[Moncton] Centre Avenir Centre | 26.65m |~6 Fl | Completed

[josh_cat_eyes]

Is there more pictures/renderings than just the ones posted?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

Is there more pictures/renderings than just the ones posted?

A few, but nothing new over what we've seen before. Here's the link to the pdf for the October PAC meeting:

http://www.moncton.ca/Assets/Residen...PAC+Agenda.pdf

[MonctonRad]

Well, I went to the presentation at the Capitol Theatre this evening regarding the events centre. I learned a few interesting tidbits during the presentation, and from questioning some of the presenters after the session.

Here's an overhead view of the site:



Note in the lower right of the photo, you can see an illustration of an outdoor ice rink. This will be a permanent feature (in the winter time) and will be located in the plaza between the events centre and the Highfield St. extension. The ice plant in the events centre will be used to maintain this outdoors ice surface. In the summer time, the plan is to use the plaza for outdoor events, with the option to put three outdoors basketball courts in this part of the plaza when not otherwise in use. The events centre will support public usage of the plaza as certain portions of the events centre (such as washrooms) will be available. The small adjacent building (parcel "C") in the photo will be used for skate rentals, storage, a concession or coffee shop and as an information kiosk.

If you squint at the writing at the bottom of the image, just next to that anomalous crosswalk over the Highfield St extension, you might be able to make out that it says "potential link to cross railway tracks". One of the people I talked to after the event admitted that the city has begun active talks with CN to build a tunnel under the mainline to the south side of the tracks. There is no formal plan to build a parking garage on the south side, but the person I talked to said that the city is interested in using the ROW of the old rail spur that used to service the industrial waterfront as a potential pedestrian/cycling link connecting the events centre (via this tunnel) to Downing Street, running along the south side of Assumption Place. He then said that the city is indeed ruminating about a trolley line along this ROW at some point in the future! This of course does not mean that a trolley is a fait accompli, but it is at least on the city's radar as a possibility down the road.

Apparently there is a developer interested in parcel "B", in the old Highfield Square parking lot. Apparently the Aquillini's are also in talks with this unnamed developer so that their two projects could be synchronized. If so, there would likely be an overhead pedway between the two developments crossing Main Street. The Aquillini development would very likely contain indoor parking.

One of the potential uses for parcel "A" could be a hotel. Condos are another possibility. In either event, they hope for ground level retail along Main Street.

[MonctonRad]

The above photo shows the ground level of the events centre. Entry is via the atrium on the northeast corner of the building. On entering the building, the box office would be to your left, and the Wildcats Boutique would be to your right. To get to your seats, you would have to ascend to the mezzanine level, either by escalators on either side of the atrium, or by a central staircase. For concerts, if you have floor seating, you can enter the floor area directly from the atrium.



The above image shows the mezzanine level of the events centre. Upon ascending to this level from the atrium, you would have an unimpeded view of the ice surface. The club lounge will be located along the east side of the mezzanine, and will be connected directly to the 15 corporate boxes on this side of the arena. Apparently, the club lounge will also be a feature available to the fans willing to pay for upgraded "club" seating. There will be 600-800 club seats. There will be a dedicated club food service in this area.

General concessions {and washroom facilities} will be placed along the north, west and south sides of the mezzanine. There looks to be a lot of washrooms (no waiting). I count six concession spaces (not including the club lounge).



The above image shows the luxury box level. They are located on the east side of the ice surface, and overlook both the ice surface and the club level.

There is one other level above the luxury box level. This is where the press box is located.

Physically, the events centre will be the height of an eight storey building.

[NBNYer]

Great info!

I wonder what might be in the works at parcel B. If the Aquilini's are considering linking up their hotel to it, I suspect it isn't another hotel or even a residential development. Some type of commercial development would make the most sense.


The trolley project is quite interesting. Seems like a pipe dream but I think it's not a bad idea to at least preserve the right of way. You never know what might be a possibility in 20+ years.

[stephan.richard]

Thats cool info and it will be a heck of a project for the city. The main issue that I have been hearing is parking and that ia one main issue and a huge sticking point. The main risk will be to see how fast the downtown core will empty after an event. I assume that many folks will go to the local bars and restaurants pre and post event to avoid event day traffic.

Being a Moncton Wildcats season ticket holder I would like to see a lounge type area for those who have their season ticket of I might have to upgrade to premium seating. But way to go to the city of Moncton to take charge in this much needed project and hope we can start putting a potential bid for the IIHF World Junior hockey tournament for the city of Moncton.

[pierremoncton]

Thanks for the info.

I hadn't realized the building would be so tall. It'll be an imposing structure.

I've never liked the colour scheme on this building. One cbc.ca commenter describes it as "a top to an ice cream container", which is apt. Not a fan of vivid Lego colours; they get tiring and the building will look cheap & outdated very quickly.

Radio-Canada is reporting that the final colour scheme is still being debated, the city having requested different options:

D'ailleurs, l'un des architectes du projet, Rob Bateman de Stantec, affirme que la signature du projet sera dans la couleur de l'édifice.

