[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[NBNYer]

Originally Posted by Nashe

Kinda seems like an easy "out" for the dev, right?

It does.

[MonctonGoldenTri]

I've noticed the Icon signage on Dominion for a quite awhile driving to work. That is great news! i'm guessing this would be in the 6-10 stories range?

[Riberview]

Originally Posted by Monctoncore

Someone should reach out to Chad Blakney and share the community support.

Homesolbuildingsolutions.com

[Riberview]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Photos accompanying the LinkedIn post:

I would be quite pleased to see a clone of the current 25 Dominion building on the adjacent vacant lot there. If however ICON choses a different height and style from the current building, I hope the two buildings will complement each other.

a twin to the current 4 storey ?

I feel like anything less than the new 6's like we see over on Weldon or down on Ivan Rand, or out Mountain Rd, would be very disappointing. I believe it should be taller still.

4 is a nice floor count for Riverview. No longer applicable to Downtown I wouldn't think.

perhaps I'm still soured by the recent turn of Mr. Blakney's development.
sadly, a 6 storey wood frame will be profitable FAR earlier than a 10 storey concrete and wood frame mix. I bet we'll see the 6 there, and a 4 for Dominion, and I'll cry myself to sleep forever more.

[Monctoncore]

Moncton’s first roof top bar is opening March 3 on the 9th floor of 55 Queen street. It’s called Palette Urban Rooftop bar

[MonctonRad]

From Huddle:

My Home Mercantile on Main Street has been sold.

https://huddle.today/2023/03/01/monctons-my-home-mercantile-sold/

Stefanie MacDonald, founder of Halifax Paper hearts and owner of Kept Gifts & Housewares in Dartmouth, has taken over the reins of the Moncton location of My Home Mercantile. MacDonald bought the business from Miriah Kearney and has renamed it Kept on Main.

MacDonald, who is based in Halifax, will keep all four of My Home Mercantile’s Moncton-based staff members on payroll in a bid to keep things consistent.

“We have asked them to inject some of their ideas and personality into the business that we’re creating,” she said.

She will also incorporate a wider assortment of gifts into Kept’s Moncton location, including home décor, and nautical-themed goods.

This is very good news. This store is one of the few retail linchpins on Main Street, and it's loss would have been very sorely felt. The core is on the cusp of fundamental transformative change. It will be very important to keep the Main Street commercial community as intact as possible until the new and much improved downtown experience gets rolled out in the next five years or so.

[MonctonRad]

Also from Huddle (a better local news source these days than the T&T):

New Thai Restaurant Moves into Former Downtown Moncton Starbucks
SAM MACDONALD MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK, NEWS
https://huddle.today/2023/03/01/new-thai-restaurant-moves-into-former-downtown-moncton-starbucks/

MK Thai Gourmet (originally Georgetown Thai Gourmet), from the Ontarian community half an hour northwest of Mississauga it’s named after, will be taking up residence downtown later this year.

Lirette said he was contacted by Georgetown Thai Gourmet’s owners, Mai Saikosin and Kate Phaunpa, just before Christmas of 2022, after they decided to sell their restaurant in Ontario and reopen in Moncton.

“They wanted to move to Moncton to have a better and more relaxing, balanced lifestyle,” Lirette said. He added that Saikosin and Phaunpa owned and operated their restaurant in Ontario for 17 years.

The restaurant has earned varied accolades over the year, ranging from high approval ratings on TripAdvisor and Google Business to official Thai Select Certification from the Government of Thailand.

https://www.gthai.ca

Nice looking menu. This would appear to be a high end Thai restaurant, and a fine addition to downtown Moncton.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

We should make a petition and give it to the city against Lori Barnes and the tomato people.

Our old friend Matt Codiac (mmmatt) created a poll over on Retail Talk & Share about 1333 Main. Over 90% of people who responded to the poll were in favour of the 10 storey proposal. The tomato brigade have been quite vociferous and aggressive in the comment section regarding the poll, trying desperately to shut down debate.

Apparently CBC has got wind of the poll, and we might see an article about it on their website.

[MonctonGoldenTri]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Our old friend Matt Codiac (mmmatt) created a poll over on Retail Talk & Share about 1333 Main. Over 90% of people who responded to the poll were in favour of the 10 storey proposal. The tomato brigade have been quite vociferous and aggressive in the comment section regarding the poll, trying desperately to shut down debate.

Apparently CBC has got wind of the poll, and we might see an article about it on their website.

I joined the group just to vote, He should add this poll to the Ask Moncton page as well.

