[Saint John] Uptown Thread

[KnoxfordGuy]

I saw a picture of the house owned by Irving by the Old Burial Ground being bulldozed. I didn't realize plans were finalized.

[RaginRonic]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

I just saw that Telegraph Journal has an article out talking about work is set to begin next year to extend Harbour Passage all the way down to Tin Can Beach. https://tj.news/greater-saint-john/102012300

Before you jump all over me for this, let me say that anything is do-able....

....but this is what my idea for a Harbour Passage extension could be for Fort Howe.



=)

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by KnoxfordGuy

I saw a picture of the house owned by Irving by the Old Burial Ground being bulldozed. I didn't realize plans were finalized.

If you’re talking about the brown house at king and carmarthen I drive by it everyday and it was still standing as of Sunday evening.

[adamuptownsj]

Speaking of Harbour Passage, it will be extended up Broad from Sydney to Carmarthen next year, concurrently with the Tin Can Beach spur. That's about 425m of total extension.

[ColSJ]

There is a poster on the plywood covering the windows of 47 Canterbury for a “Grand Opening” of the business that will occupy the space. Wasn’t able to see what kind of business as I was driving by.

Lots of construction vehicles have been at this building lately including cement trucks.

[ColSJ]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

There is a poster on the plywood covering the windows of 47 Canterbury for a “Grand Opening” of the business that will occupy the space. Wasn’t able to see what kind of business as I was driving by.

Lots of construction vehicles have been at this building lately including cement trucks.

It would appear as though I have been misled. After getting a chance to see a close up it is indeed NOT a poster for this space but rather an art studio opening on Charlotte Street.

[KnoxfordGuy]

Looks like full restoration on the general store. Reconstruction too



From Saint John webcams

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

There is a poster on the plywood covering the windows of 47 Canterbury for a “Grand Opening” of the business that will occupy the space. Wasn’t able to see what kind of business as I was driving by.

Lots of construction vehicles have been at this building lately including cement trucks.

No doubt a business will occupy that spot. Hopscotch is expanding to the left into this building at the very least (both owned by Thandi owners). I’m anxiously awaiting to see what will go in 20-22 Canterbury.

[ColSJ]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

No doubt a business will occupy that spot. Hopscotch is expanding to the left into this building at the very least (both owned by Thandi owners). I’m anxiously awaiting to see what will go in 20-22 Canterbury.

I certainly don't have any concerns about this space being occupied just thought it was a little annoying and very misleading to put a "Grand Opening!" sign on plywood covering the windows of future commercial space for a business that won't be occupying that space. Maybe they got permission from the owners.

[ivegotaname]

Would it ever shock you guys if TD Station seeing how old it is and lacks intimacy with hockey players like you get with LBR if TD was Torn down in favor of something new and larger thinking of future population targets. Could that space at TD be used for Museum? Possibly building a new stadium or rink near LCL

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

No doubt a business will occupy that spot. Hopscotch is expanding to the left into this building at the very least (both owned by Thandi owners). I’m anxiously awaiting to see what will go in 20-22 Canterbury.

As I understand it, the upper floors will have apartments with Hopscotch expanding and an event space on the main level. The basement will have an expanded kitchen and there will be a patio in the back. I have NO DOUBT that this will be a showcase!

I also hear that the new owner of Sagrati's in the The Market is looking to open a sit down restaurant as well somewhere in the core. This fellow is an amazing chef and the lunch menu at the "new" Sagrati's is amazing - I hope it pushes other vendors to up their game as most food choices in the Market are mediocre at best.

[DyAm00394]

Preparations underway to tear down Saint John's historic Brown House

"J.D. Irving is preparing the historic uptown Saint John home known as the Brown House for demolition.

Crews have been working at the site on King Street East in recent days, mostly on remediation efforts on the 80-year-old building's interior.

In an email, J.D. Irving spokesperson Anne McInerney said "the activity you're seeing is related to the extensive abatement work that has to first be done to remove hazardous materials like lead paint and asbestos, where any may be present. That's the focus now."

Built in 1941, the decision by the company to demolish the large home has been controversial.

Irving bought the building, which had been divided into rental units, about 25 years ago.

For a time, the company continued to rent the property to tenants, but by 2016 the last renter was evicted, and the company deemed the building unfit for human habitation.

Also known as the Paikowsky Residence, the building is in a heritage zone.

The city's Heritage Development Board twice refused to approve the demolition of the Brown House.

In a recent report to council, heritage staff said "given the limited domestic residential construction during the early years of the Second World War, the Paikowsky Residence represents a rare, intact, and quintessential example of this unique simplified Colonial Revival style in Saint John."

By 2018, it had deteriorated to the point that the city placed it on its list of dangerous and dilapidated buildings.

The company's efforts to demolish the building came to a head this summer, when Irving officials offered to build a public park on part of the site.

