[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by tmacdougall

Future micro brewery pub?

Tide & Boar is opening a brew pub just to the west of Vaughan Harvey

[BlackYear]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Good overview of the status of the proposed new Codiac Regional RCMP Headquarters Building:
https://letschatmoncton.ca/policing-faci...0sW9O8LDwce-2Ckfi0ceRJgKqotxp2AdvCqgUd_c

The website also includes several photos of the excavation and remediation of the site.

Here's a better resolution of the aerial view from the above web site. I took a series of drone photos for the Moncton Heritage group when they unearthed the locomotive turntable.

[MonctonRad]

I heard a rumour today, from a new source (but otherwise a reliable upstanding citizen) that there is interest in the (soon to be) former Codiac RCMP site at the Assumption/Main intersection. Apparently a largish apartment building on this site may be in the offing, with construction occurring sometime soon after the RCMP move out in 2023.

I have no other confirmation of this rumour, but there is no question the current RCMP building is ideally located next to the riverfront and to Bore View Park, and is right on the eastern edge of the downtown core. I could see an apartment complex here as being highly successful.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I heard a rumour today, from a new source (but otherwise a reliable upstanding citizen) that there is interest in the (soon to be) former Codiac RCMP site at the Assumption/Main intersection. Apparently a largish apartment building on this site may be in the offing, with construction occurring sometime soon after the RCMP move out in 2023.

I have no other confirmation of this rumour, but there is no question the current RCMP building is ideally located next to the riverfront and to Bore View Park, and is right on the eastern edge of the downtown core. I could see an apartment complex here as being highly successful.

The large parking lot just to the east of the police station was purchased this summer. Could be a developer planning ahead.

[tmacdougall]

The project would need to be significant to cover the cost of what I would assume to be a 'VERY' expensive demolition.

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I heard a rumour today, from a new source (but otherwise a reliable upstanding citizen) that there is interest in the (soon to be) former Codiac RCMP site at the Assumption/Main intersection. Apparently a largish apartment building on this site may be in the offing, with construction occurring sometime soon after the RCMP move out in 2023.

I have no other confirmation of this rumour, but there is no question the current RCMP building is ideally located next to the riverfront and to Bore View Park, and is right on the eastern edge of the downtown core. I could see an apartment complex here as being highly successful.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by tmacdougall

The project would need to be significant to cover the cost of what I would assume to be a 'VERY' expensive demolition.

I certainly think it would be a major project, given the important location of the RCMP building. As MonctonRad stated, this is an ideal location, close to the riverfront and downtown core.

It's interesting to note that Spataro Holdings Ltd., the developer behind the FiveFive Queen project, purchased the RCMP detachment in Riverview a while back. It could be just a coincidence, but this company certainly is capable of building a significant project on this property.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

The large parking lot just to the east of the police station was purchased this summer. Could be a developer planning ahead.

This purchase was apparently part of Heritage properties consolidating their parking properties into a separate company from their residential holdings. They do own a heck of a lot more land than I thought they did, and combined with the land owned by Ashford, that is a large swath of downtown.

As for the size of the development, I think it would likely have to be AT LEAST 6 stories to make it viable in in terms of mitigating the cost of the redevelopment of the property. I think there is certainly the market for a larger building than this, between 8-10 stories. At that point, parking may become an issue.

I would support the removal of Steadman and Bendview and consolidating them into the parking lot that Heritage owns. The south part of the RCMP property extending to Bore View park could provide an excellent place for a multi storey parking garage. You could then even build a second building facing Main Street where the current parking lot is.

So think of a building the size of Horizon Place in Dieppe with a large parking structure behind it. You could have ground floor retail and to accommodate that, you’d likely I have to add on street parking on at least the south side of this section of Main Street.

[josh_cat_eyes]

I had a thought of the new school that is needed in the Jones Lake area of the city. What does anybody thing the chances are that Lounsbury Chevrolet would sell their dealership. If the province could buy it and the building next to it, that would more or less be enough space to keep the school within the area. I know Chev sales have been really bad this year, much worse than GMC, Buick and Cadillac. In fact in Q3, Buick and Cadillac actually had YOY increases while Chev was down 19%.
Here is the GM reports for Q2 & Q3.
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/07/gm-...-numbers-results-second-quarter-2020-q2/
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/10/gm-canada-sales-figures-numbers-results-third-quarter-2020-q3/

Would it be worth it for the province to look at this property?
Would the substantial financial cost be worth it to keep the school in the current neighborhood?
Would it be worth it for Lounsbury to sell?
Is the immediate financial benefit enough to offset their future financial situation?

[mylesmalley]

GM's performance doesn't mean Lounsdbury's is hurting or eager to sell. Moreover, if the Franklin Yard area was too expensive, I can't imagine buying an existing building and lot would be any easier.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

GM's performance doesn't mean Lounsdbury's is hurting or eager to sell. Moreover, if the Franklin Yard area was too expensive, I can't imagine buying an existing building and lot would be any easier.

