McLaughlin Plaza set to go in Moncton
October 22, 2015
Moncton City Council has approved a project by the Seville Property Group, which is to be built on the corner of McLaughlin Road and Morton Avenue. The project is expected to be completed in 2016.
Rezoned
Nine properties in the area have been rezoned from “commercial” to “mixed use” in order to accommodate the project, known as McLaughlin Place. It will consist of three strip malls, known collectively as McLaughlin Plaza, and two stand-alone buildings that may serve as future restaurants for locals. The 30,000-sq.-ft. lot has the capacity to offer up to 155 parking spaces to accommodate two possible apartment complexes.
Great location
The busy intersection of Morton and McLaughlin is located on the old Carroll Arena land and borders the Université de Moncton, which is home to approximately 4,000 students. Several businesses are located nearby, in addition to several apartment complexes and schools. The area is well serviced by Codiac Transpo.
Economic boost
The surrounding Lewisville/Sunny Brae neighbourhood is a lively mix of residential and commercial, resulting in plenty of traffic to help support the new plaza.
Construction will create employment to boost the local economy, not to mention the potential jobs that will come when new businesses open up. With plenty of hungry and thirsty university students sharing the same city block, there should be lots of customers to support restaurants or pubs, and the addition of two new apartment complexes will be very welcome.
A few things to consider
The Université de Moncton, which occasionally hosts world-class sporting events such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup and Canadian Football League games, is planning to expand on the other side of Morton Avenue – currently a large wooded area. Automobile traffic along Morton is heavy most times of the day, and Moncton City Council is concerned about a potential increase due to the McLaughlin Plaza. They are planning to commission a study to address these concerns.
There is also a large tree that is more than a century old at the very corner of the lot. The Moncton City Council intends for the tree to be preserved, which may interfere with building plans. While the land is currently undeveloped, this lively neighbourhood will likely welcome McLaughlin Plaza when it’s completed in the future.
Photos by: Lynn McEachern
About Lynn McEachern
Lynn a une formation d'adjointe administrative et une passion pour l'écriture te la photo. Elle vit à Moncton, au Nouveau-Brunswick avec son mari et leurs deux chats. Cette fière résidente des Maritimes est heureuse, elle aime la vie et, bien sûr, raffole du homard!