[Saint John] Fundy Quay (South Market Wharf) | 19-6s | 70m-26m | U/C

[Southpaw78]

Saw the article in the TJ today saying the Fundy Quay development has been setback due to the need for an anviromental assessment. They believe there are trace amounts of chemical contaminants on the site and are paying an engineering firm $50K to assess the site. The whole process will take apparently 10 weeks when the results will be known....

Very unfortunate, but not surprising. I would have thought this kind of work would have already been done....Anyone have insight as to why this is coming up now? What could this mean for the developer they have on hand....I hope they don't get scared off now...

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by Southpaw78

Saw the article in the TJ today saying the Fundy Quay development has been setback due to the need for an anviromental assessment. They believe there are trace amounts of chemical contaminants on the site and are paying an engineering firm $50K to assess the site. The whole process will take apparently 10 weeks when the results will be known....

Very unfortunate, but not surprising. I would have thought this kind of work would have already been done....Anyone have insight as to why this is coming up now? What could this mean for the developer they have on hand....I hope they don't get scared off now...

I would say this is indicative of a very serious proposal and the developer is covering all their bases prior to committing to breaking ground. In that respect it is positive. I too thought this environmental work was already completed. It was first announced in 2005 - what's another 10 weeks?

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

I would say this is indicative of a very serious proposal and the developer is covering all their bases prior to committing to breaking ground. In that respect it is positive. I too thought this environmental work was already completed. It was first announced in 2005 - what's another 10 weeks?

We were told of an upcoming announcement for the spring. Ten weeks from today brings us to April. I'd really like to see work begin this summer but it depends on when they plan on revealing their big mystery developer.

[Peter_johnns]

Anyone have any specific developers in mind? If you had to bet who do you think is putting up the Hotel etc...

[michael_d40]

Originally Posted by Peter_johnns

Anyone have any specific developers in mind? If you had to bet who do you think is putting up the Hotel etc...

I'm going to guess Courtyard by Marriott for the hotel.

[Peter_johnns]

Originally Posted by michael_d40

I'm going to guess Courtyard by Marriott for the hotel.

Something relatively high density though. They are saying it will be a tower.

[kwajo]

I heard Marriott itself, although any of the sub-brands they own would be fine. It seems odd to go for the Courtyard series given the prime, waterfront location, but I suppose anything is possible.

[hebertovich]

Anyone hear on when they plan to demolish the Coast guard building to make way for South market wharf (fundy quay...belch )? Anyone know where the CG will relocate ?

[kwajo]

That depends on what the new plan is. The previous Hardman Group plan involved renovating a couple of the Coast Guard buildings and then adding to them, only tearing down the shed along Water Street. With a new developer, they might choose to do the same, or perhaps bulldoze everything and start anew.

As for the Coast Guard, as far as I know, they are reducing operations in Saint John, almost everything will be based elsewhere, with only a small presence remaining (mostly at the wharf at HMCS Brunswicker).

[Whaler]

I would bet there wouldn't be any property along the water front that DIDN'T have some sort of contamination. When the city/port filled in all the small slips, they didn't use all clean fill. They used what they could and the best cost.
I assum that this portion of land will be sold to a developer as an environmental study or inspection is pretty standard on any purchase and sale agreement.
Something to keep in mind, If the developer finds that there are unacceptable amounts of contamination they could walk away or demand that the city clean it up before anything gets sold or started. 10 weeks is just for the study. This could very well be a deal breaker!

[JHikka]

This will be the thread for all discussion and media relating to South Market Wharf (Fundy Quay ) on the Saint John waterfront. Now that we have movement on site and drilling I think it's fair to say that we're going to see something happen on this development relatively soon.

[MonctonRad]

Good idea giving this project it's own thread Greg.

I think it is time for Saint John to have multiple threads too!

[cdnguys]

From CHSJ news blog:

A place to shop, work and live is in the works for the old Coast Guard site.

Waterfront Development GM Kent MacIntyre says they're planning a mixed development building for the newly named Fundy Quay that would contain apartments or condos with stores on the first floor.

