[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[BlackYear]

Finally got an angle on the Victoria block apartment project.

[BlackYear]

Here's an interesting photo using the magic of a long lens. Sorry, I didn't use a tripod, I'll need to go back and redo one day for a sharper image.

I was standing across from Vaughn Harvey looking east down St George st. Notice the tallest building in far background. Believe it or not, that's Horizon Place in Dieppe. I know, crazy. It had be baffled when processing in Photoshop.

[flyer99]

Originally Posted by Lrdevlop

I haven't posted here in years, but I really needed to pronounce myself on this one. I am SO disappointed as well by the design of this building.

Moncton is in dire need of some great architecture, but it seems like developers are now all turning to this Spitfire firm for the design of their buildings, which lacks any type of creativity or curb appeal.

If you look at all the buildings they designed in Moncton so far, they all follow the same formula of two to three color tones used on a third or half of the building, then some grey stone as an accent somewhere. Very often the same colors, the same materials across the buildings.

Honestly, it looks like someone designed a home, then put it in some software that follows a formula and turns it into a building just based on specs entered.

It's cheap, it's uninspired. Makes me sad to see this happening all over the city. The last thing I want to see is the city filled with this bunch of similar-looking, generic buildings built to look only slightly better then the old vinyl clad buildings we used to see, because of one firm's formulaic process.

Sorry for the rant - but I've been meaning to post this ever since I started seeing all the new projects sporting the same bland look.

Developers need to level up their game and find inspiration elsewhere too.

I don't often post but I have to weigh in on this one. I am in the camp of getting away from these cheap looking, cookie cutter apartment complexes. I am also against cheap prefab wooden buildings. We need more concrete and steel buildings like Vaughn Harvey and Main, 55 Queen and the new one in Dieppe. The apartment at the corner of Botsford and St, George is terrible. I could have designed that and I have no architectural experience. And the siding materials placed on these new projects is terrible and lack any creativity whatsoever.

I agree that we need more downtown area development but at what cost? Cannot we have better designed buildings made of better materials. I agree its "Maritime Cheap". I've been watching the construction of the apartment building at Victoria Street block. Pure wooden prefab. Another square, cookie cutter building. Where is the ingenuity? Where is the architectural complexity? Oh yes, it's all about building cheap and charging high.

Perhaps go back to using true architectural firms, not a "Spitfire", a company that uses computers to spit out a terrible design. But these complexes will be fully rented. Monctonians wanting to live downtown will essentially pay anything. I am lucky to live in a concrete and steel building but when an "old-time" renter moves out the rent for that apartment is increased a full 40%. It's all about $$$$$. It irks me because I love architecture, good architecture, and we are not getting this these days except for a couple of buildings here and there.

End of rant. Sorry if this raises the hackles of many here. I had to get this out.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by flyer99

I don't often post but I have to weigh in on this one. I am in the camp of getting away from these cheap looking, cookie cutter apartment complexes. I am also against cheap prefab wooden buildings. We need more concrete and steel buildings like Vaughn Harvey and Main, 55 Queen and the new one in Dieppe. The apartment at the corner of Botsford and St, George is terrible. I could have designed that and I have no architectural experience. And the siding materials placed on these new projects is terrible and lack any creativity whatsoever.

I agree that we need more downtown area development but at what cost? Cannot we have better designed buildings made of better materials. I agree its "Maritime Cheap". I've been watching the construction of the apartment building at Victoria Street block. Pure wooden prefab. Another square, cookie cutter building. Where is the ingenuity? Where is the architectural complexity? Oh yes, it's all about building cheap and charging high.

Perhaps go back to using true architectural firms, not a "Spitfire", a company that uses computers to spit out a terrible design. But these complexes will be fully rented. Monctonians wanting to live downtown will essentially pay anything. I am lucky to live in a concrete and steel building but when an "old-time" renter moves out the rent for that apartment is increased a full 40%. It's all about $$$$$. It irks me because I love architecture, good architecture, and we are not getting this these days except for a couple of buildings here and there.

End of rant. Sorry if this raises the hackles of many here. I had to get this out.

When you say it's all about the $$$$, you hit the nail on the head.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

When you say it's all about the $$$$, you hit the nail on the head.

With the Higgs plan to gradually roll back the double taxation on rental properties, perhaps things will improve. There will be at least less of a penalty for developers wanting to have more innovative (therefore higher tax assessment) properties.........

[KnoxfordGuy]

That dirt parking lot in the foreground; is it going to be an apartment building? Or just a crappy parking lot?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by KnoxfordGuy

That dirt parking lot in the foreground; is it going to be an apartment building? Or just a crappy parking lot?

I am not aware of any plans.

[MonctonRad]

Looking at this image, It really makes that little "jog" on Archibald Street at St George stick out like a sore thumb.

The brick building on the NW corner of St George/Archibald had been undergoing renovations several years ago, but the renovations abruptly stopped (I remember a rumour of the discovery of some structural issues at the time which made further renovations uneconomical). This building has been derelict ever since, and at street level, it is becoming an eyesore.

