[Moncton] Downtown Developments

[Monctoncore]

It’s good to see this, St.George street has some lovely business’s on it, but it gets very little attention. It fits as a secondary Main St. I want to see more development along it and between it and Main.

[lirette]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

From today's T&T:





Full article:
https://tj.news/city-hall/st-george-street-upgrades-will-take-several-years-city (paywall)

The entire length of St. George from King to Vaughan Harvey will be rebuilt. Work isn't expected to begin until 2026.

I've been parking on St George since Avenir Centre opened, if they proceed with this, one thing they really need to do is improve the lighting on some of the side streets. Even Highfield which is a major street is nearly pitch blackat night. The street lights on some of these side streets seem to do very little.

I'd love to see St George become a more bustling version of what it is. One of the downsides of downtown Moncton compared to say Saint John, is lack of anything outside of Main St.

[MonctonRad]

CBC article about the upcoming work on St. George Street:

Moncton plans to rebuild St. George Street, add bike lanes, cut on-street parking
City says work on downtown street expected to start in 2026 and continue several years

Shane Magee · CBC News · Posted: Nov 28, 2023 4:17 PM AST | Last Updated: 5 hours ago
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-bruns...street-construction-bike-lanes-1.7042017

This article includes a couple of interesting explanatory graphics:


The city plans several phases for the St. George Street work, starting with storm water pipes in 2024 near Jones Lake and in 2025 along Main Street. (City of Moncton)


The plans call for separated bike lanes along St. George Street from Vaughan Harvey Boulevard to Church Street, where it would become a multi-use path on one side of the road. (City of Moncton/EXP)

Sorry lirette, but you're going to have to find some other place to park your car:

The plans would slash on-street parking from 134 spaces to 59.

I would image almost all the lost parking spaces will be west of Church Street, where the plan is for unidirectional protected biking lanes on both sides of the street. This is also the main commercial section of St. George Street. I imagine local small business owners will be most displeased.

[Colouratura]

I wonder though how businesses on St. George will feel about less parking on front of their businesses? I don't shop along there much because of that and I don't walk the area on foot because of being approached by people on the street.

Unrelated...
I saw an ad on Facebook Marketplace for 2 floors of business space on Main St. It is the space where Bayside Barbers currently is. Says available Feb 2024.

[jonny golden]

Baton Rouge - There's a mobile crane working on site and the structural steel is taking shape. They're making good progress. It'll be quite the transformation from what was there before.
I won't say anything about all the vacant Aquilini land that's available behind this project though. I promise.

[Sandbagger]

Originally Posted by lirette

I've been parking on St George since Avenir Centre opened, if they proceed with this, one thing they really need to do is improve the lighting on some of the side streets. Even Highfield which is a major street is nearly pitch blackat night. The street lights on some of these side streets seem to do very little.

Agreed on this. I'm really hoping they also take the opportunity to bury the power lines from Vaughn Harvey to Botsford which would make a huge difference visually. Even up to Lutz or the train tracks would be great.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Sandbagger

Agreed on this. I'm really hoping they also take the opportunity to bury the power lines from Vaughn Harvey to Botsford which would make a huge difference visually. Even up to Lutz or the train tracks would be great.

The burial of the power lines (at least on St. George Street) is a given.

lirette is entirely correct about the poor quality of the street lighting on side streets in the downtown core, including Highfield which should be a major connector between St. George & Main. This is frankly a civic embarrasment and should be immediately addressed.

As for the loss of on street parking on St. George, I wonder if the local businesses could pressure the city into building a small parking garage in the neighbourhood to make up for this. The lot where Wesley United Church formerly stood is still vacant................

[jnaygull]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The burial of the power lines (at least on St. George Street) is a given.

lirette is entirely correct about the poor quality of the street lighting on side streets in the downtown core, including Highfield which should be a major connector between St. George & Main. This is frankly a civic embarrasment and should be immediately addressed.

As for the loss of on street parking on St. George, I wonder if the local businesses could pressure the city into building a small parking garage in the neighbourhood to make up for this. The lot where Wesley United Church formerly stood is still vacant................

I think the premise of the added biking lanes is to make the St George area more pedestrian. I doubt the city will be building parking garages anytime soon anywhere in the city. That being said, a future developer may be encouraged to include excess underground parking themed into whatever new developments are built in that area.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

Baton Rouge - There's a mobile crane working on site and the structural steel is taking shape. They're making good progress. It'll be quite the transformation from what was there before.
I won't say anything about all the vacant Aquilini land that's available behind this project though. I promise.

I drove by there today on the strength of your post to see what is going on, and can confirm that the first of the structural steel, closest to the Crowne Plaza itself has been installed. As previously suspected and announced on the forum, this building will indeed be two storey. The rumour is a sports bar format on the ground level and fine dining on the second level.

[jonny golden]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I drove by there today on the strength of your post to see what is going on, and can confirm that the first of the structural steel, closest to the Crowne Plaza itself has been installed. As previously suspected and announced on the forum, this building will indeed be two storey. The rumour is a sports bar format on the ground level and fine dining on the second level.

Just the business from the hotel itself should really help this restaurant flourish, and of course the business generated by the Avenir center on game nights.

Although two floors doesn't seem large scale, it'll make a much bigger impact than if it was only one storey.

[Monctoncore]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

Just the business from the hotel itself should really help this restaurant flourish, and of course the business generated by the Avenir center on game nights.

Although two floors doesn't seem large scale, it'll make a much bigger impact than if it was only one storey.

It will also look better than what was there before. I just hope they don’t go suburban with the look. I wish there were renders

[jonny golden]

The new Baton Rouge (two floors) will absolutely be an improvement over the run down building that was there before. It's also nice to see new life being breathed into the old bus terminal next door. It's great to see that this block will have a new vibrancy to it

There's also the new building under construction on the grubby vacant lot at the corner of Vaughan Harvey & Main. When all of these projects are completed, the neighbourhood around the Avenir Center will be much improved.

Should I mention the elephant in the room? The vacant Crombie building at 1222 Main Street.

[MonctonRad]

Finally, Finally, we have official confirmation:



We have known about this, and talked about this on SSP for over two years now. It's a relief to finally see the truth has been revealed officially.

Summer 2024 is only 7-8 months away. They have a lot of work to do!!!

Let's see some actual renders!!!

[Monctoncore]

It was shared by the GM of the hotel, so maybe he will share them, or keep it private. We will see!

[MonctonRad]

They have nearly completed paving and curbing the reconstructed Westmorland Street downtown. It should be opening within the week.

[MonctonRad]

They have finished pouring a very solid looking concrete pad in front of the old bus station (soon to be "The Bunker" golf simulator and sports bar). This is destined to be an outdoor patio for the business. I love how they have saved the existing trees on the property and will incorporate them into the patio area.


Thanks to Jeff Boucher for sending me the photo

You can see the structural steel going up for the Baton Rouge in the background. The synergy between The Bunker and Baton Rouge next door will be fantastic!

Just think about it:
- Monck 10
- Carrabbas
- Baton Rouge
- The Bunker

Would any of these businesses exist without the Avenir Centre?

- Hyatt Place Hotel
- Hilton Garden Inn

Would either of these two hotels exist without the Avenir Centre???

I hope the naysayers from about 8-10 years ago are ashamed of themselves......

[Monctoncore]

I’m curious, it must be an outdoor patio area, because they left the trees. Maybe more than just a indoor golf bar?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Monctoncore

I’m curious, it must be an outdoor patio area, because they left the trees. Maybe more than just a indoor golf bar?

The Bunker in Ottawa also serves a limited menu in addition to the bar itself. Perhaps the Moncton location is going to be a little more ambitious. Maybe they are going to try and cater to Avenir Centre traffic too. This would make sense.

[David_99]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I hope the naysayers from about 8-10 years ago are ashamed of themselves......

Yeah, what a “white elephant” that Avenir turned out to be! /s

[BlackYear]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I hope the naysayers from about 8-10 years ago are ashamed of themselves......

Naysayers: "Avenir still has no parking. Millions lost and wasted. There was nothing wrong with the Coliseum with all that free parking. They could have placed Carrabbas, Baton Rouge and the fake golfing in Highfield Square where there was plenty lease space available and lots of FREE parking. City dropped the ball."

Yup, they're drinking their Coors Light on a Saturday night and are complaining about everything. No vision for the future, no aspirations in upgrading their beer choices.