The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread - Page 438

kwajo · #**8741** Posted **Apr 16, 2013, 2:25 PM**

Mobile/Mini-home park expansion in Glen Falls

hebertovich · #**8742** Posted **Apr 18, 2013, 7:30 PM**

Did the thread get deleted ?
On another note has anyone heard anything about the Gothic church on Wentworthnow that it was purchased? Drove by yesterday and nothing has changed ? Anyone know wht the developper plans for it ?

JHikka · #**8743** Posted **Apr 18, 2013, 7:41 PM**

The Saint John Suburbs thread is still on the forum. On the main Atlantic Canada forum at the bottom left you can filter the age at which certain threads will show. The default setting is only for threads from the past month, which is why it is not appearing. Filter for two months or a year and you should be able to find it.

hebertovich · #**8744** Posted **Apr 19, 2013, 11:34 AM**

Thanks JH much appreciated

Peter_johnns · #**8745** Posted **Apr 19, 2013, 10:17 PM**

Anyone know if the Fundy Quay new renderings are out yet?

cdnguys · #**8746** Posted **Apr 20, 2013, 2:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_johnns

Anyone know if the Fundy Quay new renderings are out yet?

The last carrot dangled in front of us was to expect an announcement near end of April once contamination testing of site is complete. I'm not expecting anything prior to summer - I believe it was October or November we were told an announcement was imminent within weeks.

Fischbob · #**8747** Posted **Apr 20, 2013, 9:24 PM**

Mel Norton posted the following photo on Twitter--looks like the King Street Second Cup is confirmed!

Source

JHikka · #**8748** Posted **Apr 21, 2013, 7:00 PM**

Photo Update!

Uptown Saint John by: JHikka

Uptown Saint John w/Fort Howe Apartments by: JHikka

Noel Avenue Apartments by: JHikka

Regional & UNBSJ by: JHikka

Technology Drive Apartments by: JHikka

Forbes Drive Construction by: JHikka

KnoxfordGuy · #**8749** Posted **Apr 21, 2013, 8:12 PM**

Great news for the Second Cup uptown. SJ needs more stuff like this uptown...other then Tim's lol

Fischbob · #**8750** Posted **Apr 21, 2013, 8:29 PM**

Great photos Greg! Definitely demonstrates just how many great vantage points there are in the north-central part of the city.

cdnguys · #**8751** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 1:58 AM**

I was told English Butler and Frank's furs are going out of business in B Square. Be a large empty space on level 3. Can anyone confirm?

Wolkenkratzerliebhab · #**8752** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 3:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdnguys

I was told English Butler and Frank's furs are going out of business in B Square. Be a large empty space on level 3. Can anyone confirm?

Sadly, the English Butler for certain is closing. I was there the other day and they are having their final sales. Not sure about Frank's Furs?

Joe · #**8753** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 11:13 AM**

The English Butler is already closed as well as Frank's Furs and Margies Pet Boutique. The space once occupied by City Laundry is still vacant.

JHikka · #**8754** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 5:51 PM**

Council will receive the official proposal tonight for the Shannex property in Millidgeville. Detractors are arguing that the area should be kept "in its natural state as an urban reserve so what's left of the wetland isn't destroyed and this will be a test of the councillors' resolve to adhere to the vision of Plan SJ".....the private land has already been cleared and bulldozed, so the natural aspect is out of the window for that. We'll see how Council deals with PlanSJ. So far the City has received three objections to the development.

MonctonRad · #**8755** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 6:18 PM**

I don't know what there is to object to. It provides needed density for the area, and given the type of clients that Shannex services, I don't foresee too many drunken late night orgies!

I think there are quite enough urban wetlands in all three southern NB cities. I don't think this particular wetland needs any particular special preservation. This is a spurious argument, and the city could just reclaim wetlands elsewhere in the municipality if it were truly an issue.

The only real issue is if there were a better type of development more suited to this (arguably) prime piece of property.

kwajo · #**8756** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 6:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I think there are quite enough urban wetlands in all three southern NB cities. I don't think this particular wetland needs any particular special preservation. This is a spurious argument, and the city could just reclaim wetlands elsewhere in the municipality if it were truly an issue.

