[St. John's] The Official Project Thread

[rthomasd]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

I don't really see why we need the parking garage.

The last time the City did their analysis (3-5 years ago) it showed a downtown parking shortage of 500 spaces. Most of this is being addressed by 351 Water and the CBC lot.

However, if the Atlantic Place Hotel goes ahead, it mean a loss of 100 spaces. The city also just approved a development at the bottom of Springdale St. to proceed with a shortage of 18 spaces. If the city continues with that policy, it won't be long before there's a big shortage.

I don't believe the 500 space shortage included the affect of expanding the Convention Centre or the additional hotels being planned. Another 500 spaces will not satisfy the Mile One need on most nights or if there's something on-the-go at the new Convention Centre.
Was Mile One designed to grow at all?

Hopefully the new Delta parking structure will be more than a box.

[SignalHillHiker]

"You're not stuck in traffic. You are traffic." Parking isn't the problem. Park and rides in the suburbs with some attractive form of public transit is the solution.

[Architype]

I think a new parking garage at that location is not especially great as a devoted use for the site. As some people have noted, it would be better if something else could be built above it, either now or in the future. Aesthetically, they should try to keep the design interesting in form, and not just a rectangular box; putting some below ground would be best if it is possible. Aside from that, more parking (which seems to be a necessity in St. John's) will provide infrastructure for more development in the area. If you total all the new and existing parking garages together, they should total more than 2000 spaces by the time they are all done. The new construction is a significant increase, maybe as much as 40% over what exists.

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by rthomasd

The last time the City did their analysis (3-5 years ago) it showed a downtown parking shortage of 500 spaces. Most of this is being addressed by 351 Water and the CBC lot.

However, if the Atlantic Place Hotel goes ahead, it mean a loss of 100 spaces. The city also just approved a development at the bottom of Springdale St. to proceed with a shortage of 18 spaces. If the city continues with that policy, it won't be long before there's a big shortage.

I don't believe the 500 space shortage included the affect of expanding the Convention Centre or the additional hotels being planned. Another 500 spaces will not satisfy the Mile One need on most nights or if there's something on-the-go at the new Convention Centre.
Was Mile One designed to grow at all?

Hopefully the new Delta parking structure will be more than a box.

Signal problably summed it up better. Just building ugly garages around the downtown for people to parl from 9 to 5 doesn't really do much to add to downtown.

[rthomasd]

I'm also interested in parking for events at Mile One / Delta / Convention Centre at night / weekends. Metrobus is useless for me in the West End to get downtown, also doesn't run late, etc...I've parked as far away as Sir Humphrey Gilbert for events in Mile One.

On the few occasions that Metrobus has a park & ride (hockey games) you get vandalized, can't win.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by PoscStudent

Signal problably summed it up better. Just building ugly garages around the downtown for people to parl from 9 to 5 doesn't really do much to add to downtown.

The reality is in a city the size of St. John's, public transit is not likely to be much of an option. Without new parking, new development cannot proceed, and retail cannot survive. Downtowns are a place of business first, residential is historically a secondary use. The most unfortunate fact is that the parking can't be hidden underground as they are most other places. A good compromise is to ensure that they aren't ugly.

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by Architype

The reality is in a city the size of St. John's, public transit is not likely to be much of an option. Without new parking, new development cannot proceed, and retail cannot survive. Downtowns are a place of business first, residential is historically a secondary use. The most unfortunate fact is that the parking can't be hidden underground as they are most other places. A good compromise is to ensure that they aren't ugly.

I still don't see the need for a parking garage on such a prime piece of downtown real estate. Something further up Water Street West I think would be more appropriate.

There is still more that could be done with regards to public transit. It can't solve all problems but it could put a dent into the parking problem.

[Architype]

The problem is finding an available piece of land large enough - and in reality people aren't willing to walk very far and pay for parking.

I did also say that it's not a great use of the site by itself.

[nando]

There's a lot of space on the property. Hopefully they are able to put the garage on the rear of the property, to still allow for some type of commercial development on the front of the property on water street.

http://binged.it/17jY3Pu

[nando]

* new gower st.

[Architype]

Originally Posted by nando

There's a lot of space on the property. Hopefully they are able to put the garage on the rear of the property, to still allow for some type of commercial development on the front of the property on . . .

http://binged.it/17jY3Pu

That would be a good idea, the most unobtrusive way to build a parking garage, if you can't put it underground, is to build it into a hill.

[Townie709]

Originally Posted by nando

There's a lot of space on the property. Hopefully they are able to put the garage on the rear of the property, to still allow for some type of commercial development on the front of the property on water street.

http://binged.it/17jY3Pu

My thoughts exactly

This garage would also be great for events at mile one/convention center

[niccanning]

Signal, what happened to the picture updates?

Things I would like to see:

• The Sundara development in the west end
• CFS Pleasantville Facility
• Anything else new and exciting!

[RRoome]

There's been activity at the site of the new high school across from the Village mall. It would be nice to see how that's coming.

[statbass]

VOCM News
Aug 5, 2013

One of the more familiar restaurants in the capital city is going to be replaced with housing units. Mary Brown's on Freshwater Road is in a residential zone as a non-conforming use.

An application has been filed with St. John's City Hall for a seven-unit townhouse development.

http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=37062&latest=1

I hope they can get the smell of deep fried chicken out before it's converted to townhouses. Imagine living with that smell... lol!

[Architype]

Originally Posted by statbass

VOCM News
Aug 5, 2013



http://www.vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=37062&latest=1

I hope they can get the smell of deep fried chicken out before it's converted to townhouses. Imagine living with that smell... lol!

It's a non conforming use, but eliminating those also adds to the homogenization/compartmentalization/suburbanization of the city. It's wouldn't be a bad thing to include some commercial space in that development. I miss MB, and used to go to that location, LOL.

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by niccanning

Signal, what happened to the picture updates?

Things I would like to see:

• The Sundara development in the west end
• CFS Pleasantville Facility
• Anything else new and exciting!

I know! So much going on lately - but no excuse, really. I'll get more soon.

[ajcoffey]

Interesting article from Board of Trade

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundla...rd-of-trade-urban-sprawl-2013-08-07.html

[Architype]

^ From article posted above:


Build up, not out, Board of Trade says
Quality of life, transportation cited as reasons to tackle sprawl

The St. John's Board of Trade is calling on the city of St. John's to tackle the issue of urban sprawl.

Mahoney wants to see more apartment and condominium buildings in the city.

He added building a denser community will improve transportation and quality of life.

"It's a person's first inclination to say 'the land is available, let's build big properties,'" said Mahoney.

"What we're not thinking about is the long-term implication for the cost of maintaining that infrastructure."

Mahoney is hopeful that the issue will receive a full debate before city council.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundla...rd-of-trade-urban-sprawl-2013-08-07.html

[SignalHillHiker]

August 7, 2013

Fortis Place and 351:



Fortis Place:



Confederation Building: