[Saint John] Uptown Thread

[DyAm00394]

The 2024 cruise ship schedule has been released: https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...14-02-2024.pdf

75 ships with over 170,000 passengers and crew expected to visit. 7-triple ship days and 14-double ship days.

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by CharlotteCountyLogan

Once construction is done on Market Square and at Fundy Quay those patios will look amazing. Can only imagine sitting inside of one having a nice lunch with multiple cruise ships in and Fundy Quay built.

Yes the retractable roof 4 seasons dining takes it to the next level - dare I say even Halifax doesn’t have anything comparable to that.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by cdnguys

[IMG][/IMG]

That photo angle does make them seen airier and less claustrophobic. I guess we'll know for sure once they are up and running.

[cdnguys]

[IMG][/IMG]

[darkharbour]

Foundation being poured for the Steepleview; photo credit from the architect, Bob Boyce

[darkharbour]

In terms of other updates, there isn't any signage or anything, but there is clearly a restaurant kitchen being installed in the ground floor space at the Union Street corner of The Wellington, I can see it through the windows on my walk to work.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by darkharbour

In terms of other updates, there isn't any signage or anything, but there is clearly a restaurant kitchen being installed in the ground floor space at the Union Street corner of The Wellington, I can see it through the windows on my walk to work.

Interesting. Tough business these days. I wonder what it will be. It's a bit out of the way compared to the cluster that is in the Market Sq up King to Germain and south to Princess area.

Given the numbers still at least partly working from home I suspect the lunch trade isn't nearly what it once was. I know the City Market is far quieter at noon than it was pre pandemic.

[adamuptownsj]

Happiness wine bar relocating to underneath the also-relocating Hopscotch, at 47 Canterbury.

Some kind of commercial activity returning to 107 Princess, which has hosted a tattoo parlour and a short-lived restaurant.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Happiness wine bar relocating to underneath the also-relocating Hopscotch, at 47 Canterbury.

Some kind of commercial activity returning to 107 Princess, which has hosted a tattoo parlour and a short-lived restaurant.

So Hopscotch is moving next door from 45 to 47? (Formerly "The Canterbury)

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by sailor734

So Hopscotch is moving next door from 45 to 47? (Formerly "The Canterbury)

It is. Not sure what the Singhs are doing with the current Hopscotch space.

[darkharbour]

My understanding was that Hopscotch was moving to the bigger space next door and the Singhs were opening a new wine bar in the soon-to-be-former Hopscotch location.

As far as I know Happinez isn't moving at all, at least until that building potentially changes ownership.

[adamuptownsj]

I just submitted a letter to Council opposing the needless Sydney and Charlotte bike lanes, and suggested they open the Germain/Lower Cove road connection too. Bike lanes eliminating 25 parking spaces in a residential area with slow traffic is inane. No studies done, no projected usage, and so on. I'm sure the guys flying backwards around King Square on bikes through red lights are itching for a nice legal safe way to get from, uh, Rainbow Park to King Square.

If you're gonna put bike lanes anywhere, put them along Crown/Broad. Wide enough to not bother anyone, traffic is fast enough to be dangerous, lessened impact to parking.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

I just submitted a letter to Council opposing the needless Sydney and Charlotte bike lanes, and suggested they open the Germain/Lower Cove road connection too. Bike lanes eliminating 25 parking spaces in a residential area with slow traffic is inane. No studies done, no projected usage, and so on. I'm sure the guys flying backwards around King Square on bikes through red lights are itching for a nice legal safe way to get from, uh, Rainbow Park to King Square.

If you're gonna put bike lanes anywhere, put them along Crown/Broad. Wide enough to not bother anyone, traffic is fast enough to be dangerous, lessened impact to parking.

It’s Saint John city hall you’re talking about and you’re making sensible suggestions?…seriously????

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by sailor734

It’s Saint John city hall you’re talking about and you’re making sensible suggestions?…seriously????

I just want it on the record that someone thought it was a stupid idea.

[Pugsley]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

I just want it on the record that someone thought it was a stupid idea.

If anything, run it down Charlotte and back up Sydney. Or at least centre it right down the Peninsula. for equal access. Germain is a beautiful residential street and Prince William should be our high-end commercial High Street...with the right development.

