[Saint John] Uptown Thread

[cdnguys]

Telegraph Square now topped out at 6 stories

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[cdnguys]

The Atlantic topped out at 6 stories

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[cdnguys]

View of Uptown

https://vimeo.com/504119109

[cdnguys]

The Wentworth exterior

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[Joe]

Thanks for the updates!

[KnoxfordGuy]

Great updates!

[ColSJ]

Saint John Issues RFP For Fundy Quay Work

Saint John is seeking engineering proposals for redevelopment work at the Fundy Quay site on the city’s waterfront.

The request for proposals is similar to one issued last July, but with some changes to the scope and requirements.

Work would involve contaminated soil remediation, including the removal of underground storage tanks, and site re-grading.

RFP documents show the soil remediation and site re-grading is estimated to cost as much as $6.6 million.

“The overall project is targeted for tender and construction in late summer of 2021,” said the documents.

But the request for proposals hinges on the city obtaining provincial and federal funding before the end of March.

The deadline for proposals is 4 p.m. on Feb. 11.

Meanwhile, design work is underway to raise and repair the aging seawall as part of work to make the site development ready.

The city has signed an agreement with Fundy Quay Developments, a subsidiary of Elias Management Group, for the former Coast Guard site.

Local developer David Elias plans to build a $250-million multi-use development featuring commercial and residential spaces.

https://www.country94.ca/2021/01/25/...sc_ref=twitter

[Joe]

I was under the impression that the Feds were going to provide 80 percent of the funding with the city contributing the rest. Is that no longer the case?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-b...ield-1.5587264

[ColSJ]

Originally Posted by Joe

I was under the impression that the Feds were going to provide 80 percent of the funding with the city contributing the rest. Is that no longer the case?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-b...ield-1.5587264

I believe that's the intention but hasn't been solidified yet.

[Franco401]

I have a great idea for that site: what if we built the new NB Museum there? That'd be a great use of the land. Has anybody else thought of this?

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by Franco401

I have a great idea for that site: what if we built the new NB Museum there? That'd be a great use of the land. Has anybody else thought of this?

There was a proposal to construct it there for $55M but when premier Higgs was elected it was canceled along with the new Fredericton courthouse

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

There was a proposal to construct it there for $55M but when premier Higgs was elected it was canceled along with the new Fredericton courthouse

Uh, yeah I know

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by Franco401

Uh, yeah I know

So who's gonna pay for it if the province is out? Main concern is fixing the seawall, raising the site, etc., and finding entities who will pay property tax to occupy it ATM.

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

So who's gonna pay for it if the province is out? Main concern is fixing the seawall, raising the site, etc., and finding entities who will pay property tax to occupy it ATM.

Raising the seawall was already funded through the federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund back in 2019, but the work hasn’t taken place yet. I’m assuming it’ll now be rolled into this other site work, but I’m not sure of the details.

As for the museum, the province really dropped the ball on that one. It’s a disgrace that our provincial museum is housed in two buildings which are not only sub-standard, but are actively falling apart and putting at risk priceless artifacts of New Brunswick heritage. The current Market Square exhibition centre hasn’t been open in months because of roof leaks (some parts haven’t been open to the public in years for similar reasons), and the Douglas Avenue location is structurally unsafe in several places and doesn’t have fire suppression. I understand wanting to save $50 million, but the costs of not acting are far more grave and that investment in a brand new, state-of-the-art building would have spurred a lot of growth and tourism in the core of Saint John.

[JHikka]

Couple things:

• 1) I wonder how much the cruise industry will be able to continue into the future. Uptown obviously depended on the cruise industry a lot pre-COVID, so i'm curious if that industry will be able to revive itself to 65-75-85% of what it was before.
• 2) If 1) does not happen, I don't know if Fundy Quay is still the desired spot for an NBMuseum relocation. I guess it still works, but the main point of having the NBMuseum there was to capture all of the cruise tourists immediately. If cruise tourism is down indefinitely and/or permanently I wonder if there are other, alternative locations.
• 3) I wouldn't hate the idea of the NBMuseum moving into Prince Edward Square in some capacity, either by heavily renovating the mall itself or bulldozing parts of it and rebuilding. This is a proposal i've just created in my head.

