Sarnia Development Discussion Thread

ZTrade · #1 Posted **Jun 23, 2020, 1:01 AM**

Please share your pictures and discuss anything development/economic related about Sarnia here.

Some Points:

-Major industrial expansion with multi Billion Dollar Nova Chemical plant. There are several other small-mid size projects. The unemployment rate was lowest it's been years pre-covid.
-Plenty of growth planned around Rapids Parkway Extension and Western Research Park.
-Multiple proposals Downtown that can potentially add 500-1000 residents Downtown.
-Potential redevelopment of Airport.
-Initiative by the city to improve waterfront, western research park and business park.
-Great opportunity for vacant Holm Foundry Site.
-Major redevelopment of old Genral Hospital near Mitton Village. Will probably aid in improving Mitton Village similar to a level that Downtown is currently at.

Sarnia Skyline

Sarnia Skyline

275 Front St Under Construction

Giant Tiger Plaza London Rd. Rental Tower 11-Storey

Water St Proposal

jammer139 · #2 Posted **Aug 19, 2020, 7:37 PM**

Tricar has some of the 1st floor walls now poured. Progress on this building has been incredibly slow for some reason.

jammer139 · #3 Posted **Nov 11, 2020, 9:09 PM**

Tricar's website for their project on 275 Front St.

https://www.tricar.com/locations/275-front-st/

ssiguy · #4 Posted **Nov 17, 2020, 12:18 AM**

This is great news for Sarnia after years of basic stagnation.

ZTrade · #5 Posted **Nov 17, 2020, 2:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiguy

This is great news for Sarnia after years of basic stagnation.

Years? More like decades

There is great economic momentum and growth happening right now in Sarnia, the town has to run with it and take advantage. I think the town can be in a significantly better position 10 years from now, maybe even less.

My checklist in no particular order of importance:

-Use that momentum from Nova Chemicals and try to attract other companies. Try to diversify and grow the Western Research Park and 402 Business Park.
-Build more houses and condos. Expand the urban area out to the airport and redevelop the airport into something else.
-Look into setting up a Western campus so students don't have to leave the town to attain higher education. Majority of Sarnia students go to Western anyway.

ssiguy · #6 Posted **Nov 24, 2020, 5:09 AM**

I also see that Bayside Centre is also getting a make over with retirement homes which is great. Sarnia is particularly well positioned for future growth especially due to it's potential hub for hydrogen production. It's relatively mild climate and still affordable housing could also be a draw for retiring seniors and young families.

Sarnia's biggest drawback, as you noted, is it's lack of a university. Barrie is the only other major city in the province without a full university but even there Laurentian has a campus, Georgian offers many degree programs in conjunction with other universities, and GO rail goes right to York U. Sarnia, on the other hand, has absolutely nothing but a small Western research lab. Any kid wanting to get a degree essentially is forced to leave the city and most never return. Sarnia's top economic priority must be to get a sizeable Western campus offering an array of degrees so getting an education and leaving the city are not one in the same.

All Sarnia/Lambton politicians should bring all weight to bear on QP to get a Western campus in the city and they would get a lot of support from Chatham/Kent as well aas they too have no university except U. Guelph Ridgetown.

jammer139 · #7 Posted **Nov 24, 2020, 7:41 PM**

Tricar is slowly making progress with 275 Front St. Podium base now completed. 2nd floor residential walls now started.

jammer139 · #8 Posted **Feb 27, 2021, 7:01 PM**

Tricar is now forming and pouring the 4th floor walls on their 275 Front St building.

ZTrade · #9 Posted **Feb 28, 2021, 9:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jammer139

Tricar is now forming and pouring the 4th floor walls on their 275 Front St building.

I'll be visiting Sarnia in a month or two, I'll take some pictures, wonder how far along it will be by then.

I just looked at the second picture I posted in the OP, and there is potential for another skyline node to emerge at the Exmouth st plaza (old Giant Tiger/Metro/Dollarama plaza). There already is one there, but that area has the potential to stand out like Downtown if a portion of the parking lot is redeveloped.

edit: This picture below, decided to not be lazy and added it into this post.

