[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[jonny golden]

I wonder if there's anything going on behind the scenes with the Vaughan Harvey & Main building? Or is it dead in the water?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

I wonder if there's anything going on behind the scenes with the Vaughan Harvey & Main building? Or is it dead in the water?

I think there are several possibilities:

1) - the contractor is having supply chain issues and/or difficulty finding available workers or subcontractors. (most optimistic possibility).
2) - the controversy surrounding the 1333 Main proposal became so toxic, that the developer has decided to lie low for a while and let things blow over.
3) - the developer has decided that it just isn't worth his while dealing with hostile neighbours and has decided to walk away. Given that he has already invested considerable money purchasing the property, doing design work and getting necessary permits and approvals, one would presume he would sell the land and the drawings as a package to a new developer (much like what happened with St. Bernard Square). If this is the case, once a purchaser is found, the project might proceed in several years time, and, hopefully the new proponent would have the intestinal fortitude to ignore the protestations of the tomato people.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I think there are several possibilities:

1) - the contractor is having supply chain issues and/or difficulty finding available workers or subcontractors. (most optimistic possibility).
2) - the controversy surrounding the 1333 Main proposal became so toxic, that the developer has decided to lie low for a while and let things blow over.
3) - the developer has decided that it just isn't worth his while dealing with hostile neighbours and has decided to walk away. Given that he has already invested considerable money purchasing the property, doing design work and getting necessary permits and approvals, one would presume he would sell the land and the drawings as a package to a new developer (much like what happened with St. Bernard Square). If this is the case, once a purchaser is found, the project might proceed in several years time, and, hopefully the new proponent would have the intestinal fortitude to ignore the protestations of the tomato people.

Wouldn't it be ironic if a new developer purchased the property and built a 12 storey building! I just hope we don't see a 6 floor wood frame building on this very prominent corner.

[MonctonRad]

Infinity Aerials has posted some new drone shots of the current status of the new Codiac RCMP headquarters building:





The second shot is nice for showing the burgeoning downtown Moncton skyline.

Now imagine in five years time, with five new buildings between 15-20 storeys in height populating the skyline. This could very well happen.

[MonctonRad]

Nothing development related, but CBC had this picture of PSAC strikers picketing at Assumption Place posted with their story about the end of the strike today. I just thought the perspective was neat.

[new kid in town]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I think there are several possibilities:

1) - the contractor is having supply chain issues and/or difficulty finding available workers or subcontractors. (most optimistic possibility).
2) - the controversy surrounding the 1333 Main proposal became so toxic, that the developer has decided to lie low for a while and let things blow over.
3) - the developer has decided that it just isn't worth his while dealing with hostile neighbours and has decided to walk away. Given that he has already invested considerable money purchasing the property, doing design work and getting necessary permits and approvals, one would presume he would sell the land and the drawings as a package to a new developer (much like what happened with St. Bernard Square). If this is the case, once a purchaser is found, the project might proceed in several years time, and, hopefully the new proponent would have the intestinal fortitude to ignore the protestations of the tomato people.

Originally Posted by jonny golden

Wouldn't it be ironic if a new developer purchased the property and built a 12 storey building! I just hope we don't see a 6 floor wood frame building on this very prominent corner.

Oh I was looking forward to seeing that 10 storey building. It would be a shame if it's yet another 6 floor structure. I think we have a lot of those already. Is there a city law/fee that restricts most structures here when it comes to having 6 storeys?

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by new kid in town

Oh I was looking forward to seeing that 10 storey building. It would be a shame if it's yet another 6 floor structure. I think we have a lot of those already. Is there a city law/fee that restricts most structures here when it comes to having 6 storeys?

Wood-framed building max height.

[new kid in town]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Wood-framed building max height.

Thanks!

