The site currently occupied by the charred remains of the landmark Barbour’s General Store should give way to a green space that could welcome visitors to historic Saint John, according to a report that was presented to Saint John Common Council this week.
Monica Adair, a co-founding partner of Acre Architects, said the site can be used as a welcoming hub for visitors to Port City, citing that the centrally located land can be used as a bridge between the waterfront area and the historic district.
City Hall has been mulling the fate of the building since it was destroyed in a blaze in January 2022.
At the time, the Saint John Police Force believed that it was a set fire, with officials unsure if it was accidental or intentional.
The building has been boarded up since, without welcome to visitors as it did for decades.
The shop was once upon a time shipped down the Saint John River — literally, to where it sat just outside the Port of Saint John in the uptown district since the 1960s.
Originally, it rested in Sheffield, New Brunswick, for over 100 years before becoming a part of Uptown Saint John. Because of its lack of historical status, many of the decisions behind the building are out of its hands.
Global News reached out to the company behind the store, G E Barbour Inc, but the group declined an interview.
In an email exchange, the group said it wasn’t easy to let go of the landmark.
“This decision has been reluctantly made after a structurally damaging fire in January 2022,” wrote Jeff Rose, president of G. E. Barbour Inc.
“Investigations into repair and relocation of the Store over the past months have proven difficult and the results economically unfeasible.”
While there is no plan on when the building will be demolished, the property is on city land, which is already planning what to do with the property afterwards.
Architects presented Saint John Common Council with the plans on Monday that showed a green space for the area, including more seats.
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