[Saint John] Uptown Thread

[ColSJ]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

Realtor Bob McVicar has confirmed the new owner will proceed with the townhouses.

Unconfirmed report construction will start in April.

[cdnguys]

Excavation has started on Cliff St for Steepleview apts

[ColSJ]

Pulling this from the main Saint John thread

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Canterbury/Princess is explicitly called out by the city as future development sites. With the Ritchie building (home of O'Leary's) getting serious renos and residential tenants, something could happen on the northern of these two lots.

A while ago I asked asked then Mayor Darling whether or not the city had intentions to sell the lot you’re referring to. If I remember correctly he said the Telegraph project was used as sort of a test run to see how things work out. Hopefully the city will push this file forward now that the Telegraph is near completion and thus far businesses have not been vocal about parking impacts. Plus Canterbury has been closed because of the crane for quite some time (it’s my understanding it was only taken down yesterday) so you would expect greater impact and still there was no vocal negative feedback.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

Pulling this from the main Saint John thread



A while ago I asked asked then Mayor Darling whether or not the city had intentions to sell the lot you’re referring to. If I remember correctly he said the Telegraph project was used as sort of a test run to see how things work out. Hopefully the city will push this file forward now that the Telegraph is near completion and thus far businesses have not been vocal about parking impacts. Plus Canterbury has been closed because of the crane for quite some time (it’s my understanding it was only taken down yesterday) so you would expect greater impact and still there was no vocal negative feedback.

I dimly remember a pre-ransomware report on parking lot reduction strategy too. IIRC, the Province owns several of the lots servicing SJHS.

[cdnguys]

[IMG][/IMG]

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

[IMG][/IMG]

Where in the thread can I find the render for the streetview apartments? Or if someone can link me to a post. I'm curious to see what it's going to look like!

[ColSJ]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

[IMG][/IMG]

While they are doing excavation now, construction won't start till the spring.

[ColSJ]

Fredericton- based company Trailway Brewing is opening a location on Union Street.

Huddle article for more details
https://huddle.today/2021/11/03/trailway-brewing-opening-location-in-uptown-saint-john/

[JHikka]

Brew pubs are now north of Union, I repeat brew pubs are now north of Union

[adamuptownsj]

Major landmark in gentrification! Tower going up and brewpub underway. Would be nice to see the Union/Coburg corner get something.

It's a real shame the liquor store entrance isn't oriented to Union.

[Franco401]

I'm happy to see good development north of Union, but for the love of god, please don't use the word Gentrification as a good thing. Like, Google it and see if it describes what you want to happen.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by Franco401

I'm happy to see good development north of Union, but for the love of god, please don't use the word Gentrification as a good thing. Like, Google it and see if it describes what you want to happen.

I had multiple people call me a gentrifier walking past while I was renovating a vacant duplex on Duke this summer. I'll own it. It's a good thing and Union needs it. Ideally the bars packed from 7AM to 2AM with blind drunk people staggering across the street will be driven away by higher rents.

[JHikka]

Gentrification usually pushes lower-income and the disadvantaged around, depriving them of the homes and locations they lived in and forcing them out of their neighbourhoods. There's a case to be made that gentrification can make an area 'better' but one must be cognizant of the social costs and implications of forcing lower-income residents, of which there are plenty in SJ, out of their neighbourhoods.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Gentrification usually pushes lower-income and the disadvantaged around, depriving them of the homes and locations they lived in and forcing them out of their neighbourhoods. There's a case to be made that gentrification can make an area 'better' but one must be cognizant of the social costs and implications of forcing lower-income residents, of which there are plenty in SJ, out of their neighbourhoods.

I think a balance can be struck if done right. Gentrification definitely happened on Canterbury St and continues today. “Starving” artists / performers used to live and have their studios in the upper floors of the brick buildings - they were all pushed out for high end apartments. The last vestige of that lifestyle is the building Mr. Oland was murdered in at #52 - a popular rehearsal space for bands and other artists. The purchaser is quoted as saying “it was important to buy the building so the uptown area wouldn't be overrun by condo buildings”. Current renos are happening at the Fred Ross and Ritchie buildings (approx 22 apartments just between those two buildings alone). The Creative Soup building that just sold one block down on Prince William will be another approx 40 apartments. I do wonder though, without gentrification what other uptown buildings would end up like 222 Water St - demolition by neglect.

[Fischbob]

I think it's important to unpack the process of gentrification and that of displacement - the two are related but they are inherently different things. You could technically "gentrify" a neighbourhood by giving all its residents a raise, no displacement necessary! Of course, what actually drives gentrification in pretty much all cases is an influx of higher-income households to a neighbourhood.

Does this influx automatically displace existing residents? It depends on where these new higher-income residents end up. If they are occupying newly created units, either in new buildings or on previously vacant upper floors, there is little pressure placed on existing residents. Displacement issues arise when the demand from new residents outpaces the supply of new units and property owners realize they can command higher rents as a result - the classic "rent gap".

