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“Heritage Knowledge Park”…what is it?

toner map uptown v2“Heritage Knowledge Park” is a branding initiative currently picking up steam in Saint John’s uptown business community. It loosely translates to “creative companies doing business in close proximity to each other in very cool old buildings”. The initiative is being spearheaded by Enterprise Saint John and I personally think they’re on to something!

According to a recent article by Heather Desserud that appeared in the Telegraph Journal (more…)

Uptown Saint John Inc. Announces Move

17 Canterbury Street, Saint John, New Brunswick

leased 17 canterburyUptown Saint John Inc. (the official voice of more than 650 business and property owners operating in Uptown’s 20-block Business Improvement Area) recently announced that they are moving from their current location on the 2nd floor of 40 King Street to street level office space at 17 Canterbury Street.

According to their Executive Director, Nancy Tissington, “The USJI board and I felt that the street level suite put us at an easy access for all of our businesses we represent. Hosting networking opportunities and offering up space for our business and committee meetings was ideal. Many BIAs are moving towards this model of street presence and it’s proving to be more engaging and a visible advantage while representing the business district. We will lead by example…from cleanliness in front of our street level space to providing drop in discussions celebrating successes and providing assistance with urban core challenges.”

Uptown Saint John Inc. is really excited about this move and who can blame them? This block of Canterbury is really taking off with all that’s happening right across the street with Historica’s Canterbury Car Park Project. The visibility that this storefront space will provide is a huge benefit to them. They are a perfect fit for Centerbeam Place and I’ve heard rumours that they plan to take advantage of Centerbeam’s courtyard for future uptown activities. Can’t wait!

Sneak a peek at what’s inside…

A transformation into something magical

Grannan Street, Saint John, New Brunswick

grannanSome of you may know that I love Saint John’s alleys and have done various stories on them over the years like HERE.

These were all stories on the “what ifs” and untapped potential of our alleys but today some creative and talented folks at ACRE Architects took it upon themselves to transform one of our alleys in to a magical “art installation” called “THE PARK”.  As they say, many hands make light work and there were many helping string a mini light canopy from one side of this Grannan Street alley to the other. I found it perfectly fitting that the whole scene this afternoon was kissed by a gentle fog and, strangely, bubbles were also floating by.

A quick search for @historicadev on twitter uncovered this “It’s happening. It’s today. It’s free. 7pm – Uptown Saint John – 17 Public Art Installations #thirdshiftsj“.

According to the http://www.thirdshift.ca website “Third Space Gallery invites you to Third Shift. Saint John, New Brunswick’s first ever night-time, outdoor art festival. Art works after hours…” I can’t wait to see it after dark!

An estimated 162,000 cups of coffee needed for turnaround. BUY LOCAL!

$200 million private investment in New Brunswick economy!

opfalcon infographicA refinery shutdown is also called a turnaround. During turnarounds refineries usually carry out inspections and replace or upgrade equipment to ensure safety, reliability and improve environmental performance.

“The Irving refinery spent $60 million in 2014 which employed 2,000 workers for a million hours. The turnaround was such a big event, it had a $51.6 million impact on New Brunswick’s GDP. This is in part because the many workers needed food, accommodation and other necessities, which benefited the local economy.” Source: www.canadianfuels.ca

This year’s turnaround, dubbed Operation Falcon #opfalcon, was just announced and involves a reported investment of $200,000,000! That’s over 3 times last year’s investment. This is the largest private sector investment in New Brunswick this year. The fundamental issue in determining the size of the economic impact is the “openness” (more…)

A room with a view. Biophilia and why it affects employees

office with a view of trees

The biophilia hypothesis suggests that there is an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems. Thirty years ago, Harvard University biologist Edward O. Wilson, PhD, proposed the idea that access to the natural environment can positively affect a person’s health. Dozens of studies have followed in the years since, many of which have confirmed the hypothesis and found that people are measurably more relaxed when given access to views of the natural environment. source: www.thefreelibrary.com

The biophilia hypothesis is so widely accepted that many office building developers now consider biophilia in their design and LEED building certification lists it as one of the key factors that motivate employees and increase efficiency.

