The Official PEI Project Thread

[braymondg]

Charlottetown waterfront condo project a go.

N.L. developer reaches deal with Charlottetown on waterfront condo project: A St. John’s, N.L., developer has reached a compromise with the City of Charlottetown to proceed with plans for a condominium/spa project on the waterfront. Council gave unanimous support at its regular monthly meeting this week for a project that will measure 40,000 square feet between the water and Founders’ Hall. “It’s going ahead and we finally came to a compromise. We’ve got a nice building design for the site,’’ Paul Madden, the developer behind the project, said. Council had rejected Madden’s proposal in December when the project called for an 81,000-square foot building. Madden’s project originally called for two buildings with a footprint of 12,000 square feet but measuring 81,000 square feet in total. Coun. Mitchell Tweel said he’s glad Madden was willing to come back with a new proposal. Madden expects to begin construction in June and be ready a year from then.

[braymondg]

Old Holmans Facade being Removed for New Hotel in Charlottetown.

Hi everyone,

Here is a photo out of todays paper of workers removing the slate facade off the old Holmans building. That building has been like this for decades. If you notice, look closely and you can see the beautiful stone work underneath
that old facade. I believe it's NS granite, similar to that on Province House. Now I could be wrong, and it could be Island stone but it's hard to tell because it is discoloured because of age and the elements.
I drove by today and even more is exposed and I thought how could anyone cover up such nice stone work. I'm glad to see that they are going to use the old facade as it will match the streetscape.


More to follow

[Dmajackson]

Sorry if this is outdated or double-posted but I found these renderings of the Confederation Court Mall tower (all from WHW Architects):









BTW what's the status on this project?

[MonctonRad]

Yup, not quite right........this rendering shows where the hotel was supposed to go, on a vacant lot on Queen Street, adjacent to the mall proper. I believe that the landowner of the lot became greedy so the developer (Homburg)elected to build the hotel on Grafton Street instead, incorporating the building into the old Holman's structure.

I personally think the hotel would have gone better in this location.......oh well.

[Dmajackson]

^^^

Ah okay thats what I was thinking might of happened. The site had some new and old renderings up so I wasn't sure on these ones. It's still nice to see what could of been so we can learn from such a silly mistake as being to greedy.

BTW the link for the photo credits has some other PEI projects on it (mainly Summerside and Charlottetown).

[josh_cat_eyes]

The "Gordie's Irving" in Summerside was recently branded as Circle K. The first Irving I have seen do that. I guess they are rebranding all Irving Mainway and Irving Blue Canoe in Atlantic Canada as Circle K.

[theshark]

Couche Tard(the parent company of Circle K) manages all the old Irving convenience store in Quebec and they are doing the same in the maritimes under the Cirlce K Brand

[mylesmalley]

I don't think they sold control of the Big Stop restaurants though, did they?

[kirjtc2]

No....Irving still runs the restaurants. I think the convenience store portions will still become Circle K, but I'm not sure.

Irving receipts now have the Circle K logo on them, but the signs haven't gone up in Fredericton yet. Surprised Couche-Tard chose the Circle K banner and not Mac's, which they use in Ontario and the west.

[mylesmalley]

now if only they'd start stocking beer...

[josh_cat_eyes]

I just seen a new condo project in Summerside by Bayside Builders, who also built Harbor Terence in the former Journal Pioneer building, as well as the Suites on St. Stephen. Its called the Lofts. I seen the sign for it on the old Co-op farmers store across from the shipyard market. They appear to be fixing that build, which I hope is not where the condos are going. I couldn't find any more info, but if I do, I'll post it.

[mylesmalley]

Ont. company proposes $100M wind farm near Kinkora, P.E.I.
Published Thursday May 14th, 2009

A2

KINKORA, P.E.I. - An Ontario-based company is proposing to erect a $100-million wind farm. Prowind Canada Inc. has plans for a 50-megawatt, 25-turbine wind farm west of Kinkora, on farmland in Middleton.

http://timestranscript.canadaeast.co...article/666877

[josh_cat_eyes]

I just seen at the County Fair Mall in Summerside today, a sign advertising a Quizno's coming soon. It would be in spot 143 on the map.


This is interesting, because when I think about it, the mall is the ONLY place in the city that a business could open. All the plazas and strip malls uptown are full. This begs the question, where the next one will be?

Also found some info on the new condo project: http://359water.blogspot.com/

[MTLskyline]

Just returned home from a trip to PEI and I have to say that the city appears to be booming! I'm particularly impressed with the proposed hotel over the Confederation Court Mall.

