[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[MonctonRad]

We have a winner!

[L'homard]

Ha ha ha! There, that's better LOL!

[riverviewer]

I love the airport aesthetic of that mash-up, but I'm not sure we get the full Sean Connery effect up on that hill.



I'm thinking it will look more like a Costco unless we get some height.

[MonctonRad]

Sorry, I can't imagine it being any more than three storeys.

[Monctoncore]

It will be interesting to see if they locate the precinct closer to Vaughn Harvey or to Albert Street... They have such a large property, it will be interesting just to see how they work it out. Ideally 3 floors, with a less suburban look and something more urban.

[MonctonRad]

I'm hoping the HQ building will be constructed on the back of the lot, overlooking Vaughan Harvey. This will give the biggest bang for the buck in terms of optimal visual massing for the building.

[L'homard]

Putting the structure at the back of the lot is also a good idea because then the entrances and eggress will be off the two side streets and not off Vaughn Harvey, which mmakes a TON of sense.

[MonctonRad]

Interesting post from Mayor Dawn Arnold's FB page:

Tonight I had the real privilege and honour to meet with a dozen “under 30s” for a couple of hours to discuss our Downtown Core Community Improvement Plan through a social justice lens. What articulate, thoughtful and passionate Monctonians! We talked about the need for mixed use buildings, community gathering spaces, mixed income buildings, public transit, maintaining the heritage character of buildings, affordable housing for all, car share, safe bike lanes, social enterprise, waste management at Festivals, inclusion of indigenous youth, urban labs, urban agriculture, edible landscapes and access to mental health services...among many other topics! Generally, we looked at the opportunities that we have before us in our downtown and how we can maximize them, while building community and keeping a unique feel. This “under 30” demographic is one that we haven’t often seen at Council, but one that we need to see. Many of the decisions that Council makes will most impact these young lives...and as small business owners, non-profit professionals, tech start-up gurus, journalists, students, newcomers...we need to hear from them. Really looking forward to seeing and hearing from them more in the near future!

There is no question Mayor Arnold is an activist urbanist mayor, with a healthy social conscience. Kudos to her! The question as always is how to accomplish these lofty goals while maintaining a business friendly climate in the downtown core?

For example, there is a definite need for social housing in the downtown area, especially since many of the dilapidated rooming houses in the downtown area have been demolished, exacerbating the homeless problem. How do we do this though? Obviously it shouldn't be through ghettoization. As such mixed housing would seem to be the best approach, but does this mean that every new apartment building should have low rental units in them? I think this could prevent some high quality apartment developments from getting built, especially if those units want an "exclusive panache". It would likely be better to ensure that low to mid quality apartment buildings maintain social housing units, with perhaps the higher end buildings providing financial compensation to the city in lieu of included social housing units in order to maintain their exclusivity. This compensation could be used to construct municipal social housing elsewhere in the same neighbourhood (thus maintaining an inclusive neighbourhood).

Thoughts?

[L'homard]

One answer could be subsidized apartments, where the occupants pay a certain percentage of their income and the province pays the rest.
They do this in that large apartment building, a fairly new one, behind the Times Transcript building. It works well. Claudette Bradshaw, the former Moncton MP who very likely knows more about homelessness than anyone in Canada, always argued the "housing first" philosophy, wherein you get someone a safe and decent place to live BEFORE you start worrying about all the other associated problems that affect the homeless. I've discussed this with her at length years ago and it deserves consideration. Without a roof over your head, you will never be mentally well, you'll never be able to apply for a job, you will be unlikely to beat addictions.
There are very, very few subsidized housing units in the province, and no new ones have been taken on in a number of years.
It's not the only answer, but it is one answer.
There is no ghettoization with this plan, as a few apartments in select buildings all over the city are used. And if you want the homeless to improve their own lot, you don't lump them in with others with the same challenges, you put them in with regular folks.. Just look at the north end of Joyce Avenue for example of the worst possible strategy for housing the poor.

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Interesting post from Mayor Dawn Arnold's FB page:



There is no question Mayor Arnold is an activist urbanist mayor, with a healthy social conscience. Kudos to her! The question as always is how to accomplish these lofty goals while maintaining a business friendly climate in the downtown core?

For example, there is a definite need for social housing in the downtown area, especially since many of the dilapidated rooming houses in the downtown area have been demolished, exacerbating the homeless problem. How do we do this though? Obviously it shouldn't be through ghettoization. As such mixed housing would seem to be the best approach, but does this mean that every new apartment building should have low rental units in them? I think this could prevent some high quality apartment developments from getting built, especially if those units want an "exclusive panache". It would likely be better to ensure that low to mid quality apartment buildings maintain social housing units, with perhaps the higher end buildings providing financial compensation to the city in lieu of included social housing units in order to maintain their exclusivity. This compensation could be used to construct municipal social housing elsewhere in the same neighbourhood (thus maintaining an inclusive neighbourhood).

