The Official PEI Project Thread

[MTLskyline]

This thread can be used for posting and discussing all PEI projects and construction news.

Proposal for Stratford (suburb of Charlottetown)
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.c...=slides&slid=2

[billy1]

Here is some development going on in Charlottetown. I apologize for the bad pics :-)


This is a proposed 36 unit Brownstone development on the waterfront. It will be 3 buildings total consisting of 12 units each.



This is an expansion to the Atlantic Veterenary College. I believe it will be 5 floors when complete. (underway)



This is a $20 million refit of the Charlottetown Harbour. (underway)



This is the new NRC Science Centre (underway)



This is one of the new condos downtown (underway)



Another new condo on the waterfront. Sold out very quickly with the penthouses going for $1million +



A smaller condo in the center of downtown (underway)



A new Federal Gov't building located at the entrance to downtown (underway)



Another condo in the center of downtown (underway)

[ErickMontreal]

There is more projects in Downtown Charlottetown than Moncton Downtown...

[billy1]

Here are some developments for Summerside PEI.

New Condos on the waterfront. Completed 6 months ago (?).








Another new condo on the waterfont. It is being built over an existing indoor mall. The picture below shows an outdated rendition. The new condo will contain 116 units and will be 11 floors.




There has also been a proposal in the last couple of days, for another condo that would soar 135 feet in the west end waterfront area.

[Smevo]

11 floors in Summerside?? That's going to stick out like a sore thumb for a while. It will be good to see it get built though.

I remember a couple of those Charlottetown projects from when I was there last May, and those buildings in the 2nd and 3rd pictures for Summerside (possibly the first too if it's the same building) were completed when I was there in May.

[billy1]

The new condo in Summerside atop the mall should be beginning construction any week now. The 135 foot proposal on the west end waterfront will be 13 stories and roughly 7 metres taller than the mall development.



Below is another condo for Summerside that should be starting construction within the next few months.

[Smevo]

Ah, good to see there'll be another highrise accompanying the 11-storey one on Summerside's "skyline". I knew Summerside was growing pretty well, but I didn't know it was growing that well. Of course, on the island its pretty much a necessity to live densely in the cities, good to see all these thing coming about for the island.

[billy1]

Rental construction skyrockets in Charlottetown


Last Updated: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 | 6:19 AM ET
CBC News

There has been a big increase in the number of condominiums, apartments, row houses and duplexes being built in Charlottetown.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation says new construction in that sector is up 66 per cent over last year.

"The housing market's doing really well since 2001 to current and actually this is some of the highest levels we've seen since 1988," said Jason Beaton, a market analyst for CMHC.

Beaton credited the rise to low interest rates and people moving into the capital city from around the province and across Canada. He said most of the new units being built are rentals.

With so many new units being built, Beaton said landlords have only been able to raise rents marginally.

Across Canada, housing starts are up 0.9 per cent. Urban starts in British Columbia and Quebec are down significantly, 11.7 and 7.9 per cent respectively, but that was offset by a 3.8 per cent rise in Ontario.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/200...ts-chtown.html

[billy1]

Mall eyes sky
Firm plans hotel on top of downtown shopping centre

By Ron Ryder
The Guardian - http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=5164&sc=1

A landmark Charlottetown business is looking toward the sky with plans to add as many as 60 hotel rooms to the Confederation Court Mall.

In a recent interview, Richard Homburg of Homburg Invest Inc., told Nova Scotia media that his company is looking at building a new hotel on top of the downtown shopping centre.

Mike Arnold, the businessman who helped build Confederation Court Mall, is now a vice-president of Homburg. He said the business is still a long way from announcing construction plans, but he said development and expansion of the mall property fits in with such other Homburg investments such as the renovated Dundee Arms Inn and the nearly completed Northumberland condominiums that have drawn people into the capital’s downtown.

“There’s a synergy that happens. We want to have people downtown and we want to have another hotel as a way to help the mall and the mall, in turn, helps the condominiums and the hotel,” Arnold said.

“We have been talking to some engineers and architects about the possibilities. Pretty soon we’re going to sit down and look at the business side to see if the numbers work out.”

Arnold said the company is planning a development that would go over top of the existing building, with a new entrance likely to be built in the currently vacant lot along the mall’s Queen Street façade.

If the construction were to proceed, Arnold said it would take between a year and 18 months to compete.