As well, the U/C Fitzroy office building can be seen for miles away (I could see it from Rocky Point).

[braymondg]

Stratford Towers Project Underway?

I was over to Stratford and I could see a lot of activity has started in the
vicinity of the proposed Stratford Towers Condo development.
Can anyone back this up?

Here is a rendering of the project


BG

[josh_cat_eyes]

This is the new condo project I was talking about. I have yet to see floor plans or any such thing.

Former feed building gets new lease on life
NANCY MACPHEE
The Journal Pioneer

SUMMERSIDE – The building may not be much to look at now.
But that will change this fall when the former west-end warehouse’s transformation into a million-dollar multi-unit condominium complex is complete.
Peter Brown and Mike Fraser are converting the old Co-op feed building at 359 Water St. into mid-scale condos and commercial space.
“We saw some value in adaptive reuse of the building,” said Brown.
The building’s been vacant Atlantic Co-op Country Store’s closure in July 2008.
The condo project received approval in April from the city’s planning board.
Since, the developers have stripped the structure to its “bones”.
The timber-framed two-and-a-half-storey building on the east corner of Water and Cedar streets is structurally sound, built around 1870 by local shipbuilders.
“We took off all of the additions that went up over the years,” said Brown. “We are going to retain in the interior, as much as we can, any of the exposed beams.”
The foundation, built to commercial standards in 1949, is also solid, he added.
Brown’s been involved with two other city condo projects.
Harbour Terrace, above the Journal Pioneer, was his first project and was more “upscale high-end” — in the $300,000 to $400,000 range per unit. The Suites on St. Stephen, across Second Street from Valu-foods, houses “entry-level” condos, at around $120,000 and up.
The Lofts at 359 Water is somewhere in between.
“We’re the only developers doing condominiums in Summerside. We have to provide a mid-range product, both in size and in price point,” said Brown. He sees the potential tenants as those in their 50s to early 60s.
“We see it as much more attractive to the local market who is ready to get rid of their house and the maintenance.”
At Harbour Terrace, four units are for sale while at Suites on St. Stephen, six units of the 12 units
have sold and two have offers pending.
Each 1,500-square-foot condo at Lofts of 359 Water starts at around $200,000.
When complete, the building will almost double in size to 7,500 square feet.
“We’ll be adding four dormers to the west. Then there will be a four-bay garage to the north,” explained Brown.
A single-bay garage will be added on the southeast section of the complex.
On the east, patios will face downtown with the front facing west.
The complex’s main floor will consist of residential and potential commercial space while the basement and top floor will house condos. In total, five condo units will be constructed.
It will include a geothermal heating system with compressors in each unit.
Already there’s interest in residential and commercial space.

Fire-ravaged diner to be rebuilt
Maid Marion’s to reopen Charlottetown restaurant, open Summerside location
DAVE STEWART
Transcontinental Media

A few months from now talk of the fire that destroyed a popular Charlottetown restaurant will give way to questions about the daily special.
Plans are already underway to rebuild Maid Marian’s Diner and the Sherwood Drug Mart following a devastating fire which gutted both businesses last week.
The investigation into what caused the fire is still ongoing.
Winston Bryan, the city’s fire inspector, said Thursday nothing has been ruled out and that they’re not certain when the investigation is going to be completed. He said exhibits have been sent to the RCMP crime lab for analysis.
Meanwhile, the owners of the diner are planning ahead.
“There will be a proposal for the two buildings,” Wendy Walker, co-owner of the restaurant with her husband, Peter, said Thursday. “When they’re done of their investigation they’ll be bulldozing the two places and I think they will be starting (construction) soon thereafter.”
Walker said they hope to reopen the restaurant in September or October. But Islanders won’t have to wait that long if they’re craving food off the Maid Marian’s Diner menu.
Mark McKenna, a friend of the Walker family, is getting set to open a Maid Marian’s Diner location in Summerside, in the same building which used to house Smitty’s. That restaurant, featuring the same name and same menu, should be ready to open in a few weeks.
Walker said when the Charlottetown location reopens, it will feature the same look but more seating.
Both the restaurant and drug store will be set back further on Brackley Point Road to create more room for parking.
She said most of the 42 employees at Maid Marian’s Diner have found work for the summer but plan on coming back when the restaurant reopens.
The Walkers were at their cottage in York when one of the waitresses called to say there was a fire. The restaurant owners got in their car and got to the scene as quickly as they could but weren’t prepared for what they saw.
She said they could see the black smoke rising into the sky from the North River Causeway. Twenty minutes after they got the call at their cottage, the fire was out of control and neither of the buildings could be saved.
“When we pulled down the street, it was like ‘Oh, my God’.”
“It was devastating, to say the least. I mean, you work 22 years and it’s gone in two hours. It started with 28 seats and over the years you’ve built it up to 110.”
In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the Walkers thought briefly that the fire was a sign that the diner was done for good. Then came the public reaction.
“Just look at the outpouring from people. We can’t close this place,” Wendy said.

