Official Fredericton, NB projects thread

[InterestedObserver]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

The Aquatic Centre would likely follow along the terms of the arenas..inside and outside resident fees for use.

I don't think this will be the case, because I think the new Aquatic Centre will be a partnership with UNB.

I have a feeling (and maybe heard through the grapevine) that there was a reason a new pool wasn't included in the new Kinesiology building announced last week, and it has to do with the fact that the whole Currie Centre itself was "sold" to Richard Currie on the fact that it would be one large healthy/active living community at the bottom of campus.

The current Currie Centre, the upcoming Kin building, and a new aquatics facility (my guess, by 2020).

[InterestedObserver]

Originally Posted by OliverD

I'm surprised it isn't opening until 2018; I wonder if that's a misprint.

I'd say it is, there is work underway already.

[InterestedObserver]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Considering we have such a good pair of examples in the Maritimes, I wonder if it might be worth having a discussion thread here (or in the Canada section) discussing the Pros and Cons of 2-3 cities (NB) vs 1 major city (NS).

Some would argue NS has two...Sydney and Halifax.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by Franco401

The Centennial Building, while architecturally nice, should be torn down and replaced. The parking lot and side yard are a waste of space with a parking garage right across the street, the whole building is surrounded by a dead lawn that contributes nothing, and the exterior is spoiled by the unattractive penthouse and deteriorated exterior.

The parking would probably be necessary (or at least justified) if the building was operating at capacity. It's too bad the Centennial Building doesn't have underground parking since it's a decent sized footprint.

I'm sure that the surface parking and "dead lawn" could be improved as part of a refurbishment.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by InterestedObserver

Some would argue NS has two...Sydney and Halifax.

Sydney may be a reasonably large conurbation, but no one would argue that it is "co-dominant" with Halifax as the alpha city in NS.

Halifax is 4X larger than CBRM, and is the provincial leader in just about every economic, political, academic and professional sphere that you can possibly think of.

In NB on the other hand, the "big three" only differ in size by 40-50% from one another, and they each have their own particular strengths contributing to a provincial whole. Co-dominance exists here in a way that does not exist in either NS or PEI.

In NS, if you want to be a leader in your profession, commune on a daily basis with your equals and be in a position to effortlessly conduct business deals, you must live in Halifax. In NB on the other hand, you have choices.

What does the NS paradigm mean for greater Sydney - it means torpor, senescence and gradual decline. It has been this way for the last 100 years and will not change in the foreseeable future.

[cl812]

Originally Posted by OliverD

This month's PAC agenda has a proposal for the corner of King and Northumberland and it's great: A three storey mixed use building with underground parking, ground floor retail (Home Hardware), and 16 apartments. Only downside is a lot of surface parking but that's to be expected for this type of business.

http://www.fredericton.ca/sites/defa...enda-pac_1.pdf

I see the PAC approved this project on Wednesday evening. Does it still need approval from Council?

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by cl812

I see the PAC approved this project on Wednesday evening. Does it still need approval from Council?

I think so but council doesn't go against the PAC often. Since they've already begun repairing the old foundation at that site I wonder if they intend to start construction before the end of the year.

[Freddypop]

Regent Street overpass expected to open next week...weather depending!

http://www.capitalfm.ca/local-news/2...ation-minister

[Twinkies]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

Regent Street overpass expected to open next week...weather depending!

http://www.capitalfm.ca/local-news/2...ation-minister

Its raining today, there's another week.

[OliverD]

Weather for next week is looking good though.

[McKay]

Originally Posted by Franco401

Kingswood is actually a great building, the problems with are

a)Indoor malls, particularly is downtown areas, are on the decline, leading to an empty, useless ground floor
b)Poor interaction with the street, particularly next to the bus terminal with the shitty blue pillars and crumbling sidewalk
c)lack of sorefronts
d)The tower portions could use a good cleaning.

I agree with these four points, but what makes you describe it as a great building? I really struggle to find anything especially good about it, but perhaps I'm missing something.

The Centennial Building, while architecturally nice, should be torn down and replaced. The parking lot and side yard are a waste of space with a parking garage right across the street, the whole building is surrounded by a dead lawn that contributes nothing, and the exterior is spoiled by the unattractive penthouse and deteriorated exterior.

The building, notably the exterior finish, does need some work. Given its historical significance, I'd argue for preserving (and restoring) it rather than replacing it. Among its charms is the considerable patch of green space (which I would argue is much more than dead lawn) in front of it. Look at the front of Chancery Place for a less pleasant alternative.