[adamuptownsj]

Major work has begun at 16 Orange and 170 Carmarthen, both residential. Not sure what the Orange plan is but Carmarthen is being restored to its original appearance and function- that means wood siding and conversion to a single-family home.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by darkharbour

Raising the seawall was already funded through the federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund back in 2019, but the work hasn’t taken place yet. I’m assuming it’ll now be rolled into this other site work, but I’m not sure of the details.

As for the museum, the province really dropped the ball on that one. It’s a disgrace that our provincial museum is housed in two buildings which are not only sub-standard, but are actively falling apart and putting at risk priceless artifacts of New Brunswick heritage. The current Market Square exhibition centre hasn’t been open in months because of roof leaks (some parts haven’t been open to the public in years for similar reasons), and the Douglas Avenue location is structurally unsafe in several places and doesn’t have fire suppression. I understand wanting to save $50 million, but the costs of not acting are far more grave and that investment in a brand new, state-of-the-art building would have spurred a lot of growth and tourism in the core of Saint John.

I know it's already funded, but no shovel has touched dirt. The Museum should consider a permanent site that doesn't need *as much* work. Maybe the old sugar refinery site at the end of Charlotte, King Square North, the FQ-adjacent lot the Port is leasing...

[905er]

Saint John is a really cute city... Irving tower is a great addition to the skyline. nice new additions too.

[RaginRonic]

Originally Posted by darkharbour

Raising the seawall was already funded through the federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund back in 2019, but the work hasn’t taken place yet. I’m assuming it’ll now be rolled into this other site work, but I’m not sure of the details.

As for the museum, the province really dropped the ball on that one. It’s a disgrace that our provincial museum is housed in two buildings which are not only sub-standard, but are actively falling apart and putting at risk priceless artifacts of New Brunswick heritage. The current Market Square exhibition centre hasn’t been open in months because of roof leaks (some parts haven’t been open to the public in years for similar reasons), and the Douglas Avenue location is structurally unsafe in several places and doesn’t have fire suppression. I understand wanting to save $50 million, but the costs of not acting are far more grave and that investment in a brand new, state-of-the-art building would have spurred a lot of growth and tourism in the core of Saint John.

And this is one of many reasons why conservative economists have no right to be in positions of government power. They purposely do wrong, don't care about anyone outside their circle, and expect to live lives where they pay no money for any service.

It's why, to get a new museum for Saint John, the PC Party of N.B. must have done to them what was done to the Hatfield PCs in 1987....the electoral expulsion by the voters from the N.B. Legislature in Fredericton. That means, no PC Party members win their ridings, no matter their intent for the province. Even if they signed a document saying they would keep their word, even that's not good enough.

Sad to say, but it's true. The PCs complaints must be ignored, whether right or wrong.

=P

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by RaginRonic

And this is one of many reasons why conservative economists have no right to be in positions of government power. They purposely do wrong, don't care about anyone outside their circle, and expect to live lives where they pay no money for any service.

It's why, to get a new museum for Saint John, the PC Party of N.B. must have done to them what was done to the Hatfield PCs in 1987....the electoral expulsion by the voters from the N.B. Legislature in Fredericton. That means, no PC Party members win their ridings, no matter their intent for the province. Even if they signed a document saying they would keep their word, even that's not good enough.

Sad to say, but it's true. The PCs complaints must be ignored, whether right or wrong.

=P

Every riding that touches the metro area has trended to the PCs in each election since 2010, so I don't see Saint John suddenly swinging the other way to... get a tax-funded new museum. It's not a hot button issue.