Former CN lands in Moncton to become 'urban village'
Vanessa Blanch | CBC News | Posted: September 9, 2016 3:18 PM | Last Updated: September 9, 2016
Vaughn MacLellan says new Downtown Centre a big boost for development on old CN lands
Work is underway on a new development in Moncton on the former CN lands at the corner of Main Street and Vaughan Harvey Boulevard.
Westmount Developments president Vaughn MacLellan, who now lives in Toronto, grew up in Moncton and says he was looking for a way to invest in his hometown.
"I think for modern cities to really succeed and thrive you need that kind of energy, that kind of density and interaction.' - Vaughn MacLellan
"The overall vision for the property is to create a mixed-use site which is what we're labelling an urban village ... we want a site where people are living, working, playing and really creating a village feel to the site," MacLellan told Information Morning Moncton.
The 4.4-hectare property, which MacLellan says was one of the last blocks of land for sale downtown, was purchased two years ago when the nearby Downtown Centre was still just an idea.
"I felt that the efforts that the city was making to try to increase density and try to redevelop the downtown were going in the right direction and I wanted to buy those lands to to try to make an investment in the city and also try to bolster that effort by the city." he said.
Six buildings to go up in next four years
Construction on the new development, which has been named The Junction, began in August with the extension of Ivan Rand Drive and a new fitness club underway.
"Part of the name, The Junction, comes from the fact that these are former CN lands but also that they form a junction between the downtown, the west end residential area and Riverview," MacLellan said.
There are also plans for a high-end apartment building with retail and office space on the ground level and for a new hotel.
MacLellan points to King Street in Toronto as an example of the energy that can result from mixed-use developments.
"I think for modern cities to really succeed and thrive you need that kind of energy, that kind of density and interaction that you get and so we're hoping to contribute to that in the city of Moncton."
MacLellan said there was some pollution on the former CN lands but the contamination is "relatively minor" and being managed on site.
The new road is expected to be completed within two months with a total of five or six buildings going up over the next four years.