[adamuptownsj]

Originally Posted by Pugsley

If anything, run it down Charlotte and back up Sydney. Or at least centre it right down the Peninsula. for equal access. Germain is a beautiful residential street and Prince William should be our high-end commercial High Street...with the right development.

They ARE putting the bike lanes down Sydney and Charlotte. A block apart. Total waste of money. 25 residential parking spaces eliminated--- that's great for the Farmer's Market and for renters. I wouldn't care about the parking loss if there was a net benefit. But there isn't one. It's just hundreds of thousands of dollars transforming into bollards and paint.

For the record, I don't have an issue with Charlotte (and presumably Sydney) turning into one way streets their whole lengths. But that of course is not enough of a traffic calming measure to satisfy the ~30 armchair cyclists who spend more time demanding infrastructure than they do biking.

I'm also not 100% sure how you're supposed to access Ross/the end of Germain/Harding/Pagan from Lower Cove Loop... go up Sydney, left on St James, down Charlotte, then onto Ross? It's excessive. Unless I misread and Charlotte will stay two-way south of Queen Sq S.... but that would only be half a block turned one-way.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

They ARE putting the bike lanes down Sydney and Charlotte. A block apart. Total waste of money. 25 residential parking spaces eliminated--- that's great for the Farmer's Market and for renters. I wouldn't care about the parking loss if there was a net benefit. But there isn't one. It's just hundreds of thousands of dollars transforming into bollards and paint.

For the record, I don't have an issue with Charlotte (and presumably Sydney) turning into one way streets their whole lengths. But that of course is not enough of a traffic calming measure to satisfy the ~30 armchair cyclists who spend more time demanding infrastructure than they do biking.

I'm also not 100% sure how you're supposed to access Ross/the end of Germain/Harding/Pagan from Lower Cove Loop... go up Sydney, left on St James, down Charlotte, then onto Ross? It's excessive. Unless I misread and Charlotte will stay two-way south of Queen Sq S.... but that would only be half a block turned one-way.

I'm 100% with you on this one. It's like city staff and council have drunk the bike lane Kool aid and reason has gone out the window.

Edit....I read that the bake lanes are one way so you will ride South on one street and North on the other. I guess that makes some sense but I'm still not convince any significant number of people will use them.

[sailor734]

Curious about what people think about moving shipping container shelters onto the tent encampment in Waterloo village? Seems like a sensible, pragmatic move at first glance given the fire issues. I guess my only concern is it will become permanent and perhaps grow. That might take some of the pressure off government to deal with the homeless issue through enhanced addiction and mental health services, subsidized housing and assisted living facilities.

The newspaper story and CBC article referred to it as a "managed" site with porta potties, dumpsters, supervision from Fresh Start etc. I know when I drove by a week or so ago it sure didn't look "managed".....or at least not "WELL" managed. The lot is an eyesore with garbage and trash strewn everywhere.

Do you think this could have a negative effect on the redevelopment of the neighbourhood? I'm not sure I'd want to move into Steepleview with this in close proximity

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Curious about what people think about moving shipping container shelters onto the tent encampment in Waterloo village? Seems like a sensible, pragmatic move at first glance given the fire issues. I guess my only concern is it will become permanent and perhaps grow. That might take some of the pressure off government to deal with the homeless issue through enhanced addiction and mental health services, subsidized housing and assisted living facilities.

The newspaper story and CBC article referred to it as a "managed" site with porta potties, dumpsters, supervision from Fresh Start etc. I know when I drove by a week or so ago it sure didn't look "managed".....or at least not "WELL" managed. The lot is an eyesore with garbage and trash strewn everywhere.

Do you think this could have a negative effect on the redevelopment of the neighbourhood? I'm not sure I'd want to move into Steepleview with this in close proximity

There are too many social services in that one neighborhood - build it and they’ll come, and they did. If there is a fire in shipping container, the windows are not egress so hopefully the one door won’t be blocked by flames. The province is moving a department that sees “clients” out of Agar Place into City Hall and Shoppes of City Hall in July, so it’s a start.

[adamuptownsj]

I got an updated copy of the Vacant Building report from the city. I mapped those in Uptown, the South End, and Waterloo Village here: https://imgur.com/a/lbXjsmy

Green= under construction currently
Red= no known activity
Pink= non-residential, no known activity

Two clusters. One unsurprisingly between Waterloo and Dorchester, and the other surprisingly at the far end of Prince William and Germain. Everything else is scattered across the south end.