[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[Riberview]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Pretty sure it was inactive.

The front part was the co-op garage. Closed.
Rear of building is Northumberland dairy's warehouse/distribution.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by Riberview

The front part was the co-op garage. Closed.
Rear of building is Northumberland dairy's warehouse/distribution.

It will be a while before Lafford develops this property, so they should be good until they eventually have to move. Unless of course they already had plans to relocate.

[Leroy321]

I passed by the land that Lafford just bought I don’t know if there using it as storage but there is wood supplies on the land

[MonctonRad]

There's an article in the T&T today regarding the Three Sisters project, and in it, Lafford confirmed that he has purchased the old Worker's Co-op Garage and the Northumberland milk distribution building across the street on the south side of Assumption Blvd. He says plans for this property are "in the works."

Knowing the scale of the Three Sisters (3 x 15 storeys) and the obvious high quality of his work, I have little doubt that whatever he has planned will be of similar quality and scale here. Anything up to 20 storeys is possible.

This plot of land also is highly desirable. It is pretty much the only remaining land available on the south side of Assumption for development, since everything else south of Assumption is reserved for parkland. As such, residents of any apartment building built here would have enviable and essentially unparalleled access to the Riverfront Park and it's trail system, as well as a greenway leading directly to the downtown core.

I foresee a high quality and impressive building being built here, and one that will be very popular, and one that will be fully leased very quickly. Perhaps Lafford will start even before the Three Sisters is complete....................

[lirette]

Man that property is such an eye sore going down assumption. What a transformation that will be for the entire street scape. With access to the riverfront trail and views of the river, proximity to aveniretc, that property will be very desirable for condos.

[jonny golden]

I wonder if Lafford would consider doing condos for resale, or will he stick with the rental apartment model? I guess we'll find out eventually.

[SevenSquared]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

I wonder if Lafford would consider doing condos for resale, or will he stick with the rental apartment model? I guess we'll find out eventually.

I sure hope so.

You'd think with the way the city and its demographics are rapidly changing, there would be very strong demand for reasonably-priced, mid-range urban condos.

I know they don't appeal to a lot of people who grew up here who don't mind everything that comes along with owning a detached home or semi, but between the new blood and the local retirees downsizing I can't imagine why downtown condos wouldn't sell like hotcakes.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by SevenSquared

I sure hope so.

You'd think with the way the city and its demographics are rapidly changing, there would be very strong demand for reasonably-priced, mid-range urban condos.

I know they don't appeal to a lot of people who grew up here who don't mind everything that comes along with owning a detached home or semi, but between the new blood and the local retirees downsizing I can't imagine why downtown condos wouldn't sell like hotcakes.

I agree that downtown condos would be a hot commodity. Something tells me that he's going to build rental apartments though. That's his history.

[MonctonRad]

Huddle article about Lafford's recent purchase of the Northumberland Dairy building on Assumption:

Moncton’s Next ‘Three Sisters’-Style Development?
SAM MACDONALD, MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK
https://huddle.today/2022/09/22/monctons...gGkpapbG_57ThL38ffTs0VWr0QVAGUjf9iVtQKkY

Lafford said he plans to start development on the property in the next three or four years. He said he’s confident Moncton’s strong demand for housing will persist and that that city has incentivized downtown-core development.

While he was mum on details, Lafford said the land will eventually be home to a similar development as the one he’s working on across the street. He is considering taking advantage of Moncton’s early-stage density bonusing program for developments that include affordable housing units.

“I think it would be the same development as we’re doing here on the Three Sisters. There’d potentially be some commercial on the ground floor and then some tower above with residential,” said Lafford.

Photo of the dairy building, with the first sister in the background, showing the relationship of the two developments.

So, there you have it. Lafford has definite plans for a residential tower on a commercial/retail podium on this land, with construction to begin in 3-4 years (probably). If so, this would be concurrent with construction on the third sister. The site is only large enough for a single tower (IMHO), so I tend to believe the rumour that he might be looking at a 20 storey building to make up for this.

What a change in the neighbourhood!!!

I agree the the substation has to go. If there is going to be substantial development on both sides of Assumption here, then it would be criminal to leave the substation as is. It should be moved to allow development of a commercial/retail street front, to act as a bridge between the Three Sisters and this new development.

[MonctonRad]

Over on Retail Talk & Share, a strong rumour that Baton Rouge may be moving into the commercial podium of the Crowne Plaza Hotel is gaining momentum. Some people responding to the rumour seem to have some insider information:

Moncton: **Rumor alert** So This one keeps popping up. The latest is Baton Rouge is Coming Soon to the main street side of Crown Plaza. It will become the House Restaurant. Rumor says they will take everything from the former tea house down to fadas. There is Construction happening on site now.... Who has some facts??

from what I was told by one of the head chefs, T-Bones will be for breakfast and bus tours. Baton Rouge will be lunch and dinner, with an outdoor patio. They are currently renovating beside us here in the hotel, and they are hoping to start renos here next year.

