East End Project Will Transform Downtown Fredericton
The City of Fredericton will begin construction this year on a major development project that will transform the East End of the City's downtown core. The $77-million project, next to The Playhouse theatre, will include construction of a $24.2 million conference centre, a $41 million office complex as well as a parking facility.
The Government of Canada and the Province of New Brunswick each contributed $4 million to the cost of construction of the Conference Centre portion of the project. The Province has also agreed to lease 13,500 square metres (150,000 square feet) of space in the complex. The office space lease agreement with the Province of New Brunswick is estimated to be worth about $4.5 - $5 million per year.
The conference centre will serve as an economic engine for Fredericton for years to come, welcoming meetings, conferences, cultural activities, as well as local community events.
Project Facts at a Glance
- In November 2004, plans were unveiled for a conference centre complex and parking structure in downtown Fredericton. The project is expected to generate new business for city and attract interest in a new office building and hotel.
- In May 2005, the Province of New Brunswick sold land to the municipality to accommodate the project.
- In January 2006, a consortium of companies headed by the ADI Group was hired to work with the City of Fredericton on the project's master planning and design concepts.
- More detailed design work, funding discussions and land assembly continued throughout the last half of 2006 and into 2007.
- In August 2007, City Council approved a design and construction agreement with the ADI Group for the project. Council also authorized work to begin on the conceptual design phase of the conference centre and related underground parking.
- In December 2007 the Province of New Brunswick announced it would lease approximately 13,500 square metres (150,000 square feet) of space in the new office building.
- In February 2008, the Government of Canada and the Province of New Brunswick announced they were each contributing $4 million toward the cost of construction of the conference centre portion of the project.
- The entire design and construction phase is expected to take 24 - 30 months to complete.
