[Saint John] Uptown Thread

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

[IMG] image upload[/IMG]

I am very happy to see this building going up - the streetscape looking up Germain is great.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by darkharbour

This building is going to end up looking fantastic, not to mention its credentials as a passive building, non-profit housing, and street front retail. Phenomenal local architectural talent on display, and local builders. What a great development - now we just need another half dozen similar ones spread across our urban core to really make a difference in housing and streetscape quality.

For sure - some thought is really being put into new developments adding to the city’s character. We’ve come a long way from the past of building ugly steel boxes

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

Huge chunk of land next to Agar Place that extends from Waterloo to City Road was just bought. Adam is this the location of the project you mentioned?

No, we acquired 202 & 208 Waterloo (and 8 Middle) a month or so ago. And got a pretty good deal, I think.

That's one monster lot, and with extremely challenging topography.

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

No, we acquired 202 & 208 Waterloo (and 8 Middle) a month or so ago. And got a pretty good deal, I think.

That's one monster lot, and with extremely challenging topography.

Interesting - nice to see that end of Waterloo primed for development - Adam, can you say what your plans are? The other end of Waterloo is going to be a challenge as long as that Tim's and the methadone clinics are in place.

[adamuptownsj]

Sure. 46-50 unit (5-7 accessible) loft style mixed income with precisely eight parking spaces. We plan on building with absolutely no front setback. 6 floors. It won't be as architecturally exciting as the Wellington, or as I would like, but whatever!

[UptownJeff]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Sure. 46-50 unit (5-7 accessible) loft style mixed income with precisely eight parking spaces. We plan on building with absolutely no front setback. 6 floors. It won't be as architecturally exciting as the Wellington, or as I would like, but whatever!

Great news - nice to see some density coming to that area!

[ColSJ]

Further to the post I made about that land acquisition on Waterloo I see the Agar Place Property and a small lot next to has been bought for $7.5 million. I wonder who’s buying this property and what for?

[adamuptownsj]

Looks like there is finally work under way at 2 Dorchester, which Trailway bought to convert into a pub and taproom during Covid, IIRC.

I saw a crew in there drywalling at lunch.

[ColSJ]

I’ve noticed there are no listing for the Queen Square townhouses on realtor.ca. Have they all been claimed or is this project on hold? Lumber is dropping so it would be a good time to go in and start construction.

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Looks like there is finally work under way at 2 Dorchester, which Trailway bought to convert into a pub and taproom during Covid, IIRC.

I saw a crew in there drywalling at lunch.

I was at ESL across the street earlier today and I could see that Trailway has done a nice job opening up the corner entranceway, which is a very encouraging sign for the redevelopment of that building.

[JakeNB]

Great story today on CBC about the old courthouse theatre project- https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-b...ions-1.6554007
This will be a great addition to the uptown.

[Pugsley]

Originally Posted by JakeNB

Great story today on CBC about the old courthouse theatre project- https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-b...ions-1.6554007
This will be a great addition to the uptown.

Agreed, cannot wait to see it finished. Should be a great catalyst for more growth around King's Square as well. I like the idea of the bright and modern wine bar/cafe overlooking the square. We need more unique dining or bar options like that. Can't all be dank pubs or cafe's tucked into lanes and alleyways. LOL

[cdnguys]

Key Industries is terminating the parking lot on the corner of Queen and Charlotte leased to city for parking. City says it’s to be “leveraging viable opportunities to generate alternate/new sources of revenue”. Sounds like there will be an announcement for a housing project.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

Key Industries is terminating the parking lot on the corner of Queen and Charlotte leased to city for parking. City says it’s to be “leveraging viable opportunities to generate alternate/new sources of revenue”. Sounds like there will be an announcement for a housing project.

Now it's basically the dumps on Charlotte and Harding plus Victor Train's city block left. Lots of things cooking in this area. I hope the city takes the prominence of this lot seriously.

