[St. John's] The Official Project Thread

[Architype]

Originally Posted by jeddy1989

yeah, we've been doing this for years.. even some old churches downtown have been re-purposed in to condos and offices...
I guess if people are referring to the keeping of the facade while building behind it like that block in Halifax, yeah we don't have much of that but I don't see a need to if we can reuse the whole building as is (like the guy in the video said is the ideal situation) however I think the historic areas of downtown are being very nicely preserved and it's a practice we already do. As copes pointed out we have some mixing of the preservation and adding modern aspects to projects like the Belevedere Orphanage.

Edit: Even the old general hospital off Forest road went through this repurpose instead of being torn down and had an extension added along with pretty much a whole neighborhood lol

The best example of repurposing in a completely downtown urban format in St. John's, will be the Henry Bell Project if completed as planned, since they are using whole structures and adding to them, which is generally preferable to just using the façade approach.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

August 12, 2013

Such a vast improvement of the skyline compared to a year or two ago.

[Horsell]

Check this out.. http://www.happycity.ca/iwishthiswas

Happy City is asking for comments on what you would like to see throughout the city. Maybe it's time for some of us to let it be know that we are not afraid of well planned developments in the right places.

So far the theme seems to be parks, bike lanes and affordable housing...all good things but maybe we need a balance in the city.

[PoscStudent]

I had heard about that, I love the idea.

[SignalHillHiker]

Fortis Place

Fortis sent me along copies of this picture and a full-page advertisement that was published in The Telegram. The photo is by Operations Manager Danny Lowe.

[Architype]

^ Thanks for posting, Fortis is looking better each month.

[Architype]

Where are the 10 priciest real estate listings?

Once upon a time, but not all that long ago, it was unusual to see a home selling for more than $1 million in the local real-estate listings. That sure has changed; last week, there were almost three dozen properties over that benchmark. All but three of them were in St. John’s and neighbouring municipalities.

Article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundla.../19/nl-10-expensive-real-estate-819.html

[Townie709]

Have we heard anything else about the new municipal plan that was supposed to be revealed in January?? Seems to be a pretty low priority for the city...

[PoscStudent]

I've seen candidates bring it up and they mention about how it will be released after the election.

[jeddy1989]

I agree, it looks WAY better than what's currently there

People Pleasantly Surprised by Harbour Fence: SJPA

The Chair of the St. John's Port Authority says despite the protests earlier this year, he's being told people are pleasantly surprised by the controversial new harbour fence.

The fence came to the public's attention again this weekend after a Toronto-based artist used the fence for his installation piece, a message that read: 'What Lies Between Us'. The piece, which was temporarily installed with permission of the authority, was removed Sunday night and will be returned to the Eastern Edge Gallery today.

Sean Hanrahan says the reaction he's getting from people is that the fence is not at all like they had pictured. He says others are telling him they can't wait for the seating to be installed.

http://vocm.com/newsarticle.asp?mn=2&id=37534

[SignalHillHiker]

Yeah, I really put my foot in my mouth regarding the harbour fence. I still think it would be preferable to have no barrier at all, especially given the fact that security personnel will be required anyway (which was one of the main reasons the Port Authority put forward in support of the fence, that it would eliminate the need for such security personnel).

But what's there looks fine. It has a nice heritage style, the bars are spaced far enough apart to allow for pictures to be taken through them, the viewing areas are nice. And it creates a more... pedestrian-friendly visual... than the old chain-line fence did. Now it looks like you're allowed and encouraged to walk down there.

It also more clearly defines the stretch of apron you're allowed onto.

So, not thrilled it's there... but definitely a huge upgrade and not at all hideous or intolerable.

[Townie709]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Yeah, I really put my foot in my mouth regarding the harbour fence. I still think it would be preferable to have no barrier at all, especially given the fact that security personnel will be required anyway (which was one of the main reasons the Port Authority put forward in support of the fence, that it would eliminate the need for such security personnel).

But what's there looks fine. It has a nice heritage style, the bars are spaced far enough apart to allow for pictures to be taken through them, the viewing areas are nice. And it creates a more... pedestrian-friendly visual... than the old chain-line fence did. Now it looks like you're allowed and encouraged to walk down there.

