The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by PostModernPrometheus

Big housing project starts soon

Development Rockwood Hills planned for Millidgeville could include 350-plus units

C4John Mazerolle
Telegraph-Journal
SAINT JOHN - The city's construction numbers continue to rise, and one of the next peaks along the way is Rockwood Hills.

The development, led by Roger Burns of Caliber Consulting Ltd., will see a neighbourhood of garden homes, townhouses, and three-storey condominiums on an 18-acre site near the corner of Sandy Point Road and University Avenue.

"We think the market in Saint John, with Saint John being the energy centre of Atlantic Canada," will be strong over the next several years, Burns said.

They must be talking about that area on the end of University Ave that's been cleared out for the past few years with some basic dirt road-lings running into it...

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by PostModernPrometheus

They must be talking about that area on the end of University Ave that's been cleared out for the past few years with some basic dirt road-lings running into it...

Yup, it's right here, almost right on the old dump site



It's also due to impact Alder Brook, which is a beautiful little stream that runs out of Crescent Lake (the Aquatic Driving Range), and drains into the Kennebecasis near the RKYC. If you have the chance, and you like nature walks, go check out the Brook off of University Avenue, it's actually beautiful in there.

[Helladog]

PUGSLEY PARK



YE OLDE CRUISE SHIP THINGY



ANOTHER PARK...that makes three on the penninsula this year

[Fischbob]

Originally Posted by kwajo

It's also due to impact Alder Brook, which is a beautiful little stream that runs out of Crescent Lake (the Aquatic Driving Range), and drains into the Kennebecasis near the RKYC. If you have the chance, and you like nature walks, go check out the Brook off of University Avenue, it's actually beautiful in there.

I live a couple minutes' walk away from the lower section of Alder Brook and it really is a pretty spot. I'm not familiar with the section by the proposed Rockwood Hills development. Do you know to what extent the development will impact the brook? I would hope the developer has taken it into consideration.

[Helladog]

Council gives approval to new home for Jewish community

Dave MacLean
Telegraph-Journal

SAINT JOHN - Saint John's Jewish community will soon have a new home in the city's uptown.

Common council gave approval Tuesday night to a rezoning application from the Shaarei Zedek congregation to relocate its synagogue and Jewish Historical Museum and Community Centre to Leinster Street at the site of the former Cavanaugh Funeral Home.

The property, located at 77-91 Leinster St., is currently zoned specifically for use as a funeral home.

The congregation, the only one in the city, has sold its current home on Wellington Row to the city to make way for the north of Union development. It is hoping to close the purchase of the former funeral home property at the end of the month in order to facilitate a move by the end of November, when it must vacate the former synagogue.

"We're very excited about the move," said Norman Hamburg, president of the congregation. "We can't wait to begin our work on the building. We need to transform it into a synagogue and a museum.

"We're really looking forward to getting into that building. It's beautiful and we believe the museum will have a true showplace for the history of the Jewish people in Saint John to be showcased."

In its application, the congregation also notes most of the parking at the site will be available during the week, and will only be used on Friday nights and on weekends. Hamburg said the congregation is in the process of deciding whether it will oversee the leasing of the extra parking, or whether it will enter into an agreement with the Saint John Parking Commission to administer it on its behalf.

Hamburg said the money generated from the leasing of parking spaces will help alleviate the deficit the congregation will face in the exchange of one property for another.

"We're going to run a little short. The exchange of dollars is fairly close. When it comes to the renovation and the move, those will be fairly costly and we'll look after that as a congregation and we're working on that as we speak."

Meanwhile, council also gave first and second readings to a rezoning request for a development in Millidgeville.

Mike Cavanagh Homes Inc. wants to build three-storey units of apartments and condominiums. The plan is to construct 48 units in four buildings on Boars Head Road.

[thefishingnut]

I don't know if everyone just posts the good news, but it sure seems there is a lot of positive development news lately.

I wasn't actually aware that the synagogue and museum had already been sold to the City.

The picture of the new Cruise Ship center that Helladog posted (thanks, your pictures are very much appreciated!), what do people think now? I'm actually pleased, the facade matches the historical nature of the other buildings around, I was happy to see brick used instead of vinyl or other (unsuitable) products.

