[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[mmmatt]

Originally Posted by Scarface

I don't get why it took them so long to fill this hole with a new building after the fire. How many plans did they pass up. With the foundations in place thought It does look like something will finally be built there.

I passed by the New Harper Development project next to the Staples on Main Street, and it seems like it might have been another one of his "I'm going for it now... Nahhh Never mind" Not saying that is what it is but all the machines that where parked there no more site prep for the build that was supposed to happen, and he put his "will build to suit" sign back up.

I think he should have taken the offer to sell to sell way back even before Staples was built, and that area would have been developed by now.

The fire building took a while because there is 0 capacity for "owned" parking associated with the site...that's a big deal here because pretty much every other development opportunity has that. The fact that this site is getting some action is a good sign for downtown, it shows were finally getting closer to some kind of density level that people can accept a more urban parking understanding (aka "I need to walk a bit").

As for the Harper building I don't think there was ever a concrete plan to start work on the site...there was some equipment there recently but that was city related I believe for the work being done on water mains and sewer nearby (steadman St)

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by mmmatt

As for the Harper building I don't think there was ever a concrete plan to start work on the site...there was some equipment there recently but that was city related I believe for the work being done on water mains and sewer nearby (steadman St)

Agree. The earth moving on the Harper Building lot and all the ancillary equipment was all related to the sewer work on Steadman Street. The fact that the lot is now empty doesn't mean a thing as to whether there will be any construction next year or not.

I however am somewhat guarded in my optimism for this project. Of all the potential developments in the downtown area, this is the one I have the least faith in........

[RiverviewGuyToo]

I don't recall which thread this was in, but it was mentioned by Chris Collins that Medavie Blue Cross would be moving out of downtown Moncton if the library didn't move from the Blue Cross Centre - it's been announced to Blue Cross staff that they've resigned a long term lease to stay downtown at the Blue Cross Centre...

[Monctoncore]

^^^^ If this is true, that is extremely sad. Especially the selfish decision to do it over the library.. Downtown cannot afford to have them leave because that will be a huge loss to east main.

[Mattyyy]

Originally Posted by Monctoncore

^^^^ If this is true, that is extremely sad. Especially the selfish decision to do it over the library.. Downtown cannot afford to have them leave because that will be a huge loss to east main.

I would think this is good news - they have resigned a long-term lease to stay where they are.

[Monctoncore]

Originally Posted by Mattyyy

I would think this is good news - they have resigned a long-term lease to stay where they are.

My god... haha I really read that wrong! My apologies, I don't know where my mind was.

[Mattyyy]

Originally Posted by Monctoncore

My god... haha I really read that wrong! My apologies, I don't know where my mind was.

[Scarface]

Since everyone (almost everyone) seems to still be talking about the potential move of either/or the Library, or Medavie Blue Cross. I see Medavie moving out first since the public Library has a long term lease, and the location there claiming it's moving to (Old Moncton High School) Is still listed for sale. I don't get what this city has with planing where they want to move everything (Including making floor plans) without purchasing the property first. It's not like you can force a purchaser to do what you've planned, and since the MH35 group seems to be trying that I see the province selling Old Moncton High in private. Also they have tried to do the same with the MCA building on Lutz Now the city is stuck having to help the group using it to purchase the building since nobody else seems to want to buy it (MCA Building) with the terms attached.

[MonctonRad]

Well, at least we don't have to deal with any more frightening speculation about Blue Cross moving to Dieppe. Now that they have signed a long term lease, we can put this issue to rest.

I knew when Bernard Lord was appointed CEO of Medavie Blue Cross that they would not be moving. As a native Monctonian, he knows full well the importance of Blue Cross to the downtown...........

[David_99]

They finally started demolishing the old Co-op building.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Well, at least we don't have to deal with any more frightening speculation about Blue Cross moving to Dieppe. Now that they have signed a long term lease, we can put this issue to rest.

I knew when Bernard Lord was appointed CEO of Medavie Blue Cross that they would not be moving. As a native Monctonian, he knows full well the importance of Blue Cross to the downtown...........

When was he appointed CEO? That's great for the company!

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

When was he appointed CEO? That's great for the company!

Several months ago now. Coincidentally he was interviewed on CTV News tonight by Steve Murphy.

