The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by bridgeoftea

Is that what the excavator at East Point is starting to prep for?

Yes, they are digging the rock out of the area the 14-storey building will be.

Originally Posted by nwalbert

14 stories at East Point? Wow, that's pretty exciting.

Will be three buildings. A 14-storey at the back of the property and two eight-stories in front of it. At least 200-units with possible ground floor commercial spaces. Here’s the latest news article on it: https://www.country94.ca/2021/10/19/...l-development/

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

Yes, they are digging the rock out of the area the 14-storey building will be.




Will be three buildings. A 14-storey at the back of the property and two eight-stories in front of it. At least 200-units with possible ground floor commercial spaces. Here’s the latest news article on it: https://www.country94.ca/2021/10/19/...l-development/

Woah, can't believe I missed this report before. Exciting times!

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by bridgeoftea

Is that what the excavator at East Point is starting to prep for?

It’s in the location they say they want to build it, and they are starting with that one first so I think so.

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Reading between the lines, YSJ owns excess surplus land while none of the other 'major' Maritime airports do, so they're hoping to develop an air-freight-oriented mini industrial park on it. Not at all sure where the rail access they mention is, though. I don't see anything.

It looks like Saint John is finally getting some of the recognition it should have always had as the best location for Canada’s east coast port. Saint John’s natural advantage of being the closest year round port to the eastern US is being strengthened by some big industry players putting their money where they see the best return coming back. It even looks as though CP is renewing and expanding their presence in the city. How long has it been since the tier 1 players were involved in Canada’s #3 port?

As far as a logistics hub goes, it is too early to make any commitments to any physical location. It may happen in the future and if so, reconfiguring a rail line to the appropriate location will be a relatively minor consideration - in my opinion.

Let’s find out where we can add some value to the cargo that flows in and out of the port once we have a better idea of what that cargo is and can be.

I believe we are now in an enviable position to attract industries to the area that are looking for export markets. It is still export or die. Tier 1 rail and shipping options while reducing time and cost to market is the value here. Make a value proposition to those industries and see what happens.

[RaginRonic]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

Yes, they are digging the rock out of the area the 14-storey building will be.




Will be three buildings. A 14-storey at the back of the property and two eight-stories in front of it. At least 200-units with possible ground floor commercial spaces. Here’s the latest news article on it: https://www.country94.ca/2021/10/19/...l-development/

18 years ago, in the early spring of 2005, the 1st shovels were in the ground for the East Point Shopping development. With this rock being excavated now for these 3 new residential/commercial buildings, one would have to think that, once this is done, rock digging machines will NEVER be seen at East Point Shopping ever again.

This has got to be the End of an Era for that component of East Point's development. Here's hoping that is true.

[ColSJ]

This kind of infiltration of a residential development in an established “mall” area is a first for NB if I’m not mistaken and I hope we see more of it. Plenty of amenities in the area and employers so tenants will have access to just about everything. I would however note I’d like to see detailed renders before I start doing victory laps.



If this all goes well I hope Lansdowne is watching

[RaginRonic]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

This kind of infiltration of a residential development in an established “mall” area is a first for NB if I’m not mistaken and I hope we see more of it. Plenty of amenities in the area and employers so tenants will have access to just about everything. I would however note I’d like to see detailed renders before I start doing victory laps.



If this all goes well I hope Lansdowne is watching

Lansdowne Place/Plaza for redevelopment? I'd roll with that one....that part of the Old North End is just BEGGING for some love with new ideas and buildings.

X-)

[Helladog]

Credit: Mine

[bridgeoftea]

Originally Posted by RaginRonic

Lansdowne Place/Plaza for redevelopment? I'd roll with that one....that part of the Old North End is just BEGGING for some love with new ideas and buildings.

X-)

The old Sear/Zellers hole that is currently in the plaza is already a perfect spot for that. If we can't have European city style density then let's at least let those who might not have a car still be able to walk to a grocery store / restaurant without it needing to take more than 20+ minutes.

[DyAm00394]

The NB Museum board has just released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking an architectural firm to plan and design a modern world-class facility for the New Brunswick Museum in SJ.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by Ottawa

It looks like Saint John is finally getting some of the recognition it should have always had as the best location for Canada’s east coast port. Saint John’s natural advantage of being the closest year round port to the eastern US is being strengthened by some big industry players putting their money where they see the best return coming back. It even looks as though CP is renewing and expanding their presence in the city. How long has it been since the tier 1 players were involved in Canada’s #3 port?

As far as a logistics hub goes, it is too early to make any commitments to any physical location. It may happen in the future and if so, reconfiguring a rail line to the appropriate location will be a relatively minor consideration - in my opinion.

Let’s find out where we can add some value to the cargo that flows in and out of the port once we have a better idea of what that cargo is and can be.

I believe we are now in an enviable position to attract industries to the area that are looking for export markets. It is still export or die. Tier 1 rail and shipping options while reducing time and cost to market is the value here. Make a value proposition to those industries and see what happens.