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I think there are several possibilities:

1) - the contractor is having supply chain issues and/or difficulty finding available workers or subcontractors. (most optimistic possibility).
2) - the controversy surrounding the 1333 Main proposal became so toxic, that the developer has decided to lie low for a while and let things blow over.
3) - the developer has decided that it just isn't worth his while dealing with hostile neighbours and has decided to walk away. Given that he has already invested considerable money purchasing the property, doing design work and getting necessary permits and approvals, one would presume he would sell the land and the drawings as a package to a new developer (much like what happened with St. Bernard Square). If this is the case, once a purchaser is found, the project might proceed in several years time, and, hopefully the new proponent would have the intestinal fortitude to ignore the protestations of the tomato people.

Re labour shortages:

There was an interesting article in todays newspaper stating that the province has introduced a new carpentry co-op program. It's geared towards international students but is open to anybody.

It includes a paid 22 week placement with a New Brunswick construction company. NBCC in Saint John and Dieppe will be delivering the program.

Interestingly the story said that all together, there are about 92 seats in the carpentry program across the province.

[BeeTeeOH]

News on 1333 Main!

After crunching numbers and looking at the market the developers decided to go with a 6 storey building - render below.

At ten storeys, they be $100,000/unit more expensive than the Three Sisters, and the only other option was to go up to 14 storeys to make it financially viable - which would be a gamble with the city and delay the project another year.

Still looks like a great building, and a great addition to the area!




https://imgur.com/gNyPEtJ

[MonctonRad]

Could be worse. What does JC stand for???

[David_99]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Could be worse. What does JC stand for???

Justice for Cherry tomatoes, I assume.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by David_99

Justice for Cherry tomatoes, I assume.

How about "Jesus Christ, I can't believe I had to scale back my intital proposal jsut because of a friggin' tomato garden.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Is there anything the city can do at this point? I wish they would have only approved the project as a 10 storey building. I also don’t understand how it’s all the sudden not viable. Why propose 10 storeys is you can’t build it when given the option. It’s very frustrating as this is a very prominent corner in downtown.

[MonctonDowntown]

I do have some concerns about the ground floor glazing. Looks to be opaque glass and not vision glass!!?

As well, there is no commercial on the ground floor it appears, which is very suboptimal. This is downtown yet residential only is very suburban.

[MonctonGoldenTri]

I hope the building across the street will be increased to 14-15 stories... ������ disappointing.

[NBNYer]

Originally Posted by MonctonDowntown

I do have some concerns about the ground floor glazing. Looks to be opaque glass and not vision glass!!?

As well, there is no commercial on the ground floor it appears, which is very suboptimal. This is downtown yet residential only is very suburban.

Complete with a front lawn, white siding and electrical substation right on the corner. This building belongs in the suburbs but instead will stand for decades at downtown's main intersection because of a tomato plant. If downtown construction projects require 14 storeys to be viable, than so be it. Mindsets are not changing fast enough to counter the coming housing crisis.

[adamuptownsj]

Ouch. Classic Spitfire job. Should make it tomato red at least.

I'm usually pretty sympathetic to reasonable NIMBYs but this is a massive downgrade. They're now going to get a cheaper uglier lower-rent building than what was planned, still in their backyards.

[ColSJ]

Originally Posted by MonctonDowntown

I do have some concerns about the ground floor glazing. Looks to be opaque glass and not vision glass!!?

As well, there is no commercial on the ground floor it appears, which is very suboptimal. This is downtown yet residential only is very suburban.

If you zoom in on the ground floor window to the left of the corner “commercial” is written on the top.

[BeeTeeOH]

I emailed the developer who said that the footprint being so large was the main reason for the excess cost in construction. It would require many more concrete pours and a longer timeline to finish. A taller, slimmer building is much more economical than a short fat one, is what I understand. But then to make the numbers work, they would have to go up to 14 storeys, which would require doing battle with my neighbours again. I don't believe the NIMBY's won here... it's an issue of budget and ROI.

I imagine these renders are not costed out, or even engineered before the building is pitched. They're just concepts. It will still have commercial on Main St.