[Saint John] Uptown Thread

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by bridgeoftea

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

Yes, and I hear that the Historica development on Queen Sq is breaking ground this spring.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

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

They've updated the article with some more information.

"the popular south end park, which includes an accessible playground structure, basketball court and splash pad, will remain, according to a city councillor.

The new school will be located on the south side of St. James Street, between Charlotte and Sydney streets, said Coun. Gerry Lowe.

The site consists of five houses, which will be demolished, and three pieces of property the province acquired, he said. There are also seven small pieces of property, between the houses and the park, which were given to the province, he said.

"I think this is the right site, and this is the site that the people wanted".

"The design process will begin in the new year, said department spokesperson Morgan Bell. The planning and design is expected to take a year, she said.

Site preparation will begin in 2024, followed by construction.

"The school is expected to open in the fall of 2026, but this could be subject to change as we move through the processes," Bell said in an emailed statement".

[KnoxfordGuy]

There is a tanker pulled up along side Water Street. The ship has been there a few days. Unusual yes?

[RR Drummer]

Originally Posted by KnoxfordGuy

There is a tanker pulled up along side Water Street. The ship has been there a few days. Unusual yes?

Not unusual, the Irving tankers have docked uptown different times over the years, this one is prob for similar reasons.

[ColSJ]

A couple of small projects to mention:

259-261 Germain recently purchased in tax sale had a dumpster outside for a few days. Liked interior demolition going on inside to make way for a couple units.

116-120 Germain has been renovated with 2 small commercial spaces and likely residential on top. No idea how many units.

[ColSJ]

The city approved a land transfer with Cooke Aquaculture last night. They could be getting close to finalizing their HQ plans.

[CharlotteCountyLogan]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

The city approved a land transfer with Cooke Aquaculture last night. They could be getting close to finalizing their HQ plans.

Cookes headquarters would be really nice to have at either Long Wharf or the Lantic site. Personally I would like to see it be built at Long Wharf

[Pugsley]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

The city approved a land transfer with Cooke Aquaculture last night. They could be getting close to finalizing their HQ plans.

When was this? Didn't see anything in council minutes online.

[gtsoc]

Beer Bread will be opening on the first level of 7 Market Square. This is the restaurant that will be owned by the same group that own's Rocky's Sports Bar.

[adamuptownsj]

City would not be transferring land if it was Long Wharf. Every inch of Long Wharf is Port Saint John-owned. Must be Tin Can Beach.

Long Wharf has been reasonably busy with break-bulk cargo lately so I strongly doubt the port will want to relinquish it... or Lower Cove. If they can't pry AIM off the West Side port, the only remaining expansion options for container operations are...

1) infill the three 'ponds' west of the current cranes, but this would be very marginal gains
2) demolish some of the warehouses at the west side terminal. No idea if the economics work here, or if the port wants to trade these assets for space.
3) shake the tin for more federal funding and infill the slip south of AIM (no way they do that immediately, it would be likely more expensive than the current infill project too)
4) plop the cranes at either Long Wharf or Lower Cove.

Long Wharf is ~765K sf, Lower Cove ~800K sf, rail access is MUCH better at Long Wharf (TCB development could eliminate Lower Cove's rail connection) and IIRC it's in better shape than Lower Cove anyway. I have no idea about water depth, Panamax-receiving ability, dredging, how much weight either can support, etc. Just my layman's take, but Port Saint John is probably not interested in signing 30-year leases for its land when capacity is a continuous, current issue.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by Pugsley

When was this? Didn't see anything in council minutes online.

It was part of "Committee Of The Whole". It was the last item of the meeting.

Here's the link to the livestream, it will start where they've discussed it. https://youtu.be/IFd9PJnpkzM?t=1779

[adamuptownsj]

Some small projects to continue ColSJ's comments...

274-276 Prince William, which was long vacant (I believe it sold at a tax sale) is under renos. PAOL says it's 5 units. No idea who owns it. Dumpster out front and they did a lot of masonry work that you can see from St James.

97 Hazen: Mine! I picked it up at the October tax sale. 2 unit, albeit one 3-storey unit that's functionally a house, and a smaller unit downstairs. I'm getting a new roof on it as soon as weather cooperates and have already removed 10 dumpsters worth of junk, fixtures, etc.