I was referring to what the YSJ rep said. He basically claimed they've got a spur already, no such thing exists. The closest rail is 10km away in Rothesay and the same distance in the Grandview Industrial Park (as the crow flies).

There's no right-of-way to the airport for either, and the latter would require going through the woods (in tough terrain) south of Grandview Ave/Latimore Lake Rd, while the former would require climbing the embankment from the Kennebecasis, crossing through Rothesay somewhere, and following Route 111 to the airport. The problem there is, where do you do it? Taylors Brook?

These would be substantial projects, not just little spurs.

That's now one project on either side of the city where rail extension is key (the other being somewhere between Grand Bay and Lorneville). Interesting.

[cdnguys]

Hanjin Pioneer is moving slowly 6 knots off the coast of NS - will be in port tomorrow with the cranes. Wonder when they’ll pass tin can beach - would like to see it come in

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

I was referring to what the YSJ rep said. He basically claimed they've got a spur already, no such thing exists. The closest rail is 10km away in Rothesay and the same distance in the Grandview Industrial Park (as the crow flies).

There's no right-of-way to the airport for either, and the latter would require going through the woods (in tough terrain) south of Grandview Ave/Latimore Lake Rd, while the former would require climbing the embankment from the Kennebecasis, crossing through Rothesay somewhere, and following Route 111 to the airport. The problem there is, where do you do it? Taylors Brook?

These would be substantial projects, not just little spurs.

That's now one project on either side of the city where rail extension is key (the other being somewhere between Grand Bay and Lorneville). Interesting.

There was a concept design I did years ago at the request of the economic development agency of the time for what a separate rail line would look like that came down around KV directly past the airport to get to the Canaport LNG area. Essentially the idea was that the rail line through Rothesay was seen as undesirable and dangerous with too many at-grade crossings, so why not rip it up and run all the rail around the populated parts of Greater Saint John. It would then connect through the existing spurs to the rail yard leading to potash, etc. It would be expensive, but this was in the era of the “Energy Hub” so lots of big ideas were being floated around.

I personally thought it was a great idea, the devil was in the details of how to make it all connect, and the hundreds of properties it would have to pass through to bypass KV and East Saint John. I will say though, if you look at the property maps, a well-known local company bought a lot of the land on that side of the city over the years, so it wouldn’t be the hardest route from that perspective.

[cdnguys]

Nothing will ever be built there that can’t easily be trucked to the new logistics facility on west side. We aren’t talking about industries that require vast materials such as wood chips, gypsum or fuel products. Manufacturing facilities can be serviced by trucks. In the unlikely event a plane manufacturer set up shop, they are all components that are trucked.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

Hanjin Pioneer is moving slowly 6 knots off the coast of NS - will be in port tomorrow with the cranes. Wonder when they’ll pass tin can beach - would like to see it come in

The Port is doing a little welcome event at the container village from noon to two, when the cranes show up. Free coffee even!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/saint...member_desktop

[ColSJ]

The cranes will be arriving around 5:15pm TODAY. The Port just posted the update.

[MonctonRad]

I wonder if Halterm in Halifax is taking note of all these goings on at Port Saint John, and if so, I wonder how they plan to respond.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I wonder if Halterm in Halifax is taking note of all these goings on at Port Saint John, and if so, I wonder how they plan to respond.

I think they may be concerned they’ll lose some of Maerk business - who did a “test run” to Saint John. You don’t do test runs just for the shits and giggles. Halifax just has CN - Saint John has CN, CP and CSX which makes for a compelling business case.

[ColSJ]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I wonder if Halterm in Halifax is taking note of all these goings on at Port Saint John, and if so, I wonder how they plan to respond.

Phase 2 of the port's modernization project (funding has already been committed and some aspects like rail upgrades have already been under construction) will boost the port's capacity to 800,00 TEUS. Halifax is most definitely looking at us

[Pugsley]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

Phase 2 of the port's modernization project (funding has already been committed and some aspects like rail upgrades have already been under construction) will boost the port's capacity to 800,00 TEUS. Halifax is most definitely looking at us

Agreed, but I don't think it is a significant economic threat for Halifax compared to the benefit to Saint John. Halifax is a larger city with a rapidly growing population and a significantly diversified private sector and government fuelled economy. That, and they cannot handle the growth as-is. Plus, Saint John just makes sense for shipping given proximity to US and Central Canadian markets so harder for the other rail companies to justify not seeking Saint John as their east coast connection. So maybe this is just a "reap what you sow" for Halifax taking away the frigates many years ago from Saint John. LOL

All that to say.. I doubt there are closed door meetings about Saint John in the upper echelons of Halifax's business community (like some episode of the Simpsons with Mr. Burns as chair) saying "they are going to destroy us...we need a plan...won't somebody PLEASE think about the children". LOL