A rather large e-mail re: North of Union:
City of Saint John addresses citizen’s questions about the North of Union development
Answers to questions from community will be provided online
Saint John, February 18, 2008 - The City has answered questions asked by the community as part of the initial information sessions surrounding the North of Union opportunity.
"As part of the initial community information sessions, we wanted to get an understanding of what people wanted to know about the development potential in the North of Union area. We’ve heard from over 200 people, and some common themes have arisen," says Andrew Beckett, Deputy City Manager. "We’ve answered as many of these questions as possible, and have provided them directly to the community on the North of Union web site." The site is located at
www.saintjohn.ca/northofunion.
"People had questions about the cost, the options for the supplemental development, the existing architecture on the site, options for the parking facility, environmental issues, and traffic. We hope that we have addressed all of these questions on the FAQ section of the web site."
"Other questions we received were around what is and what isn’t on the table during the consultation process," says Beckett. "Our message is very clear: we are committed to the public consultation process, and want feedback on all aspects of the project on the North of Union site. Major decisions like the location of the parking facility, the look and exterior finishing of the Police Headquarters, the location, style and type of potential commercial development, and the option to use a "P3" model are all on the table."
"There are aspects of the project that are fixed however. These aspects include the North of Union location, Justice Facility (as a provincial project this is not included in the municipal consultation process), the location of the Police Facility in proximity to the Justice building, and the basic footprint of the Police Facility."
The FAQs are as follows:
Existing structures
What is the plan for the existing buildings on the site?
Currently, there are plans to improve the existing Carnegie Building (Arts Centre) as part of the development. Some buildings will have to be moved or demolished based on the preliminary site plans, however this is under consideration as part of the public consultation process.
Is there the potential to save the materials in the existing buildings that may need to be demolished? Can some buildings be relocated?
There is potential for relocation and to reuse materials.
Can existing facades be incorporated into the designs?
There is precedent to incorporating historic facades and new development in Saint John. This is currently under consideration as part of the public consultation process.
Site Development Options
What options are open for the supplemental development (housing, retail, entertainment, commercial)?
Currently, all options are open for the supplemental development, based on community vision, developer interest, and economic viability of the development.
Will the community have a "say" in what is eventually developed on this location?
The community will have a voice in determining what will be developed in this location. The City of Saint John has an opportunity to partner with the development community to create a development that reflects the vision for the City. What this development can be will be determined as part of a consultation process.
Parking
Why is parking included in this development? Why are up to 500 parking spaces being considered?
The Police and Justice Facilities will require 250 parking spaces. Additional spaces will be required to replace 250 units of surface parking that will be displaced as a part of this development. Current parking facilities in the immediate area are not able to handle this increased need. The location and style of the parking facility is under consideration as part of the consultation process.
Were other locations considered for the parking facility?
Yes, other locations were considered for a new parking facility, however the Union Street location was determined to be the best fit. This location provides an opportunity to link the parking to the existing pedway network and provide a platform for future development.
Pedestrian Flow
How will this development impact pedestrian flow in the Uptown area?
We anticipate that this development will create new "pedestrian friendly" areas of the City, with public space for use on lunch breaks, and walking through the uptown core. The pedway system will continue to be an integral part of the way we use our Uptown area, and will be supplemented with additional connections to the new parking facility and potential commercial development.
How can we make this development a "people place" and encourage more pedestrian traffic around the Loyalist House and the Stone Church?
The design includes provisions for public spaces, and interactive zones where theatre, art and daily use will encourage people to mingle. We will also be looking to the community for their vision on how we can ensure that this development creates a zone that is "people friendly."
Traffic Flow
How will the City address additional traffic on Union Street and the surrounding areas?
A traffic study has been completed by ADI Limited. The future planning for the site will take this analysis into account to ensure traffic designs are appropriate. We are also interested in hearing from the public with regards to promotion of alternative modes of transportation in the area.
Are sustainable and alternative transportation options being considered as part of the design?
Yes, sustainable transportation is an integral part of the concepts for this development. A bus lay by, Comex stop, and secure bicycle stands are all part of this development.
Will Union Street be widened?
Not at this time. Plans for the development include provision for buildings to be "set back" to facilitate a widening of Union Street in the future if this is required. There is a potential to develop Union Street as an east-west thoroughfare though the city, and a hub for public and alternative transportation..