Fun fact - did you know that Medavie Blue Cross is the largest provider of Blue Cross insurance in Canada, serving the Atlantic Provinces and Ontario, and has over one million customers? Medavie also operates the provincial EMS services in all three Maritime provinces, and I believe Massachusetts as well.

Medavie Blue Cross has a grand total of over 6,000 employees.

Obviously, only a minority of those employees actually work in Moncton, but still, Medavie is a seriously large scale corporation and we are very fortunate that they are headquartered in our fair city.....

[RiverviewGuyToo]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Several months ago now. Coincidentally he was interviewed on CTV News tonight by Steve Murphy.

Fun fact - did you know that Medavie Blue Cross is the largest provider of Blue Cross insurance in Canada, serving the Atlantic Provinces and Ontario, and has over one million customers? Medavie also operates the provincial EMS services in all three Maritime provinces, and I believe Massachusetts as well.

Medavie Blue Cross has a grand total of over 6,000 employees.

Obviously, only a minority of those employees actually work in Moncton, but still, Medavie is a seriously large scale corporation and we are very fortunate that they are headquartered in our fair city.....

Medavie Inc is the top level company, Bernard Lord is the CEO of this entity. It was announced in June/July but he didn't officially start until September.

Under Medavie Inc, there is Medavie Blue Cross, which conducts group business for Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Ontario. They also have many large national groups like Veterans Affairs Canada, Canadian Forces, RCMP, CIC, Sobeys etc..

Medavie Blue Cross also sells individual coverage in the Atlantic Canada market.

Also under Medavie Inc, there is Medavie EMS which is the ambulance arm of the company and provides ambulance services across a wide variety of regions, including the regions quoted above as well as some regions of Ontario.

Medavie Inc itself does have 6,000 employees with the majority of those employees working for the EMS side and which that number is largely made up of paramedics. It's closer to a 2/4k split between the subsidiary companies.

Close to 1k of the Medavie employees however are located in Moncton which is not a number to sneeze at...

[MonctonRad]

The structural steel is going up for the new NBLC at the Sobeys plaza on Vaughan Harvey Blvd.


source: https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/l/t31.0-8/15259418_375024739501223_4283062890471468934_o.jpg

I love the juxtaposition of the cranes for the events centre and the NBLC projects.

[MonctonRad]

Nice photo of the progress being made on the Dolma Foods store on St George St.

[Good2go]

Heritage Management has bought the old CBC building on University Ave. per this oh so brief news story...

http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1002676/lancien-edifice-de-radio-canada-acadie-a-moncton-vendu

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Good2go

Heritage Management has bought the old CBC building on University Ave. per this oh so brief news story...

http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1002676/lancien-edifice-de-radio-canada-acadie-a-moncton-vendu

That's 🞵🞵🞵🞵 Carpenter's outfit. He must have some plans for the old CBC Building.

Personally, I thought they would just tear it down for additional parking for the Dumont Hospital. I'm glad to see that it might have a different destiny........

Given it's proximity to the Dumont, I could see it being renovated for a medical office building, much like the Professional Arts Building at the Moncton Hospital.

[MonctonRad]

In the T&T today that the building at the old Goodfella's Pub location on Main Street is indeed a go, and that construction is underway.


T&T photo

The article included the rendering of the project that we are all familiar with:



The article went on to say that the property will indeed be a restaurant, and that the developers are actively looking for a tenant. Apparently, they did have a "high quality restaurant chain" lined up <cough>Milestone's<cough>, but due to initial delays over design (heritage board approval) and rezoning (proposed second floor patio), that this tenant was lost.

The building should be ready by late next spring. Hopefully a new restaurant chain will sign up. It's a good location, and with the events centre opening about a year after this building is complete, this could be a golden opportunity for a quality restaurant to open in the market.

[OUIR@random]

I'm glad to see the NBLC finally going up on Vaughan-Harvey because I can't wait to see the new Sobeys Extra. It will be a nice addition to the city and the first Sobeys Extra location in our region. I'm always more excited about the "new" to our region than the "additional" location of something we already have...

I also like to see our new Centre in the picture, I hope this will awaken downtown Moncton, we need this! This should be a catalyst for our downtown.

[David_99]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Given it's proximity to the Dumont, I could see it being renovated for a medical office building, much like the Professional Arts Building at the Moncton Hospital.

Correct.

"Because of it's location, the building is ideally suited to medical offices, medical services and possibly a pharmacy." -Ross Carpenter of Heritage Management



-Times & Transcript