A portion of York Street in Sackville has been slated for redevelopment as early as next summer.
Businesses at 26 and 28 York Street have received notice that their leases will terminate at the end of April 2025. The two properties–which house Blind Forest Books, Sweet Yummyland, The Little Pantry and Steel Clippers–are all owned by Right Coast Realty, whose director is Mike Wilson, the CEO of the AIL Group.
Blind Forest Books has been operating at 28 York Street since 2017, when owner Miriam Lapp bought Rags of Time, another bookstore that had operated in the space since 2002.
Sweet Yummyland only recently opened in the space next door, and The Little Pantry is the newest tenant, having just moved in last week from its previous location on Bridge Street.
AIL vice president of finance Wendy Alder confirmed that termination notices have been sent for April 30 of next year, but said the company had no further information to share at this point, including how many properties might be involved in a future redevelopment.
AIL’s Sackville office is next door to the properties, in the former New Brunswick Telephone Company building at 32 York Street. According to the Tantramar Heritage Trust, the NB Tel building dates back to 1926 when it was constructed as a telephone exchange. Around 2012, the building was “extensively restored with a plan approved by the Town of Sackville Heritage Board,” according to the Trust.
The town of Sackville dissolved its Heritage Board and repealed its Heritage By-law in 2018.
Farther down York Street there is a large empty lot where a fire destroyed the former Joey’s Pizza and Pasta and heavily damaged a neighbouring building, in April 2023. Those two properties, 10-14 York Street and 16-20 York Street, are owned by Moncton based companies, 707326 NB Inc. and Saigon Leaf Inc., respectively. Efforts to contact the owners have been unsuccessful to date.
Blooms Flowershop is located next door at 24 York Street, in the former Thomas Bowser House, which may date back to circa 1850, according to the Tantramar Heritage Trust. The house is owned by Blooms co-owners Haidee Lynn Robertson and Trudy Lynn Wood. The pair announced that Blooms was for sale on social media on April 9, 2024. CHMA has reached out to find out if the property may be included in a redevelopment plan.
A property behind Blooms, at 7 Ford Avenue, is home to a 6-unit building owned by Lafford Properties. The property behind AIL’s head office is owned by Bell Canada.
All properties along the stretch of York between Main Street and Lansdowne are zoned for ‘mixed use‘ development, which includes commercial and multi-unit residential uses, and buildings up to 50 feet in height.
