The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[SaintJohner]

That won't come anytime soon, because our vacancy rate is to high, nobody is going to build a big condo project with a 9.7% vacancy rate.

The city's vacancy rate of 9.7 per cent is the worst on a list of 35 major centres, surveyed by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The national average is 2.6 per cent.

Moncton is also reporting a high vacancy rate at 6.7 per cent, but for slightly different reasons.

"This year's a little slower than last and last year was slower than the previous year," said landlord Donald Hazen, whose family owns 400 rental units in Saint John.

Saint John's population isn't growing, but Moncton's is, said Claude Gautreau, CMHC spokesman.

Moncton has also seen new construction.

"It's essentially a supply and demand issue. When you look at Moncton, for example, in this case, the vacancy rate went up in 2012, mostly because supply went up a little bit faster than demand," said Gautreau.

"And when you look at Saint John, it's the opposite, where the vacancy rate is up — not so much because you have an increase in supply — but in this case, it's the other extreme where you actually see demand coming down in 2012."

Projects like that will be on hold for awhile.

Im done with this site.... I came here to read about Saint John, but instead its all about Moncton.. This site is not watched over to well, because if it was people like certain someones would be off this site, instead of the constant S*** disturbing.

The last 5 pages on the saint john thread there are 2 to 4 times per page where we are bashing someone or dealing with some childish talk. This is not a thread about Saint John anymore... it's a thread where we talk about what used to be and then compare ourselfs 20 years ago to cities of today.

End of Rant, done with this site.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

It's frustrating to see Moncton not grow vertically with the tremendous growth.

Outward growth, alone, isn't sustainable. It will eventually end. I feel quite frustrated as well.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Peter_johnns

Maritime cities meaning "on the ocean" so yeah I agree, Halifax, Saint John and St. John's are actually quite beautiful.
cities like moncton are only considered maritime cities by association. lol

This is less of a dig toward Moncton, and more of a criticism toward naming Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI the Maritime Provinces.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Have to grow out before you grow up. Growing out has to reach a point where it is no longer beneficial to live far away given rates and fees and such. At which point, then you start having upward growth in the centre. For Moncton, their outward bounds might be Harrisville or Riverview or they might be Salisbury and Shediac. We'll have to wait and see.

Before broad usage of personal vehicles, vertical growth did not occur after a sprawled mess.

Moncton has long passed the so-called benefits of living far away from the core: the City has infrastructure debt it cannot handle on its own; the City has sprawled public services debt it cannot handle on its own.

The baby boomers are not going to pay off their own debt; therefore, it will be left to their children -- just like the sprawled cities are to be left to their children. The only issue is that their children are mostly moving away.

[Peter_johnns]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

This is less of a dig toward Moncton, and more of a criticism toward naming Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI the Maritime Provinces.

Considering the only cities established at that time were the port cities, I disagree. It is tradition and a fact that these provinces are maritime provinces, being on the coast. Just not all that encompasses these provinces lie along the ocean. I.e. m'ton, f'ton

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Peter_johnns

I would love for developments like this to appear in Saint John

[Peter_johnns]

Anyways...this is a Saint John forum. Keep that in mind. I would like to know what Saint Johners think of the state of the Paramount. Atlantica or even UNB would be perfect tenants since it does not look like it will be developed by Uptown Inc.

[Peter_johnns]

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by Peter_johnns

Anyways...this is a Saint John forum. Keep that in mind. I would like to know what Saint Johners think of the state of the Paramount. Atlantica or even UNB would be perfect tenants since it does not look like it will be developed by Uptown Inc.

I say there is not enough interest in it - look at the passion, fund raising and seeking government funds to renovate Imperial - I don't think that will happen again. We already have a wonderful theatre venue ( that is a bit underused ) why dilute it more with another venue? The owner has a history of buying distressed properties - many become parking lots but its on a heritage street so he would need approval to make it a parking lot. Good location for apartment building should demand pick up.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

Before broad usage of personal vehicles, vertical growth did not occur after a sprawled mess.

Moncton has long passed the so-called benefits of living far away from the core: the City has infrastructure debt it cannot handle on its own; the City has sprawled public services debt it cannot handle on its own.

The baby boomers are not going to pay off their own debt; therefore, it will be left to their children -- just like the sprawled cities are to be left to their children. The only issue is that their children are mostly moving away.

I was speaking about homeowners themselves, not municipal governments. The municipalities themselves are aware of the problems (at least Saint John is) and are doing what they can to try to aid in the fight against sprawl (PlanSJ).

Originally Posted by SaintJohner

Im done with this site.... I came here to read about Saint John, but instead its all about Moncton.. This site is not watched over to well, because if it was people like certain someones would be off this site, instead of the constant S*** disturbing.

The last 5 pages on the saint john thread there are 2 to 4 times per page where we are bashing someone or dealing with some childish talk. This is not a thread about Saint John anymore... it's a thread where we talk about what used to be and then compare ourselfs 20 years ago to cities of today.

End of Rant, done with this site.

You've only been here for like two weeks. Although the conduct of this thread has decreased in that time I wouldn't even call this the worst that we've seen. We've gone through some pretty rough patches on this forum when it comes to bickering and nay-saying.

[Peter_johnns]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

I say there is not enough interest in it - look at the passion, fund raising and seeking government funds to renovate Imperial - I don't think that will happen again. We already have a wonderful theatre venue ( that is a bit underused ) why dilute it more with another venue? The owner has a history of buying distressed properties - many become parking lots but its on a heritage street so he would need approval to make it a parking lot. Good location for apartment building should demand pick up.

From what I hear it wouldnt be a venue to rival the Imperal. But personally I would like to see the Atlantica school move to the paramount to really assert their place uptown.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Peter_johnns

From what I hear it wouldnt be a venue to rival the Imperal. But personally I would like to see the Atlantica school move to the paramount to really assert their place uptown.

IIRC the idea was to have the Imperial host travelling acts and the Paramount would host local talent and shows. As of right now there isn't a really good, solid venue for local bands and musical talent to perform outside of places like bars and high school auditoriums. The Paramount, under that proposal, would have been altered to support a stage or two for local acts and performances as well as a school/camp-environment for acting and performance. With this proposal Atlantica could definitely slide into the Paramount in some way or another quite easily.

[Peter_johnns]

Originally Posted by JHikka

IIRC the idea was to have the Imperial host travelling acts and the Paramount would host local talent and shows. As of right now there isn't a really good, solid venue for local bands and musical talent to perform outside of places like bars and high school auditoriums. The Paramount, under that proposal, would have been altered to support a stage or two for local acts and performances as well as a school/camp-environment for acting and performance. With this proposal Atlantica could definitely slide into the Paramount in some way or another quite easily.

A move like that would help the school itself in huge ways. A good environment for students in the uptown, and have more room to expand.

[CdnEh]

I really don't care what is done with the Paramount theatre, as long as they do SOMETHING with the building.

I'll cut a bitch if I see a parking lot at King Square.

[Peter_johnns]

Even if it becomes a parking lot. It wont be for long. As said before, we are in the bust section of our constant "boom and bust" cycle. King Sq. will flourish. There are many major things being talked about seriously that will spring huge growth to SJ. The East West highway through Maine would incredible things for the port and the city. The West East pipeline of course will be huge also. People need to understand that ports especially in the west but the eastern seaboard too, are becoming over crowded with very long wait times for shipping. A port like Saint John more so than any other is poised for huge growth in the future. Once these things come into fruition the city then needs to diversify and solidify the strength of Saint John. Big things are in the works people.

[WharfRat]

I believe the NB/PQ highway thru Maine will be very beneficial for SJ, the port has been showing strong numbers lately, but the East/West pipeline is no where near a reality. Both Trans Canada and Encana have stated they have no plans for a East/West pipeline. Alward wants one and Oliver has stated it would be great for NB and Canada, but no federal money would be made available for this project. The East/West pipeline may really be just a pipedream...which is very unfortunate!

[Peter_johnns]

Originally Posted by WharfRat

I believe the NB/PQ highway thru Maine will be very beneficial for SJ, the port has been showing strong numbers lately, but the East/West pipeline is no where near a reality. Both Trans Canada and Encana have stated they have no plans for a East/West pipeline. Alward wants one and Oliver has stated it would be great for NB and Canada, but no federal money would be made available for this project. The East/West pipeline may really be just a pipedream...which is very unfortunate!

For the pipeline I feel as though it may not be if but when. Maybe not now, but down the road. It is almost inevitable

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Peter_johnns

For the pipeline I feel as though it may not be if but when. Maybe not now, but down the road. It is almost inevitable

Let's review some factors in play...

- Quebec, including Premier Pauline Marois, is expressing interest in the west-to-east pipeline, with it ending at the port of Montreal.

- The world wants to stop using fossil fuels, and this desire will strengthen as the effects of Rapid Climate Change hinder economic growth.

- The Americans are hellbent on getting their north-to-south pipeline approved; their alternative route, around the sensitive Nebraskan watershed has been declared safe by state governments, despite the science showing otherwise.

- Protests in Canada and around the world regarding the protection of the environment/economy (you cannot separate the two) are likely to increase.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by WharfRat

I believe the NB/PQ highway thru Maine will be very beneficial for SJ.

This could be the case.

Political opposition against a Maine highway would be from northern New Brunswick. Without vehicle traffic driving through the north, stopping at gas stations, stopping at restaurants, stopping at hotels, the economy of the north would decline even more dramatically.

We'll see what ends up happening. In any case, the strongest population growth in the Maritimes for the long-term will likely be in Halifax -- and at that distance from Quebec, people most often do not desire to drive; therefore, from this perspective there is little reason to invest so much money into the development of a new, non-Canadian highway, when people simply fly to locations in Central Canada.

[thefishingnut]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

This could be the case.

Political opposition against a Maine highway would be from northern New Brunswick. Without vehicle traffic driving through the north, stopping at gas stations, stopping at restaurants, stopping at hotels, the economy of the north would decline even more dramatically.

We'll see what ends up happening. In any case, the strongest population growth in the Maritimes for the long-term will likely be in Halifax -- and at that distance from Quebec, people most often do not desire to drive; therefore, from this perspective there is little reason to invest so much money into the development of a new, non-Canadian highway, when people simply fly to locations in Central Canada.

The impetus for the new road is truck traffic, not cars. Cutting a few hours off the trip from the Maritimes to central Canada for transport trucks would be huge.