The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[Taeolas]

Very ambitious indeed. Looking at the building and neighbourhood on Street view, it does seem feasible, but a 12-14 story building there might feel a bit out of place. On the other hand, it's only a block or so away from the Irving HQ in one direction, and an 18? story tower on Germain street, and similar tall towers in the area, so it should be fine.

Being right next door to Saint John Market may bring the NIMBY folk out more in force.

I hope for the best for them, and hope the NIMBY folk don't affect it too much.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Being right next door to Saint John Market may bring the NIMBY folk out more in force.

I hope for the best for them, and hope the NIMBY folk don't affect it too much.

Given that this property has been empty for a decade and given that nobody lives directly around the property I don't actually envision there being much fight from the NIMBY community. If they were demolishing and replacing there would certainly be some fight.

We've been waiting so long for this property to be developed that I think most will be glad to see something being done. It's been a blight for far too long.

We'll have to wait until we see some renders but I remain hopeful that NIMBYs won't actually come out for this. If anything, the City Market directly benefits from having 100+ new residents living directly next door.

[Fischbob]

Great to see some movement and an ambitious proposal for 91 King - King's Square could definitely use the boost in residents living nearby.

I see the developer has also purchased 22 King, and plan on doing a condo conversion of the upper floors almost immediately. From the Huddle article:

The renovated building at 22 King Street will include a commercial tenant on the main floor and mezzanine level. It will also include several condos – some on the second floor and then two-floor “loft condos” on the third and fourth floors with spiral staircases connecting the two floors.

...

There will be a gym in the basement and a “guest room” for guests of the condo owners who need the extra space. There will also be a concierge in the main entrance who will serve both the commercial client and the condo owners. On the rooftop there will be a large communal area with a shared garden, chairs and tables, a large surface-level chess and checkers board, and a putting green.

...

Chang and Riley have ambitious plans, but they say their renovation targets are manageable. The commercial space will be ready for occupancy by the end of May. They have two potential businesses interested in that space, and one of them needs to be in a new office by June 2.

They’d like to have the loft condos ready for occupancy by the end of August.

All good news for residential density in the Uptown.

[Franco401]

I don't think it would be out of place either. I'm being generous with height, but here's a 10-storey addition.

[CdnEh]

I'll dive head first into Marsh Creek if this whole "adding 11 floors to 91 King" ever translates to reality.

A small-time developer? Adding 11 floors? To a 50+ year old building? That has sat vacant for a decade? In a city with low-demand as it is?

• Video Link

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by CdnEh

I'll dive head first into Marsh Creek if this whole "adding 11 floors to 91 King" ever translates to reality.

A small-time developer? Adding 11 floors? To a 50+ year old building? That has sat vacant for a decade? In a city with low-demand as it is?

• Video Link

Demand is high uptown. My friends searched for 3 months just for a decent apartment and were willing to spend $2000 a month. A family member wanted to move from Quispamsis to uptown but gave up looking. The new apartments at 28-32 King St. you have to be placed on a wait list. There is a high demand for condos / apartments in the 1-2K range

[Wolkenkratzerliebhab]

Originally Posted by CdnEh

I'll dive head first into Marsh Creek if this whole "adding 11 floors to 91 King" ever translates to reality.

A small-time developer? Adding 11 floors? To a 50+ year old building? That has sat vacant for a decade? In a city with low-demand as it is?

• Video Link

I would think that if they, the developers, can easily afford to pay millions just to acquire these buildings, they can also afford to develop them. 55 - 60 units would not be all that difficult to sell. I'm sure that they have the connections and the know how, after years developing in Vancouver to get the job done. http://huddle.today/saint-john-real-estate-board-believes-housing-market-will-keep-growing-2018/

I also hope that Marsh Creek won't be too cold when you dive in, headfirst, because even though you might be right, I have this gut feeling that this one might just work out.

Saint John could use some good news for a change and I think that the tide is about to turn. The new Irving tower is bringing a lot more interest to the area and I think this won't be the only good news, as I'm hoping for more, a lot more good news in the future, such as the new call centre in the former Sears call centre quickly adding up to 500 plus jobs, etc.

[magee_b]

They also did say "up to 11 floors". Could easily just end up being 5-6 (which would still be great!), or none, once they actually dive into it.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

Demand is high uptown. My friends searched for 3 months just for a decent apartment and were willing to spend $2000 a month. A family member wanted to move from Quispamsis to uptown but gave up looking. The new apartments at 28-32 King St. you have to be placed on a wait list. There is a high demand for condos / apartments in the 1-2K range

I can see this. The King's Square area in particular could be quite high demand, especially with the proximity of the new Irving HQ. I imagine the new Saint John will rebuild from the inside out, ultimately refurbishing the entire uptown peninsula area. It could become quite the ideal urban precinct. My prediction for the remainder of the older parts of the city are a little more guarded however.

[ColSJ]

Just some positive things happening in Saint John...
Refurbishment of 3 Union Street
Refurbishment of 158 Union Street
5.5 Million Dollar 40 Unit Mixed Income Apartment Complex (Old Jelly Bean Location)
50+ Million Dollar Museum (Coast Guard Site)
Irving Parking Garage Leinster Street
Opening of the new Irving HQ which will bring hundreds of new employees uptown.
Mixed Income Apartment Complex 31 Cliff Street
East Saint John Field House (Exhibition Site)
205 Million Dollar Container Terminal Modernization
Digby Terminal Upgrade
Martello Tower Refurbishment
UNBSJ Expansion (Not confirmed but possibility)
91 King Street Development (Multi- Million Dollar Development & Addition to our skyline)
Air Canada 227 New Jobs
Nordia 140 New Jobs
S&P Data Branch 400 New Jobs
East Link new Saint John Location
Many new restaurants, stores, business and apartments opening uptown.
*Also could someone tell me about whats going on with the dry docks, I'm hearing rumors that there's plans to reopen it for ship building but no credibility to it so far.

