The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

[IMG][/IMG]

I really like this. I think it suits the area and from a streetscape perspective it fits in very well.

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by bridgeoftea

Been slow but it has been steady progress on this one!
Can we get them to start on other uptown projects?

I walk past this building all the time on my way from home to Uptown, and it fits in the streetscape so well. We've had so many bad new buildings with too much setback and no street interaction, but this one nails it on the Wellington Row side

[905er]

Originally Posted by UptownJeff

I really like this. I think it suits the area and from a streetscape perspective it fits in very well.

That's really cool! where in Saint John is this building?.. Love it!

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by 905er

That's really cool! where in Saint John is this building?.. Love it!

Northwest corner of Union St and Wellington Row

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by Ottawa

The new pier will be seeing ship visits in June according to PSJ AGM

The first ships on the DPW berth schedule with identical times are the NYK Remus and the Livorno Express. The ETA of both are June 29, 1100 hrs. All other scheduled times for the two ships are identical as well. One of them looks like possibly the first to get worked by the new cranes.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by UptownJeff

I really like this. I think it suits the area and from a streetscape perspective it fits in very well.

To each his own but a black box with yellow trim does little for me. Looks like what it is.....cheaply built low income housing that someone tried to dress up a bit.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by sailor734

To each his own but a black box with yellow trim does little for me. Looks like what it is.....cheaply built low income housing that someone tried to dress up a bit.

It wasn’t cheap, 50% of units are at market rates, it’s not a box, the trim isn’t yellow, it’s a PHIUS certified building and it was designed by a well respected local architectural firm. It’s ok not to like it, but don’t make shit up.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

It wasn’t cheap, 50% of units are at market rates, it’s not a box, the trim isn’t yellow, it’s a PHIUS certified building and it was designed by a well respected local architectural firm. It’s ok not to like it, but don’t make shit up.

Well, maybe that was a little harsh but it does look like a 6 story rectangular box to me and I'm not sure what you'd call the outline trim on the windows other than "yellow"?
As to quality I'm not sure what charging "market rates" has to do with design or build quality. To me it's at best "meh" and nothing to get excited about. To me a non "cheap" building would have more amenities and a higher level of finish. However, I understand it's non profit housing so I guess it's unfair to judge it by commercial standards.

Perhaps a more fair comment would have been be "actually pretty decent for what it is"

Still don't like the aesthetics

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Well, maybe that was a little harsh but it does look like a 6 story rectangular box to me and I'm not sure what you'd call the outline trim on the windows other than "yellow"?
As to quality I'm not sure what charging "market rates" has to do with design or build quality. To me it's at best "meh" and nothing to get excited about. To me a non "cheap" building would have more amenities and a higher level of finish. However, I understand it's non profit housing so I guess it's unfair to judge it by commercial standards.

Perhaps a more fair comment would have been be "actually pretty decent for what it is"

Still don't like the aesthetics

Gold coloured trim. Mentioned market rates because you said it’s public housing which it is not - it’s mixed housing, huge difference. Public housing is what you see on Brunswick Drive. Only 24 units are designated “affordable”. Again, ok not to like it.

[sailor734]

Here's a question. What is it about Saint John that condos have never really taken off? Seems like it took forever for Rocca's project at the Three Sisters to sell and York Point/Robertson Wharf were done decades ago. Even proposals for places like Tin Can Beach and Fundy Quay seem to be 100% focused on rental units.

As Boomers age out of large suburban homes you'd think there would be a demand for quality condo buildings with good building amenities and good sized units with higher end kitchens and baths.

[ColSJ]

Councillor Norton posted some photos of the Wellington on the inside and out. As far as I’m concerned these are some of the nicest units on the peninsula. And the look of the building itself is beautiful. I love the street connection, all the windows and the set backs the closer you get to Union Street.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_f...inYul&id=100003528478787&mibextid=qC1gEa

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

Councillor Norton posted some photos of the Wellington on the inside and out. As far as I’m concerned these are some of the nicest units on the peninsula. And the look of the building itself is beautiful. I love the street connection, all the windows and the set backs the closer you get to Union Street.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_f...inYul&id=100003528478787&mibextid=qC1gEa

Looks beautiful inside. Some of the views surprised me.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

Councillor Norton posted some photos of the Wellington on the inside and out. As far as I’m concerned these are some of the nicest units on the peninsula. And the look of the building itself is beautiful. I love the street connection, all the windows and the set backs the closer you get to Union Street.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_f...inYul&id=100003528478787&mibextid=qC1gEa

Well, as I said, "to each their own". To me it's a decent, perfectly nice apartment of middling quality, with decent fit and finish but nothing to get overly excited about. If they really do represent the nicest units on the peninsula then to me that says something about the quality of the housing stock on the peninsula.