“If this happens we’ll have to do what we can to make sure that business can go on in the mall and in these office towers,” he said.

“We don’t want to interrupt things. But my prediction is that the construction will actually end up attracting people who want to see what’s going on.”

Arnold said a more immediate plan under consideration is the renovation of the Confederation Court Mall food court into a single-cash takeout that he envisions being run by a chef who can maintain the balance of nutrition, value and quality that downtown workers will pay for.

“A lot of what we are seeing happen now is the kind of development that I imagined when I first talked to downtown business owners about building this mall 35 years ago,” he said. “When I look at businesses like the new grocery store or the condos that Co-op is building down on Paoli’s Wharf, it’s exciting.

“People are coming to Charlottetown who are retiring after working out West or are moving into town when they decide they don’t want the big house anymore. They’ve got some money and they want quality and services.”

[bluenoser]

Nice! There really seems to be a lot going on in PEI right now. That hotel atop Confederation Court sounds really interesting. Thanks for all the info.

Actually I really like this building with the lighthouse theme; I'll be interested to see what it looks like when completed:

Originally Posted by billy1

Another new condo on the waterfront. Sold out very quickly with the penthouses going for $1million +

[MTLskyline]

Yacht club will trade marina space for car parking
Last Updated: Monday, January 29, 2007 | 3:11 PM AT
CBC News



A parking dispute on the Summerside, P.E.I., waterfront that was holding up a $27-million development appears to be approaching a resolution that will trade yacht mooring for car parking.

The Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club said Friday that a plan to reclaim land to replace parking spaces lost to an expansion of the Waterfront Shopping Centre is workable in principle.

"If we do partial infill in the part where the other extra boats are parked over there, and make that into parking, we can retrieve 60 or 70 units," said George Sheen of the Silver Fox club.

"Therefore if we're losing 30 or 40, yes, we'll live with that, and glad to."

The Oran Group, which owns the Waterfront Shopping Centre, wants to refurbish the mall and add 101 condominium units. But the development has been held up for a year, because the Silver Fox club had an agreement with the previous owners of the mall for the use of 100 parking spaces.

The compromise, proposed by the by Summerside Regional Development Corporation, would see more land reclaimed from the yacht club basin. The sea wall needs to be replaced, and the plan would locate it farther out.
Continue Article

Where the money would come from for this has not yet been sorted out, but Summerside Mayor Basil Stewart is keen to see the redevelopment go ahead.

"Twenty-five-million-dollar projects, they don't come along very often," said Stewart.

"Our downtown needs a shot in the arm and that is certainly one way to do it."

The Oran Group is willing to wait for the details to be sorted out, and has set a new deadline.

"I will review things at the end of June," said Oran Canada president Eion Little.

"If the parking issue is resolved by the end of June, we can begin the process again."

The delay has frustrated tenants in the mall.

"It was going to improve this mall 100 per cent," said Deb Reid of the shop Northern Reflections.

"My biggest fear now [is] how many other big businesses are watching what's going on, and will they want to come in with this mall with no decisions made?"

The province has offered the services of a mediator to settle the issue and get the $27-million project back on track.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edwa...ompromise.html
________
Wellbutrin lawsuits

[billy1]

A three-storey, 14-unit, townhouse-style project is being proposed for the corner of Queen and Passmore Streets in Charlottetown. Developer Philip O'Halloran is seeking approval from the city for the project. Submitted illustration


A Charlottetown developer who has one condominium project underway is seeking the city’s approval on another proposal for Queen Street.
Philip O’Halloran wants to build a three-storey, 14-unit, townhouse-style project at the corner of Queen and Passmore Streets. He has a four-storey, 12-unit condominium building underway on Richmond Street, behind the Arts Guild. O’Halloran expects tenants to begin moving in by June.
He said his new proposal, which has gone before the city’s planning board, would go next to the old Kays store on Queen Street.
“We’re going to create our own little corner block on Passmore and have our parking all in the back, off Passmore,’’ he said. “It’s a small L-shaped property but it’s a nice logical continuation of the existing streetscape, although we’re going to modernize it all with nice new brick.’’
The Charlottetown developer said the building would have a London townhouse style to it and each unit featuring an open concept.
As for clientele, O’Halloran said he wants to keep the 14 units as affordable as he can.
“I’d like to keep them all as rentals, not high-end rental but affordable, middle of the road, working persons-type downtown apartments.’’
If the city gives him the green light, construction would likely begin this spring.
O’Halloran said he has already held a neighbourhood meeting to bring area residents up to speed and got plenty of positive feedback.
His Richmond Street project features commercial space on the ground floor and units on the second, third and fourth. Each unit measures between 1,000 and 2,000 square feet.

http://theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=7726&sc=98

[billy1]

Direct flights to Boston a boon for P.E.I.: airport CEO


Delta Airlines will launch direct daily flights from Charlottetown to Boston this summer.