And if I could just respond to CdnEh comment. These people aren't from Saint John. We've never seen their work in person. With that being said these are anything but an optimistic saint john developer who gets way over their head. This development is very real.

[Southpaw78]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

Just some positive things happening in Saint John...
Refurbishment of 3 Union Street
Refurbishment of 158 Union Street
5.5 Million Dollar 40 Unit Mixed Income Apartment Complex (Old Jelly Bean Location)
50+ Million Dollar Museum (Coast Guard Site)
Irving Parking Garage Leinster Street
Opening of the new Irving HQ which will bring hundreds of new employees uptown.
Mixed Income Apartment Complex 31 Cliff Street
East Saint John Field House (Exhibition Site)
205 Million Dollar Container Terminal Modernization
Digby Terminal Upgrade
Martello Tower Refurbishment
UNBSJ Expansion (Not confirmed but possibility)
91 King Street Development (Multi- Million Dollar Development & Addition to our skyline)
Air Canada 227 New Jobs
Nordia 140 New Jobs
S&P Data Branch 400 New Jobs
East Link new Saint John Location
Many new restaurants, stores, business and apartments opening uptown.
*Also could someone tell me about whats going on with the dry docks, I'm hearing rumors that there's plans to reopen it for ship building but no credibility to it so far.

And if I could just respond to CdnEh comment. These people aren't from Saint John. We've never seen their work in person. With that being said these are anything but an optimistic saint john developer who gets way over their head. This development is very real.

Thanks for this compilation! I had been trying to keep in my head all that's been going on in SJ recently, mostly the Uptown, and had also been thinking of putting something similar together to post.

A few others:

1 Charlotte Street (refurbishment)

New vegan restaurant opening in former Burgerology location

"Moncton lawyer expands to Saint John - "where the action is" at 115 Prince William https://www.telegraphjournal.com/greater...sis-personal-injury?source=story-rotator

[Ire Narissis]

The Digby ferry terminal is being upgraded?

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Ire Narissis

The Digby ferry terminal is being upgraded?

https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/federal-gove...rove-saint-john-ferry-terminal-1.3681031

"The federal government will be spending $5.7 million for wharf improvements at the Saint John ferry terminal to ensure the safety of passengers travelling between the Port City and Digby, N.S."

[ColSJ]

http://huddle.today/trampoline-park-to-open-in-saint-john/

It’s extremely popular for people in Saint John to drive to Moncton to go to their trampoline park but those days will soon be over! I’m sure it will do great, plus a great addition to Parkway Mall.

[Ire Narissis]

Originally Posted by JHikka

https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/federal-gove...rove-saint-john-ferry-terminal-1.3681031

"The federal government will be spending $5.7 million for wharf improvements at the Saint John ferry terminal to ensure the safety of passengers travelling between the Port City and Digby, N.S."

Aahhh, I remember now! Actually, wasn't that work scheduled to be done concurrently with the ferry maintenance, which would mean it should have been happening over the last few months? Anyone been out that way to have a look?

I wonder if they were upgrading the terminal building itself at all, or just installing the new fenders and calling it a day. It would be nice if they'd modify the ramp structures somehow to create proper pedestrian access into the ferry.

[NB_ExistsToo]

From my understanding, they were planning on making walk-on ramp usable again, at least that's what I was told by a few staff on board on my last trip.

They're at least doing maintenance to two ferry terminals as well as the ferry.

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by Ire Narissis

Aahhh, I remember now! Actually, wasn't that work scheduled to be done concurrently with the ferry maintenance, which would mean it should have been happening over the last few months? Anyone been out that way to have a look?

I wonder if they were upgrading the terminal building itself at all, or just installing the new fenders and calling it a day. It would be nice if they'd modify the ramp structures somehow to create proper pedestrian access into the ferry.

The work at the terminal has definitely been going on over the Winter, you can go down there now and see all the heavy equipment on-site. Not sure what the upgrades are precisely, but it looks mostly structural to the wharf itself, which is always expensive and time consuming.

[Franco401]

Has any more word come forward about the museum? When they announced the location at the Coast Guard site, they wanted to start construction this spring, but we still don't even know what it's supposed to look like yet.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Franco401

Has any more word come forward about the museum? When they announced the location at the Coast Guard site, they wanted to start construction this spring, but we still don't even know what it's supposed to look like yet.

It's an election year. Gallant wants to keep this project in the public eye. Announce the new museum early and announce it often. Expect more announcements when the render is revealed, when the tender is issued, when the ground is broken, etc, etc, etc...........

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

It's an election year. Gallant wants to keep this project in the public eye. Announce the new museum early and announce it often. Expect more announcements when the render is revealed, when the tender is issued, when the ground is broken, etc, etc, etc...........

Personally, I have absolutely no confidence that this will be built. The "closing" of the land deal happens the day after the upcoming provincial election. My prediction - if Gallant wins, there will all of a sudden be no money to move forward. Another carrot to try and suck in the Saint John voters. They should add 2 floors to Market Square and keep the museum there. Where is the 100 million dollars coming from? The Feds are certainly not going to kick in 50m and the Provincial MasterCard is maxed out!