The building management group that owns Brunswick Square has reached out to the city about forming a partnership to improve the fate of the flagging shopping centre.
Slate Asset Management, which operates out of Ontario, owns the mall and has seen vacancy rates increase since before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
According to a report given at the Monday, October 26, Common Council meeting, Slate has asked the city to use funds it has contributed to a business improvement levy for Uptown Saint John toward “re-imagining” Brunswick Square.
On Monday night, council approved a recommendation for staff to further pursue a conversation on the possibility of working with the asset management group.
Mayor Don Darling says he’s hopeful the conversations can lead to real improvements for Brunswick Square.
“I really look forward to offered resources and other players coming around the table to hopefully reimagine with Slate,” he said.
Councillor Donna Reardon said the levy collected by uptown businesses indicates that small businesses have an outsized role in contributing to the area’s business improvement fund.
“It demonstrates the backbone of your businesses are all those small accumulations of businesses that are the major support of the business improvement levy.”
Council has directed City Manager John Collin to continue communication with Slate to try and coordinate a next step in aiding the struggling uptown mall.
