[St. John's] Metro West End Development

[goodgrowth]

Originally Posted by cdotr

I ran across this the weekend on Kijiji. I hadn't seen anything about the building here.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-commercial-of...ationFlag=true
rea
https://www.chronosquare.ca/

The best I can figure this would be located in the middle of all the residential area as far in on Moffat Road as you can go. I don't think there is any space near Topsail Road that the building could be built on.

Does anyone have any more details. The web site indicates that a second floor suite is already leased.

That actually looks pretty nice...at least in rendered form. Kind of random location for an office building though...

[J_Murphy]

http://www.thetelegram.com/news/loca...on-school.html

[Horsell]

WOW! How imaginative is that...townhouses! This is a joke, or more accurately, a total lack of creativity from the developer.

Since the school closed I've joked to a few friends of mine that if I won the lottery I would love to buy the property and re-purpose the school by building up on it and extending it to create something with density. Sadly I did not win the lottery.

I realize that the school does have asbestos remediation that is required but to just bulldoze it for a few more cookie cutter townhouses is just so short sighted, its a joke...our city is a joke.

[statbass]

Originally Posted by Horsell

WOW! How imaginative is that...townhouses! This is a joke, or more accurately, a total lack of creativity from the developer.

Since the school closed I've joked to a few friends of mine that if I won the lottery I would love to buy the property and re-purpose the school by building up on it and extending it to create something with density. Sadly I did not win the lottery.

I realize that the school does have asbestos remediation that is required but to just bulldoze it for a few more cookie cutter townhouses is just so short sighted, its a joke...our city is a joke.

Always the lowest common denominator it seems....

[rthomasd]

Also, Galgay got council to agree to remove greenspace requirement for the development because it was so close to Victoria Park and wants the developer to pay the fee to the city for the Park redevelopment.

It's such a shame, that's a great space to be losing to rows of townhouses.

[Gravelley]

Ill never understand the city's planning. You look at the MIX for say it looks like garbage because heritage committee would allow anything else down on the building. Then you look at these town houses, and there modern and don't fit and ugly. Why didn't they force them to build ones similar to the new on being built on military road. Brand new townhouse but fit perfect in the heritage. My guess is they wanted to do a apartment or condo building but no one wanted it in there back yard.....

[J_Murphy]

I really don't see the big deal everyone is making about this. The lot is just over 3 acres and basically at the intersection of two side streets, which most people in the City will never see. To me, 20 town houses are better than 6 half-acre lots with single detached homes in terms of density. Also, look at the surrounding neighbourhood. Not exactly an upscale street or neighbourhood by any stretch (i.e., not a place to put $500k houses).

And it's all better than a decaying old school that is a trap for illegal garbage dumping and graffiti.

I think it's a good development.

[Marty_Mcfly]

Originally Posted by j_murphy

i really don't see the big deal everyone is making about this. The lot is just over 3 acres and basically at the intersection of two side streets, which most people in the city will never see. To me, 20 town houses are better than 6 half-acre lots with single detached homes in terms of density. Also, look at the surrounding neighbourhood. Not exactly an upscale street or neighbourhood by any stretch (i.e., not a place to put $500k houses).

And it's all better than a decaying old school that is a trap for illegal garbage dumping and graffiti.

I think it's a good development.

+1

[Horsell]

Is that what we are willing to accept, a few townhouses (which by the way will probably be in the $300,000 to $350,000 range anyway) rather than an imaginative reuse of an existing building? (I agree that a cul de sac of a few $500k homes is totally out of the question).
What are the chances that the “future” 58 unit senior’s condo will ever get built, and what do we even know about what it will look like or what they will be priced at? I think we have heard this story before from any number of developers.
As for the NIMBY’s, well what is there now is already in there backyard so why not try to improve on it.
The City just held a forum on affordable housing, or lack there of, in the city so rather than piss and moan about what to do about it why didn’t someone on Council step up and say, “hey, why don’t we partner with a developer to see what we can do here”. (Crystal ball into the future….McPherson School ???).
These decommissioned school properties (see also Bishops and Booth) should be looked at as “special” sites that should get a little leeway in terms of zoning in exchange for some creative reuse ideas. Step up people…and that includes developers…and bring forward some creative ideas.
I realize that I J Samson isn’t exactly out of a Frank Lloyd-Wright sketch books but I’m willing to bet it still has some “good bones” and with a little creativity could serve the public, through providing good, convenient housing, for years to come.
A quick Google search will give you many examples of how old schools can breath new life.
Here are just a few examples:
http://www.kirbyschoolapts.com/
http://media.troyrecord.com/2017/01/...ntral-troy/#13
http://kfor.com/2017/04/05/the-old-d...munity-center/