The news is exciting to more than just Red Sox fans, with new tourism marketing opportunities and easier connections for people working in P.E.I.'s biotechnology industry.

"It's big to the airport but it's much more important, I believe, to the province. We can be marketed as a destination direct from the New England states," said Charlottetown Airport CEO Mike Campbell.

"But more so than that, at this day, when we're looking to establish the bio-tech industry in Prince Edward Island, with so many related companies in the northeast part of the U.S., this is huge."

Delta Airlines will offer its first direct flight between Charlottetown and Boston June 29. The flights will run through the summer to Sep. 16. They will leave Charlottetown at 2:50 p.m. and arrive in Boston at 3:30 p.m.

Campbell notes Boston also offers connections to more than 40 destinations around the world.


http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edwa...ta-boston.html

[Smevo]

^That's great news for PEI. It's been beneficial to Fredericton (both businesses and just regular travellers) since landing Delta with two direct flights daily to Boston.

[ErickMontreal]

Originally Posted by billy1

A three-storey, 14-unit, townhouse-style project is being proposed for the corner of Queen and Passmore Streets in Charlottetown. Developer Philip O'Halloran is seeking approval from the city for the project. Submitted illustration


A Charlottetown developer who has one condominium project underway is seeking the city’s approval on another proposal for Queen Street.
Philip O’Halloran wants to build a three-storey, 14-unit, townhouse-style project at the corner of Queen and Passmore Streets. He has a four-storey, 12-unit condominium building underway on Richmond Street, behind the Arts Guild. O’Halloran expects tenants to begin moving in by June.
He said his new proposal, which has gone before the city’s planning board, would go next to the old Kays store on Queen Street.
“We’re going to create our own little corner block on Passmore and have our parking all in the back, off Passmore,’’ he said. “It’s a small L-shaped property but it’s a nice logical continuation of the existing streetscape, although we’re going to modernize it all with nice new brick.’’
The Charlottetown developer said the building would have a London townhouse style to it and each unit featuring an open concept.
As for clientele, O’Halloran said he wants to keep the 14 units as affordable as he can.
“I’d like to keep them all as rentals, not high-end rental but affordable, middle of the road, working persons-type downtown apartments.’’
If the city gives him the green light, construction would likely begin this spring.
O’Halloran said he has already held a neighbourhood meeting to bring area residents up to speed and got plenty of positive feedback.
His Richmond Street project features commercial space on the ground floor and units on the second, third and fourth. Each unit measures between 1,000 and 2,000 square feet.

http://theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=7726&sc=98

Wow,i would like to see something like that in Moncton or Saint John either

[slushmonkey]

SUMMERSIDE — A multi-million dollar hotel may soon rise in the place of Cahill Stadium.

At least that’s the hope of city officials, who are looking for developers interested in constructing and operating a hotel on the Wellness Centre site.

The city has put together a development plan and conceptual drawing for an 11-storey hotel complex for the Cahill site. But, said chief administrative officer Terry Murphy, it’s not the city’s intent to construct or operate a hotel.

“If we can find a partner that wants to work with us to do this and build on those amenities (part of the Wellness Centre) it will be good for the economy in the area.”

Driving the project is a need to increase economic development and growth in the city.

“We went into this whole concept of comparing communities and why there was a difference in growth between Queens County and Prince County,” said Murphy.

The answer, he added, may lie with the construction of the CP Hotel. According to numbers compiled by Murphy since 1982, when the CP was erected, Queens County, particularly the Charlottetown area, has experienced steady growth.

That hotel, said Murphy, has been the central driving force in attracting events to the capital.

“We can’t continue to have all the growth going to the centre of the province,” he added. “There has to be a bit of an aggressive action taken.”