Despite opposition from a number of city councillors, who worried that approving the heritage exemption would just encourage landlords to neglect a property until the city had no choice but to approve demolition, council agreed to allow it.

Now, most of the colonial-style features of the Brown House facade are gone, stripped by the crews on site this week.

McInerney said there is no date for demolition, yet.

"Construction on the park planned for the property will begin this Spring," she wrote.

"We have ensured the necessary permits are in place and we will let the neighbours know in advance once the demolition date is firmed up."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/brown-house-demolition-prep-saint-john-1.6669875

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by ivegotaname

Would it ever shock you guys if TD Station seeing how old it is and lacks intimacy with hockey players like you get with LBR if TD was Torn down in favor of something new and larger thinking of future population targets. Could that space at TD be used for Museum? Possibly building a new stadium or rink near LCL

Probably not. TD Station for a junior hockey rink and occasional concert servers its purpose. And in a post covid world, the arena is almost bigger than it needs to be. Especially with Avenir centre taking more concerts these days. Moncton needed an upgrade on their Coliseum absolutely.

Taking the money aside which would be more than 100 million on a new arena. What are you actually getting? Some nicer luxury boxes? Better concourse? It's not like the Moncton Coliseum were the upper tier sightlines were awful. There's not really a bad seat for hockey in the arena for TD Station.

Thinking long term what are your main tenants if not the Sea Dogs? I can't see the AHL coming back to the Maritimes as teams are trying to keep their affiliates closer. ECHL? Are you generating more interest from the city by 3rd tier professional vs top tier junior.

2nd or 3rd tier Canadian basketball leagues keep getting rumored to start playing at the station again but who knows.

I'd rather lower cove loop took on more housing/restaurants/shops, even if you don't extend the streets down to it, make it like a European style square or something.

[adamuptownsj]

I think Lower Cove will remain too useful to the port to develop until AIM is gone, at the very least. More bulk cargo than you'd think moves through it. Salt and sand mostly, but some wind turbine components etc. You simply couldn't put the current six-floor-high pile of sand there anywhere else.

Not knowing the first thing about dredging or shipping, I assume it's easier to access, and can be accessed by larger ships, than Long Wharf. The only impediment to developing Long Wharf is the single entrance- which could easily be mitigated by running a road parallel to the train tracks/a 'tweaked' Harbour Passage from Long Wharf (the street) to Fort Latour Dr.

[cdnguys]

[IMG] [/IMG]

[Itme]

Where did these renderings come from?

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by Itme

Where did these renderings come from?

Council agenda found on city website

[UptownJeff]

Well, it's official. The new school in the south end will be next to Rainbow Park - announced in the TJ this morning

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by UptownJeff

Well, it's official. The new school in the south end will be next to Rainbow Park - announced in the TJ this morning

A CBC article on it:https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-bruns...F2XqYnbze7_cezAZI9mWMjAR8SfK8OP44lWL7aYA

Rainbow Park revealed as site of new K-8 Saint John school

"The site of a new kindergarten-to-Grade 8 school for Saint John's central peninsula will be Rainbow Park, government officials announced Monday.

The school will accommodate about 450 students and replace the aging Prince Charles and St. John the Baptist/King Edward schools.

Rainbow Park is bordered by Charlotte, Broad, Sydney and St. James streets.

According to a news release from the Department of Education, the provincial government will spend more than $2 million in 2023-24 to support the continued planning, design and site preparation for the school.

It's unclear when construction will begin or when the long-awaited school will open. The department did not immediately respond to a request for more information.

But in 2020, Rob Fowler, the Anglophone South district education council chair, said that once funding for site acquisition and land assembly was secured, it typically takes a year to break ground and then two years of construction.

"So we're now at least four years away from moving kids into a new school and more likely five," he had said.

The proposed design for the school includes a gym and library that could be used outside school hours, and 5,000 square feet of community programming space, including program rooms, a community kitchen and shared offices.

"This is a monumental project that will benefit residents for generations to come," Mayor Donna Reardon said in a statement.

She noted the school was named by city council as a "top catalytic infrastructure project to spur growth."
The province rejected the project for several years but set aside funding in the 2022-23 capital budget for land acquisition.

The school will be built in the urban core and "will help revitalize and support one of Saint John's most diverse and fastest-growing neighbourhoods," Reardon said.

City officials did not immediately respond to questions about what will happen to Rainbow Park. It includes an accessible playground structure, a basketball court, washroom facilities, a community garden, as well as a memorial garden to Jacqueline Brewer, two, who died in her crib from neglect and dehydration in 1996.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arlene Dunn, speaking on behalf of Education Minister Bill Hogan, said it's important to invest in schools to ensure students receive the education they need to succeed.

"I very much understand the importance of this project and the positive impact it will have on the city and the students in the area," she said in a statement.

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by UptownJeff

Well, it's official. The new school in the south end will be next to Rainbow Park - announced in the TJ this morning

That's exciting !
Hopefully that'll help densify the south end a bit more.