This building does does make an interesting comment on Saint John's multi unit housing situation. In most cities the high end buildings are in the urban core because of very high land values there and low-midrise stuff of mid range quality like this are in the outskirts. Here in SJ that seems to be reversed.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Well, as I said, "to each their own". To me it's a decent, perfectly nice apartment of middling quality, with decent fit and finish but nothing to get overly excited about. If they really do represent the nicest units on the peninsula then to me that says something about the quality of the housing stock on the peninsula.

This building does does make an interesting comment on Saint John's multi unit housing situation. In most cities the high end buildings are in the urban core because of very high land values there and low-midrise stuff of mid range quality like this are in the outskirts. Here in SJ that seems to be reversed.

You misquoted him. He said “some of the nicest”, not “the nicest”. It’s no secret the housing stock isn’t great in area as the area is over 200 years old and relatively stagnant. New builds are relatively new and this mixed housing isn’t intended to be luxurious. Fundy Quay will be the better quality ones. Among the nicest might be The Telegraph, and then on par with The Wentworth.

[ColSJ]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Well, as I said, "to each their own". To me it's a decent, perfectly nice apartment of middling quality, with decent fit and finish but nothing to get excited about. If they actually represent the nicest units on the peninsula then to me that says something about the quality of the housing stock on the peninsula.

This building does does make an interesting comment on Saint John's multi unit housing situation. In most cities the high end buildings are in the urban core because of very high land values there and low-midrise stuff of mid range quality like this are in the outskirts. Here in SJ that seems to be reversed.

Goodness me. You are going to be exhausted on this thread if your style is just picking up anything negative you can come up. What has made this site different from other platforms like Facebook is 99% of the time posts are positive. If I wanted dooms day coverage I’d go somewheres elses. It’s always been this way on this thread as it has been on the Moncton and Fredericton threads. Yes negative events happen but no one comes on here to post their tirades of negativity. We accept it and move on. Hope this helps!

I don’t actually know if these are the “nicest” units on the peninsula. I have no way of measuring that and I was purely using a hyperbole to express how nice I think the overall development is. I assumed the reader had a sense of expression and be able to read between the lines but I guess not. Woops

[Helladog]

I can see both sides to the argument; it's a decent building with good apartments, and is much better than what otherwise could have been built, but i agree it is a bit on the bland side.

The stone and glass on the bottom floor are nice, and the 'gold' trim break up the monotonous black. Is that metal siding?

I can't really see the pictures since I don't have Zuckerbook.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

Goodness me. You are going to be exhausted on this thread if your style is just picking up anything negative you can come up. What has made this site different from other platforms like Facebook is 99% of the time posts are positive. If I wanted dooms day coverage I’d go somewheres elses. It’s always been this way on this thread as it has been on the Moncton and Fredericton threads. Yes negative events happen but no one comes on here to post their tirades of negativity. We accept it and move on. Hope this helps!

I don’t actually know if these are the “nicest” units on the peninsula. I have no way of measuring that and I was purely using a hyperbole to express how nice I think the overall development is. I assumed the reader had a sense of expression and be able to read between the lines but I guess not. Woops

Sorry, I didn't mean to nit pick but your enthusiasm seemed a little over the top for what appears to be a decent building but not anything exceptional. As to being negative I would characterize it more as being realistic. Some posts on here seem unrelentingly and unrealistically positive. I agree that, while I'm not particularly wowed by the design or colour choices, this building is better than many things that could have gone there. The stone façing on the ground floor is a nice touch as are the large corner windows. Where the proposed restaurant/cafe is going I assume? God knows SJ could use another decent place to eat.

Too bad they couldn't have stretched the budget to balconies. I always think they add a lot both in terms of livability for tenants and to the look of an urban residential building. Seeing BBQ's, cafe tables and chairs, plants, people etc on balconies gives a sense of a vibrant, alive building to me. For the residents, being able to step outside with a coffee on a nice summer morning or a before dinner drink allows a connection to the streetscape and the community. When I visit family in Vancouver (25th floor condo) I'll often sit out in the early morning and watch the city come to life.....

[JakeNB]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Too bad they couldn't have stretched the budget to balconies. I always think they add a lot both in terms of livability for tenants and to the look of an urban residential building...

Do the windows open at the Wellington? Don’t look like it to me, but i may be wrong. That would be a deal-breaker for me.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by JakeNB

Do the windows open at the Wellington? Don’t look like it to me, but i may be wrong. That would be a deal-breaker for me.

They do- and they look much bigger inside than out. it would look much better in monotone black with non-staggered windows.

[sailor734]

Anyone know if they have decided on what the restaurant will be?