[Moncton] Downtown Developments - Page 282

mylesmalley · #**5621** Posted **Jul 6, 2021, 9:39 PM**

Once upon a time, there was a Village grocery store just down the street.

BlackYear · #**5622** Posted **Jul 7, 2021, 2:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by gehrhardt

Maybe a small urban grocery store (ala Pete's Frootique) or something? That's a lot of new units and the closest grocery store would be the Superstore in Riverview.

That's what I was thinking, a convenience store. With 235 Units, with 1.5 people/unit, that's 350 possible customers. Not including the folks in the 2 residential towers across the street.

BlackYear · #**5623** Posted **Jul 7, 2021, 2:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

Once upon a time, there was a Village grocery store just down the street.

I assume you're speaking of the current Fairmont Contact centre building next to Lounsbury Auto. There was a Pizza Delight located there as well.

Nashe · #**5624** Posted **Jul 7, 2021, 5:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonny golden

There's also Smoke's Poutinerie going in where Pizza Girls was, which is moving to the old Applewood location. It's also nice to see the Higgins block getting new tenants.

As much as I love Smoke's, I gotta admit there's a LOT of competition in the poutine-space in Moncton. Maybe not so much right down-town, but you can get it just about anywhere, and some really good ones at some places (Ed's, food trucks, etc.). I'm a big fan of the Freaky Fryer truck, myself.

Sunnybrae · #**5625** Posted **Jul 7, 2021, 5:45 PM**

BTW, Speaking about not much on West Main, what happened to the Harley dealership renovation of the old Breakaway Auto building?

MonctonRad · #**5626** Posted **Jul 7, 2021, 6:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunnybrae

BTW, Speaking about not much on West Main, what happened to the Harley dealership renovation of the old Breakaway Auto building?

Yes, I was wondering the same thing. A whole lot of nothing going on right now.

This is the second time that Toys for Big Boys made a big Harley announcement. Nothing happened the first time. Is history about to repeat itself????

jonny golden · #**5627** Posted **Jul 8, 2021, 1:32 PM**

I rarely drive on west Main Street. I was wondering if that used car lot is still there by Lorentz Drive? It would obviously be in the way of the Ashford development and have to vacate the property.

MonctonRad · #**5628** Posted **Jul 8, 2021, 1:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonny golden

I rarely drive on west Main Street. I was wondering if that used car lot is still there by Lorentz Drive? It would obviously be in the way of the Ashford development and have to vacate the property.

It's still there, but Ashford already owns the property. It's days are obviously numbered........

lirette · #**5629** Posted **Jul 8, 2021, 2:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmacdougall

Won't complain here but there is only so much damage one man can do!!!

Thankfully each of these locations has enough of a unique identity that I don't really see an issue. For example pumphouse brewpub, Gahan and tide & boar are popular restaurants that offer far more than a taproom experience. People generally go there for fair priced pubgrub (or in tide & boars case more upscale pub food ) and not so much a brewery experience.

Tire Shack, Flying Boats & Cavok are more classic taproom experiences with limited food offerings (sometimes food trucks) and benefit greatly from the area of town they serve.

Celtics knot is entirely takeaway , and some of these other breweries focus more on takeaway or shipping to retail stores. I'm not personally worried about oversaturation. Craft beer sales are insane right now. I would think though we are probably at the limit on downtown breweries for awhile.

jonny golden · #**5630** Posted **Jul 9, 2021, 1:28 PM**

There's an interesting story posted on Huddle regarding the Happy Craft Brewing Co. on Main Street. Apparently it's going to be opening this month. I really hope they're successful. It's a big improvement over the revolving door of bars that occupied the old Paramount Theater over the years.

Huddle story: https://huddle.today/happy-craft-brewing-co-opening-in-downtown-moncton/

jonny golden · #**5631** Posted **Jul 10, 2021, 2:58 PM**

There's an interesting story in today's Moncton newspaper about major the downtown businesses. It states that 58% of them are using a hybrid model that allows workers to split their time between office and home based. I remember reading several months ago that 70% of downtown workers had shifted to home based. I really hope that downtown Moncton returns to the vibrancy it had before Covid. The former Starbucks location needs a new tenant!