[Helladog]

Cruise Ships Today


(c) Helladog

[PostModernPrometheus]

Sweet deal for south end

September 03, 2008 - 7:00 pm
By: Todd Veinotte - News 88.9 Staff


SAINT JOHN - Council's decision to funnel the money from the sale of the Lantic Sugar property back into the south end is good news, according to Tim Vickers.

ACAP's executive director Tim Vickers said council got it right when it voted in favour of using the projected $1 million for green space and recreation development in the south end.

"Fixing up some green space and outdoor recreation opportunities for residents in that area, especially for the kids I think is a terrific use for the money," he said.

Vickers has advocated to have the Harbour Passage trail system extended down water street past Lantic Sugar to Tin Can Beach.

He said a portion of the money would be well spent in upgrades to Rainbow Park as well, which sits between Charlotte and Sydney Streets.



link: http://www.news889.com/news/local/article.jsp?content=20080903_175849_28868

[Ottawa]

These are the first actual passenger numbers I've seen for last year.

Part of an article in the Telegraph Journal - Published Monday September 1st, 2008

In 2007, the Saint John Airport experienced its highest passenger numbers ever (243,526), 25 per cent higher than 2006, the second highest rate of domestic passenger growth in the country. To better serve local businesses with U.S. markets and operations, the airport board and staff are working hard to attract additional carriers for direct service to the U.S. eastern seaboard, as well as additional domestic capacity for conferences and special events. The airport also serves approximately 71 air carrier scheduled departing flights and 70 non-scheduled private and charter flights per week.

Considering there has been a 9%+ increase so far this year the final number for this year could be around 270,000.

link: http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/rss/article/402147

[Helladog]

(thanks, your pictures are very much appreciated!

It's a labour of love...

Besides, I have to justify buying new cameras every year somehow.

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by thefishingnut

I don't know if everyone just posts the good news, but it sure seems there is a lot of positive development news lately. .

while there's certainly a bias towards posting more of the positive development stories on these forums than negative one, the question to ask is when exactly was the last time there this degree of optimism and tangible development / construction going on in our region on this kind of level? not in my lifetime......

[PostModernPrometheus]

These are the first actual passenger numbers I've seen for last year.

Part of an article in the Telegraph Journal - Published Monday September 1st, 2008

Quote:
In 2007, the Saint John Airport experienced its highest passenger numbers ever (243,526), 25 per cent higher than 2006, the second highest rate of domestic passenger growth in the country. To better serve local businesses with U.S. markets and operations, the airport board and staff are working hard to attract additional carriers for direct service to the U.S. eastern seaboard, as well as additional domestic capacity for conferences and special events. The airport also serves approximately 71 air carrier scheduled departing flights and 70 non-scheduled private and charter flights per week.

Considering there has been a 9%+ increase so far this year the final number for this year could be around 270,000.

link: http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.c...article/402147


The airport site (www.saintjohnairport.com) says the 2008 increase, as you point out, is 9.14% higher than the 2007 numbers (as of mid July, 2008)

basically, with every additional flight added, or upgrade of aircraft size on a route, seats are clearly being filled....with those kinds of positive numbers, one would hope that securing both larger aircraft and additional routes will occur in the very near future....

and hell, with the energy buzz and influx of new people and jobs, i can't help but wonder about the (albeit remote) possibility of getting passenger train service back......

[Helladog]

Lots of developments on Hampton Road

ANDREW MCGILLIGAN
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

ROTHESAY - Driving down Hampton Road from Quispamsis through to Rothesay, one constant is the number of construction crews hard at work.

The road has several new businesses sprouting up and one is set to open next week on the Quispamsis portion of the road. The RBC Royal Bank branch located on the corner of Hampton and Pettingill roads will open next Monday.

"Right behind the bank is the A&W restaurant they're working on," said Gary Losier, town engineer and development officer for Quispamsis.

Weather hampered work on the restaurant, which planned to have an October opening but that has been pushed back.

Those two projects are the only ones being done on the Quispamsis side as most of the new buildings and businesses are being constructed on Rothesay's portion of the road.