I have no idea if Lounsbury is doing good or not, I just like the location and am curious what people think. It would be a shame if they are doing poorly and end up closing in a year or two and then have the building sit vacant when it could have been used.

I am merely wondering at what cost does the province take to keep the school in the neighborhood where the residents clearly want it to be located.

[MonctonRad]

They are currently well along in excavation for the underground parking structure for this building at 66 Weldon Street



This six storey building will have 60 apartment units.

I predict crane installation within the next 2-3 weeks.

[Aging Hipster]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

I have no idea if Lounsbury is doing good or not, I just like the location and am curious what people think. It would be a shame if they are doing poorly and end up closing in a year or two and then have the building sit vacant when it could have been used.

I am merely wondering at what cost does the province take to keep the school in the neighborhood where the residents clearly want it to be located.

From what I understand, Lounsbury has been doing fine this year. Their biggest problem has been getting enough inventory from GM to sell.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

I have no idea if Lounsbury is doing good or not, I just like the location and am curious what people think. It would be a shame if they are doing poorly and end up closing in a year or two and then have the building sit vacant when it could have been used.

I am merely wondering at what cost does the province take to keep the school in the neighborhood where the residents clearly want it to be located.

It's an interesting thought experiment to be sure, and I am sure that the citizens of the new west end would be far happier with a school located there than at MacNaughton, but Myles is right. Higgs and his government is (will be) notably parsimonious, and the idea of spending money to purchase a property for the new school when there is free unused land (next to MacNaughton) available would trump almost anything else.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by Aging Hipster

From what I understand, Lounsbury has been doing fine this year. Their biggest problem has been getting enough inventory from GM to sell.

Yes, the supply chain is a bigger problem than demand in the car industry these days.

[Ammn_guy]

What they could do is build a middle school on the new site next to mcnaughten, that would potentially serve beaver brook, hillcrest even edit cavell.. with proper middle school labs, fields etc, that serves those kids needs.

Then rebuild bessborough as an elementary on its current site. The off load of gr6-8 students would allow it to Fit on the current site. They could pile everyone into hillcrest/edith cavell while its being built(mobiles etc)

I dont understand the k-8 model when the population can supports 6-8 school. Middle school kids need different facilities then k -5 kids. Middle school kids can also handle crossing the street.

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

I have no idea if Lounsbury is doing good or not, I just like the location and am curious what people think. It would be a shame if they are doing poorly and end up closing in a year or two and then have the building sit vacant when it could have been used.

I am merely wondering at what cost does the province take to keep the school in the neighborhood where the residents clearly want it to be located.

[MonctonRad]

That's not a bad thought!

At the very least, perhaps the province should hang on to the Bessborough property, allowing the future possibility of building a k-5 school in this location.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

They are currently well along in excavation for the underground parking structure for this building at 66 Weldon Street



This six storey building will have 60 apartment units.

I predict crane installation within the next 2-3 weeks.

Photo of the activity on this site from Mayor Dawn Arnold's FB page:

Another new apartment building starting in the downtown — Gordon & Weldon. (One of three new ones under construction in this area: 70 Weldon: 65 units; 119 Cameron: 86 units and 90 Gordon: 32 units.) This is much needed densification in our city.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

This purchase was apparently part of Heritage properties consolidating their parking properties into a separate company from their residential holdings. They do own a heck of a lot more land than I thought they did, and combined with the land owned by Ashford, that is a large swath of downtown.

As for the size of the development, I think it would likely have to be AT LEAST 6 stories to make it viable in in terms of mitigating the cost of the redevelopment of the property. I think there is certainly the market for a larger building than this, between 8-10 stories. At that point, parking may become an issue.

I would support the removal of Steadman and Bendview and consolidating them into the parking lot that Heritage owns. The south part of the RCMP property extending to Bore View park could provide an excellent place for a multi storey parking garage. You could then even build a second building facing Main Street where the current parking lot is.

So think of a building the size of Horizon Place in Dieppe with a large parking structure behind it. You could have ground floor retail and to accommodate that, you’d likely I have to add on street parking on at least the south side of this section of Main Street.

I don't believe Heritage Properties have any residential holdings. So unless they decide to get into the apartment business, it probably was not them who are showing interest in the RCMP property.

I agree that this small section of Steadman Street could be closed and consolidated into the parking lot, and then make it part of a new development. Treitz Haus could still be accessed via Bendview.

There is quite a bit of parking space south of the building, the RCMP lot and the one beside it. So a large building fronting on Main Street with a parking structure behind would work. Then have ground floor commercial/retail facing Main Street.

And if the vacant property beside Staples gets a significant project built on it, this east end area of downtown would be greatly enhanced.

[MonctonRad]

It appears this little building at the SE corner of Gordon/Cameron is also getting going. There is construction fencing on site and an excavator.



This will make three apartment buildings in the downtown west end under construction concurrently (including 66 Weldon and the Ashford building on the NW corner of Gordon & Highfield)

[josh_cat_eyes]

I didn’t realize that these buildings are so close together. This will vastly improve the area around Gordon.