Building Design
Are designs for the Police Headquarters final?
No, all designs that have been shared publicly are initial concepts. Final designs will incorporate community feedback and input from the consultation process.
How can we ensure that this isn’t an "ugly" building? Will the design reflect the character of the area?
Designers will work, based on community input, to create a development that will reflect the vision of the community as articulated during the community consultation sessions.
Are environmental standards being taken into consideration in the construction of the new building?
Yes, the goal is to build a police building that will meet rigorous Gold LEEDS standards – an international measure for sustainable design ("Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design")
The development will also include green spaces and trees rather than a concrete surface.
Open/Public Spaces
Will public art be considered as part of the public spaces/plazas?
Yes, consistent with the City’s Arts Policy there will be an investment in public art in the plazas and spaces surrounding the justice complex and the Police Headquarters.
What can be done to ensure that public spaces are safe after dark?
As part of the design and development of the site, proper lighting and other safety considerations will be taken into account. Our hope is that this space will be very people friendly.
Costs
How much will this development cost?
The Police facility has an estimated cost of approximately $20 million. In addition, there are plans to upgrade infrastructure in the area (roads, underground services) that will add an additional $5 million to the cost of the project. These costs would be the responsibility of the City of Saint John.
The cost of the parking facility is approximately $18 million. It is hoped that a private sector partner can be attracted to this development and that this portion of the costs will be financed privately.
How will the Public/Private partnership (P3) option under consideration work? Will it save taxpayers money?
If a private sector partner can be attracted to participate in this project it is anticipated that there would be savings in overall construction costs and the opportunity to promote further development in the area. This will not only reduce the costs of the over-all development but also provide the potential for increased tax revenues as development proceeds.
Is there still a potential to change the location?
City Council chose this location in 2001. There are no plans to relocate the police facility. There are a number of cost savings that will be gained by locating the police facility near the provincial justice complex, and a significant opportunity to use this development to spark further investment in the City’s uptown core.
What is, and what is not on the table during the consultation process?
Many aspects of the project are not finalized and are under consideration as part of the public consultation process. This chart outlines which components are fixed, which are "flexible" and which are wide open to discussion:
[Table was included indicating what elements are open for alteration]
Why was this location chosen?
The location was decided upon during a lengthy process involving community consultation and much discussion. Below is a timeline that outlines the steps, starting in 1985, that lead to the North of Union location.
Since at least 1985 the City has been trying to deal with this issue of locating a site for a new police facility.
A Needs Analysis was completed and 26 sites were reviewed including Chown Field, Lantic Sugar site, the Causeway site.
The City also entertained buying the Telegraph Journal Building. In the end it proved too expensive and not functional.
The Common Council elected in 2004 established as its number two priority: once and for all dealing with inadequate Police facilities.
In July of 2004 Common Council toured all of the short listed sites.
* In August of 2005, the City met with the Board of Trade, Enterprise Saint John and Uptown Saint John to attend a meeting to update the various organizations as to the site selection process. At the time the organizations present stressed the importance of:
+ an uptown location
+ the development being more than just a police station
+ Using this as an opportunity to lever private sector investment in the urban core of the City
+ leaving green space intact
The City also met with the South End Citizens Group, the School Board, a Representative of the Preservation Review Board.
* Following this Consultation Process, Council was advised.
o the community wants an uptown location
o the site should not involve the removal of any green space
o the community wanted and expected more than just a police station.
* Based on these criteria attention turned to the North of Union location for the following reasons:
o It was one of the original 26 sites identified.
o It became known the YMCA needed a new facility. The Province indicated it was considering a new Justice Building and expressed interest in acquiring the Y site.
o The majority of the initial site considered was used solely for surface parking.
Common Council was provided an update in December 2006 and at that time adopted fifteen recommendations which included a justice facility on the YMCA site and a police facility between Peel and Hazen Streets.
Common Council engaged Mike Start of Toss Solutions to review the concepts and to make suggestions that would lever future development in the area from Wellington Row to Coburg Street. In other words, "How can we lever other private sector investment?"
A revised plan was presented to Common Council in May of 2007.
Joan Thorne
City Manager's Office
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