MacIntyre says they're currently checking how environmentally sound the site is, which determines what's contaminated and how to clean it up. He says it's a perfectly normal process, and the area is not high in contaminants.

MacIntyre adds they're still working with the developer, and more information will be released in the coming weeks. In the meantime, test drilling equipment will be used and technical workers will be on the site.

[JHikka]

I'm concerned about his singular use of the word building.

[Fischbob]

I'm also concerned as there's no mention of the hotel component. Like Moncton's experience with their proposed Downtown Events Centre, is it possible we might end up seeing an Incredible Shrinking Coast Guard site? I certainly hope not, though until an announcement is actually made the best we can do is speculate.

If they do have to scale down in this economic climate, I hope they do so by phasing the site's development more finely and over a longer period, rather than trying to be expedient and settling for a scaled-down end product. For example, Phase 1 could be the South Market Wharf "podium" commercial and the waterfront promenade, Phase 2 could be the hotel, Phase 3 the condo tower, and subsequent phases working their way southward in a similar manner (this is just one possible configuration--it might make more sense to start bolstering residential density sooner in the process to support the commercial stuff).

[DizzyEdge]

Need some photos in this thread!


http://s1230.beta.photobucket.com/user/Helladog/profile

That said, how out of date is this?

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by Fischbob

I'm also concerned as there's no mention of the hotel component. Like Moncton's experience with their proposed Downtown Events Centre, is it possible we might end up seeing an Incredible Shrinking Coast Guard site? I certainly hope not, though until an announcement is actually made the best we can do is speculate.

If they do have to scale down in this economic climate, I hope they do so by phasing the site's development more finely and over a longer period, rather than trying to be expedient and settling for a scaled-down end product. For example, Phase 1 could be the South Market Wharf "podium" commercial and the waterfront promenade, Phase 2 could be the hotel, Phase 3 the condo tower, and subsequent phases working their way southward in a similar manner (this is just one possible configuration--it might make more sense to start bolstering residential density sooner in the process to support the commercial stuff).

"Mixed use" suggests to me a building with both residential and office space, maybe hotel too like most new developments in major cities. Residential with shops on first level to me does not meet the definition of mixed use.
Mixed use buildings tend to be taller. Be interesting so see where it's placement will be and if it will block view of Trinity Royal streetscape from Harbour bridge

[Fischbob]

Here are a couple details gleaned from Stantec's correspondence with Waterfront Development in last night's Council Agenda Packet:

- "The scope of the proposal for [an environmental assessment] has been defined based on our understanding that the six-acre site will be developed in the future for mixed residential and commercial land use.... One of the driving assumptions based on our discussion with you is that the entire site is to be considered for residential use."
- "At the time of writing, we understand that two existing buildings (Shops Building and Buoy Shed) are understood to be demolished. The future status of the Administration Building remains unknown." Asbestos-containing plaster (covered by drywall) is apparently present throughout the buildings.

Personal notes:
- The first point just seems to be one of prudence: the entire site is to be assessed for its ability to accommodate residential uses, presumably to provide a consistent analysis and keep plans flexible (though I include it here for the benefit of everyone's continued speculation).
- The second one DOES appear to be new information, since in the Hardman Group proposal only the shed was to be demolished.

DizzyEdge: That's the concept drawing included with last year's request for proposals, and appears to be more or less based on the Hardman Group plan (with a few changes in building configuration). It's too early to say how much the final plan will differ from this: IMO it would be a disappointment to get anything less dense than what's in that drawing.

[cdnguys]

It appears in this rendering that the beach volleyball courts exist, whereas the hardman group one I'm pretty sure they were gone. Hopefully they will keep them - its a draw to Market Sq.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Fischbob

It's too early to say how much the final plan will differ from this: IMO it would be a disappointment to get anything less dense than what's in that drawing.

Can't agree more with this. For the past few years we've been teased with a big development on a prime piece of real estate. At this point expectations are pretty high.