ZTrade · #10 Posted **Mar 10, 2021, 1:14 AM**

275 Front st Update:

johnnyhamont · #11 Posted **Apr 19, 2021, 1:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZTrade

275 Front st Update:

That image won't show up. Not sure if this February update is the same one you meant to share

johnnyhamont · #12 Posted **Apr 23, 2021, 1:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZTrade

275 Front St Under Construction

Photos from last night. 7 storeys up now with windows going in.

ZTrade · #13 Posted **Apr 24, 2021, 3:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyhamont

That image won't show up. Not sure if this February update is the same one you meant to share

Yes this was the pic, thank you.

Nice update shots! I expect Downtown Sarnia to continue the positive changes over the next 5-10 years. Art Gallery, new restaurants, new residential additions, Bayside redevelopment are all going to be strong positive catalysts to make Downtown and the waterfront attractive. The entire stretch from Downtown>Centennial park>bridge>canatara park will attract more tourism hopefully.

deja vu · #14 Posted **Apr 24, 2021, 12:33 PM**

It's great to see Sarnia's growth. I've been to Port Huron plenty of times, but never to Sarnia, except when passing through to get to Toronto, Buffalo, etc. And unlike Port Huron, Sarnia actually has a real skyline! 275 Front St. looks like it will be a nice addition to that. I didn't realize that Sarnia had 70,000+ plus people and that it is the largest city on Lake Huron. Keep up the updates!

ZTrade · #15 Posted **Apr 24, 2021, 10:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by deja vu

It's great to see Sarnia's growth. I've been to Port Huron plenty of times, but never to Sarnia, except when passing through to get to Toronto, Buffalo, etc. And unlike Port Huron, Sarnia actually has a real skyline! 275 Front St. looks like it will be a nice addition to that. I didn't realize that Sarnia had 70,000+ plus people and that it is the largest city on Lake Huron. Keep up the updates!

How is the economy and growth prospects for Port Huron? Sarnia and Port Huron combined are 100,000 people, that's a pretty decent sized region for the area. Sarnia has really started getting out of slump after 2016 and the momentum seems to be getting stronger. Wouldn't surprise me if the population starts creeping on 80,000+ for the 2026 census (definitely if you include Pt.Edward which has 2,500 people but isn't included in Sarnia's census).

deja vu · #16 Posted **Apr 25, 2021, 1:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZTrade

How is the economy and growth prospects for Port Huron? Sarnia and Port Huron combined are 100,000 people, that's a pretty decent sized region for the area. Sarnia has really started getting out of slump after 2016 and the momentum seems to be getting stronger. Wouldn't surprise me if the population starts creeping on 80,000+ for the 2026 census (definitely if you include Pt.Edward which has 2,500 people but isn't included in Sarnia's census).

There are signs of growth in Port Huron. St. Clair County's population starting dropping after the 2007 / 2008 Great Recession and just stabilized 2 years ago. Port Huron's economy was on a slow but steady upswing, post-2008, until COVID hit, but it looks like it will recover from that fast. The city is getting a new downtown grocery / marketplace in the former Woolworth Building. It will be the first time the downtown has had a grocery store in over fifty years. I think the biggest thing going on there right now is the new mixed-use Wrigley Center. Nothin' like the scale of some of the stuff in Sarnia, but some good baby steps.

jammer139 · #17 Posted **Aug 15, 2021, 10:52 PM**

Tricar now has some of the 10th floor walls poured on their building at 275 Front St.

jammer139 · #18 Posted **Nov 2, 2021, 9:38 PM**

Some of the 13th floor walls and posts are poured now. Should be starting the mechanical penthouse by Christmas at their current pace. I would expect Tricar to move the tower crane and crew to one of the two sites in London that they have excavated but haven't moved forward on.

ZTrade · #19 Posted **Nov 14, 2021, 7:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jammer139

Some of the 13th floor walls and posts are poured now. Should be starting the mechanical penthouse by Christmas at their current pace. I would expect Tricar to move the tower crane and crew to one of the two sites in London that they have excavated but haven't moved forward on.

Edit: Forgot to add that Tricar is anticipating move in date for Summer 2022

jammer139 · #20 Posted **Jan 16, 2022, 4:39 PM**

Some of the 15 floor walls and posts are now poured on the south end of Tricars 15 story. Holiday break and weather have slowed progress on finishing the structural build.