« Je pense qu'il y a beaucoup de débats entourant la couleur.[...]La ville nous a demandé de fournir des options au niveau des couleurs », affirme M. Bateman.

I'd go with a more timeless and neutral colour scheme for the stripes: copper and dark grey, or just different shades of bricks & grey stone.

[David_99]

Awesome! Thanks for the info!
There's also potential for the land behind the centre owned by Sobeys.

[NBNYer]

Originally Posted by David_99

Awesome! Thanks for the info!
There's also potential for the land behind the centre owned by Sobeys.

Someone on this forum mentioned a rumour that Crombie may be considering a parking garage on this site.

[BlackYear]

New construction video from the moncton.ca web site.

• Video Link

And, a flyby of the finished product.

• Video Link

[OUIR@random]

I highly doubt that those tall buildings will be built on parcel B. We all know that downtown Moncton is not a place where things are built upwards...
Let's just concentrate on the actual Centre for now because we are lucky that this is finally a GO! It's been a very long time coming.
I sure hope that we get a better name for this place; Centre Moncton Centre is almost as good as Stade Moncton Stadium. LOL

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by OUIR@random

I highly doubt that those tall buildings will be built on parcel B. We all know that downtown Moncton is not a place where things are built upwards...

Not necessarily a bad thing. Most of us on this forum like and encourage height but the reality is that it isn't always realistic. If a tall building gets built all of a sudden surrounding landowners all presume their land value is through the roof (no pun intended) because they expect equally tall buildings to be built on that land and smaller developments become financially unfeasible.

And because a tall building can suck up all the demand for space for the next few years, nothing else gets built. So while you might get one very nice building development in general stagnates.

[OUIR@random]

Sprawl is a bad thing especially downtown, we have enough vacant land and parking. New buildings in our downtown should be at least 5 stories high with very little setbacks from the street. I would love to see these highrise built there, but I don't think it will happen. What we might see is another commercial plaza or timmies, yes!

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by OliverD

Not necessarily a bad thing. Most of us on this forum like and encourage height but the reality is that it isn't always realistic. If a tall building gets built all of a sudden surrounding landowners all presume their land value is through the roof (no pun intended) because they expect equally tall buildings to be built on that land and smaller developments become financially unfeasible.

And because a tall building can suck up all the demand for space for the next few years, nothing else gets built. So while you might get one very nice building development in general stagnates.

All valid points, but surely Moncton can build higher than two storeys. Irving has just announced a new HQ building in uptown Saint John which will likely be 9 storeys. There is a new Hilton Garden Inn being built in Freddy next to the convention centre which will be 8 storeys (I believe). Surely Moncton can do as well. I'm not arguing for 20 storey skyscrapers (we have one of those and it sticks out like a sore thumb), but buildings in the 6-10 storey range would add heft to the downtown and would go a long way to establishing the sort of density that the core needs to become the vital anchor that the metro area deserves.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

All valid points, but surely Moncton can build higher than two storeys. Irving has just announced a new HQ building in uptown Saint John which will likely be 9 storeys. There is a new Hilton Garden Inn being built in Freddy next to the convention centre which will be 8 storeys (I believe). Surely Moncton can do as well. I'm not arguing for 20 storey skyscrapers (we have one of those and it sticks out like a sore thumb), but buildings in the 6-10 storey range would add heft to the downtown and would go a long way to establishing the sort of density that the core needs to become the vital anchor that the metro area deserves.

They definitely should be taller than two stories, I just wouldn't expect much in the 8+ range. Most of downtown Moncton is what, 3-5 stories? There's nothing wrong with consistency.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by OUIR@random

Sprawl is a bad thing especially downtown, we have enough vacant land and parking. New buildings in our downtown should be at least 5 stories high with very little setbacks from the street. I would love to see these highrise built there, but I don't think it will happen. What we might see is another commercial plaza or timmies, yes!

Well by definition anything built downtown is not sprawl. It may not be appropriately designed though. Minimal setbacks are key of course. But some of the densest neighborhoods in the world consist of 3-5 story buildings.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I'm not arguing for 20 storey skyscrapers (we have one of those and it sticks out like a sore thumb), but buildings in the 6-10 storey range would add heft to the downtown and would go a long way to establishing the sort of density that the core needs to become the vital anchor that the metro area deserves.

It wouldn't "stick out like a sore thumb" if there were more of them! I assume it's all about $.

[Sandbagger]

One thing I notice is that until parcel A is developed, the arse half of the building seems to be exposed to main st. Looks to be a loading area which is not the most attractive if you're coming from West main. Hopefully it gets developed fairly quickly.

[MonctonRad]

Edmonton is building a new arena for the Oilers.



The area around the new arena is now known as the "arena precinct". Note all the construction cranes in the general area. These have sprouted up only because the arena itself was greenlighted. Wouldn't it be neat if the events centre in Moncton resulted in a similar sprouting of tower cranes in the surrounding area (of course to a lesser degree).

One can only dream, right?

[OliverD]

Edmonton still got a really crappy deal though.