Fortis concerned over Peel Plaza project

Fortis Properties is raising concerns about the access to Union Street in Saint John during the construction phase of the uptown Peel Plaza project.

Fortis Properties owns Brunswick Square, the Delta Hotel, an office tower and parking garage and company officials are expressing their concern about how the construction project will affect their businesses.

A Fortis Properties spokesperson told CBC News last week the company was waiting for answers to some "direct questions" put to city officials about access to its complex of buildings.

Saint John Mayor Ivan Court said Fortis had "concerns" about the plans for access to Union Street.

"Concerns about business and how it might affect their business and we came up with some solutions," Court said.

Court would not say what the solutions are for the company. But one of them involves the parking garage on Union used by Brunswick Square tenants, mall customers and Delta Hotel guests. 

Construction has already started on Peel Plaza and from June 20 to mid-September traffic on Union Street will be severely restricted.

Bill Edwards, the project manager for Peel Plaza, said attempts are being made to minimize the impact on the access to buildings owned by Fortis Properties.

Edwards said the property owners want to make sure that access is available to its clients, tenants or anyone else who uses the facilities.

"That [section of Union Street] will have to be closed for a period of time but we've been able to, or we think we can, close it for a maximum of two weeks," Edwards said. 

 Edwards said the Union Street entrance to the Brunswick Square parking garage will have to be closed for a couple of weeks but during that period, a side entrance off of Chipman Hill will remain open.

The controversial project is estimated to cost roughly $42 million. The plaza will include a police headquarters and a parking garage.