[braymondg]

Holland College receives $17 million to build Centre for Applied Science and Technology
Thursday, June 4, 2009



Charlottetown, PE - Holland College will receive a total of $17 million, $8.5 million from the Knowledge Infrastructure Program (KIP), matched by $8.5 million from the Province, Minister of Industry Tony Clement and Premier Robert Ghiz jointly announced this morning. The funding will be used to improve program offerings, research, and collaboration capability in the area of science and technology through the construction of the new Centre for Applied Science and Technology at the Charlottetown Centre campus.

The centre will consist of a basement and three floors, totaling 55,300 square feet. Construction at the Charlottetown Centre site will begin as soon as the appropriate permits have been approved, and is expected to begin this summer. The new Centre for Applied Science and Technology will open in early 2011.

The growing science and technology cluster on PEI is quickly becoming a significant contributor to the Island economy, and is already demanding a job-ready, qualified workforce. The Center for Applied Science and Technology will provide the necessary infrastructure, teaching and research environment to build on the college's ability to provide hands-on training in applied technology that will help maintain the accelerated growth of the science and technology cluster in PEI.

The new centre will enable the college to double student intake in the Bioscience Technology, Environmental Applied Science Technology, and Wildlife Conservation Technology programs, as well as to increase intakes in Practical Nursing, and Paramedicine, and establish new programs in Heritage Retrofit and Renewable Energy Technology. In total, the expansion of facilities through today's announcement will enable 280 additional students per year to access even greater opportunities for advanced skills development.

[MonctonRad]

Great stuff! Charlottetown is really hopping.

Where on the Holland College campus will this be built?

[braymondg]

MonctonRad,

Either across Grafton St from the Glendenning residence or in the Kent St parking lot across from Montgomery Hall. They really didn't make that clear.
More to follow on that.

[braymondg]

Business to get shot in arm with BioCommons Park
TERESA WRIGHT
The Guardian


The P.E.I. government has confirmed it will soon break ground on the long-awaited $30-million BioCommons Research Park.
As part of Thursday’s slew of infrastructure announcements, just under $3 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments was dedicated for the BioCommons Park.
This is not nearly enough to finish the project, but enough to get it started. On Friday, government officials told The Guardian construction on the park will soon be getting underway, with further details to be announced soon.
The big question mark has been the location — as of now, no one is quite sure where it will go. It is widely expected the park will be located near UPEI.
But details about this megaproject have been delayed for many months. Government has long been promising to release details of the project since it was first announced last year.
Treasurer Wes Sheridan recently said in his budget address the location would be announced during the spring sitting of the legislature, but that did not happen.
Premier Robert Ghiz was unavailable for comment Friday, but he did say in the legislature recently the delay has been in trying to strike a deal to purchase the land.
“We’re ready to make our announcement,” Ghiz said last month in the legislature.
“We’re in the process of finalizing a land acquisition right now.”
Officials in the premier’s office told The Guardian Friday final negotiations are almost complete and a detailed announcement on the plans, finances and work schedule will be announced “in the near future.”
Initially announced as a cornerstone of its ‘Island Prosperity Strategy,’ government has described the BioCommons as the Slemon Park of the bioscience sector, acting as an anchor for the research and business hub.
Plans for the facility indicated it would provide turnkey incubation facilities for private-sector firms wanting to commercialize their ideas.
Ghiz said there are currently 27 bioscience companies in the province employing over 1,000 people.
Once the BioCommons finally breaks ground, the number of job opportunities is expected to rise. It is expected to make up for the capital city’s loss of over 150 jobs through the relocation of the Department of Education to Summerside and the Department of Fisheries to Montague.
“I believe (the BioCommons) will add numerous jobs to our bioscience sector here in the province of Prince Edward Island over the next number of years so that we can create long-term sustainable year-round jobs here,” Ghiz said in the legislature.