There were several other supportive comments as well. Personally, I think there might be some validity to this rumour. A location here would be fabulous for Baton Rouge. It would be kitty corner to the Avenir Centre, close to the Hyatt Place, Hilton Garden Inn and the Crowne Plaza, and would complement the other nearby restaurants (Carrabba's and Monk 10) very well.

[jonny golden]

I read that the downtown financial incentive rebate has been approved for the Galco project on the Robinson Street parking lot. We could see this building get underway soon.

[Riberview]

I wonder if Mr Lafford has his eye on the vacant land immediately east of the Northumberland building.

Currently part parking lot/part brush.

Would increase the possible footprint of a new development, substantially.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by Riberview

I wonder if Mr Lafford has his eye on the vacant land immediately east of the Northumberland building.

Currently part parking lot/part brush.

Would increase the possible footprint of a new development, substantially.

That's a good thought. It would make a large parcel of land with considerable street frontage.

Mr. Lafford was quoted in the recent Transcript story saying that plans for the project on this property were already underway. So it sounds like he's just going with the one lot, at least for now. But could he have his eye on this vacant piece of land for another project in the future?

And one has to wonder how much Ashford's plans factor into Mr. Lafford's strategy. Will the downtown apartment market still be as strong as it is today 4-5 years from now?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Over on Retail Talk & Share, a strong rumour that Baton Rouge may be moving into the commercial podium of the Crowne Plaza Hotel is gaining momentum. Some people responding to the rumour seem to have some insider information:

Updated scoop:

I have a very reliable contact, who in turn has a reliable contact who works at the Crowne Plaza (therefore a strong second hand source), and this is the story.

Fahda's Pita Wrap is relocating to the space on the ground floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel currently under renovation. When they move, the entire commercial strip attached to the Crowne Plaza will be torn down, to be replaced by a new building with an enclosed large patio space. This is being done to accommodate a new large restaurant connected to the hotel. The source however did not come right out and say that the new restaurant would be a Baton Rouge, but, the source mentioned in the previous post upthread did indeed make that statement:

from what I was told by one of the head chefs, T-Bones will be for breakfast and bus tours. Baton Rouge will be lunch and dinner, with an outdoor patio. They are currently renovating beside us here in the hotel, and they are hoping to start renos here next year.

So, to summarize, Fahda's is relocating and the current commercial strip attached to the Crowne Plaza is to be demolished to make room for a new building containing a (probable) Baton Rouge restaurant, with an enclosed large patio, and a direct connection to the hotel (it will be the hotel restaurant). Perhaps as part of the project there will even be a new Main Street entrance into the hotel as well. The current entrance off of Highfield is pretty underwhelming. This would be a good opportunity for them to improve the initial visitor impression of the hotel (and have a nice drop off point for tour busses). This latter bit is speculative however.

[MonctonRad]

This is where Fahda's is relocating to. The commercial strip in the distance is going to be demolished, purportedly for a new Baton Rouge restaurant.

[MonctonDowntown]

What do you mean by enclosed patio? Would it be facing Main Street or on the back side facing north towards Campbell Street? I’m not sure I want a stand-alone restaurant at that location. Sounds very suburban. Love to have a restaurant there but in a podium of a large development.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by MonctonDowntown

What do you mean by enclosed patio? Would it be facing Main Street or on the back side facing north towards Campbell Street? I’m not sure I want a stand-alone restaurant at that location. Sounds very suburban. Love to have a restaurant there but in a podium of a large development.

Lots of unknowns here - we are in the very early rumour stage.

I probably shouldn't have used the word enclosed. "Incorporated" would likely have been more appropriate. I imagine it will be Main Street facing, and would be similar in some ways to the patio at the Monk 10 restaurant (fully separated from the adjacent sidewalk behind a wall, perhaps a little elevated).

As to your comment about a podium, this is not excluded as a possibility. We have no idea if we are talking about a single storey building, or a 2-3 storey building that cold serve as an (eventual) podium for a second tower complementing the adjacent Crowne Plaza. This is all still a mystery.

[Monctoncore]

I bet you somewhere amongst all the projects to be approved at city hall this is there waiting to come to the table.

[josh_cat_eyes]

I wonder if they will tare down the old bus depot building that’s in the corner of Bonacord while they’re at it. It would be long overdue.

[jonny golden]

There's a great opportunity for Aquilini to do something special here, especially in light of the magnificent projects they've done in the past. Like MonctonRad mentioned, we're just in the rumour phase, let's wait and see what's proposed.