The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by Sabien

Adding to the list:
- The proposed Saint John Fieldhouse at exhibition park. (SJFieldhouse.com)
- $225,000 in solar lighting added to walking trail around Lily Lake (1.8KM trail)
-Eastside Mario's re-opening under new management
-St. Vincent Apartments Development (http://www.stvapartments.org/)

Also interesting possibilities:
-Atlantic Potash Corp. (http://apcpotash.com/news/)
-Potash Corp plans to expand Courtney Bay terminal access with new entrance road off of the causeway - parallel with train tracks.
-There was talk of expansion at the Regional Hospital: a new building for clinics/offices, restaurant, short-term accommodation for patient's families, etc. - but I haven't heard any mention of that in over a year.

Great lists of projects everyone! I would move the PotashCorp road/rail expansion out of "possibilities" as it is just a final provincial EIA judgment away from beginning construction. Also, I saw the Historica project on Canterbury listed, but there is also their second project on Germain in the old Bustin's building, which started construction sometime in December and will include a very unique rooftop build that is pretty much unseen in Atlantic Canada.

I snapped a couple smartphone pics of the Social Enterprise Hub construction on Saturday, it is moving forward very quickly!

[MonctonRad]

Good to see activity ramping up on the Saint John thread!

We're currently in the doldrums on the Moncton threads. I imagine this is just seasonal (at least I hope so).......

[Ire Narissis]

What exactly is a "social enterprise hub"?

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by Ire Narissis

What exactly is a "social enterprise hub"?

It's a building that will contain the offices of several local non-profit organizations [The Learning Exchange, the Human Development Council, ACAP Saint John, etc.], a number of incubator spaces for new start-ups, presentation and meeting rooms and a café on the ground floor.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by magee_b

A low resolution version of the site plan for "The Crossing" retail development can be found on page 51 in the latest Saint John city council agenda packet. The developer's description for it can also be found in the packet.



PDF Link: http://www.saintjohn.ca/site/media/SaintJohn/2016-01-11%20Common%20Council%20Agenda%20Packet.pdf

This certainly sounds interesting but I think the developer is being too conservative. This sounds like a typical suburban development that has been tweaked to somewhat resemble an older village or town.

First of all, they want to go for a "Main Street" look yet there are a lot of surface parking lots fronting on this street and limited on street parking.

It also doesn't sound like the residential component is that significant. It certainly doesn't sound like they are going to build mixed-used buildings along the "Main Street." A site of that size could certainly be home to a large number of residential units - and a nice mix of them at that.

Selling this as a destination is fine but it would be even better to have a significant amount of people living there as well.

[Echo64]

Originally Posted by magee_b

A low resolution version of the site plan for "The Crossing" retail development can be found on page 51 in the latest Saint John city council agenda packet. The developer's description for it can also be found in the packet.



PDF Link: http://www.saintjohn.ca/site/media/SaintJohn/2016-01-11%20Common%20Council%20Agenda%20Packet.pdf

Looks kind of ambitious to me, there are so many little buildings, are they really expecting to fill all of those spots with retail? I'm not a big fan of the look either (from the PDF), looks like it's straight out of a 90's western movie, doesn't really fit in with Saint John. I'm glad they are doing something with the space, but I hope they have done their research.

[mylesmalley]

Great about the potential for that much investment, but that's a huge development. It'll take a long time to fill out. I agree the design isn't exactly inspiring. Looks to be more surface parking than anything else.

I'm a bit surprised about the plan for that creek too. Are they going to run it through a pipe under the development?

[Walk then Run]

Originally Posted by Southpaw78

I think this threat couple be more active than it currently is. Just some other things going on:

-New Social Hub currently under construction on Waterloo
-New Historica Development on Canterbury
-Potential new Irving Headquarters at King Square
-New City Market entrance improvements
-Loyalist Plaza redevelopment
-New East Point Liquor Store and Sobeys
-Shannex Development in Millidgeville
-Recent opening of the new Y
-New barge construction at Lorneville
-Port expansion
-Recent renos to Queen Square and return of the market
-Proposed new NBL uptown

That's what comes to the top of mind for now. Anyone else want to add to the list?

-Ground prep for the new West Side Elementary school which is to replace the Fundy/Lower West schools (Havelock, St. Pat's, and Seawood) into one large school. It is literally being built beside / on the Havelock playground and ball field. Anticipated opening date of Sept 2018.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

Great about the potential for that much investment, but that's a huge development. It'll take a long time to fill out. I agree the design isn't exactly inspiring. Looks to be more surface parking than anything else.

