The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[Ire Narissis]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

I've never understood why people will leave a building half-painted. I used to live on Graham St in Fredericton and there was a house across the road that was half forest-green and half pink. Crazy thing was, you couldn't tell which was there first!

In the North End?

Ran out of paint money. Couldn't afford a ladder. Tenants moved out halfway through paint job. Painter lives in bottom unit so nuts to the top. Painter got shot before finishing...

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by Ire Narissis

In the North End?

Ran out of paint money. Couldn't afford a ladder. Tenants moved out halfway through paint job. Painter lives in bottom unit so nuts to the top. Painter got shot before finishing...

All extremely plausible scenarios.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

Did the Alexandra Apartments used to be Alexandra...School? Looks very school-like.

As far as I know yes, it used to be a school. I believe they're apartments for seniors now.

Originally Posted by Ire Narissis

In the North End?

Ran out of paint money. Couldn't afford a ladder. Tenants moved out halfway through paint job. Painter lives in bottom unit so nuts to the top. Painter got shot before finishing...

Definitely. Most of the time it's just being lazy. Sometimes it's not having a ladder or scaffolding. And yeah, with the amount of reprobate floating around on Main Street I wouldn't be able to stand out there all day being productive. You'd get hounded.

The landlord/owner of that building I posted is an interesting guy. He moved here with his wife from BC, bought a building that was condemned and renovated it further so he could rent out the apartments. He lives there, too. Why he didn't finish painting is beyond me, probably laziness. He drives around in a Hummer.

[JHikka]

There's some work going on over at the piece of land surrounded by Somerset, Lime Kiln, and Technology. Not quite sure what the plans are for this piece of land but it would be awesome if it was developed. This part of Millidgeville could use a bit more infill.

[Fischbob]

Ask and ye shall receive:





Source (Page 81)

Par for the course for this area.


And while I'm digging through PAC reports, here's what's going across from the new Y. A 4 storey, 62 unit, mixed-income apartment building geared toward senior citizens. Of note, this DOES have underground parking... so it is possible, just not on the Y's radar.

















Source (Page 1)

I'm not very keen on the exterior; fortunately the report mentions that the above site plan has been reconfigured to provide sufficient room for a future building between this one and Churchill Boulevard.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Fischbob

Par for the course for this area.

Definitely. There's a recently constructed building that looks just like this right next to it. Decent infill, and it'll be better to have more people living in that area for sure.

As far as the Churchill Boulevard developments are concerned, i'll get photos of the site before prep work begins sometime this week.

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by kwajo

At the very least the new location sits on one of Saint John's busiest bus routes, we should be encouraging that. Obviously it needs some parking, and Helladog is probably right, it is likely an illusion created by the angle of the rendering, but I pointed it out because I find it comical that they chose a rendered perspective that makes the parking lot seem like the focal point. I guess they're pandering to their fundraisers.

I agree that it does look like they made the parking lot a focal point, and by the look of the rendering, the place seems to be bustling with activity.

---

I don't think there are any alternatives other than surface parking here, though underground would be nice. I'm sure they would consider altering the design if anyone here has pockets large enough to donate a tidy sum to the project.

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by Ire Narissis

In the North End?

Ran out of paint money. Couldn't afford a ladder. Tenants moved out halfway through paint job. Painter lives in bottom unit so nuts to the top. Painter got shot before finishing...

You forgot, painter got strung out on drugs and gave up.

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by Fischbob

Ask and ye shall receive:





Source (Page 81)

Par for the course for this area.


And while I'm digging through PAC reports, here's what's going across from the new Y. A 4 storey, 62 unit, mixed-income apartment building geared toward senior citizens. Of note, this DOES have underground parking... so it is possible, just not on the Y's radar.

















Source (Page 1)

I'm not very keen on the exterior; fortunately the report mentions that the above site plan has been reconfigured to provide sufficient room for a future building between this one and Churchill Boulevard.

Good to see balconies making a comeback. This is after all, a sunnier (less foggy) part of town.

[kwajo]

Thanks Fischbob, appreciate the images from the report!

[Ire Narissis]

Spent a few minutes uptown this morning to get a look at the Disney Magic... but I think I wound up spending more time looking at the Prince William reconstruction and the Harbourfront residences!

Unfortunately, I didn't bring a worthy camera with me so I have no photos to share. But the end of Prince William is dramatically improved from how it looked before, and it looks like most of the buried utilities are in place so I imagine the overhead lines stuck in the middle of the widened street will be coming out soon enough.

I was able to peek into some of the unoccupied Harbourfront units that were plainly visible from Prince William. I can't imagine that visibility would be very desirable for tenants, but I suppose that's what curtains are for. The units look pretty nice.

There's an open terrace on the lower rooftop (what would be the space between the two 'towers' if the second phase of the residences were built). There seems to be a fountain under construction, and some piers that something big would be bolted down to; not sure what that's all about. Maybe Mr. Rocca could comment. There's in-built low-level lighting all around that terrace, which is a very nice touch.

The new cruise terminal is coming along swimmingly as well. While I'm not quite as on-board with the hate train for the "faux retro" design as the rest of you are, I really don't like the huge amount of pre-cast concrete around the arched windows... brick-built arches would look a thousand times better. But I suppose that's the price of budgeting.

