New Kent Store & Unfinished Townhouses

The Kent Store construction on Fairville Blvd. is making quick progress and there is now a sign announcing the development.  

Meanwhile on Lancaster Ave. the "luxury" townhouse development that never got off the ground is up for sale, again. This site had great potential and it's too bad the plan didn't come to fruition. I walk by the site occasionally and it's in bad shape.  This development had been in the works since Norm MacFarlane was Mayor. Oh well, as they say in Saint John, "They should never have torn down  (insert whatever landmark you can think of) the  DVA."

Kent Store West

Not a great shot here, but the ground is broken and it looks like work has begun on the Kent Store at the corner of Catherwood Street and Fairville Blvd.

Walmart opening soon

My neighbours have heard that Walmart-west will be opening this weekend.  It sure looks ready.

The Golden Mile - Going in Circles

The Golden Mile Corridor Study (Fairville Boulevard) and open house is happening Sept. 6, 5-7pm at the Wilson Street Legion.   I wonder if this event will be the same as the one I attended in May 2009 at the same location. 

Enterprise Saint John, in cooperation with the City of Saint John and the Saint John West Business Association would like to invite you to an Informative Workshop for Residents and the West Saint John Retail Community. Learn More about the Exciting New Retail Developments in West Saint John
This FREE workshop will bring together residents, developers, existing retailers and land owners to learn more about West Saint John’s vibrant, progressive and sustainable retail sector.

Let's see, Lancaster Mall was renovated, as was Zellers,  Zellers closed, Blockbuster Video closed, Coop closed, Walmart is moving in, a top request from that evenings session - a family restaurant- hasn't happened.  Of course the Sobey's Plaza / Canadian Tire area is a great addition...I wonder how long it be for this latest study is shelved then dusted off again.

Site of New Kent Store

So the rumor mill that's been grinding the story about a Kent's Store on the westside has been put to rest; local media reported recently that indeed a Kent Store is going to be built on the corner of Catherwood and Fairville Blvd. This is along  the "retail corridor" of the westside.

And it doesn't take long for JD Irving to act  ... last evening I noticed the demolition had begun on the old garages on the site, and tonight the demolition is complete.

Demolition work last evening

Demolition almost complete this morning

CO-OP site update

This is a picture I took today of the site of the former Co-op on Fairville Blvd., across from Sobey's.
The Co-op building disappeared fast. Apparently there has been a buyer for the property, let's hope they have plans for an interesting addition to the westside retail corridor.

 April 17: Just reading on CHSJ news feed that Princess Auto will be moving into the Co-op site.

Dangerous Curves

I have often found myself holding my breath on a section of Prince Street anticipating how the road conditions would play out.  The area just below the site of the former DVA hospital, (now an incomplete townhouse development site)  is a downhill curve that rarely sees sunlight (water can't evaporate) and there is a lot of water (or ice) collecting on the street from the un-landscaped site.  It's a very slippery slope and for those who don't take the route regularly it's potentially dangerous.

Market Place road work

Detours are in place for the extensive work going on in Market Place, lower West. It should prove interesting when the Harbour Bridge work is happening at the same time.

Liquor Store Construction

I dropped by the site of the new liquor store today and construction is coming along.
I think the new store will definitely impact parking availability in the Sobey's parking lot.

Open for Business

Grand opening is Nov. 4th at Mark's and Canadian Tire. I dropped in on Saturday, it's a fine improvement over the cramped former store. And the Mark's store is a positive addition to the west side retail establishment. Still some work to do to the exterior, and the gas bar is just a shell, but it's looking good.

Canadian Tire - Not ready yet

Still lots of work to do on the outside - the parking lot doesn't appear to be ready, and work still happening on lighting and exterior of store. I see a "Mark's" sign, that'll make some folks happy.

Old Canadian Tire / New CanadianTire

The Canadian Tire on Fairville Blvd. was demolished today. On the left of this picture is the new store, opening this week.

The Summer of our Road Discontent

It's been a long summer and fall with road work happening around the west side. I took a drive along the Westfield Road on the weekend. The long-needed and hard fought campaign to upgrade the road and install sidewalks continued this summer.   Pretty rough going as the photo illustrates.