I don't love the penthouse either, but one author (I wish I could remember who) argued that the Centennial Building is architecturally linked to the Legislative Assembly Building, with the sandstone side walls, the vertical lines and symmetry on the front elevation, and with the penthouse as an analogy to the dome. I don't know if that's what the architect was actually thinking or if it was only the writer's interpretation of things, but it's an interesting thought.

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by McKay

I agree with these four points, but what makes you describe it as a great building? I really struggle to find anything especially good about it, but perhaps I'm missing something.

In short, it's Fredericton's only piece of Brutalist architecture and it subscribes to the movement without all the flaws that made Concrete a dirty word in design circles.

The tower portions have lots of setbacks allowing them to feel very open, not to mention creating a striking geometric phenomenon. The brick parts have an excellent texture to them and the large windows everywhere give a very modern feel. Even the concrete parts will shine like new with a bright white colour given a wash.

[KnoxfordGuy]

View from Sir Howard Douglas Hall to Christ Church Cathedral in 1865:

2016-09-26_03-43-05 by James McGrath, on Flickr

There are small traces that tell you this is Fredericton haha. It was a different world.

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by KnoxfordGuy

View from Sir Howard Douglas Hall to Christ Church Cathedral in 1865:

2016-09-26_03-43-05 by James McGrath, on Flickr

There are small traces that tell you this is Fredericton haha. It was a different world.

Very cool find. You can see farm fields that are just being developed today. You can even see the outline of the reserve and the paths that would become Brunswick and George streets.

[Freddypop]

According to the news city council voted this evening to sell the Brunswick Street Parking Garage to Ross Ventures for $1.85 million. A new $16 million "futuristic" 5 story office tower to be built

http://www.capitalfm.ca/local-news/2...ment-agreement

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

According to the news city council voted this evening to sell the Brunswick Street Parking Garage to Ross Ventures for $1.85 million. A new $16 million "futuristic" office tower to be built

http://www.capitalfm.ca/local-news/2...ment-agreement

Do you mean in place of the parking garage?

Edit: I see this is beside the garage. Interesting.

[Freddypop]

Besides the new building the parking garage will be upgraded as well. But the spaces will be mostly for the use of the building complex. That means the city must have another parking facility on the horizon to replace this for general use/government workers. Could it be part of Playhouse 2.0 or something build as part of a larger project by Irving at Regent and Queen? City has disguised this as a "parking study". Gotta figure there is a plan in play here

[Taeolas]

Looks like an interesting and very modern looking building; especially for the Freddy core. Hopefully there won't be too much resistance to the appearance. I heard the CBC interview about it this morning, and Yerxa did say it's going to be a very "Love it or Hate it" type of development. Personally, I think I'm liking it, and being away from the more 'classic' buildings along Queen street should make it more acceptable. (It'll be compared and contrasted to the more 'modern' buildings next to it like Kings Place and the BMO building).

5 stories probably isn't tall enough to warrant another tower crane, but it will bring some good density in that area.

[cj6286]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

Besides the new building the parking garage will be upgraded as well. But the spaces will be mostly for the use of the building complex. That means the city must have another parking facility on the horizon to replace this for general use/government workers. Could it be part of Playhouse 2.0 or something build as part of a larger project by Irving at Regent and Queen? City has disguised this as a "parking study". Gotta figure there is a plan in play here

Actually government is phasing out parking. Lots of uproar in Kings Place for losing their own parking garage and Brunswick Street. They have to park at the market and it's very tight there apparently. I guess it's a good way to get them to take the bus to work? It would be nice to see the owner of Kings Place to rebuild the parking garage. That's what they should have done in the first place rather than just making it smaller.

[Twinkies]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Looks like an interesting and very modern looking building; especially for the Freddy core. Hopefully there won't be too much resistance to the appearance. I heard the CBC interview about it this morning, and Yerxa did say it's going to be a very "Love it or Hate it" type of development. Personally, I think I'm liking it, and being away from the more 'classic' buildings along Queen street should make it more acceptable. (It'll be compared and contrasted to the more 'modern' buildings next to it like Kings Place and the BMO building).

5 stories probably isn't tall enough to warrant another tower crane, but it will bring some good density in that area.

So far all the comments on the cbc webstite are against the project. I shouldn't expect nothing less.