UNB eyes woodlot development (as published in the Daily Gleaner, January 20/11)

The University of New Brunswick is setting its sights on a hotel for the next stage of its commercial development on Knowledge Park Drive. ADI Ltd. presented the university's application to expand commercial opportunities on 6.6 hectares (16.5 acres) of land at 75 Knowledge Park Dr. to the city's planning advisory committee Wednesday.

The committee will recommend that the city and university enter into development agreements to permit highway commercial type uses on the land and to subdivide eight building lots on the land. Council has final say over the development application.

The property is located across from the Grant * Harvey Centre construction site.

The university engaged Genivar consultants to create design guidelines for its retail and business park development to ensure similarities in building design and facades.

Within the highway commercial zoning on the land, the university could seek to lease land for all kinds of retail and business services, from retail stores to restaurants, to a bank, medical office, drug store or a bar.

Richard Smith, ADI's manager of water and wastewater services, said the first stage is to get through all the planning requirements and get city council approvals for development in place.

He said the next step would be for the university to find a developer. "It could be as early as next year or it could be a couple of years," he said.

ADI said UNB's proposed development wouldn't be within an area requiring more work to delineate specific wetland zones.