Thoughts?

for the housing issues I remember seeing cities having incentives to builders for having 25% of there units Affordable, and 75% Market rate. the Cities created social housing for people who don't qualify for Public housing, but can't afford market rates.
Also not sure what the city has in terms of permits when it comes to all housing Just Apartment buildings. But they could use some of those Rental permits fees for the social housing.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Interesting post from Mayor Dawn Arnold's FB page:



There is no question Mayor Arnold is an activist urbanist mayor, with a healthy social conscience. Kudos to her! The question as always is how to accomplish these lofty goals while maintaining a business friendly climate in the downtown core?

For example, there is a definite need for social housing in the downtown area, especially since many of the dilapidated rooming houses in the downtown area have been demolished, exacerbating the homeless problem. How do we do this though? Obviously it shouldn't be through ghettoization. As such mixed housing would seem to be the best approach, but does this mean that every new apartment building should have low rental units in them? I think this could prevent some high quality apartment developments from getting built, especially if those units want an "exclusive panache". It would likely be better to ensure that low to mid quality apartment buildings maintain social housing units, with perhaps the higher end buildings providing financial compensation to the city in lieu of included social housing units in order to maintain their exclusivity. This compensation could be used to construct municipal social housing elsewhere in the same neighbourhood (thus maintaining an inclusive neighbourhood).

Thoughts?

Are you purposely trying to make your posts difficult to read with the red and italics?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by OliverD

Are you purposely trying to make your posts difficult to read with the red and italics?

Sorry. I just sometimes do this when I'm expressing a personal opinion on an issue rather than making a statement of fact.

[L'homard]

There is also the question of jurisdiction, ie, is housing a municipal responsibility?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by L'homard

There is also the question of jurisdiction, ie, is housing a municipal responsibility?

Jurisdiction is indeed an issue, especially in Canada where cities are not really a third level of government, but more "creatures" of the province.......

[MonctonRad]

Article in the T&T regarding the Centre for Precision Medicine at the GDH:

$24M medical research facility 'a well-kept secret'
https://www.telegraphjournal.com/times-t...-for-precision-medicine?source=story-top (paywall)

The New Brunswick Centre for Precision Medicine, adjacent to the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre on Providence Street, has been under construction since November 2016 and will open in late May or early June.

Described as a world-class facility, it will be home to more than 100 medical researchers who will work directly with clinicians in the fight against chronic diseases and cancer.

The facility features a clinical research centre, an animal housing area for testing new therapeutics and diagnostics, a data storage and analysis centre, an incubator space for business startups and several medical research laboratories.

The research centre will be the first transdisciplinary health research centre in an academic hospital in the province, Ouellette said.

The total project cost is $24.2 million; $10.5 million came from the federal government and $5.2 million from the province. The remaining $8.5 million was raised through donations.

The project is a partnership between l'Université de Moncton, Centre de formation médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick, the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre, the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute and the Vitalité Health Network.

[MonctonRad]

Latest iteration of the small apartment building planned for in behind the old Centennial Shakers building on St. George Blvd:

[theshark]

Ccd Canada has home2 suites listed on its website for the junction village, anyone ever dealt with ccd? Wonder if this means that construction could be imminent?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by theshark

Ccd Canada has home2 suites listed on its website for the junction village, anyone ever dealt with ccd? Wonder if this means that construction could be imminent?

Good pick-up!!

https://www.ccdcanada.com

The CCD database informs you on construction, investment and development projects in Canada before they are launched.

Through the use of an exclusive password, you can gain access to accurate and privileged information.

Several examples of projects are illustrated to the right of your screen, under the heading "Project Highlights". The service targets General or Specialized Contractors, Manufacturers, Distributors, Representatives, Architects, Engineers, Consultants or Service providers.

This may be an indication that the Home2 Suites may soon be getting underway.

[Monctoncore]

I wonder if this might be what the Mayor was referring to recently. Could it be possible that there may be a couple projects at the junction, finally about to begin?

[teebs]

I wonder if this might be what the Mayor was referring to recently

I've got a different guess: the five properties bounded by Elm, Gordon and Highfield have all been purchased in the last two or so years.

Top left in this box:

source: SNB

I recall it came out that it was Ashford Investments (who has offices across the road) who bought the three lots along Gordon.

Those lots have since been cleared, and now the two properties immediately north have also been snapped up (although I don't know by whom).

Anyone heard anything? That's a pretty big footprint just down the road from the Avenir Centre ... makes a guy wonder.

PS: first time poster, long time lurker here - g'day to you all