Key Industries should have been built elsewhere, but still central, in the first place (off Crown maybe) but we gotta live with it, I guess. I was a little surprised to see them write a letter to the city complaining about Historica's project next door 'stealing their light'. Light manufacturing beside a park is about as bad as crappy little temporary playgrounds and parking lots beside parks.

[UptownJeff]

I see third reading will hit Council tonight. I suspect it will be approved and I do like the new renderings of the proposed park.

[adamuptownsj]

A prime corner lot should not be used for a temporary and cheap playground (with like eight parking spaces) on a blind hill, up like fifteen feet of retaining wall. There could be a major project on this corner overlooking the Burial Grounds. Instead Council is getting conned into going against PlanSJ, the Central Peninsula Action Plan, and debatably the PlaySJ Parks strategy. Most of the area under consideration is going to be parking and 'access' to the south face of the parking garage for presumably maintenance reasons.

JDI said they explicitly don't want any non-Irving properties to abut their land, so we should just demolish the rest of that block of King East at the same time. This is suburbanization of the South end like 30 years after we learned to stop suburbanizing our core. Basic urban design principles refute building a crappy little park across from an existing park. If they wanted a playground for 'the children' they would have sponsored one at Chown or something.

I'm not as sold on the value of specific house on the corner as others, but the fact of the matter is a multi-billion dollar company acquired it in the 1996, added it to the King East Heritage Area in 2007, along with its now-demolished neighbours, and now wants praise and support for spending $0 on maintenance since acquiring it. They are not being 'good actors' in this scenario, other community projects aside.

[ColSJ]

^^^

Agreed on that one

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

A prime corner lot should not be used for a temporary and cheap playground (with like eight parking spaces) on a blind hill, up like fifteen feet of retaining wall. There could be a major project on this corner overlooking the Burial Grounds. Instead Council is getting conned into going against PlanSJ, the Central Peninsula Action Plan, and debatably the PlaySJ Parks strategy. Most of the area under consideration is going to be parking and 'access' to the south face of the parking garage for presumably maintenance reasons.

JDI said they explicitly don't want any non-Irving properties to abut their land, so we should just demolish the rest of that block of King East at the same time. This is suburbanization of the South end like 30 years after we learned to stop suburbanizing our core. Basic urban design principles refute building a crappy little park across from an existing park. If they wanted a playground for 'the children' they would have sponsored one at Chown or something.

I'm not as sold on the value of specific house on the corner as others, but the fact of the matter is a multi-billion dollar company acquired it in the 1996, added it to the King East Heritage Area in 2007, along with its now-demolished neighbours, and now wants praise and support for spending $0 on maintenance since acquiring it. They are not being 'good actors' in this scenario, other community projects aside.

All of this.

[adamuptownsj]

Thanks guys. I'm definitely to the right/pro-business side of things but this is an egregious little game JDI's playing here. There is no rationale to let them convert residential lots facing a premier public space into anything other than mixed-use. Their argument was literally 'let us do what we want or we will be forced to do nothing and insurance sure is expensive'. Incredible to hear this from a major local employer. They have vacant lots everywhere and already tried this pocket park crap on another prominent corner recently: Union and Waterloo across from the Golden Ball.

Why they haven't sold things off for substantial profits or set up an 'Irving Developments' division, I have no idea. Likewise, I have no idea why an otherwise decent corporate citizen treats uptown like a punching bag.

And I don't begrudge anyone paying as few taxes as possible, for the record. Not into an Irving pile-on outside of this set of issues.

[Pugsley]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Thanks guys. I'm definitely to the right/pro-business side of things but this is an egregious little game JDI's playing here. There is no rationale to let them convert residential lots facing a premier public space into anything other than mixed-use.

What I don't understand is why didn't they just renovate the structure and use it for their own purposes. It could have been a sustainability centre or museum. They could have fully retrofitted it, and used it as a drop in centre to learn about JD Irving, woodlands, sustainability, etc. Basically, they could have done lots for the community besides destroying it as a heritage structure and putting up a park.