Official Fredericton, NB projects thread

[OliverD]

Big funding announcement for water and sewer projects: https://www.canada.ca/en/office-infrastr...water-and-wastewater-infrastructure.html

The Government of Canada is investing more than $14.6 million. The Government of New Brunswick is contributing over $12.1 million and the City of Fredericton is funding more than $9.7 million.

[Bishop2047]

Originally Posted by OliverD

Big funding announcement for water and sewer projects: https://www.canada.ca/en/office-infrastr...water-and-wastewater-infrastructure.html

Going to be needed with so many new areas joining the city post amalgamation.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by Bishop2047

Going to be needed with so many new areas joining the city post amalgamation.

I'm not sure they intend to extend services to those areas though.

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by OliverD

I'm not sure they intend to extend services to those areas though.

Agreed. Will help service the planned densification of the city ie NBEX development and replace upgrade old pipes/infrastructure

[Freddypop]

11th Mile's Coastline Pizza is making progress. Signage for both it and their partner Half Cut Brewery is now up. I believe the planned opening is in early July. On another note, Que Padre is opening next week according to the radio advertisements

[Pugsley]

Originally Posted by OliverD

I agree that the synergies with the convention centre and hotels are important, but the downsides are losing the current Playhouse as a performance venue for two years or so, and the encroachment onto St. John Street. I also think that the area around Regent and King would really benefit from a more prominent building in place of the empty space and 1-3 storey buildings that are there now.

It would also be interesting to see how the existing facility could be redeveloped, perhaps also offering synergies with the convention centre and the hotels.

I wasn't suggesting that they keep that corner the way it is. Just that if they chose the playhouse site, it would be better suited for multi-purpose use and would aesthetically look fabulous kitty corner to the new Beaverbrook. The area is already more institutional/cultural, so not having any street level retail there works. Whereas the King/Regent site is better served as a commercial space.

Frankly, I liked the original plan of having the courthouse at the old Centennial building as opposed to being on King across from NB Power. Had it stayed there, it could have been an entire zone of cultural and institutional buildings.

But since that ship has sailed, I'd hate to see more of that stretch loose any more commercial space. I hope someone looks at that entire piece of land as a residential/hotel mix with commercial on the man floor along Regent and half of King. It would be a great downtown addition, and if the arts centre was connected to the convention centre, the potential demand for bigger conferences might warrant another hotel at King/Regent.

Also, I can't imagine more than a year or two of lost theatre space which could easily be filled by the Ecole Saint Anne or other smaller theatre spaces in the interim.

[MonctonRad]

As an outsider, I would prefer the existing Playhouse location as well.

I like the idea of an "arts district" on the riverfront (Playhouse, Beaverbrook Art Gallery), immediately adjacent to the legislature and the government precinct.

It just seems like something one might expect in a capital city.

In Charlottetown you have the Confederation Centre immediately adjacent to Province House and the George Cole Building (historic government office complex). Same idea.

[Taeolas]

Remember, the Courthouse and the nuPlayhouse are only intended to take up the King street side of the lot.

The Brunswick side (including the part along Regent) is intended for Commercial/Residential higher density construction. So once the first two projects are going well, we'll probably see the last of that parking lot pulled up and hopefully something substantial (8-10 stories) going up there.


So on a different note, Denny's is looking to expand into Atlantic Canada big time, including 5 new stores in the major cities within the next year or so. Freddy is pretty much guaranteed to be one of them, so where would it go?

* 2NC has plenty of space, but is way too far from the highway for the first location. I could see a second Denny's there once we grow enough to support it, but not yet.
* Downtown doesn't really have any room, and probably isn't big enough for them to consider; they'll want the highway access/Hotel access
* Corbet Centre is full with no restaurant pads left.
* I don't see Regent giving up any parking lot space for it, but it may be tempting.
* Vanier Highway/Allison Boulevard might be a remote chance, if they're looking at how the area plans to be developed.
* Maybe somewhere along Bishop would fit, and would probably be the most likely location. There are enough hotels in the area for that to make sense.
* The old Daily Gleaner building might be a spot they're considering. But cleaning up the site would probably be way too expensive for them (and ideally the city probably wants something more than a diner on that location, even if the lot is split into multiple parts)

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

So once the first two projects are going well, we'll probably see the last of that parking lot pulled up and hopefully something substantial (8-10 stories) going up there.