MonctonRad · #**5632** Posted **Jul 14, 2021, 11:37 AM**

A new proposal for the Franklin Yards located on Millennium Blvd, across from the CN Sportsplex.

From the agenda for the July PACS meeting for the City of Moncton:

Quote:

CG Group on behalf of Entreprises Mapoma Ltee boul. Millennium Blvd, Moncton (PID’s/NID’s 70655774, 70655782, 70655790, 70655808) a conditional use application for more than one main building on a lot and variances to:
(1). increase the maximum front yard setback for buildings A & B;
(2) permit parking in the front yard in the MU zone for buildings A & B;
(3) not provide a stepback on the façades after the first 13 metres for buildings A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, K;
(4) reduce the 3 metre setback from a driveway to a side lot line for Buildings D, E, F, G, H, I from 3 metres to 0;
(5) locate a driveway for the underground parking within the required 6 metre rear yard setback for buildings E, F, G;
(6) increase the amount of commercial space on the ground floor from 120m2 to 10,000 m2;
(7) not provide jogs and recesses for buildings A, B, & K;
(8) reduce the required rear yard setback for building D from 6 metres to no less than 5.68 metres

The proposal is for 11 buildings, nine of which are generic six storey Spitfire designed residential apartment buildings. The other two buildings, close to Grand Trunk Street are two storey commercial/retail buildings, the one to the rear labelled as a "restaurant."

The east end of the proposed development, near Grand Trunk doesn't bother me too much. This area has a little visual interest. The west end however seems very generic and uninspired. I understand that this is a narrow strip of property, and as such, there are constraints as to what can be done here, but still...........

This is the latest in a growing number of clusters of apartment buildings being built or proposed around the metro area (west end of Mountain Road, Twin Oaks, The Junction Urban Village, Dieppe Blvd, Mapleton Park Place, even 20 Record Street). Is there enough growth in the city to justify all this proposed increase in rental capacity????

OliverD · #**5633** Posted **Jul 14, 2021, 1:15 PM**

Despite the suburban location, there's zero reason to have parking lots fronting on Millennium.

MonctonRad · #**5634** Posted **Jul 14, 2021, 1:33 PM**

Agreed. It would be easy to relocate the parking lots to the rear. This is the reason why I prefer the east end of the development partially fronting on Grand Trunk. The parking is in behind for these buildings.

I had a closer look at the documents. The entire proposal is for 947 residential units, 1209 exterior parking spaces and 500 interior parking spaces.

Building "H" will have 1650 square metres of office and retail space. Building "I" will have 500 square metres for a restaurant, and there will be a 1000 square metre restaurant in Building "J"

OliverD · #**5635** Posted **Jul 14, 2021, 1:34 PM**

1700 parking spots seems insane.

josh_cat_eyes · #**5636** Posted **Jul 14, 2021, 1:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OliverD

1700 parking spots seems insane.

Agreed. I hope the PAC asks for an amendment. I think it would be a desirable place to live though. Right next to centennial park and the CN sportsplex.

MonctonRad · #**5637** Posted **Jul 14, 2021, 2:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

Agreed. I hope the PAC asks for an amendment. I think it would be a desirable place to live though. Right next to centennial park and the CN sportsplex.

There have been several proposals for the Franklin Yards. The most recent one had included a proposed school to replace Bessborough and Hillcrest. The province however opted to decide to build the replacement school next to BMHS.

If this development proposal is approved by PAC, I hope that the city builds a direct pedestrian and bicycle pathway through Centennial Park to Centennial Place, so that children living in this development can walk directly (and in safety) to the new school (and to BMHS). If the city does this, then, yes, the Franklin Yards could indeed be a very desirable place to live, for the reasons you mentioned.