Northern Ontario developments!

[TbayON]

Originally Posted by vid

Do you think it is possible they will download 61 and merge it with the Harbour Expressway, so that traffic on 11/17 is seamless?

From what I hear, the downloading of Hwy 61 to the city is not being considered at the level it was a little while back. I think the court case and subsequent ruling pertaining to the Pelican Falls Rd. and Goodie Lake road, where the Ontario government downloaded responsibilities for those roads to Sioux Lookout in 1998, has caused the province to re-think downloading infrastructure to municipalities. Sioux Lookout won a court case that said they are not responsible for maintaining those roads in 2010 if you are unfamiliar. I bring that up because I am pretty sure any sane person at city hall would and should blow a gasket if the province were to unload that stretch of 61 onto the city. The plan would have seen a new section of Hwy 61 re-routed into the Twin City Crossroads area. At one time, the province was even considering re-constructing the entire length of 61 so it would run along the lake shore, like the Minnesota stretch. The idea there was to create greater tourism opportunities.

Despite all those ideas being off the table at the moment, don't kid yourself that the MTO has taken Hwy 61 off their radar, especially within city limits. What exactly they are going to do is anybody's guess at this point.

To get back to your point though, the Harbour Expressway absolutely must intersect with 11/17 somehow. It is the most important trucking route for the city (not including Dawson Rd. because that doesn't affect the city in terms of deliveries, its for cross-country travel), so you might as well have an interchange there that connects 61, 11/17 and the Harbour in my opinion.

[TbayON]

Some local updates...

Nor-Ont Resources has held preliminary talks with Fort William First Nations (and the city indirectly since the FWFN and TB are partners in mining developments) and in looking at putting a chromite processor on reserve lands. Nor-Ont is committed to developing its ROF nickel deposits first though, and chromite production is a long term goal. Having the TBGS right across the river and port facilities has the company interested. This should add fuel to the fire in the debate over the TBGS.

Construction has began on converting the former Intercity Zellers location to a Target. Zellers closed mid-January. The renovations will take several months and millions of dollars to complete.

Bids for the next phase of the CEISS development have come in $10-$16 million over budger. The cost of building the facility was determined by architects to be about $64 million. The problem is that cost was determined in 2007, and St. Joe's just asked for proposals recently. The province also funds these types of developments at a set rate. St. Joe's is contacting the province about this issue, and is hoping construction can still be in full swing by spring time. Four valid bids were received for the job.

The structural steel is up at the new Fort William Clinic by the hospital. The glulam structure is also nearly up at the new TbayTel Engineering building. Structural steel is also going up at the new Marriott.

[vid]

Piles are now being driven into the ground for the three buildings at the waterfront. Pouring of the foundation will begin next month.

[TbayON]

Originally Posted by vid

Piles are now being driven into the ground for the three buildings at the waterfront. Pouring of the foundation will begin next month.

Well at least those guys are using piles on a big project. I can't believe what is going to be holding up the Marriott hotel at Superstore. I know there are geological differences at the two sites, but the Marriott is a fair sized building too and there isn't very much in the ground to hold all that building up.

A pretty large tower crane (by Thunder Bay standards) was put up in the last couple days at the Marriott. Looks pretty impressive when heading towards the lake down the Harbour Expressway.

[OwenChurch]

Thanks TbayON and Vid, I appreciate the update. I left the city to pursue a forestry/environmental career, but I am always looking at jobs to see if it is possible to come back. In my opinion, I think if mining takes off the way TbayON has suggested (which I would believe, given the value of the chromite deposits north of Geraldton, not to mention other prospects), I would expect to see Thunder Bay becoming more like a smaller Edmonton. People spending days off or having apartments/houses in the city and more of the labour camps being stationed in the satellite communities. Either way, with forestry creeping back and mining investments on the rise, the future is bright.

Did they ever decide if any of the chromite smelters would be in Tbay? I know there was a strong desire to put processing in sudbury...

[TbayON]

Originally Posted by OwenChurch

Did they ever decide if any of the chromite smelters would be in Tbay? I know there was a strong desire to put processing in sudbury...

Cliffs hasn't yet finalized the location for their smelter, but Sudbury is the leading candidate and the company has a location chosen there. They have also supposedly posted some jobs for the smelter already. Some rumours have been swirling that Cliffs may be a take-over target for a larger mining company since the company is a little weak at the moment. Mining in general is taking a bit of a hit at the moment, there isn't the access to capital that there was a few years back. This is expected to be a temporary blip though.

Nor-Ont Resources is interested in a location on Fort William First Nation land to build a chromite smelter. They are just having very preliminary discussions though, and FWFN is by no means the company's final choice. Nor-Ont will first be developing their ROF nickel deposit though, and chromite production is a long term goal.

Some other mining companies have interest in Thunder Bay as a trans-shipment and processing location though. Rockex Mining would like to use the former Northern Sawmill property and ore dock to move iron ore mined near Ear Falls. They are working on the logistics of getting it to Thunder Bay at the moment. There is pretty good potential for this plan to work out as it seems a mine is feasible.

