The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by Helladog

I've got a limo that's now 60 feet long...

I love that song!

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by kwajo

I love that song!

It'll be neat to see the new articulated buses...I remember seeing them in Halifax and in Ottawa.

Wasn't SJT going to buy three, but the budget only allowed for two?

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by PersonPlaceorThing

It seems that the housing on Queen Street that is fronted in part by a historic brick facade will be fronted with more brick:

I'm a real fan of this development, I think it'll look great when it is finished and is greatly needed in that part of our core.


I heard on the CBC Radio News that Tannery Court is held up once again because the site has been found to have ground contamination and will need to be remediated before any development can continue. I assume that it is spilled fuel in the ground, but I have yet to hear specifics.

[PersonPlaceorThing]

Originally Posted by kwajo

I heard on the CBC Radio News that Tannery Court is held up once again because the site has been found to have ground contamination and will need to be remediated before any development can continue. I assume that it is spilled fuel in the ground, but I have yet to hear specifics.

This will be a good way for the developer to walk away from the deal and save face - the agreement with the parking commission stipulated that the land had to be clean. If they really think there is money to be made (I'm sorry, they're a "non-profit"), they might wait until it is clean, but this sort of work costs a lot and the parking commission may decide its not worth it in the short term

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by PersonPlaceorThing

This will be a good way for the developer to walk away from the deal and save face - the agreement with the parking commission stipulated that the land had to be clean. If they really think there is money to be made (I'm sorry, they're a "non-profit"), they might wait until it is clean, but this sort of work costs a lot and the parking commission may decide its not worth it in the short term

How clean does it need to be for a slab of concrete?

[kwajo]

Well considering Concrete is a very permeable substance, you wouldn't want a residence built on top of soil that will leech petrochemicals into the walls and floors.

[MStuart]

Does anyone know what business is going in by Home Hardware on Loch Lomond Road? Just about where the Irving is located past Tim Horton's on the right side.

[michael_d40]

Commerce Drive could be the new hot spot for east side development
Published Saturday February 14th, 2009

SAINT JOHN - In early March, the first store in what could become the next hot spot for development on the east side will open its doors. Action Truck Caps and Accessories bought 1.5 acres of land on Commerce Drive. The land will become home to a 10,000-square-foot store.

Jason Blanchard of Action Truck Caps and Accessories. The new location on Commerce Drive will open for business early next month.

Jason Blanchard of Action said the new store is twice the size of the old shop on Rothesay Avenue, which the business has outgrown. But it is the area that attracted the business and the traffic that funnels through there.

"It's the place to be," Blanchard said.

He's hoping setting up there will attract other shops to the surrounding land.

"If we go in first, hopefully other people will follow."

The area is already the retail mecca for the city with the city's major shopping mall and big box stores located there.

Coun. Joe Mott said it was just a matter of time before the land where Action is located was developed.

"It's exactly what we need in the city," Mott said.

The economy may be tanking in the rest of the country, but Blanchard said it remains strong here and business is booming allowing retailers such as Action to expand their product lines and hire more staff. Action is adding two more employees to its current staff of five.

"Don't listen to the news," Blanchard said about the flagging economy. "Especially CNN."

Mott agrees.

"It's about time we got our share," the councillor said.

The area Action chose, Blanchard said, was simply prime commercial real estate that was untapped.

Land in the east side retail area is quickly becoming scarce.

"That's probably going to happen in the city - period," Mott said about land being snapped up for commercial development.

But in the midst of a deepening economic crisis elsewhere, a land shortage in the city can only mean good things, Mott said.

"We've got some catching up to do."

Hodges Hamm of Re/Max is one of the real estate agents representing the three developers who own 75 acres of land on both sides of Commerce Drive stretching up the hill behind McAllister Place and toward Loch Lomond Road.

Two retailers, Hamm said, are currently looking at the site. He said they first have to get over an environmental hurdle. A wetland, which was created by flooding and not natural to the area, has led to the developers having to negotiate with the provincial Environment Department.

"We want to be friendly developers," Hamm said. "We're not looking to upset anyone or the environment."

Hamm said the area eventually will be home to commercial development.

"Once that's resolved, we'll be pushing ahead with a couple of other projects," Hamm said, although the details are a closely guarded secret.

Ken Forrest, commissioner of planning with the city, said retailers decide what area is best for them. "Where they want to go depends on their catchment area and what they need to make a go of it."

The area is zoned commercial/business park and was to be the home of Costco, but the retailing giant decided to locate near the East Point Shopping development instead.

[kwajo]

The area is zoned commercial/business park and was to be the home of Costco, but the retailing giant decided to locate near the East Point Shopping development instead.