It also more clearly defines the stretch of apron you're allowed onto.

So, not thrilled it's there... but definitely a huge upgrade and not at all hideous or intolerable.

Exactly

The whole harbour fence was blown way out of proportion. Basically instead of ugly aluminum railing and chain link fence, we get an elegant looking proper fence. In an ideal world, we wouldn't have a fence and the public would have full access to the harbour apron but what we need to realize is that St. John's harbour is an operating port that needs security. So in the end, I believe the outcome is much better than the vocal minority feared.

[jeddy1989]

Told ya so hahaha

[techie]

And the City's contribution of funding is the only reason it looks that good. Left alone, the port authority would install the bare minimum, while Council added funds to improve it aesthetically. However, I highly doubt those who voted for the funding will get any good press from it.

[cam477]

The Steele Hotel is really shooting up. I drove by today and it looks like they finished the roof on the 4th floor (4th from the Water Street side).


Re: Harbourside Fence – I think it’s looking great and it’s exactly what I assumed would happen. I wonder if some of the flip flopping councilors will try and take credit for voting in favour of funding it now that it appears to be favourable for them to do so.

[Townie709]

I just wish we knew what the Steele hotel was going to look like! I hope it looks like the original renders and not a cheap industrial box.

I have to say, I'm disappointed with the pace of development this year. Deacon seems to be cancelled, Hilton has fallen off the radar along with Star of the Sea, 123 Water Street, the Lighthouse project and numerous other smaller scale developments in the downtown, and the Henry Bell Project is barely any further along than it was last year. I was really looking forward to seeing MIX and Marconi transformed this year and after talking with a friend who works with the developer, we may not see those started for at least the next few years. And With 351 and Fortis topped out, we don't have much much to watch rise/progress at the moment.

I suppose soon we'll get to see the Tiffany Towers rise, the AP hotel, Fortis and 351 opened, and hopefully Hilton and the Fortis building reclad will return on the development radar as well. Other than that the best we can hope for is a good pro-development council to be elected in the fall, a good municipal plan, and some major proposals this fall/next spring!

Most of all I just don't want this forum to die! I hope we'll have more exciting things to discuss in the near future

[jeddy1989]

Originally Posted by Townie709

I just wish we knew what the Steele hotel was going to look like! I hope it looks like the original renders and not a cheap industrial box.

I have to say, I'm disappointed with the pace of development this year. Deacon seems to be cancelled, Hilton has fallen off the radar along with Star of the Sea, 123 Water Street, the Lighthouse project and numerous other smaller scale developments in the downtown, and the Henry Bell Project is barely any further along than it was last year. I was really looking forward to seeing MIX and Marconi transformed this year and after talking with a friend who works with the developer, we may not see those started for at least the next few years. And With 351 and Fortis topped out, we don't have much much to watch rise/progress at the moment.

I suppose soon we'll get to see the Tiffany Towers rise, the AP hotel, Fortis and 351 opened, and hopefully Hilton and the Fortis building reclad will return on the development radar as well. Other than that the best we can hope for is a good pro-development council to be elected in the fall, a good municipal plan, and some major proposals this fall/next spring!

Most of all I just don't want this forum to die! I hope we'll have more exciting things to discuss in the near future

I'm pretty sure this is mainly to do with the election and municipal plan release ... noone wants their project to be an election issue
I have a feeling that they are going to wait to see what the next council is like so they can lobby them beforehand .. no use showing the current council plans for a development .. it wont be voted on before the next council is in .. and if it is, it may become an election issue.

We had a lot of construction of already approved projects .. people on the ground are seeing a lot of changes, however the proposal part has virtually halted (again I think it has to do with the election)

Though I am usually an optimist .. but then again I'm usually right hehehehe

[Townie709]

Well let's hope you're right again and we'll see some more exciting stuff after the election!

[codyLawrenceDylan14]

Is the Deacon Investments development cancelled for certain? I hope not, I really like that development.

[Copes]

It has been a much slower summer than I expected. Pleasantville really only had a single development this year as well, and it was a 1-storey building, which is a shame. A lot of the projects I was hoping would start, haven't.

2014?