I don't think its a bad thing the city missed out on the Cliffs smelter. Those things can be pretty dirty. The city will instead concentrate on service and supply, in addition the providing the labour for the mine site. There is more money and more jobs in this area than at the smelter anyways and I don't think any one city is Northern Ontario could provide all the labour necessary for this development.

[OwenChurch]

Originally Posted by TbayON

Cliffs hasn't yet finalized the location for their smelter, but Sudbury is the leading candidate and the company has a location chosen there. They have also supposedly posted some jobs for the smelter already. Some rumours have been swirling that Cliffs may be a take-over target for a larger mining company since the company is a little weak at the moment. Mining in general is taking a bit of a hit at the moment, there isn't the access to capital that there was a few years back. This is expected to be a temporary blip though.

Nor-Ont Resources is interested in a location on Fort William First Nation land to build a chromite smelter. They are just having very preliminary discussions though, and FWFN is by no means the company's final choice. Nor-Ont will first be developing their ROF nickel deposit though, and chromite production is a long term goal.

Some other mining companies have interest in Thunder Bay as a trans-shipment and processing location though. Rockex Mining would like to use the former Northern Sawmill property and ore dock to move iron ore mined near Ear Falls. They are working on the logistics of getting it to Thunder Bay at the moment. There is pretty good potential for this plan to work out as it seems a mine is feasible.

I don't think its a bad thing the city missed out on the Cliffs smelter. Those things can be pretty dirty. The city will instead concentrate on service and supply, in addition the providing the labour for the mine site. There is more money and more jobs in this area than at the smelter anyways and I don't think any one city is Northern Ontario could provide all the labour necessary for this development.

I certainly agree that Thunder Bay couldn't provide that kind of labour in the short term. Sudbury does seem like a good candidate, but I hadn't heard much about the smelter in some time. Passing ore through the port alone is bound to offer some good spin-off money for the area.

[vid]

Thunder Bay Art Gallery is looking at the land near the base of the Wilson Headland, just south of the Pearl Street entrance, as a location for a new gallery.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/story/2013/01/28/tby-thunderbay-art-gallery-site.html

[TbayON]

Superior Credit Union and Copperfin Credit Union are proposing a merger. Regulatory approvals are still necessary for the merger to go forward. Superior has 5 branches in the Thunder Bay area while Copperfin has 5 branches in NWO. From what I hear, Superior isn't in great shape, so a merger is probably necessary for them. They tried unsuccessfully to merge with another credit union with a few local branches last year, but that did not go through.
http://www.northernontariobusiness.com/A.../Credit-union-amalgamation-proposed.aspx

Lakehead University is in the design process and putting plans together for a new 42 513 sq ft building near the Bora Laskin Bldg. The building will be called Gichi Ken Daa Se Win Centre at the corner of Bora Laskin Dr, and Lakehead University Dr N. The estimated cost is $30 million. The building would be built to LEED Gold Standards. Funding still needs to be secured and further updates are expected this summer.
http://www.journalofcommerce.com/cgi-bin...c766831&region=ontario&projectid=9158342

Another building is just about framed in the Terra Vista development. This one is right along Beverly St and appears to be a single storey structure comprising part of the townhome portion of the development.

[vid]

What is the new LU building for?

[TbayON]

Originally Posted by vid

What is the new LU building for?

Not sure. Going by the name of it though I would assume it will play a role in the university's attempts to build a larger Aboriginal student population.

=====

Forgot to mention, I noticed several large piles and welding equipment at the hole at Carrick and the Harbour that was supposed to be Thunder Bay's original Marriott. Someone said today a pile driver was already at work at the site. I have no idea what is going in there, but the snow has been removed on a large part of the property, so it must be a decent sized building.

[tjernobyl]

Originally Posted by TbayON

Not sure. Going by the name of it though I would assume it will play a role in the university's attempts to build a larger Aboriginal student population.

I've seen it spelled as Gichi Kendaasiwin elsewhere; that brings up a few more hits.

From Netnewsledger:
The Centre will include an Aboriginal Research Institute, an Aboriginal Language Institute, computer and lab facilities, space to host special events, an Aboriginal art/museum gallery area, secure exterior space for a medicine garden, a day care centre, The Office of Aboriginal Initiatives, Aboriginal Cultural and Support Services offices with common areas, Aboriginal-focused programs and an Elders Room, and there will be offices for Aboriginal faculty and graduate students.

[TbayON]

Originally Posted by tjernobyl

I've seen it spelled as Gichi Kendaasiwin elsewhere; that brings up a few more hits.

From Netnewsledger:
The Centre will include an Aboriginal Research Institute, an Aboriginal Language Institute, computer and lab facilities, space to host special events, an Aboriginal art/museum gallery area, secure exterior space for a medicine garden, a day care centre, The Office of Aboriginal Initiatives, Aboriginal Cultural and Support Services offices with common areas, Aboriginal-focused programs and an Elders Room, and there will be offices for Aboriginal faculty and graduate students.