The Central Peninsula has been in a state of high housing demand for a number of years now. I see this driven by:
- An increasing desire for an urban lifestyle, especially among retirees, young professionals and those moving here from points west.
- The upgrading of local commercial amenities.
- Few alternatives for a truly urban experience in New Brunswick.

Until recently, we really haven't seen that much new construction on the Peninsula - it was the upper floor conversions of Historica that carried us through the 2010s, by and large. Developers are now responding to demand en masse with new buildings, but it is taking time for these units to come online. In the meantime, there continues to be tremendous pressure on existing units, some getting renovated, some just getting a higher price tag with minimal effort on the part of the landlord. This has permanently damaged the area's overall affordability.

I think our failure to provide walkable neighbourhoods with adequate amenities and services outside of the Peninsula is going to bite us socially in the coming years. The lower rents of other areas of the city tend to come with higher transportation costs and a greater potential for isolation.

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

Fredericton- based company Trailway Brewing is opening a location on Union Street.

Huddle article for more details
https://huddle.today/2021/11/03/trailway-brewing-opening-location-in-uptown-saint-john/

Is this the start of a lot of places on Union getting bought / renovated and seeing a string of new places along Union? It would be nice to see Union street getting some more stores/restaurants as it is a main corridor through Uptown.

Is it also wrong that I want to see a lot of places on Union changed to the types of bars and restaurants I would visit, more than what's currently there. Or maybe because it's not the demographic of people I am surrounded by, is why I'd be happy with a big overhaul of union. (Also wondering how long the Greek center parking lot will stay a small gravel lot).

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by bridgeoftea

Is this the start of a lot of places on Union getting bought / renovated and seeing a string of new places along Union? It would be nice to see Union street getting some more stores/restaurants as it is a main corridor through Uptown.

Is it also wrong that I want to see a lot of places on Union changed to the types of bars and restaurants I would visit, more than what's currently there. Or maybe because it's not the demographic of people I am surrounded by, is why I'd be happy with a big overhaul of union. (Also wondering how long the Greek center parking lot will stay a small gravel lot).

Typically overlooked, Union Street is starting to gain the attention of developers / investors. As far as what development started so far in that general area:
- new justice centre
- new police station
- new parking garage
- new liquor store
- The Wellington (6 story apartment building now under construction)
- the old fire station at 156 Union Street is now high end apartments and dance studio
- corner of Union and Charlotte Streets there was a historic building renovated and new addition added housing high end apartments with commercial on ground level
- 139 Union Street was renovated into a home with commercial on ground level
- 61 and 63 Union Street (Harbour View Apts) turned into high end apartments and Airbnb
- Cooke Aquaculture renovated the former synagogue on Wellington Row and created a multimillion dollar showpiece and workspace for their IT department
- on the same side there are brick buildings that are being retrofitted to apartments
- popular new authentic Indian restaurant opened on the corner of Union and Charlotte Streets
- Waterton’s barber shop building near same corner was purchased recently and being retrofitted

So slowly but surely the area is improving and will probably pick up momentum. The centre portion of Union St with the bars have always been a traditional area for “seedy” type places as long as I can remember. It’s not my scene, but then again everybody deserves to have an opportunity to have a place to go to be entertained / drink. I think the power lines and utility poles dominate the landscape on the street and if they were buried and trees planted it would be very appealing.

[ColSJ]

It’s come across my attention in the past month or so a large sum of parking lots around the Union Street area have sold. This even includes the city owned Peel Plaza parking garage.

These sales appear to be apart of package deals. The lots include the parking lots on Charlotte between the city market and Union Street. The lots between the R Bar and the Union Station bar. And a vacant lot on Union across from the NB Liquor store.

Not sure who is behind these sales but I am very curious to know their intentions. Anyone have any thoughts or insight into this?

[NewIreland]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

It’s come across my attention in the past month or so a large sum of parking lots around the Union Street area have sold. This even includes the city owned Peel Plaza parking garage.

These sales appear to be apart of package deals. The lots include the parking lots on Charlotte between the city market and Union Street. The lots between the R Bar and the Union Station bar. And a vacant lot on Union across from the NB Liquor store.

Not sure who is behind these sales but I am very curious to know their intentions. Anyone have any thoughts or insight into this?

Hmmmm... could be Cooke? They continue to grow rapidly.

[ColSJ]

I’ve put together a list of the properties. The date they’ve sold on and for what price. You’ll notice many have the same price which indicates it’s a package deal.

7 Charlotte: 2021-06-08: 353,188
13 Charlotte: 2021-10-04: 17,020,783
19 Charlotte: 2021-10-04: 17,020,783
23 Charlotte: 2021-05-11: 216,900
130 Union Street: 2021-10-05: 360,000
10 Germain Street: 2021-10-15: 360,000
Union Street: 2021-10-01: 535,859
Union Street: 2021-10-01: 535,859
17 Sydney: 2021-10-01: 535,859
Peters Street: 2021-10-01: 535,859
Peters Street: 2021-10-01: 535,859
Union Street: 2021-10-01: 535,859
Station Street (next to the skate park): 2021-10-04: 17,020,783
Also many properties adjacent to these have been selling in recent months but seem to be independent of these packages. It very well could be the same buyer though.