[J_Murphy]

http://image-store.slidesharecdn.com/41979098-f292-4f17-931b-8ce1036b6c09-original.jpeg"]http://image-store.slidesharecdn.com/41979098-f292-4f17-931b-8ce1036b6c09-original.jpeg"]http://image-store.slidesharecdn.com/41979098-f292-4f17-931b-8ce1036b6c09-original.jpeg

Renovated old Irving gas station on Water Street West.

[Arrakis]

Though it's nice to see that old empty lot now developed with spaces for potential new downtown busnesses, I see it as a missed opportunity to have designed something a bit more eye-pleasing than just a bland strip mall sort of buildiing rather than reflect the downtown archictecture on nearby buildings.

Originally Posted by J_Murphy

http://image-store.slidesharecdn.com/41979098-f292-4f17-931b-8ce1036b6c09-original.jpeg"]http://image-store.slidesharecdn.com/41979098-f292-4f17-931b-8ce1036b6c09-original.jpeg"]http://image-store.slidesharecdn.com/41979098-f292-4f17-931b-8ce1036b6c09-original.jpeg

Renovated old Irving gas station on Water Street West.

[goodgrowth]

Replying here about the Karwood Market that LordNezazor found:

http://karwood.com/karwood-market

This is pretty awesome. It's basically the very thing many on here have been advocating for. Not only is it "mixed use"...it's mixed use being planned from the start.

Looks like it is right on the corner near the roundabout in Paradise. Pretty convenient location as it's right near Kenmount road/TCH.

[J_Murphy]

http://www.thetelegram.com/business/...ompletion.html

Still don't understand this development. Why not put the buildings closer together, or better yet, build one six-story building. The long skywalk looks so awkward there.

Anyways, this is probably a big blow for the Scotia Center, also considering they just completed a big extension to the building.

[jjavman]

Absolutely disgraceful!

http://vocm.com/news/landscape-nl-ra...a-park-revamp/

[Arrakis]

Well the derelict building that use to be ACAN Windows has been sold and it looks like a major retail development is plannned for the site. Here is link to VOCM post. Unfortunately, the article doesn't reveal who had purchased the property or who the developer is.

http://vocm.com/news/paradise-acan-b...-retail-space/

[goodgrowth]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

Well the derelict building that use to be ACAN Windows has been sold and it looks like a major retail development is plannned for the site. Here is link to VOCM post. Unfortunately, the article doesn't reveal who had purchased the property or who the developer is.

http://vocm.com/news/paradise-acan-b...-retail-space/

I'm curious what retailers would go in there...the VOCM article makes it sound like they are using the building. Seems like it would be an awkward building to use for retail...even with significant renovations.

[djslue]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

Well the derelict building that use to be ACAN Windows has been sold and it looks like a major retail development is plannned for the site. Here is link to VOCM post. Unfortunately, the article doesn't reveal who had purchased the property or who the developer is.

http://vocm.com/news/paradise-acan-b...-retail-space/

Very interested in what this might turn out to be. Paradise is lacking in retail space.

[Arrakis]

I would have figured Loblaws would have grabbed up that property. It was rumoured at one point they were interested, especially with the nice new Sobeys store across the street.

Originally Posted by djslue

Very interested in what this might turn out to be. Paradise is lacking in retail space.

[cdotr]

Originally Posted by Arrakis

I would have figured Loblaws would have grabbed up that property. It was rumoured at one point they were interested, especially with the nice new Sobeys store across the street.

It will probably be a Needs and another Lawton's... both of which are operated by Sobey's. Maybe a Shopper's Drug Mart? Dollarama seems to be popping up shops everywhere they can, so maybe Dollarama... they're opening soon in the old Dominion/Home Hardware store on Topsail Road. The sign is up on the building.

[Engibeer]

Some excavation work going on at the top of Parkridge Drive in Kilbride. Looks like Reardons are expanding their Waterford Hills Park subdivision.