[Saint John] Port Development

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

https://glassbottle.ie/





Read about this the other day in Ireland. I’d say it’s analogous to the built environment of Saint John’s port lands. Let’s keep in mind that there’s almost 300 acres of port owned land in Saint John.

It’s utterly asinine to suggest the port couldn’t give up some areas on the fringe to make room for some housing and mixed used developments.

Have you driven down the lower cove loop and seen the mess of temporary sheds, boat trailers etc. It’s a pretty piss poor land use, imo, and just looks horrible off one of our main streets, beside our premier tourism arrival point, the cruise terminal. As Trudeau suggested build on top of things, they could even build housing right on top of the cruise terminals themselves.

There’s lots of room for the port to continue to grow rapidly, and build some housing on the fringes.

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/250...g%2F11g63gbw1p

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Sai...g%2F11g60w88pw

There’s no way to better use some this land on the fringe of the port’s operations without unwisely or negatively impacting port growth? Please.

As mentioned before a lot of that land you refer to is severely contaminated and will require remediation that costs 10’s of millions, if not over $100m. Let’s pick the vast low hanging fruit first, like Smythe St area and Prince William, Water streets

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

As mentioned before a lot of that land you refer to is severely contaminated and will require remediation that costs 10’s of millions, if not over $100m. Let’s pick the vast low hanging fruit first, like Smythe St area and Prince William, Water streets

Are any of these locations known to be severely contaminated?

Much of the AIM site may be, but I don't think the offices are.

Did you actually watch the video where Trudeau talked about the idea?

• Video Link

Based on what he said, the federal government could allow condos and apartments to be built right on top of the cruise ship terminal buildings, or beside them.

Is this mess on the corner of Broad and Charlotte critical to port operations? I doubt it! Build some apartments here, and clean up this streetfront.



There's more than 300 acres of federally owned port lands in Saint John, it goes without saying some of it remains far under-utilized, and non critical to port operations, where they could absolutely squeeze in some housing.

The Port CEO was on CBC Information Morning Saint John and was asked about the topic of building housing on port lands in response to Trudeau's video (around 7:40 mark), and his response was actually far more positive than many of the posters on here have been regarding Trudeau's idea. He specifically said for anything to happen, it would have to come down from the minister of transport, but that it could be possible... and that we do need to get bold and start thinking outside the current paradigm to fix the housing crisis.

While, there's certainly far lower hanging fruit in Saint John to build housing, this is a fruit that would ultimately come with far more federal funding than the average project, or could even entirely federally funded depending on the project. I think it's worth looking into when it was the Prime Minister himself that presented the idea to the public.

[sailor734]

Firstly, is the housing issue in SJ largely due to a lack of sites or is it a lack of well financed, experienced developers and the unavailability of sufficient numbers of qualified construction managers and skilled trades people?

As to site contamination, remember that the waterfront of SJ has been industrialized for over 200 years. Original piers were preserved with pitch and later creosote, Structures had lead paint and asbestos was used extensively for boilers and steam lines.

Boilers used first coal and then bunker C oil. Spills of these as well as diesel and lubricating oil were not uncommon over the years.

I'd only be surprised if an area around the waterfront did not have environmental issues.

[adamuptownsj]

I tried to acquire a piece of port land for housing that wasn't even contiguous to Lower Cove (the triangular vacant lot between Ross and Lower Cove Loop) just last year and the BD team at the port said, while the land was of no use to them, it would take a multi-year review and the Minister's approval to even allow a long term lease.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

I tried to acquire a piece of port land for housing that wasn't even contiguous to Lower Cove (the triangular vacant lot between Ross and Lower Cove Loop) just last year and the BD team at the port said, while the land was of no use to them, it would take a multi-year review and the Minister's approval to even allow a long term lease.

Was that before or after Trudeau floated the idea?


If Trudeau wants to build on top of federally owned property, the cruise ship terminals would probably be the best place to start in terms of port owned lands in SJ.


I still think that corner of Charlotte and Broad is ridiculous. We aren’t allowed to have shelter logic sheds in our driveways in Saint John, and they got one there off one of our main streets like 500 meters away from the cruise ship terminal, it looks like a mess and with all kinds of other junk there… surely it isn’t critical to their operations. There’s definitely room for some housing there and other places on the fringe.

I doubt Wayne Long would ever do anything to try and make it happen, but going over his head to the minister of transport and the minister of housing. You never know. What do the Liberals have to lose at this point?

[cdnguys]

Arica Express might be another new one to port - quite wide at 37 m

[PSJ harbour]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

Arica Express might be another new one to port - quite wide at 37 m

Looking like a replacement on the HL Med service that’s lightens in Saint John and calls Montreal after.