Which makes it similar to East Point, which is fitting since it's the same developer. EP's been on the hill for a decade and still isn't filled out as much as the original Master Plan. Can only assume this project will be the same. Bits and pieces slowly over time.

If it gets retail out of the swamp and into a slightly less flood-prone area i'm all for it. It's convenient for highway traffic as long as the exit is reconfigured for increased traffic (it's already bad as is, including flooding).

[Ire Narissis]

Originally Posted by JHikka

If it gets retail out of the swamp and into a slightly less flood-prone area i'm all for it.

Looks like it's simply trading one flood-prone swamp for another.

[Franco401]

Have absolutely zero people in this thread read the article? It clearly states that flood control will be looked at seriously in this one. Is everyone here so cynical as to flat out assume it's going to be a problem again?

[Ire Narissis]

It's not that we doubt they'll make an effort. We're just skeptical of how successful they'll be.

I'm sure that much of the east side shopping district was planned with measures taken to address potential flooding, and it floods all the time regardless.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Franco401

Is everyone here so cynical as to flat out assume it's going to be a problem again?

Yes. Absolutely.

[WharfRat]

Not sure what the break down will be but assuming most of these will be SJ and Halifax…

http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/j-d-irving-to...-and-n-b-over-next-three-years-1.2746515

[mylesmalley]

There's a big difference between needing to fill 7,900 jobs and 7,900 net new jobs. I don't doubt they're expanding their workforce, but saying that's what's needed to offset retirements etc. is quite a shell-game.

Pulling numbers out of the air... if Irving has 20,000 employees and a 10% turnover rate which is probably quite conservative, they'd be filling 6,000 jobs over a three year period just to stay stable.

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

There's a big difference between needing to fill 7,900 jobs and 7,900 net new jobs. I don't doubt they're expanding their workforce, but saying that's what's needed to offset retirements etc. is quite a shell-game.

Pulling numbers out of the air... if Irving has 20,000 employees and a 10% turnover rate which is probably quite conservative, they'd be filling 6,000 jobs over a three year period just to stay stable.

While I do agree in principal with you it is still great news to see that they are not reducing their workforce - the CP announcement yesterday that they are cutting 1,000 jobs with no plans to replace. If one JDI employee retires and is replaced by someone else we win on both fronts - we have a retiree with a pension who is hopefully staying in NB and we have a new active employee who is building a career and spending etc. Even with turnover outside of retirement you have an employee who hopefully leaves JDI to go to another employer within the Province etc. Now, I'm not an economist but I still think either way - this is great news! Also, from what I understand, they are actually expanding their workforce.

[RR Drummer]

Originally Posted by UptownJeff

While I do agree in principal with you it is still great news to see that they are not reducing their workforce - the CP announcement yesterday that they are cutting 1,000 jobs with no plans to replace. If one JDI employee retires and is replaced by someone else we win on both fronts - we have a retiree with a pension who is hopefully staying in NB and we have a new active employee who is building a career and spending etc. Even with turnover outside of retirement you have an employee who hopefully leaves JDI to go to another employer within the Province etc. Now, I'm not an economist but I still think either way - this is great news! Also, from what I understand, they are actually expanding their workforce.

I agree with you 100%. With all the job losses going on across the country we have to be pleased with any company who is maintaining their numbers and/or expanding their workforce.

[Ottawa]

Energy East and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers is trying to show some support for the Energy East pipeline and has setup a website if you wish to add your name, or just get some information. They have default selected the option of receiving emails from them at the bottom of the page so make sure to deselect that if you already are getting enough emails. I have never received a large number of emails from them so I left it selected myself.

http://www.energycitizens.ca/it_s_time_to_build_that_pipeline

As you may already know, Montreal area mayors are going negative on Energy East, so CAPP needs to see some support.

[RR Drummer]

Originally Posted by Ottawa

Energy East and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers is trying to show some support for the Energy East pipeline and has setup a website if you wish to add your name, or just get some information. They have default selected the option of receiving emails from them at the bottom of the page so make sure to deselect that if you already are getting enough emails. I have never received a large number of emails from them so I left it selected myself.

http://www.energycitizens.ca/it_s_time_to_build_that_pipeline

As you may already know, Montreal area mayors are going negative on Energy East, so CAPP needs to see some support.

Thanks for the post. I deselected the email option I trust everyone who supports the Energy East pipeline takes a few moments to do so.

[Bishop2047]

^^^ Done!

Why does Quebec have to be so difficult. If anyone should be pro pipeline (other than those who profit most) it should be Quebecois folks who have seen that rail is less than ideal.