Ummmm, no, they were forced by DoE to not build there because of the wetland. The only way any retailer will be allowed to build on that land is if they can prove that their impact on the wetland is unavoidable, and even then they'll have to do wetland compensation work to create or enhance wetland elsewhere. Action Truck Caps built their location up the road a bit above the marsh, and all that area is fine toward Loch Lomond, but anything lower behind McAllister is going to take a lot of work to get approval for.

Two retailers, Hamm said, are currently looking at the site. He said they first have to get over an environmental hurdle. A wetland, which was created by flooding and not natural to the area, has led to the developers having to negotiate with the provincial Environment Department.

Not natural? The whole damn East side was built on a marsh, go look at aerial photos from before McAllister Place was built, there was open water there with Majors Brook running right through. And how did "flooding" cause it? If I'm not mistaken it was the construction of the other retail buildings and parking lots that have forced that wetland into its current state. I'm sorry but this was one of the least factual TJ articles I've read in a while.

[mmmatt]

Originally Posted by michael_d40

Jason Blanchard of Action Truck Caps and Accessories. The new location on Commerce Drive will open for business early next month.

Awesome! Go Action

[Helladog]

Mayor mentions raises parking prices
February 13, 2009 - 2:27 pm
By: Jeff Lansing News 88.9 Staff

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Mayor wants to encourage outlying residents to use the Comex service.

Ivan Court is talking about raising the cost of parking in the city's uptown.

The mayor says there are 40-thousand residents in outlying communities who travel into Saint John to work.

Speaking on Maritime Morning, Court says they use the city's infrastructure, but don't help pay for repairs.

Court says increases to the cost of parking might be required.

"If they are going to come and they aren't going to use the Comex service," Court said. "Maybe we do have to increase the cost of parking in parking garages and so on."

Court says road tolls are not the answer because the tolls on the Harbour Bridge are a sore spot in the city.

In the past, Councillor Bill Farren has pushed to charge a levy to outlying residents who work in Saint John.

I would think parking prices would be set by market demand, not through outright price changes. I'd be in support of selling surface lots to developers which would raise the price of parking by reducing supply. Saying outsiders aren't paying their fair share won't make any friends in the valley.

There are better ways of doing the same thing and with fewer words.

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by Helladog

I would think parking prices would be set by market demand, not through outright price changes. I'd be in support of selling surface lots to developers which would raise the price of parking by reducing supply. Saying outsiders aren't paying their fair share won't make any friends in the valley.

There are better ways of doing the same thing and with fewer words.

Well said. I agree the city councillors and mayor need to be a lot more careful about what they say when it comes to the whole issue of city vs. suburbs, because all they're going to do is drive more people away.

[PersonPlaceorThing]

Originally Posted by kwajo

Well said. I agree the city councillors and mayor need to be a lot more careful about what they say when it comes to the whole issue of city vs. suburbs, because all they're going to do is drive more people away.

I agree with them raising the prices, just with less rhetoric. Their prices are now too low for private developers to include parking in developments. If you build a large apartment building, you are taking a big financial hit due to the required parking in the south end.

[Helladog]

Originally Posted by PersonPlaceorThing

I agree with them raising the prices, just with less rhetoric. Their prices are now too low for private developers to include parking in developments. If you build a large apartment building, you are taking a big financial hit due to the required parking in the south end.

Well Court is famous for not watching his tongue. This council definately needs some lessons in diplomacy.

[thebrad]

On track for 200 pages! Congrats boardmembers.

[michael_d40]

Just a random piece of info. I was going thru the drive thru @ Starbucks at Eastpoint today, and I seen the vacant spot next to them were looking for franchisees for a new place called "Wok Box" The only other one in this area just opened at Dartmouth Crossing. Went to their website. It looks like a decent place. www.wokbox.ca

[thebrad]

Wok Box is way overpriced for what it is. Ive been to one in Manitoba and one in Regina. Wayyyyyy overpriced for a chain to do what it does.

[michael_d40]

Time will tell...

[Sabien]

I just noticed that East Point Shopping has added the illustration to their website that shows (presumably) how they hope the development will look when its completed. I'm not sure if this is the same illustration that they used in the past and then removed when the Costco deal was put on pause. I remember seeing some illustrations on their site last year and then the disappeared. I don't think the old picture was as complete. I hope the reappearance indicates some positive news!

http://www.eastpointshopping.ca/

I have always loved seeing artist conceptions of construction projects.

[michael_d40]

Originally Posted by Sabien

I just noticed that East Point Shopping has added the illustration to their website that shows (presumably) how they hope the development will look when its completed. I'm not sure if this is the same illustration that they used in the past and then removed when the Costco deal was put on pause. I remember seeing some illustrations on their site last year and then the disappeared. I don't think the old picture was as complete. I hope the reappearance indicates some positive news!

http://www.eastpointshopping.ca/

I have always loved seeing artist conceptions of construction projects.

hmm, If your referring to the picture on the main page (bottom right) Its been there for several months now... No changes...