardman said his Halifax-based firm plans to buy parcels of the six-acre property in three to five phases, depending on demand.

"The property is too big to develop as one single project," Hardman said Tuesday, a day after the city announced the $2.8-million deal.

The first phase must show enough success to build demand for future phases, he said.

"It's making sure the vision and plan over the next 10 years fits with what everybody wants."

The long-awaited deal was announced at Monday's common council meeting.

While officials with Saint John Waterfront Development hinted that an office building could be the first element, Hardman said that's still up in the air.

The original plan was to start with a hotel and condominiums, and "if that demand is still there, we'd be pleased to start with that," he said. Construction could start as soon as late summer or fall, but it will take several years for the city to recoup its investment. Hardman said his company has been in talks with more than one hotel for the site.

"The hotel market right now is not as strong as it was, but we still believe there is the demand for a new hotel in the uptown area," he said.

Retail will also be a likely part of the waterfront development, he said, along with an extension of the Harbour Passage trail and the indoor pedway system.

The city intends to keep the existing Coast Guard office building and lease the space so existing workers can stay there.

"The great part of the city having control of the Coast Guard lands is the city's in charge of its own destiny," said Hardman, whose company also owns Market Square on the harbourfront.

"It does open up a piece of property that no one could walk on before."

Peter Asimakos, the general manager of Uptown Saint John, said he believes the property is the "best available piece of land in Atlantic Canada."

The development is key to the uptown's future to make it a vibrant and an attractive place to live and work, he said. Around 150 dwelling units could eventually be built there, he said.

"We need people living here to create that 24-hour vibrancy," said Asimakos, who is a board member of the waterfront development corporation and helped get the deal.

He said the commercial development could attract other real estate to the area and the hotel could drive up convention traffic.

"It's all working towards greater activity in the uptown area."

Jim Quinn, the chief executive of the Saint John Port Authority, which just opened a new cruise ship terminal next to the proposed site almost two years ago, agreed the development is good news for the city.

He said it won't have an impact on the cruise business in terms of the port's expansion plans, but will provide another area for the tourists to take in the city sights.

Jacqueline Hamilton, the city planner in charge of Plan SJ, said news of the development fits well with what the public wants for the waterfront. Plan SJ is the project to create a new municipal plan to guide future growth.

"We've heard loud and clear that people want to see an extension of the uptown along the central waterfront to really reconnect the uptown with the water's edge," she said.

"It's really transforming what has been an industrial waterfront for many years, to a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented neighbourhood."

She said for the development to be successful, public access to the waterfront is important.

Hardman said that's exactly what he wants to see.

In recent visits to the city, he's stood out by the Coast Guard's lighthouse, which he says provides an amazing perspective across the harbour.

"It's beautiful," he said. "And when you think of the cruise ships coming in to the city, this will be a great spot

[nwalbert]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

Do we know for sure its a Marriott? They say a big Cdn hotel chain - maybe it's Fairmont?

No, it was just an assumption as Marriott has shown interest in the city previously. It would be nice to see a real Marriott or at least a Courtyard. Fairmont would be nice as well.

[nwalbert]

Originally Posted by GUB

This development is great news and might eventually spur the Irving HQ project back to the waterfront?

I dont think this event would entice Irving to kickstart the project but I do suspect the recent/ongoing resurgence of the US economy and the climbing price of oil will lead to both this project and the refinery to be revisited.

Irving is an intelligent organization and unfortunately the timing was just very bad for both of those ventures. I am confident once the economy is on solid ground again we will see the World Headquarters and second refinery project move forward.

It is encouraging to see so many private projects happening in the city, it is very rare in our region right now.

[michael_d40]

Mall Expansion Gets Green Light

Retail growth continues with Common Council approving a 5900 square metre expansion to McAllister place.


Lawton's already has plans for some of the space with an expansion.

McAllister Place recently finished with millions of dollars worth of renovations.
Posted by CHSJ News at 9:28 AM


I was looking through city documents. Looks like Linen Chest will be opening here as well as well as many many other retailers once this expansion is complete. Should be interesting to see what all happens when its complete.

[ErickMontreal]

Building will start soon on drugstore at east side mall



Published Thursday February 3rd, 2011
C4
April Cunningham
Telegraph-Journal


SAINT JOHN - Expansion of Lawtons Drugs in the McAllister Place mall is set to get underway with common council's approval of zoning amendments that will eventually allow the region's biggest shopping centre to expand by 5,900 square metres.


David Greene, the general manager of McAllister Place, said the mall is waiting for the building permits to be finalized, but expects construction to start within the month.

The pharmacy will move from its current location to the eastern part of the mall and expand to include a second floor with a medical clinic, Greene said.

It's part of greater plans to attract more restaurants, a home ware operator and more clothing stores to McAllister Place, according to a letter sent to council from a vice-president at Cadillac Fairview Corporation, which owns the mall.

"There's no definite plans yet," Greene said. "We're only going to do the Lawtons at this point in time, and the balance as the demand arises."

Although the area is flood-prone, the proposed expansion poses no added flood risk or adverse environmental impact, said Tim Vickers, the executive director of the Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP) Saint John.

"They're expanding onto an existing parking lot, so from my perspective, good for them," he said. "I don't see any real environmental harm associated with this, certainly not as far as flooding goes."

ACAP has warned that any additional development - such as expanding the parking lots - could hurt the Marsh Creek wetlands and increase flooding. The ground is needed to absorb the rainwater.

Greene said the mall is conducting its own flood reduction research to reduce the flooding impact on its property.

While a few community members appeared at a planning advisory committee meeting in early January to express concerns about drainage, Ken Forrest, the city's planning commissioner, agreed there will be no flooding impact.

"The reality is, you're just exchanging hard surface for hard surface," Forrest said in an interview. "The amount of impervious surface isn't being expanded."

No one appeared at Monday night's public hearing in the council chambers to protest the development.

Since Lawtons is eager to get building, the mall won't have time to build a right-turning lane from Consumers Drive onto Westmorland Road - a condition set out by council.

So the city will receive "financial security" to ensure the work gets done, Forrest said. The mall was actually supposed to build the turning lane years ago, but it never happened.

The developer is also required to provide an engineering water and sewer analysis, site drainage and building elevation plans, which Forrest said are standard conditions.

McAllister Place had a $13-million renovation a little more than a year ago.

The proposed 5,900-square-metre expansion would increase the size of the mall from about 51,700 square metres to 57,500 square metres - increasing the mall size by about 10 per cent.