[MaritimerJAB]

The Times and Transcript building and property is now on the market for sale.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sebastien...m_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

[MonctonRad]

A very interesting footprint for this lot. The odd shape of the lot will be compounded by the fact that it lies right next to the CNR mainline, with it's prohibition on building within 20M (or some such).

It would likely end up being two buildings (commercial along Main Street, and residential in behind along Queen).

This adds to the plethora of development opportunities along Main from the subway west to Vaughan Harvey including:

- old T&T property.
- Aquillini Block
- Crombie properties (including 1222 Main)
- Junction Urban Village
- 1333 Main.

If all of these were to be developed (with buildings of stature), then the downtown west end of Moncton could become truly impressive. How long will this take? Unfortunately, probably longer than most of us would like. I imagine we are talking about decades...........

[jonny golden]

At almost $9 million, there are a lot of challenges with this listing. There are very few developers who would be in the market for such a costly property. Add to that the proximity to the railway tracks which curtails the building options.

On the plus side is the fact that if a major developer were to purchase this property, they would have to produce a very substantial project to make the return on investment worthwhile.

All in all, I don't think we'll see anything happen with 939 Main Street for a long long time. Of course I hope I'm wrong.

[adamuptownsj]

It's not the most flattering angle for the property. It looks much bigger top down. https://paol-efel.snb.ca/paol.html?v=1.0.37&lang=en&pan=04461290

[Mud]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

It's not the most flattering angle for the property. It looks much bigger top down. https://paol-efel.snb.ca/paol.html?v=1.0.37&lang=en&pan=04461290

Clicked around and noticed the small apartment building behind it sold for $1,3 million last month. Not too shabby.

[NBNYer]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The next 2-4 weeks could be very interesting for downtown Moncton.

There are two substantial and or character changing development in the core whose announcement is imminent. Will we see information regarding these two developments on the 8th, or will we have to wait another month. I'm bursting at the seams to let you know what's on the horizon, but I am sworn to secrecy. Hopefully all will be revealed next week.

It's been awfully quiet. Any indication of announcements soon?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by NBNYer

It's been awfully quite. Any indication of announcements soon?

- Ashford will make an announcement about Downing Street sometime in the next 1-2 months.
- I enquired with my source about the announcement for Baton Rouge, and there is nothing new on that front.
- I'm surprised the final announcement for 1333 Main has not been made. Maybe some last minute pleas are being made for the developer to reconsider his six storey wooden box compromise.

The next Moncton PAC meeting is in two weeks. Hopefully there will be some interesting tidbits in the documentation which hopefully will be released this evening.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

- Ashford will make an announcement about Downing Street sometime in the next 1-2 months.
- I enquired with my source about the announcement for Baton Rouge, and there is nothing new on that front.
- I'm surprised the final announcement for 1333 Main has not been made. Maybe some last minute pleas are being made for the developer to reconsider his six storey wooden box compromise.

The next Moncton PAC meeting is in two weeks. Hopefully there will be some interesting tidbits in the documentation which hopefully will be released this evening.

I'm really hoping that the developer of 1333 Main Street sticks with his original 10 floor plan. If you consider the two options, there's an extraordinary difference between them. I still think that making such a drastic change in plans can't be just about the displeasure of a few residents.

I hope I'm wrong, but I get the feeling that he's going to go with the 6 storey wooden box.

[PEI highway guy]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

I'm
I hope I'm wrong, but I get the feeling that he's going to go with the 6 storey wooden box.

Johnny: I am leaning the other way. The longer it takes for an anouncement the better. I think these NIMBY'ers will hang themselves. The more concessions they receive the more their demands will increase. at some point the developer gets fed up and builds the original plan. My old neighbourhood needs a refresh and this is a good start .

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by PEI highway guy

Johnny: I am leaning the other way. The longer it takes for an anouncement the better. I think these NIMBY'ers will hang themselves. The more concessions they receive the more their demands will increase. at some point the developer gets fed up and builds the original plan. My old neighbourhood needs a refresh and this is a good start .

I really hope you're right. I was thinking the developer was waiting so he could announce the 6 floor wooden box and then start construction shortly thereafter. Then people would accept his capitulation because once construction started that would be the final decision.

But maybe it's just the opposite. He said last month he was considering the 6 storey option. Hopefully he's reconsidering, and decides to stay with his original plan.

Mr. Blakney did state at the January city council meeting: “If you took it down to six storeys, it’s not financially viable. It’s not going to work."

[MonctonRad]

This signage just popped up on Main Street next to Gifts Galore:



The L'NUK Lounge. A name like that could have first nations connotations, but I have no additional information regarding this establishment. A quick internet search revealed nada.

Anyone know anything?