A similar hotel coupled with what’s already being offered as part of the Wellness Centre could be the catalyst in attracting major events to Summerside, said Murphy.

“Council has invested a lot of money in refocusing that area of the city to be the prime area.” And a hotel could be just the beginning. “There are a number of major developments that are being looked at. If we bring some of these to fruition they’ll all build on each other,” said Murphy. “This is certainly one we think can happen.”

The city’s conceptual drawing is just that — a concept aimed at sparking interest from developers. No cost is associated with the project but it would likely be millions of dollars.

“The private sector people will look at this in their own way and come up with ideas that will suit their business plan,” said Murphy. “Obviously they will be building something practical to making it pay and making it viable. We think there’s a business case there for it.”

Deadline for expressions of interest is April 10.

“We’ve had, and I think we will have interest from various groups,” said Murphy. “We have a tremendous venue that is here that, if it is marketed in the right way, will lead to tremendous opportunities for the private sector and public sector.”

http://www.journalpioneer.com/index....d=16988&sc=118

[billy1]

Capital boom keeps going


WAYNE THIBODEAU
The Guardian

A $9-million dollar office tower is set to be built in the very heart of downtown Charlottetown, continuing the building boom in the capital city.

The three-storey office complex will be home to AIM/Trimark, The Guardian has learned.

The Charlottetown Area Development Corporation will construct the building and lease it back to the investment management company.

It will be built on Euston Street between University Avenue, Queen Street and Chestnut Street.

The 45,000-square-foot building will be built behind the City Shell station.

Existing businesses including Eastern Auto, the Home Brew Shoppe, Discount Car and Truck Rentals and a four-unit apartment complex will be relocated. The car rental company is expected to rent a small corner in the new building once it’s completed.

Kwik Kopy will also stay on the block.

Construction is expected to begin this spring.

Les Parsons, general manager of the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation, said the building, along with others in the neighbourhood, are going to redefine the city’s downtown core.

He compared it to when Veterans Affairs relocated to Charlottetown in the early 1980s.

“Now, all of a sudden you’re seeing some growth in the marketplace,’’ said Parsons.

“You’ve got some pretty significant movement.’’

Parsons would not confirm that AIM/Trimark is the tenant, but a senior government official confirmed the Toronto-based company would be calling the new building home.

A contract still has to be signed with AIM/Trimark.

“We still don’t have a signed lease,’’ Parsons added.

The new building will further expand the capital city’s downtown core.

Across the street is the new federal building, where hundreds of federal government workers will be moved in late summer.

Nearby is also the Atlantic Technology Centre with 450 people working in that building.

Ceridian Canada, which announced in January it was establishing a centre of excellence in the city’s downtown, is also looking for office space downtown.

More than 100 people will be working for that company once it has reached its peak employment.

Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee said his city is catching the eye of big city business leaders.

“It’s a small city, offering a great quality of life,’’ said Lee.

“But at the same time we offer all the big city services like larger centres in Toronto and Montreal.’’

But Lee said the work will continue. He said he wants more national and international firms to call Charlottetown home.

Lee is confident Ceridian will locate its new office in the downtown.

An official announcement regarding AIM/Trimark’s new office complex is expected within weeks.

Funding is expected from both the federal and provincial governments, but how much is not known at this point.

Parsons said with nearly 1,500 workers in the neighbourhood with the new federal and provincial buildings and with companies like AIM/Trimark it should spawn new private investment in the area.

“It’s bound to drive new business.’’

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=18839&sc=98

[MTLskyline]

Major changes in way Charlottetown harbour operates will be seen in just a few months

At a cost of over $14 million, the city will be able to accommodate larger cruise ships and oil tankers will come right up to the wharf

DAVE STEWART
The Guardian

Charlottetown???s new port will be ready to welcome large cruise ships by late August, says the chair of private body which operates the port.

Stan MacPherson of the Charlottetown Harbour Authority said Aug. 22 is the day being marked on calendars when large cruise ships and the Irving Oil tankers can dock right up against the port.

Right now, nothing can dock due to the major improvements currently underway on the $14-million-plus project.

The cruise ships ??? right now Charlottetown gets the Holland America line ??? dock as close as they can and tender their passengers in. Later this year, the city will welcome the Celebrity and Princess lines.

Irving Oil has to park in the middle of the harbour and unload its cargo into a small buoy close to the Hillsborough Bridge.

By the end of August, the oil company will be able dock right up against the wharf. A new pipeline, already built and ready, will move the product into the giant tanks on Riverside Drive.

The Charlottetown Harbour Authority poured $8 million of its own money (it received some federal help) into the wharf renovations.

Those renovations include dredging the seabed to allow for large ships and extending the wharf so that cruise ships can tie up.

The authority announced Tuesday it will introduce a new passenger tariff. Cruise ship passengers visiting Charlottetown will pay a levy of $7 per adult and $3.50 per child.

The tariff is common in ports around the world that host cruise ship passengers. The fee is included in the overall price to go on a cruise. All port fees are usually combined in the cruise price.

???We didn???t charge it before because Transport Canada couldn???t,?????? MacPherson said, referring to the fact the federal government used to own the city port.

Another reason Charlottetown has added the tariff now is because the city port has been under construction.

???And, you have to advise the cruise lines a year or two in advance that this is a tariff sort of thing and they work it into their prices.??????

If the extra charge is a deterrent to docking in Charlottetown, it sure isn???t showing.

MacPherson said cruise ship bookings will double next year. More than 69,000 passengers and 30,000 crew members will visit the Island capital, the vast majority of that business occurring in May, June, September and October.

???There is very little activity in July and August (but) we???ve got all kinds of people in Charlottetown in July and August anyhow.??????

The levy will also help pay some of the marketing costs. MacPherson said Tourism Charlottetown, formerly the Capital Commission, spends $60,000 per year marketing the Island capital to the cruise industry.
________
THE HILLS DICUSSION

[MTLskyline]

Summerside building to get a facelift


Image courtesy of user The_Hamburglar on flickr.com

Last Updated: Wednesday, June 6, 2007 | 8:52 AM AT
CBC News

In one of his last acts as P.E.I. premier, Pat Binns has made a nearly $3 million commitment to downtown Summerside.

Cabinet approved a loan two weeks ago of $2.9 million for repairs to Dominion Square to be done over the next five years.

The Summerside Regional Development Corporation bought the downtown building earlier this year, and plans a makeover that will cost about $6 million and take about three years to complete, said Arnold Croken, general manager of SRDC.

"I think everyone agrees that this building is pretty much the heart and soul of the downtown of the city of Summerside with its sheer size," said Croken. "It's about 90,000 square feet and right in the heart of downtown. So it offers a tremendous opportunity for us to start to bring some new growth to the downtown area."

The plan is to transform the historic building into a high-tech hotspot and business centre for downtown Summerside.

"We're looking at software development companies. We've had a number of companies from out of province that have already taken a walk through the building and looked at it," said Croken.
Continue Article

"And that's pretty much what we see the upper levels of that building containing and on the ground level we see a mixture of business space and high-end retail."

The four-storey building is structurally sound. The inside needs most of the work, Croken added.
________
Which is stronger dilaudid or demerol

[Seely32]

Charlottetown airport traffic continues to soar
EDITORIAL STAFF
The Guardian

The Charlottetown Airport Authority has experienced one of its busiest months ever recorded with 34,671 passengers arriving and leaving in the month of July.
July passenger traffic increased by 16.9 per cent overall compared to 2006 and the traffic to the airport is up to 12 per cent total year to date. The continued strong growth is impressive on the heels of 2006, a record-breaking year for passengers flying to P.E.I.
“Obviously, we are really pleased,” said airport CEO Doug Newson.
“Thanks to the demand of the travelling public, the support of the provincial government and to our air carrier partners who are expanding service to meet the growing demand; more and more people continue to fly to P.E.I. It is great for the P.E.I. tourism industry.”
He said there is a worldwide increase in air travel and with the number of destinations
growing, P.E.I. is well ahead of regional, national and world growth rates.
All of the airlines servicing P.E.I., including Delta, with daily direct service to Boston, appear to be busy, said Newson.
“It is great to see so many people flying to our province,” said Premier Robert Ghiz.
“One of the very first initiatives of our new government was to meet with the airport authority and Air Canada and discuss the need for more service. We commend Air Canada and all the airlines for continuing to offer more service, and Islanders and visitors for using those services. Improved air access and travel is a win-win for all.”
The Charlottetown Airport Authority has direct flights each day to destinations including: Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Detroit and Boston.