The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[JHikka]

City today made public their Dashboard interface, highlighting some statistics and data made public through open data initiatives.

The Growth & Prosperity portal is the most pertinent to this forum. Some interesting statistics, for example how Q1 2017 building permits are over half what the City received all of last year.

Also, this article today on Huddle discussing the hotting up of the real estate market in Uptown.

In 2016, uptown Saint John saw an increase in residential real estate sales with 16 sales (which is considerable given the size of the area), up 45 per cent from 11 sales in 2015. Saint John real estate agent Bob McVicar, who specializes his practice in the city’s centre and lives there himself, says the 2016 number has already been beaten just five months into 2017. As of the end of last month, he says there were 17 residential properties sold in the uptown area. That number was only nine last year during the same time period.

[Fischbob]

Great indicators on the strong demand for housing Uptown. The rental market is looking quite healthy as well. Historica only has one advertised residential vacancy across their portfolio - and these units command premium rents. The somewhat more affordable Hazen has just two advertised vacancies right now. Killam's Uptown properties are also nearly full, with one advertised vacancy in each building.

[Fischbob]

A few proposals in the Millidgeville area from this month's PAC agenda.

1. Proposed restaurant at 700 Somerset, between the Superstore and the cement plant.



2. Proposed 24 unit apartment building to be constructed behind an existing building on Woodhaven.



3. Proposed 46 unit apartment building as part of the Village View Suites development at the end of Noel Avenue.





As a side note there's been a LOT of blasting lately for this one, and you can see why looking at the topographic map.

[JHikka]

That's 70 new units proposed just off of University Avenue. That, combined with the other two new builds on Noel, makes for a lot more people living in that Central-ish part of Millidgeville.

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by JHikka

That's 70 new units proposed just off of University Avenue. That, combined with the other two new builds on Noel, makes for a lot more people living in that Central-ish part of Millidgeville.

That is good, it was identified as a critical growth/intensification corridor in PlanSJ, as part of aligning growth more along the North-South axis, linking Uptown & the North End up toward the hospital and UNB. I wish the proposals had a bit more of an urban form, but it is nice to see density continuing to grow that direction, as it is a well-serviced area with good transit links between our largest employment centres, and by far our most diverse neighbourhoods as well.

[RaginRonic]

https://www.facebook.com/FieldhouseS...911027/?type=3

Hmm....wonder what it will be about? Hopefully something that leads to shovels in dirt soon. =)

[RR Drummer]

Originally Posted by RaginRonic

https://www.facebook.com/FieldhouseS...911027/?type=3

Hmm....wonder what it will be about? Hopefully something that leads to shovels in dirt soon. =)

Yes agreed! Def would be great to see this site developed and the field house vision come to pass.

[RaginRonic]

Originally Posted by RR Drummer

Yes agreed! Def would be great to see this site developed and the field house vision come to pass.

Well, the big cheques have been written...

https://twitter.com/chsjnews/status/882579831875096576

https://twitter.com/chsjnews/status/882583117369921536

https://twitter.com/chsjnews/status/882584391226208261

https://twitter.com/chsjnews/status/882586002572931073

It sounds like they now have all the money they need to start construction. The project would take 2 years to build, and be open, likely, for Fall 2019.

=)

[JHikka]

I know i'm beating a dead horse but the Fieldhouse is being built on an area of the city that frequently floods. Like, it floods annually. I know others here are more knowledgeable than I on the waterways within city limits but I wonder how many other locations the Fieldhouse could have been built where this wouldn't be as big an issue.

[saintjohnirish☘]

Originally Posted by JHikka

I know i'm beating a dead horse but the Fieldhouse is being built on an area of the city that frequently floods. Like, it floods annually. I know others here are more knowledgeable than I on the waterways within city limits but I wonder how many other locations the Fieldhouse could have been built where this wouldn't be as big an issue.

Agreed. Pipedream:build it at Landsdown Place, the original home of Shamrock Park.. Since the liqour store, Zellers, etc. have left, the place is an empty parking lot. Such an eye sore

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by saintjohnirish☘

Agreed. Pipedream:build it at Landsdown Place, the original home of Shamrock Park.. Since the liqour store, Zellers, etc. have left, the place is an empty parking lot. Such an eye sore

Honestly, as much as Mayor Norton dreamed of a 4Plex on Long Wharf, a better location would be at Lansdowne once Sobeys moves on. It's central, close to the highway, easy to get to and has enough space for the facilities and parking. I suppose that will be the next project once Fieldhouse is completed.

[saintjohnirish☘]

Really hoping Sobey's actually remains in the north end. The city already has few grocers as it is, at least ones that are walkable.

[Fischbob]

If you're free tomorrow, come out to the final day of the Central Peninsula Summit, the most in-depth engagement opportunity for the Neighbourhood Plan.

You'll get to see and provide feedback on some of the placemaking and development concepts the consultants are considering, and discuss issues like heritage and sustainability. Plus, there's food!

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by saintjohnirish☘

Really hoping Sobey's actually remains in the north end. The city already has few grocers as it is, at least ones that are walkable.

If Sobeys does leave there current location I don't think they will be re opening in the north end.

Unless they have plans that would involved them doing the same as Stores in Larger cities like Toronto, and Ottawa. and go Sobeys Urban Fresh, or even a full fledged Sobeys in the main level of either an office building, or apartment/condo building. But not sure if Saint John would be large enough for Sobeys to even consider that as an option.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Scarface

If Sobeys does leave there current location I don't think they will be re opening in the north end.

Unless they have plans that would involved them doing the same as Stores in Larger cities like Toronto, and Ottawa. and go Sobeys Urban Fresh, or even a full fledged Sobeys in the main level of either an office building, or apartment/condo building. But not sure if Saint John would be large enough for Sobeys to even consider that as an option.

There's an UrbanFresh a few minutes away from my apartment in Ottawa and it's really great. In the ground floor of a double-tower condo building, really tight and mazelike to emphasize that it's for people with basket-quantity of food as opposed to full carts. They sell beer, have a wine store, and have plenty of self-checkouts.

If the Uptown ever gets to the point where it could sustain a Sobeys UrbanFresh it would be the most ideal location for one. Just depends on what Sobeys' priority is for loading docks and overall building use. A new build along Water Street would be ideal I would imagine.

As for the Lansdowne Sobeys I really don't know what the future holds. Like the Zellers & Scotiabank nearby which both shut down for a plethora of reasons (including petty theft) I don't really know what their plan would be for a new location. Millidgeville?

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by JHikka

There's an UrbanFresh a few minutes away from my apartment in Ottawa and it's really great. In the ground floor of a double-tower condo building, really tight and mazelike to emphasize that it's for people with basket-quantity of food as opposed to full carts. They sell beer, have a wine store, and have plenty of self-checkouts.

If the Uptown ever gets to the point where it could sustain a Sobeys UrbanFresh it would be the most ideal location for one. Just depends on what Sobeys' priority is for loading docks and overall building use. A new build along Water Street would be ideal I would imagine.

As for the Lansdowne Sobeys I really don't know what the future holds. Like the Zellers & Scotiabank nearby which both shut down for a plethora of reasons (including petty theft) I don't really know what their plan would be for a new location. Millidgeville?

I could see it at 222 Water Street if they buy 222 Water Street, and the vacant lot next door, and get permission from city council to expand the building 100% of the lot.

as for Millidgeville area. I only see 2 areas that it might be possible really, and that is either Across from the Millidge Ave Subway, or on University by the hospital.

[Fischbob]

From this month's PAC agenda:

Proposed 18-unit apartment building on Ellerdale, not far from Woodhollow Park.

[saintjohnirish☘]

Well this has really been taking a bit of time..

Diamond + Schmitt wins bid to rebuild N.B. Museum

Val Ross Toronto — From Saturday's Globe and Mail Published Saturday, Sep. 30, 2006

The New Brunswick Museum has announced that the Toronto-based Diamond + Schmitt Architects have been chosen to redesign the institution and give it more space and improved facilities. Established in 1842, it is Canada's oldest continually operating museum, but at its current location in Market Square, Saint John, it can only display 5 per cent of its collection. This includes a Hall of Great Whales, a strong decorative-arts collection from the 18th and 18th century, when New Brunswick was an international shipbuilding centre, and the Maritimes' largest research collection of bird specimens -- about 10,000 skins, skeletons, eggs and nests.

The museum chose Diamond +Schmitt, which has won more than 100 national and international awards for planning and design, from among 12 competitors. Jack Diamond, who led the team for Toronto's new Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, will serve as the principal in charge, with Michael Leckman as project architect. Leckman was design director for the University of Toronto's Bahen Centre and the Medicine Hat Arts and Heritage Centre. "We were really impressed by the firm's ability to present international architecture in an environment that speaks to New Brunswick," says Jane Fullerton, the museum's director. "The waterfront will be a key part of that."

[Fischbob]

From today's HDB agenda - the Daeres are actually doing something with their building on Germain Street - constructing a 4 storey addition off the back to replace part of the building that structurally failed, and rehabilitating the rest of the building for habitation.





This will be a welcome addition of residential units on our most desirable street - I only hope that the parking lot next door will see development soon.

[Ire Narissis]

That's this one here, yes?

https://goo.gl/maps/p2H6BVMYuhB2