I believe the development agreement calls for a mixed-used building there of up to 18 (!) storeys.

[Taeolas]

Originally Posted by OliverD

I believe the development agreement calls for a mixed-used building there of up to 18 (!) storeys.

Eighteen! While I support new development, that's almost twice as tall as anything we have in the city now.

Sounds like they're trying to "future proof" the zoning to give a new developer lots of flexibility in what they want, as long as it has the density.

I could see 8-10, maybe 12 stories going up there in the near/medium term easily. Maybe 2 floors of commercial if the right tenants can be found.

[OliverD]

Would still require a height variance in terms of the zoning.

I suspect we're going to see some more lenient zoning in the city core in the near future anyways as they are working on a new centre plan (I think).

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by OliverD

I believe the development agreement calls for a mixed-used building there of up to 18 (!) storeys.

This is correct...up to 18 storeys per the agreement.

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Remember, the Courthouse and the nuPlayhouse are only intended to take up the King street side of the lot.

The Brunswick side (including the part along Regent) is intended for Commercial/Residential higher density construction. So once the first two projects are going well, we'll probably see the last of that parking lot pulled up and hopefully something substantial (8-10 stories) going up there.


So on a different note, Denny's is looking to expand into Atlantic Canada big time, including 5 new stores in the major cities within the next year or so. Freddy is pretty much guaranteed to be one of them, so where would it go?

* 2NC has plenty of space, but is way too far from the highway for the first location. I could see a second Denny's there once we grow enough to support it, but not yet.
* Downtown doesn't really have any room, and probably isn't big enough for them to consider; they'll want the highway access/Hotel access
* Corbet Centre is full with no restaurant pads left.
* I don't see Regent giving up any parking lot space for it, but it may be tempting.
* Vanier Highway/Allison Boulevard might be a remote chance, if they're looking at how the area plans to be developed.
* Maybe somewhere along Bishop would fit, and would probably be the most likely location. There are enough hotels in the area for that to make sense.
* The old Daily Gleaner building might be a spot they're considering. But cleaning up the site would probably be way too expensive for them (and ideally the city probably wants something more than a diner on that location, even if the lot is split into multiple parts)

There has been a pad site available at CT on Smythe. Perhaps that might work? High visibility and traffic too.

[Pugsley]

Traditionally, these are next to some type of budget motel as the acting "dining" option. They also like highway traffic. So maybe they'll add it up on the hill next to one of the hotels. Or maybe it will go into Kingswood area? Either way, Denny's is a decent addition.

[Freddypop]

Job posting for the Assistant Manager at Lululemon. I am assuming the Manager position, which was advertised a few months ago, has been filled.

https://careers.lululemon.com/en_US/care...er-Guest-Experience-Fredericton-NB/20921

[Freddypop]

Appears they were dismantling the tower crane at the project on Queen yesterday. Will be interesting to see if it is relocated locally or heads out of town for its next project

[Taeolas]

Yeah I was just going to post that. I saw them taking it down as I was heading home last night.

I'm not sure we have any projects in the city at the crane stage yet. Maybe the courthouse?

Wagoneers is still doing foundation work in the pit for the second building. I think I see the forms for the crane base set up, but they haven't been poured yet. I wonder if the rainy weather we've had has been slowing them down.

I'm sure they would've liked to double book the dismantling crane from the legion building to do their move about the same time; but the timing doesn't seem to be lining up. We're probably still a couple of weeks before that big crane moves.

[Freddypop]

According to Sevice NB, the former Ultramar property at the corner of Main & Fulton (175 Main) has been sold. No idea what is planned by suspect a likely candidate for an apartment bulding

[Taeolas]

Good. That's a rather high profile corner, it should have something dense. I could easily see a 3 or 4 story building that hugs the corner with retail on the ground floor there.

[RealEstateGuy]

Originally Posted by Freddypop

According to Sevice NB, the former Ultramar property at the corner of Main & Fulton (175 Main) has been sold. No idea what is planned by suspect a likely candidate for an apartment bulding

Bella Properties purchased the property so there is a strong chance you will see an apartment component and possibility a mixed-use building constructed.