Posted May 13, 2010, 12:28 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Uptown, Saint John
Posts: 1,686
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kwajo
Yup, Minto  |
Back to current project news:
Quote:
Ground breaks on $12M social housing project
SAINT JOHN - After 30 months of paperwork and negotiating, excavation has finally begun for Abbey St. Andrew Inc., a $12-million housing project of the Church of St. Andrew and St. David.
"It's great to finally see some physical activity," said project chairman Peter Jollymore, "Up until now, it's been two-and-a-half years of paperwork, and seeking approval and support."
The development at the corner of Charlotte and Duke streets uptown is expected to be complete by August, 2011.
The group is led by the United Church of St. Andrew and St. David, whose congregation runs a beautiful old church that will front one side of the development on Germain Street.
The complex will have 96 apartments - 55 subsidized and 41 market-based with rents for a one-bedroom apartment at $845 and $950 per month, heat and hot water included.
NB Housing, Jollymore has been told, has a steady list of about 250 people waiting for subsidized apartments.
"We should be filling those as soon as the complex is completed," he said.
On Wednesday, as Jollymore surveyed the work, he reflected on his frustrations trying to get the project off the ground.
"In dealing with various organizations, the issues and questions they raised have all been quite reasonable," he said. "What I find frustrating is they don't seem to have any kind of time limit on themselves. Having said that, we've ended up with good support in the right places because it has come together and is going to happen."
The project initially featured a design with one level of surface parking and one of underground parking, with four storeys of living space above.
That plan was submitted to CMHC, but had to be revised because of height restrictions.
Then came the financial meltdown, which made it difficult to get an affordable mortgage rate, so the group went back to the drawing board and re-designed the project to include a larger one-level underground parking garage.
"That meant we could start at ground level in terms of the actual apartment complex, so we were able to build four storeys and stay within the height restrictions of the heritage board," he said.
At that point, everything had to be re-submitted to CMHC.
"That process took quite a while and we ended up changing lenders. This past winter, the process has gone reasonably well," Jollymore said.
"The financing is in place, the agreement with NB Housing is finalized and the building permit secured to do the site preparation work. We expect to have the building permit for the actual construction within a couple of weeks."
Debly Construction is doing the site preparation and excavation, while Bird Construction will build the complex.
"It's going to be a quality-looking building and in line with what Leinster Court created, which blends in very well with the neighbourhood," he said, referring to the mixed-income housing development on nearby Leinster Street.
"It's in a great location, you're within walking distance of all of the amenities of downtown Saint John and we're building a good quality product here."
On Charlotte and Duke, at street level, the building's frontage will look a bit like townhouses, Jollymore said, with brick and plank siding. It's in the historic preservation area, and the design had to past the muster of the Saint John Heritage Development Board.
"We're pleased with the support we've received from the neighbours. We involved them in the process early on and they've provided good input and excellent support."
Abbey St. Andrew
* Location: corner of Duke and Charlotte streets, uptown
* Cost: $12-$12.5 million
* 55 subsidized apartments
* 41 market-based apartments
* Rents: $845 and $950 per month
* Completion date: August 2011
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I disagree with the TJ calling this a social housing project when almost half the units are market-rate apartments, but I won't be picky about it because I love this development and I'm thrilled it has finally broken ground. With the Harbourfront Residences also underway, we're looking at a couple hundred new units in the Uptown core, filling up what have been surface lots for decades. That's going to be huge for the neighbourhood, I'm pumped!
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This was a prime not well known, free parking location once the city stoped using it LOL, oh well I'm glad to see this starting as well.
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