Finally, I don't know if any of you are also marine geeks, but I really enjoy the design of the Disney Magic. It's very ocean-linery: dark hull, white superstructure, graceful sweeping lines. One of the few cruise ships I've seen with a decent-looking stern (so much easier on the eyes than the Princess Cruises' "shopping cart handle"), and the decoration on the bow is great--at a distance I thought it was simply painted on, but a closer look revealed that the artwork is actually built up with an additional layer of steel. And there's a giant statue of Goofy hanging off the stern, mocked up as though he's touching up the paint. Charming.

[Fischbob]

I was with my younger brother as he practised his driving today, so I got him to go around to Technology Drive. Not only is site prep underway for the building at Somerset, but there's also a new (and very generic-looking, vinyl-clad) apartment building up the hill on the other side of the previously developed lot. It's apparently the first of 4 15-unit apartment buildings on that particular site:



Source (Page 3)

At full buildout of both developments, that's an additional 119 residential units for this area.

Man, the weather's been beautiful this week. We should all follow GregHickman's lead and go on a photo blitz!

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Fischbob

I was with my younger brother as he practised his driving today, so I got him to go around to Technology Drive. Not only is site prep underway for the building at Somerset, but there's also a new (and very generic-looking, vinyl-clad) apartment building up the hill on the other side of the previously developed lot. It's apparently the first of 4 15-unit apartment buildings on that particular site:

I knew I forgot something! The first building does look generic, but as I said earlier in this thread it's better to just have more people living in this area. It's pretty centrally located to a few services, with the hospital and university relatively nearby, and a grocery store right down the street.

Photo blitz soon!

[ErickMontreal]

Saint John office vacancy rate dropped

Saint John had a very active quarter, with 42,846 sf of absorption. The vacancy rate dipped over half a point, from 8.9% in Q1, to 8.2% in Q2, and is down from 11.9% in Q2 2011.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20...d-National-Central-Market-Office-Vacancy
_______________________________________________________________

McAllister Place Uptade

Osaka Grill is now closed, a food place called Mediterranean Grill will take place. (I have no idea whether it is a chain or not. Furthermore, this is quite exciting to get a place that potentially serves shish taouk in Saint John)

In addition, something is going in the former Cadillac Fairview office by Jacks and Jones

[ErickMontreal]

Originally Posted by Fischbob

I really love this one, that flat roof is a must, quite urban looking.

Thank you!

[Ire Narissis]

Originally Posted by ErickMontreal

McAllister Place Update

Osaka Grill is now closed, a food place called Mediterranean Grill will take place. (I have no idea whether it is a chain or not. Furthermore, this is quite exciting to get a place that potentially serves shish taouk in Saint John)

I am really disappointed to see Osaka go, though. I will deeply miss their salmon teriyaki.

[ErickMontreal]

Originally Posted by Ire Narissis

I am really disappointed to see Osaka go, though. I will deeply miss their salmon teriyaki.

I concure, Osaka was great but we can still setlle for Wox Box which, I think is pretty similar in term of food.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by ErickMontreal

I concure, Osaka was great but we can still setlle for Wox Box which, I think is pretty similar in term of food.

Was your Osaka restaurant related in any way to the Osaka Hibachi Teppenyaki Grill that recently opened on Main St in Moncton?

[JHikka]

Another fire on Victoria street. At this rate there won't be any buildings left in a few months.


Photo courtesy CHSJNews

[ErickMontreal]

Saint John needs convention centre reno to compete
New committee wants all levels of government to fund renovation of 28-year-old centre
CBC News Posted: Jul 13, 2012 1:27 PM AT Last Updated: Jul 13, 2012 2:31

Fredericton to get new Hilton hotel Saint John will continue to lose tourism dollars to other Maritime cities without a multi-million-dollar renovation to its Trade and Convention Centre, according to the newly formed tourism committee.

Enterprise Saint John's tourism advisory committee says six months of convention business could cover the $10 to $12-million cost of renovations. The group is seeking funding from all three levels of government.

The committee brings together entrepreneurs and other industry representatives, who agree a modern convention centre is a top priority.

It's time for tourism operators to work together, according to Paulette Hicks, president of the Saint John Hotel Association.

“I think that we've evolved and I think that the timing is really good. There's a lot of a new spirit in Saint John,” Hicks said.

“We have a new mayor, we have a new council. I think the timing is right in all industries for us to be looking at, how do we put ourselves at the forefront?”

The city had New Brunswick's only convention centre when it was built in 1984 — and one of just two in the Maritimes at the time — but has fallen behind over the years, says Mike Belliveau, president of Hospitality Saint John.

Fredericton's 36,000-square foot convention centre opened in January 2011. The City of Moncton is also pushing for a centre in its downtown.

“The reality is, it has to happen. The trade centre is aging and it's becoming harder to sell the city for conventions and conferences based on what the trade centre can offer right now,” Belliveau said.

“So to stay competitive in this marketplace we need a renovated, updated and modern trade and convention centre," he added.

This comes as a Halifax developer confirmed plans to go forward with a $500-million project in the city’s downtown, which includes a new convention centre, a hotel and financial tower.

There is an $17-million convention centre being constructed in Charlottetown, though construction had been stalled for months in the winter due to problems with an adjoining sea wall.