That's not strictly true, as the wetland in question was identified in previous commissioned consultant reports as being a priority for stormwater retention because the same watershed further downstream has been the site of numerous flooding events and property damages. In fact, the city is acquiring other sites downstream which were identified in the same report for retention projects that are scheduled for construction in the near future.

That being said, the project proposal includes some volume of retention in a surface pond, which may have been designed to suit the requirements of the city's engineers, I'm not entirely clear on that given that I haven't seen the numbers. I deal with urban wetland issues a great deal and to say that we have enough of them already is very shortsighted given Saint John's history of flooding problems created by improperly-designed projects (hopefully this Shannex proposal is not one of them).

Fischbob · #**8757** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 7:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The only real issue is if there were a better type of development more suited to this (arguably) prime piece of property.

Bingo.

My trepidation with the Shannex proposal moves in the opposite direction of these residents: I want to emphasize that PlanSJ calls for higher density, a greater mix of residential uses, and higher quality urban design by virtue of being in a suburban intensification area. As for wetland preservation and green space, any site plan with even a grain of thought could easily accommodate the best of both worlds. Incorporating elements like smaller residential lots, an actual street network and taller multi-unit and/or mixed use buildings at certain key locations/corridors would enable a larger area for passive recreation and stormwater retention than the current suburban campus proposed by Shannex. I'm quite sure it would make for a larger property tax base, too!

JHikka · #**8758** Posted **Apr 22, 2013, 7:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fischbob

Incorporating elements like smaller residential lots, an actual street network and taller multi-unit and/or mixed use buildings at certain key locations/corridors would enable a larger area for passive recreation and stormwater retention than the current suburban campus proposed by Shannex. I'm quite sure it would make for a larger property tax base, too!

If there were any demand for any of this at the current Millidgeville site I would have to agree with you, but with the market being what it is right projects such as that just seem unfeasible. I posted photos yesterday of the apartment buildings going up and a number of people have asked where we expect to get the people to fill them. I'm trying to be optimistic in believing that they wouldn't be built if there wasn't a market in the first place, but I feel as though after they are completed the apartment/condo/whichever market will be diluted for a bit as they're being filled. There's already going to be an increased number of people living in that general area in Millidgeville as is once those projects are completed and (hopefully) filled with tenants. Once there is more people in the area the need for more development (whether retail, multi-storey, or otherwise) becomes evident.

As for the Shannex project, I personally see nothing wrong with it. I understand PlanSJ calls for suburban intensification areas but I would prefer our urban focus stay with the Uptown Peninsula for the time being. In the long term I agree that the Millidge/University intersection is going to be the focal point of what hopefully becomes a more urbanised Millidgeville. Perhaps the interest in the corner lot adjacent to the fire station will be brought up once more.

I'm not exactly sure if this council should be creating exceptions within PlanSJ for developments such as this. If we keep bypassing a municipal plan which we updated so recently it soon becomes useless.

MonctonRad · #**8759** Posted **Apr 23, 2013, 3:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwajo

That's not strictly true, as the wetland in question was identified in previous commissioned consultant reports as being a priority for stormwater retention because the same watershed further downstream has been the site of numerous flooding events and property damages. In fact, the city is acquiring other sites downstream which were identified in the same report for retention projects that are scheduled for construction in the near future.

Good point kwajo, I didn't think to consider any problems with stormwater retention. That is indeed a valid concern. Still though, an actual retention pond could be built to replace the wetland and this would still allow for development in the remainder of the property.

Shannex would be a good option for this land. Alternatively, high density residential and mixed use commercial might be better, especially given the proximity to the regional hospital and UNBSJ.

WilJai · #**8760** Posted **Apr 23, 2013, 7:45 PM**

Food vendors won't return to Saint John streets until fall...
Mayor Mel Norton says the city cannot change the bylaw to allow mobile food carts on its sidewalks in time for the tourism season. HOWEVER:
Mobile food vendors will be able to sell their food on certain municipally-owned properties, including Loyalist Plaza, where a BeaverTails franchise has already been approved by the Saint John Waterfront Development Corp.