Developer loses bid to change facade of Centennial Building in Fredericton

A developer says his plan to convert the Centennial Building into apartments is now in limbo after Fredericton city council denied his request to change the facade.

Council voted 8-3 Monday against Centennial Heritage Properties Inc.'s controversial proposal to alter the Centennial Building with the addition of metal cladding to the exterior and protruding balconies along the front and back walls.

The request was made ahead of planned work to create 95 apartments in what was once the government's main office building.

But the vote means the Centennial Building will remain an inactive construction site for the foreseeable future, adding to the years that have already gone by with the building sitting vacant. 

"If we don't find a way to bridge the gap that we've talked about — the financial gap — then the project can't move forward as it is right now," Geoff Colter, a director with Centennial Heritage Properties, said after the vote.

Voting against the developer's request were Jason Lejeune, Ruth Breen, Kevin Darrah, Bruce Grandy, Margo Sheppard, Greg Ericson, Eric Megarity and Jocelyn Pike. Voting in support of it were Mark Peters, Henri Mallet, and Steven Hicks.

An attempt to save on costs

The Centennial Building was constructed by the province in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation and housed the offices for about 1,000 civil servants, cabinet ministers and the premier until it was vacated for renovations in 2012.

The province under former premier Blaine Higgs sold the downtown building in 2019 to Centennial Heritage Properties, which planned to turn it into apartments and a hotel, and later just into apartments. The site at 670 King Street has been fenced off almost ever since.

An approved design plan from 2022 keeps much of the building's original esthetic intact, but Colter said inflation on construction materials has made that plan unfeasible.

Colter said the proposed changes he was seeking would have saved the project about $3 million, about 10 per cent of the overall cost.

Considering the upper limit on what he can reasonably charge for rents, he said, the project is untenable without that $3 mllion.

"We don't have any clear path forward right now. We're just, you know, spit-balling ideas, I guess would be the best way to put it."

Mayor pleased with outcome

Council's rejection was in keeping with the recommendation by Fredericton city staff as well as the city's planning advisory committee.

The decision also met the wishes of heritage advocates, who spoke out publicly against the proposed changes.

Mayor Kate Rogers said she was pleased with the outcome.

"I think council made the right decision," said Rogers.

Rogers said the city wants to see the project completed but also recognizes the importance of the Centennial Building and the preservation of its character.

"I want there to be housing there, but I also want it to be the right type of housing," she said. "And I want us to honour the building, which was a gift that was given to the residents of New Brunswick and the citizens of Fredericton."

Rogers said the city will continue to work with Colter and his team on ways to get the project going ahead, adding there could be opportunities for supplemental funding from other levels of government.

Colter also said he's hopeful a solution can still be found.

"The mayor was clear that she wants to try to work toward trying to find a way forward, and we certainly want to as well," he said.