Want to read more about how the work environment affects employees? CLICK HERE

“Old Ordnance Building” Declared National Historic Site

274 Sydney Street, Saint John, New Brunswick

signThe “Old Ordnance Building” in the south end of Saint John, once deemed surplus and left unwanted, was just declared a National Historic Site. Built in 1842, the building is a former British military depot for weapons and ammunition. It was purchase and restored by local landlord/developer Commercial Properties Limited and is now occupied by office tenants including Dillon Consulting.

Margot Sackett of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada was on hand for the announcement. “We’re looking for things that are of national significance, not regional, not provincial,” she said. “They have to stand out on a national scale, whether its people, places or events — and in this case, it’s the place.” Source: www.atlantic.ctvnews.ca

 

To read the entire article and access the video click HERE

Bank of New Brunswick Building… Price Reduced!

125 Prince William Street, Saint John, New Brunswick

$899,000  NEW PRICE $749,000  SOLD

Saint John-20141215-00848 editThe Bank of New Brunswick Building in Saint John, New Brunswick built in 1879 is on the Registry of Historical Places of Canada. Located on the recently improved block of Prince William Street, this building has undergone extensive upgrades totaling close to 1 million dollars over the last several years.

“The Bank of New Brunswick Building is a two-storey freestone Greek Revival building with six Corinthian columns supporting a large peaked pediment over the Prince William Street façade. The building extends to a four-storey brick façade with storefront on Water Street. It is located within the boundaries of the Trinity Royal Heritage Conservation Area of the City of Saint John.” Source: www.historicplaces.ca

For more information on this opportunity click HERE

It’s a sign! Part 3 – Creative Soup

creative soup

86 Prince William Street, Saint John, New Brunswick The Creative Soup Building

INTERVIEW WITH DEREK RIEDLE ABOUT THE BUILDING NAME & SIGN

Q. Is there a back story behind the name/design?

A. This building has been a labour of love since from the beginning. We wanted to create an identity for it. For a while it was called “Revolution House” but that didn’t really stick. We wanted something catchy. The list of tenants that call this property home is a very creative mix.  We had been bouncing potential names around… I shouted out to Greg Hemmings “creative soup” and we both knew instantly…that was it!” Tenants in the building include: Revolution Strategy, Talons of Venice, Riedle Urban Spaces, Liquid Gold, Java Moose, Hemmings House Pictures, Kim Jakobsen Design, ArtsLink NB

Q.Did you have to get approval from heritage and was that difficult to obtain? (more…)

It’s a sign! Part 2 – Central Telegraph

Have you noticed this sign at 40 King Street, Saint John and wondered what “Central Telegraph” means? The owner of this building put a lot of thought and resources in to the design and procurement of a class A sign for his building.

sign 1INTERVIEW WITH OWNER OF 40 KING STREET

Q. What’s the story behind the sign?

A. The building was the site of Canadian Pacific Railroad’s telegraph office. In the old days if one wanted to send a message anywhere in world they would go to this telegraph office to do that. I wanted to have a smart looking address displayed on the building and after reviewing some old pictures (see gallery of old photos below) and the history of the building, I designed the sign concept. I also wanted the sign to be more that just an address identifier – to add something to the historical content of the area.

Q. Did you have to get approval from heritage and was that difficult to obtain? (more…)

It’s a sign! Part 1 – Elwood’s Wood Lab

elwoods v1

91 PRINCESS STREET, SAINT JOHN. I was so thrilled to see a cool new sign appear on Princess Street. Elwood’s Wood Lab is now open and their sign is perfect!

“We are reconstructing history from within our joinery in Saint John, NB. Using a variety of reclaimed wood and steel from around New Brunswick, Elwood’s Wood Lab creates character rich crafted furniture and lighting for customers around the world.” ~ About Elwood’s Wood Lab from their WEBSITE

Why is signage important? Your sign is part of your business’ image and a part of your branding strategy. The type of sign that you choose says a lot about your business. It conveys a message about the type of clientele that you cater to i.e. refined/upscale/hipster/young/mature.

INTERVIEW WITH ELWOOD’S ABOUT THEIR NEW SIGN

Q. Is there a back story behind the design of it?

(more…)