I wonder if the time has come to tear this building down, and reconfigure Archibald Street to remove this little street offset.

It is a pain to navigate this intersection if you are travelling south on Archibald, because the offset makes it more difficult to cross St George Street (especially when traffic is busy). This intersection also probably should be signalized.

Archibald continues south to Queen Street, and to the north, it turns into Universite Avenue, passing by the Dumont Hospital, the Gulf Fisheries Centre, has an interchange with Wheeler Blvd and continues on to the UdeM campus. It could become a north/south connector for the downtown core if given a little love.

Thoughts anyone???

[Ifyoubuildit]

Originally Posted by flyer99

I don't often post but I have to weigh in on this one. I am in the camp of getting away from these cheap looking, cookie cutter apartment complexes. I am also against cheap prefab wooden buildings. We need more concrete and steel buildings like Vaughn Harvey and Main, 55 Queen and the new one in Dieppe. The apartment at the corner of Botsford and St, George is terrible. I could have designed that and I have no architectural experience. And the siding materials placed on these new projects is terrible and lack any creativity whatsoever.

I agree that we need more downtown area development but at what cost? Cannot we have better designed buildings made of better materials. I agree its "Maritime Cheap". I've been watching the construction of the apartment building at Victoria Street block. Pure wooden prefab. Another square, cookie cutter building. Where is the ingenuity? Where is the architectural complexity? Oh yes, it's all about building cheap and charging high.

Perhaps go back to using true architectural firms, not a "Spitfire", a company that uses computers to spit out a terrible design. But these complexes will be fully rented. Monctonians wanting to live downtown will essentially pay anything. I am lucky to live in a concrete and steel building but when an "old-time" renter moves out the rent for that apartment is increased a full 40%. It's all about $$$$$. It irks me because I love architecture, good architecture, and we are not getting this these days except for a couple of buildings here and there.

End of rant. Sorry if this raises the hackles of many here. I had to get this out.

Agreed 100% that we need better architecture and design, but keep in mind City development charges have increased 2-300% in the last couple years, cost of construction and materials has increased dramatically, limited construction labour, city demands on developers giving land for public purposes, increasingly larger property setbacks, etc. Worse of all, the nicer the building you construct, the higher the taxes. Lastly, New Brunswickers have the lowest income to pay rent. Maybe a tax discount vs. punishment should go to developers that take the up front risk and costs to build architecturally designed, energy efficient and sustainable buildings. Design quality may then change.

[David_99]

When asked about what would be replacing the old Paramount theatre, Ashford mentions the possibility of a BrewPub with the new building having a glass wall facing south. No other details unfortunately.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by David_99

When asked about what would be replacing the old Paramount theatre, Ashford mentions the possibility of a BrewPub with the new building having a glass wall facing south. No other details unfortunately.

They mentioned in the past that the development would front on Westmorland Street. They could still have the south side as a glass wall which would be really cool. I believe that they also are keeping the section on Main Street next to Mama's. I'd be OK if they decided to tear that down too and replace it with something nicer.

Haven't heard anything about plans for this year about the giant parking lot behind Assomption place. And they also purchased the old jail.

[lirette]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

They mentioned in the past that the development would front on Westmorland Street. They could still have the south side as a glass wall which would be really cool. I believe that they also are keeping the section on Main Street next to Mama's. I'd be OK if they decided to tear that down too and replace it with something nicer.

Haven't heard anything about plans for this year about the giant parking lot behind Assomption place. And they also purchased the old jail.

I'd be all for Mama's moving into the location where applewood used to be. I like the idea of having a pizza spot right on a "corner". Plus there is 2 bars right there.

On the topic of people being concerned around the lack of creativity on building designs to save money..I don't think the economic impact of the corunavirus is quite being understood yet. We very well could be heading into an economic depression or in the very least recession. All bets could be off in the next few years to expect companies to be forking out extra money for resdential buildings that no one is in a situation to afford.

Of course I hope to be wrong and we see this thing get under control over the next month and return to normal life with minimal impact to the maritime provinces...but given that over 60000 people have applied for the CERB and 38000 service industry jobs impacted I'd say we are going to feel some impacts.

[BlackYear]

Westmorland Street

[BlackYear]

Looking East Main st toward Dieppe.

[BlackYear]

East Main st from a different angle.

[BlackYear]

Clos

[BlackYear]

Five Five Queen

[BlackYear]

Seven Seven Queen

[MonctonRad]

Excellent photos as always BlackYear.

I particularly like this one:



This perspective hints as to what downtown Moncton could be with increased density. There is a lot of visual layering in this photo.

It would be really nice if we knew what Ashford's plans for the old Paramount are. There is a lot of potential in this lot.........

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

renders

It reminds me of the new buildings in Halifax suburbs around 2010, or a relatively tasteful Edmonton project. Though this specific project isn't the pinnacle of design in Moncton, things seem to be on a good trajectory overall, and this would be above-average for many Canadian cities.