Clean slate for construction: Saint John council gives green light for development
The site of the former Woolworth’s department store in uptown Saint John has been cleared and the property is now a clean slate ready for construction, which the developer says could begin soon.
The proposed development for what was known as 91 King Street has received the preliminary stamp of approval from Common Council, after a public hearing on Monday night.
“We had unanimous support for the project which gives us the green light to progress further with our design plans to put in a 12 to 14 story apartment building,” says property owner and developer Percy Wilbur.
Demolition on the derelict building located at the corner of King and Charlotte Streets began in early June of this year after sitting empty for many years and sustaining major water damage.
“I can barely remember a day when that was a vibrant corner, it’s been boarded up for so long,” says Saint John mayor Donna Reardon. “It’s just not great for the face of the city, so I think that everybody has wanted to see something happen with that corner.”
The plans for the development, which have not yet been finalized, include underground parking, retail and office space, along with more than 90 residential units.
The next step for the project, Wilbur says, is getting the infrastructure in the ground.
“That’s where we’ll be focusing on for the next months until spring,” says Wilbur. “Getting the infrastructure and the guts of the building in place so we can pour the footings, foundation, and build it up.”
Construction on the project is expected to take around two years to complete, and the mayor believes that it will be beneficial for other businesses within the King’s Square area.
“Just imagine that influx of people on the square, that’s huge – and then the domino effect of having 90 residential units, and how that animates your space up there, and how the businesses, etc. will benefit from that,” says Reardon.
An iconic piece of Saint John history, that officials hope will also be a big part of the city's future.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
Residents of northern Alberta First Nation told to shelter in place
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'