I thought the day care was going in down Oliver Road by the Hangar. I think its really important to note that this project still requires funding. The last building the university tried to build next to the NWO Innovation Centre fell flat when the province didn't want to fund it.

======

The CEO of Resolute Forest Products is going to be in Thunder Bay and Atikokan tomorrow. He is to make some sort of announcement. The mayor of Atikokan is saying the announcement involves jobs and industry for his community. Speculation is swirling that a sawmill is going to be built by Resolute on the former Buchanan Sapawe sawmill site. He will probably also re-announce the pellet mill to be built on FWFN land at their existing sawmill facility and provide update on the co-gen project at the pulp mill while in Thunder Bay.

Apparently the development just getting underway at the corner of Carrick and the Harbour Expressway is a Holiday Inn hotel. I have no idea on the size of the building or number of rooms, it was just posted on Opportunity Thunder Bay that it will be a Holiday Inn.

[vid]

That development has been in the works for a while. I didn't know who specifically was doing that project but I've known that something is going on that lot for several months now. It'll probably be a smaller hotel, the lot isn't too big. Since the city started putting more effort into the Carrick/Vickers connection and Carrick Street widening(they're "studying" it; hopefully it produces results, sooner rather than later), it seems development has been ramping up along that route. Any more news on the other lots along Carrick?

We need to get some high density residential in the Intercity area.

[TbayON]

The lot is actually quite a decent size. It kind of wraps around the back of the General Paint store (former Northern Decorating). I suppose by the time parking spaces are allotted though, space will run out fast. Even a 3 storey structure would be good. If its built too small, it will get lost in the shadow of the Marriott across the road and really kind of look insignificant. The lot didn't sell that long ago. Jack Mallon had it listed and next thing you know the for sale sign was down and the lake was being drained. Don't have anything else for Carrick at this time. Nothing happened behind Superstore after the lot was brushed out and the proposed building at the Central Ave. intersection hasn't gone ahead yet.

Bruno's has started site work for Genivar's (former Cook Engineering) new building in Innova. It will be a 3 storey office building located near True Grit's new office. Genivar announced in the second half of last year they were seeking new office space as they had outgrown their current office on Syndicate. I am not sure what they are planning for the Syndicate office, whether it be keeping it, selling it, leasing it etc.

[vid]

The Syndicate office is one of the coolest buildings in the city (from a structural engineering perspective). I really hope it doesn't get neglected.

[tjernobyl]

I saw a picture of the original building a while back-- they really did build a second building on top of the first. That's a powerful advertisement for the things a good engineering company can pull off.

[TbayON]

Originally Posted by vid

The Syndicate office is one of the coolest buildings in the city (from a structural engineering perspective). I really hope it doesn't get neglected.

I believe it has been put up for sale at this point in the $1.6 million range. Hopefully a buyer can be found. The business strip along Syndicate south of Arthur isn't exactly in the healthiest state.

======

Resolute is building a new sawmill in Atikokan:
http://www.tbnewswatch.com/news/261753/New-mill

-90 new jobs at the mill in Atikokan
-details on the exact location still to be released, but rumours have it being at the former Buchanan Sapawe mill site
-approximately $50 million price tag
-smaller mill with a single random length saw line (as opposed to the Thunder Bay stud mill that has 4 saw lines)
-mill will send chips and byproducts to either Thunder Bay or Fort Frances pulp mills

This is, of course, great news for a hard hit forestry industry in NWO. But, I much rather would have seen another forestry company building a mill than Resolute. I don't have a problem with the company, but they have a monopoly over the wood supply in a lot of NWO, which is not healthy. Quite a few contractors are struggling as their only place to send wood is to Resolute and they have to do as Resolute says, or else they are out of business. Hopefully they aren't trying to screw over Atikokan Renewable Fuels either since Resolute has half the contract to supply OPG in Atikokan with pellets. Apparently the wood in the Sapawe forest that traditionally fed the Atikokan mill is problematic as well.

The Hudson sawmill near Sioux Lookout has re-started production on a limited basis. I am not sure how many people were recalled to work or what the production level is at this point. Buchanan still owns the sawmill. The mill has no wood supply anymore, it was stripped a while back and given to Lac Seul FN early this fall.

Ornge is expanding their offerings at their Thunder Bay base. They will be adding about 10 more positions, which will allow their helicopter to fly 24 hours a day. The Thunder Bay Ornge base will be the largest one in the province.

[vid]

:::Derek::: at Flickr has posted some photos of the interior of the Empire Hotel. Judging by the amount of damage, it's clear that this building is lost.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/derekmaliki/

[TbayON]

Renco Foods in Centennial Square is set to open Wednesday.

Horizon Wind Inc. is taking the provincial government and the MOE to court now. They have filed a notice of application for judicial review since they say they have amended their application several times at the request of the MOE, but their application still hasn't been accepted. They want to know if the MOE's actions on this have been reasonable.

Council approved about $1 million in spending on the water treatment plant. The money will be spent on improving drainage and filtering at the plant, which should help prevent problems at the plant during future flooding events. The plant will also now be staffed 24 hours a day.