[Pugsley]

Originally Posted by CharlotteCountyLogan

Cookes headquarters would be really nice to have at either Long Wharf or the Lantic site. Personally I would like to see it be built at Long Wharf

I would think the land consolidation or any potential office for them would likely expand on the existing facility. So maybe it is a new tower along 18, 24, and 30 Wellington Row? Is that still vacant land?

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by Pugsley

I would think the land consolidation or any potential office for them would likely expand on the existing facility. So maybe it is a new tower along 18, 24, and 30 Wellington Row? Is that still vacant land?

They own that land, it’s their parking lot

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by Pugsley

I would think the land consolidation or any potential office for them would likely expand on the existing facility. So maybe it is a new tower along 18, 24, and 30 Wellington Row? Is that still vacant land?

That's Cooke's own parking lot (as is 21-31 Dorchester to its immediate west), so no consolidation. At this point I don't feel like I'm betraying anyone's trust to say the consolidated Cooke office is very likely PLANNED to be at the Lantic site, specifically the following PANs:

01619705 (324 Charlotte, along Vulcan, currently leased for parking and city owned)
05139870 (Sydney St, lower half of the leased parking lot. Disused other than for driver's training, I believe it is city owned)
01619543 (330 Charlotte, the actual former Lantic site. Not sure if the province, city, or something else owns it. There are... geotechnical issues... at least in the SW corner and along the SW edge)
05053155 (rail spur, the portion west of Sydney only I presume. I forget which rail line owns the spur)

The extremely beat up concrete section along the west side is Port owned and has no PAN or PID. IDK if it will be included.

I would presume Cooke will want to wrap Harbour Passage around their perimeter, as they can't build much towards the water anyway, and the passage is extending down Sydney next year. I hope they sponsor a bit of a park down there. It would echo two older parks, being between the same two streets about as far from Rainbow as King is. They'll basically have to unless they want to dig up a mountain of nineteenth century landfill, teak, and creosote filled ties.

For that reason I feel pretty solid predicting the Cooke tower itself will be between Charlotte, Vulcan, Sydney, and the northern portion of the rail spur.

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

That's Cooke's own parking lot (as is 21-31 Dorchester to its immediate west), so no consolidation. At this point I don't feel like I'm betraying anyone's trust to say the consolidated Cooke office is very likely PLANNED to be at the Lantic site, specifically the following PANs:

01619705 (324 Charlotte, along Vulcan, currently leased for parking and city owned)
05139870 (Sydney St, lower half of the leased parking lot. Disused other than for driver's training, I believe it is city owned)
01619543 (330 Charlotte, the actual former Lantic site. Not sure if the province, city, or something else owns it. There are... geotechnical issues... at least in the SW corner and along the SW edge)
05053155 (rail spur, the portion west of Sydney only I presume. I forget which rail line owns the spur)

The extremely beat up concrete section along the west side is Port owned and has no PAN or PID. IDK if it will be included.

I would presume Cooke will want to wrap Harbour Passage around their perimeter, as they can't build much towards the water anyway, and the passage is extending down Sydney next year. I hope they sponsor a bit of a park down there. It would echo two older parks, being between the same two streets about as far from Rainbow as King is. They'll basically have to unless they want to dig up a mountain of nineteenth century landfill, teak, and creosote filled ties.

For that reason I feel pretty solid predicting the Cooke tower itself will be between Charlotte, Vulcan, Sydney, and the northern portion of the rail spur.

Do we know rumours of how many floors their office might be?

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by bridgeoftea

Do we know rumours of how many floors their office might be?

They have 1/2 a floor in B Square, the synagogue and 3 story Wellington Row. They prob just want to consolidate everyone in one place. Although they are in growth mode, we are also in the hybrid working reality. I’d guess it would more of a sprawling 3 or 4 floor building.

[JHikka]

Wellington today

[bridgeoftea]

Sounds like a building on Waterloo has gone up in flames. Still waiting on a bit more info.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by bridgeoftea

Sounds like a building on Waterloo has gone up in flames. Still waiting on a bit more info.

Here's what's left: