The Official Saint John, NB Project Thread

[Fischbob]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Ideally, IMO, Prince Edward Square gets entirely renovated. It already has a lot of aspects of what grocers would be looking for (loading bays, underground parking, walking distance to residents). It's a bit separated from USJ but for Waterloo Village, parts of the Peninsula, and Crown Street area it makes sense.

This is one of the placemaking recommendations they're considering in the Neighbourhood Plan. Here's the Waterloo Village page from their workbook:



Speaking of the plan, there's an open house coming up on September 23rd at Market Square in order to provide some updates.


Source (page 448)

[KnoxfordGuy]

Global News reported that Saint John saw 208,000 cruise ship passengers in 2017, up 3% from last year.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by KnoxfordGuy

Global News reported that Saint John saw 208,000 cruise ship passengers in 2017, up 3% from last year.

More info can be found here: http://www.cruiseandferry.net/articl...n#.Wg9hW1WnHIU

Originally Posted by Cruise&Ferry

Canada’s Port Saint John welcomed 208,818 cruise passengers and crew members in 2017, a 3% increase from the 202,929 in 2016.

September and October saw 12 double cruise ship days and five triple cruise ship days. Other highlights included inaugural calls from Royal Caribbean International’s Vision of the Seas and TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 6. The latter’s called also marked the first time the German-based operator visited the port. Disney Cruise Line’s Anthem of the Seas, the largest ship to call at the port to date, also visited along with Disney Magic.

Figures from Business Research & Economic Advisors and the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association’s International Cruise Industry in Canada (2016) report show that the total annual impact from the cruise industry in Port Saint John and the New Brunswick province has risen 20% from CAN$41.5 million to CAN$49.9 million. This included CAN$21.5 million in direct spending by cruise lines, passengers and crew in New Brunswick. The cruise industry also supports 298 direct jobs in the province.

The article also has a nifty shot of the Uptown Peninsula with the IOLHQ nearly topped out:

[Fischbob]

Development info from this month's PAC agenda

Proposed 40-unit apartment building "to be marketed as a Retirement Living Complex" at 1157 Loch Lomond Road (access off Eugene's Way):





Proposed commercial development at 1000 Sandy Point Road (just up the hill from Cedarcrest Gardens):





Also, the rezoning application for a multi-unit development at the end of Manners Sutton Road in Millidgeville has been tabled by the applicant, so no site plans/renders this month.

[RR Drummer]

Originally Posted by JHikka

More info can be found here: http://www.cruiseandferry.net/articl...n#.Wg9hW1WnHIU



The article also has a nifty shot of the Uptown Peninsula with the IOLHQ nearly topped out:

Great news! There are locals who are not big fans of the cruise scene in Saint John. I thinks its fantastic. The economic impact a well as the exposure the cruise industry had brought to our beautiful city and all the tourists who have visited and those who have since returned is immeasurable.

I love the shot, very nice pic!

[RR Drummer]

Originally Posted by thefishingnut

Lets hope they put in enough room so the drive through lineup isn't out on the street as seems to happen far too often.

Exactly !

[RR Drummer]

Originally Posted by Ire Narissis

That's a real shame; I preferred Petro Canada because from what I understood, their NB locations source lower-ethanol fuel than most other chains. Guess it'll be Shell for me now.

I have heard that Needs (Sobey's owned/franchised) has bought the two properties and are developing the sites. I am surprised that Irving did not purchase the properties to add to their portfolio, especially given the proximity to their ESJ Canaport operations across the street from the Bayside Drive location.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by RR Drummer

I have heard that Needs (Sobey's owned/franchised) has bought the two properties and are developing the sites. I am surprised that Irving did not purchase the properties to add to their portfolio, especially given the proximity to their ESJ Canaport operations across the street from the Bayside Drive location.

IOL hasn't really been opening up a lot of new locations in prime areas lately. A lot of new builds in new developing areas/new developments are Shell, Esso, etc. Grey Rock Entertainment Centre is Shell, Berry Mills & Horsman is Shell, Dieppe Boulevard is Ultramar. One of the few new Irving builds I can think of is Gondola Point/Millennium, and that's across the street from an already developed Esso.

As an aside, a lot of highway realignments in the past few years have bypassed Irving locations entirely and cut them off from direct highway traffic. Route 1 in Pennfield, Route 7 in Welsford, and Route 85 at the QC/NB border are three examples. All of these locations used to have direct exposure to all traffic and have now been relegated to side-roads and exits.

I agree that it wouldn't have been surprising for IOL to purchase the Bayside location.

[Helladog]

Opening a gas bar these days is a questionable business decision with the competition so fierce and electrification gaining momentum.

[Fischbob]

Just a reminder that Neighbourhood Plan update/open house is tomorrow at Market Square with presentations starting at 6:00pm. Should be of great interest to SJ SSPers.

[saintjohnirish☘]

Anyone see any renderings of the non-profit housing going up at the Jelly Bean site?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-br...ourt-1.4415666

[Fischbob]

Here are a few highlights from the Neighbourhood Plan open house panels. They include the "big moves" proposed for the Uptown, South End, South Waterfront and Waterloo Village; some conceptual renderings of the Trinity block and Coast Guard site; considering a long term vision for Long Wharf; building design guidelines at various scales; and, because this is SkyscraperPage, proposed building height ranges for the entirety of the peninsula (with the possibility of density bonusing)!

Originally Posted by saintjohnirish☘

Anyone see any renderings of the non-profit housing going up at the Jelly Bean site?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-br...ourt-1.4415666

My understanding is they were/are trying to secure funding from the federal/provincial government. Hopefully their building is of high quality and relates well to the street.

[Ire Narissis]

Those are some interesting plans, though I'm not sure how keen the military would be to hand Barrack Green over to the city considering they still use it.

[RaginRonic]

http://country94.ca/news/1137188242/...-same-building

The City of Saint John will soon be getting a new city hall, at the same location.

The city will amend its lease with the current building owners at 15 Market Square, the former BMO building, to rent a newly renovated space for 15 years and move in at the start of 2019.

Stephanie Rackley-Roach told the council it would be a whole different look with the ground floor being utilized and then the remainder being in the first three floors.

The escalators will have to be removed and other major renovations to allow for the space, which she says will save between $650,000 to $700,000 in operating costs each year.

Not all the councillors were happy, five wanted to have the city own a building, five were happy with the lease agreement.

In the end Mayor Don Darling cast the tie breaking vote in favour of the new lease and the "new" city hall.

Outside of the pedway floor, which is already populated, this will free up the top 10 floors for other uses.

If I could, I'd have the top 2 floors used for an observation deck...to give anyone who'd go up there a better, more well-rounded view of that part of the city than standing in that one small area on the top floor that only overlooks the harbour...maybe get a restaurant up there too and have it be a cool social place when Council's not in session downstairs.

XB

[Ire Narissis]

There's a pretty tall tower structure going up today on the West Side behind the former Cox store. My uninformed guess/speculation is perhaps a new cell phone tower to relocate the antennas currently on the roof of said building since it's listed for sale?

[Fischbob]

Some data from the CMHC's latest Rental Market Report for Saint John:



Vacancy rates are way down across the board, and rents increased only modestly over the past year (note: ** means the data was suppressed for confidentiality)





One figure that jumps out is the very low vacancy rate for apartments built since 2005 - suggesting that there is pent up demand for high quality rental options. Developers, take note!

[Fischbob]

Originally Posted by RaginRonic

http://country94.ca/news/1137188242/...-same-building





Outside of the pedway floor, which is already populated, this will free up the top 10 floors for other uses.

If I could, I'd have the top 2 floors used for an observation deck...to give anyone who'd go up there a better, more well-rounded view of that part of the city than standing in that one small area on the top floor that only overlooks the harbour...maybe get a restaurant up there too and have it be a cool social place when Council's not in session downstairs.

XB

Here's some more information and visuals from the City press release and accompanying PowerPoint:

Saint John Common Council voted to seek enhanced functionality and significant savings through a move of City Hall offices estimated to save City operating expenses in the range of $625,000 to $700,000 annually. The move, scheduled to take place in early 2019, will involve an amended lease agreement with the landlord of 15 Market Square, Se-Fish Associates, to have City Hall offices relocated from six upper floors to four, lower-level retrofitted spaces designed to greatly enhance efficiency, accessibility and customer experience.

City Hall offices and service desks currently occupy sections of the ground and lobby floors as well as floors eight to twelve within 15 Market Square. Renovations to the ground and lobby levels as well as the third and fourth floors, will accommodate some of these municipal services. Others will be relocated to the Saint John City Market tower once renovations are complete.

The move projects a $9-million cost savings over a fifteen-year lease. With a vision of long-term sustainability and growth, along with a more customer-focused model for City Hall, it is a step in the right direction for Mayor Don Darling.

“This is a major milestone for the City of Saint John,” said Mayor Darling. “It is the result of an evidence-based approach from the City’s continuous improvement program, and a renewed focus to look at how we optimize space requirements for long-term financial sustainability and improved public service that promotes growth.”

Council’s decision comes after a two-year search for new space involving a transparent competitive selection process led by City staff with the help of real-estate professionals from Cushman & Wakefield. In response to a four-phase selection process and analysis of public and employee needs, 16 space options were evaluated and shortlisted reducing the overall footprint of City Hall by almost 42 percent.

“It was great to see a multi-faceted project team work together to find a configuration and location that is optimal for both citizens and employees,” said Bill MacAvoy, co-lead on the file for Cushman & Wakefield. “We see across the country forward-thinking organizations reducing their footprint to improve the return on their premise expenses. This file is a great example of that.”

Visitors to City Hall will have direct access into a welcoming and professional civic space where they can interact with staff in one place. The new space will have improved public accessibility with a number of secure entrances off the City’s indoor pedway system and street level. Access will be further enhanced with a first-floor customer service desk, signage and minor changes to the City-owned plaza in front of 15 Market Square.

In addition to the cost savings, one of the City’s project team leads, Stephanie Rackley-Roach, is excited about what this move will mean for citizens, visitors and staff. “A single location will allow the public to make payments, access parking services, and interact with our team at the one-stop development shop,” said Rackley-Roach. “The public will also be able to make general inquiries and get visitor information all within an accessible, professional and secure location.”

Based on the lease agreement date of December 31, 2107 and time for detail design, tendering and renovations, the new City Hall space is expected to be open by January 2019.

The public are invited and encouraged to find out more about the project, and view the renderings and possibilities for the new space, click here.

And just for fun, here's a selection of other sites they were considering:

[Ire Narissis]

A City Hall on Water Street would've been interesting, but I feel like 222 is a bit too far down.

Personally, while I know a lot of people were hoping for a move, I'm pleased to see them more-or-less staying put. Although any location would've required a lot of renovations, I feel as though working around the existing Council Chambers at 15 Market Square is the most practical option.

Of the other considered locations, 91 King and 40 Charlotte would've been my favourites because those would have put City Hall right on King Square.

321 City Road is just baffling to me. What a weird site to have on the shortlist...

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by Ire Narissis

A City Hall on Water Street would've been interesting, but I feel like 222 is a bit too far down.

Personally, while I know a lot of people were hoping for a move, I'm pleased to see them more-or-less staying put. Although any location would've required a lot of renovations, I feel as though working around the existing Council Chambers at 15 Market Square is the most practical option.

Of the other considered locations, 91 King and 40 Charlotte would've been my favourites because those would have put City Hall right on King Square.

321 City Road is just baffling to me. What a weird site to have on the shortlist...

Really? That one is amongst my favourites, although only because City Road/Haymarket Square is in need of a massive overhaul - including a healthy road diet - and a new development would finally force that to happen.

[Ire Narissis]

I definitely agree that the City Road corridor is in need of much love and could use a lot of development! I just don't think that City Hall is the right development for that area; I'm of the mind that City Hall belongs in the heart of uptown.