So, with the Westfield Road, Dever Road, Church Street, Main Street, Lancaster Avenue and the Harbour Bridge,  to name a few - all on the receiving end of taxpayers' hard work, it's a wonder any westsiders bothered to attempt the frustration of a trip over the bridge into town. 
(But I still want nice roads)

Canadian Tire Fairville Blvd. & Dave's No Frills

Work is really moving along quickly on the new Canadian Tire on Fairville Blvd. On the weekend a staff person told me the grand opening is scheduled for October 28. The new store will include a Mark's Work Wearhouse; I had heard that rumor but it had not had it confirmed.
A new gas bar is part of the reconstruction, here is a picture of what remains of the old gas bar.

Fundamental Baptist Church - progress

The Fundamental Baptist Church has come a long way in the last few months.  Great weather for construction hasn't hurt.  The roof is taking shape.

Lancaster Mall Grand Opening

I dropped by the Lancaster Mall yesterday to take in the Grand Opening celebrations.   There was a good crowd in attendance and the weather was cooperating  - an outdoor tent featured entertainment from the Downtown Blues Band from Fredericton.   I am pleased to see the mall finally has a web site.

The mall has come a long way in the last year.  There is definitely a modern feel to the interior.  The transit lounge features plenty of seating and WiFi is available.  Although the mall is small, it's worth taking a look. Counsel Corp is to be congratulated. 

Will there be a Kent Store on the west side?

I have been hearing since last summer that a Kent store will be opening on the corner of Catherwood and Fairville Blvd.   Again this week, someone mentioned it to me.  And when Councilor Farren expressed his frustration in March that

Enterprise Saint John may be inadvertently preventing a major retail deal on the West Side

I thought of the Kent store rumours that have been circulating.
Here's the location where the Kent store is supposedly going to be built, the  Irving Fleet Maintenance Building.

I wonder what large retailer Councilor Farren was talking about?

Zippity do da ... it won't repace the Harbour Bridge

Last year plans for a zip line across Reversing Falls Rapids were introduced; part of a $35 million redevelopment of the long standing tourist attraction.

SJ Waterfront Development is involved in the plan which included  extending Harbour Passage across the Reversing Falls Bridge: it now looks like the City won't be contributing the funds the group had hoped for this year.   Instead of about $3.6 million, they'll get $1.9 million, according to an article in today's Telegraph Journal.

Where that leaves the plans for the zip line - I don't know.   I mention this because just today I saw a story  on LA Times online:

 Putting some zip into Catalina's tourism

The Catalina Zipline Eco-Tour -- a 3,671-foot-long cable ride over cactus-filled canyons -- is part of a plan to transform the struggling harbor town of Avalon into a leading Southland destination.

Watch the accompanying video and read the article. And get this:   "The attraction is made up of five zipline segments averaging 734 feet in length and connected to platforms. One stretch is 300 feet above a canyon floor.   Riders who pay $89 per ticket will get a hawk-eye's view as they swoop down from a mountaintop to the beach. Because the ride is divided into five segments, one full trip would take about 90 minutes ..."

I also learned that the zip line attraction has it roots in the 1970s when scientists used the technology to study the Amazon tropical forest canopies.

Here's a snapshot, above, of the Falls restaurant taken in the summer, and one below from the provincial archives website taken circa 1900.

Whatever Happened to Studio 6 Motel?

I see the corner lot on Catherwood Street and Fairville Blvd. is for sale.
Does that mean Studio 6 Motel is a no-go?  It got a lot of press last year; but that was before the cancellation of the Irving HQ  and second refinery.  Folks were a little more optimistic about redevelopment, I guess.

Fairville Blvd. Deconstruction

Today a building on Fairville Blvd., between Cox Electronics and Canadian Tire, was demolished.  At one time the building housed a bottle exchange / redemption centre, among other businesses.

Wonder if this has anything to do with the much talked about expansion of Canadian Tire? (Yeah it does, saw a sign at CT announcing an expanded store).