Two new businesses - The Window Shop Home Improvement Centre and Design by Valley Dream Kitchens - owned by David Long, have been open for approximately one month. The businesses, housed in the same building, are located next to the double drive-through Tim Hortons.

At the corner of Oakville and Hampton, a new Subway restaurant, owned by Tony and Suzanne Ratchford, is being constructed and should open its door sometime between November and December.

Oakville Lane is a busy spot as a dentist office - with Dr. Ron Buckley, Dr. Janet Bailey and Dr. Aaron Tait - is being built and should open before Christmas. Next door to McPhee's Home Bakery, a new building will house the Brookside Market.

"It will be like a country style market," said Gay Drescher, Rothesay's director of development services. "The last big development is at the north corner of Clark and Hampton."

The commercial space being built by developer Phil Brodersen is his fourth in the area and 13,000 square feet of space will be ready to rent in November.

Drescher said Hampton Road isn't the only area with a new business on the way. In the Rothesay Common area, across from the Scotiabank, a blue house is being made into a tea room.

"They have all the approvals and are working on it right now," Drescher said. "It would be a nice addition to the heritage area."

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by PostModernPrometheus

and hell, with the energy buzz and influx of new people and jobs, i can't help but wonder about the (albeit remote) possibility of getting passenger train service back......

Yeah...it sure beats the bus!

[Kablooie!!]

Wow, there's lots of good news lately! I can't wait to move down home.

My boss has given me the go-ahead to work from home in SJ and we're preparing our house in Ottawa for sale. We can't get it done fast enough!

Quick question, though: is there any local support for the Green party? I did some web searching and it seems that the party is just getting started in NB with an official candidate in Fredericton.

[PostModernPrometheus]

Wow, there's lots of good news lately! I can't wait to move down home.

My boss has given me the go-ahead to work from home in SJ and we're preparing our house in Ottawa for sale. We can't get it done fast enough

first of all, welcome our ragtag group of illustrious posters

secondly, this trend of new people / ex pat's moving home is a growing one & fantastic to see...nothing but yet another indicator that the area is undergoing a massive economic, residential, cultural & most importantly attitude transformation; true, there will always be naysayers and pessimists, but what the hell...to be expected!

i'm in a somewhat similar situation; my wife (a non NBer) actually moved to SJ ahead of me last year (i'm splitting time for another 8 months between SJ, NB and SJ, NL. . . by this time next year, should be back home for good) with a little bit of apprehension, but has found the community to be a very welcoming one with a very grass roots / "get it done" attitude.

my advice - when you get home, get involved! the next 3-7 years will be ones of further accelerated change & the more passionate, dedicated people that get involved in steering the course, the better the outcome.....

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by Helladog

Yeah...it sure beats the bus!

true, but maybe not one of those fancy-accordian-extra-length super buses

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by PostModernPrometheus

and hell, with the energy buzz and influx of new people and jobs, i can't help but wonder about the (albeit remote) possibility of getting passenger train service back......

here's some intersting related links...


http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/st...via_rail_071011/20071011?hub=CTVNewsAt11

http://www.ble.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=22738

http://www.aprail.com/

[PostModernPrometheus]

Originally Posted by thefishingnut

The picture of the new Cruise Ship center that Helladog posted (thanks, your pictures are very much appreciated!), what do people think now? I'm actually pleased, the facade matches the historical nature of the other buildings around, I was happy to see brick used instead of vinyl or other (unsuitable) products.

i know theres mixed feelings on the cruise ship building, but i also think it will fit in nicely in the area...i do wonder what kind of uses the building & property will have in the off seasons....

[thefishingnut]

Originally Posted by PostModernPrometheus

i know theres mixed feelings on the cruise ship building, but i also think it will fit in nicely in the area...i do wonder what kind of uses the building & property will have in the off seasons....

Super Bowl Party, here we come!

Receptions, corporate meetings, maybe even small trade/craft shows, art festivals or concerts. For some things it would more be a more interesting venue than the Convention Center. I know I hate getting into a window-less barn-like room for hours. Great point, I don't recall non-Cruise uses being discussed ...