Moncton’s Historical Higgins Block Gets A Facelift
MONCTON–Two Moncton property companies have finished breathing new life into a historic local property.
The Higgins Block, located at 679-687 Main Street, had become an eyesore. But it’s now been given a complete makeover, inside and out.
“We all recognized this is such a prominent building and it was important to have it be useful and bring it back to life and try to keep as many features of the old building as we could,” said Jocelyne Dupuis, property manager with Adelin Properties.
“We felt that all eyes were on us and that we had to really take pride in making sure it kept its historical feel.
Dupuis said the installation of new windows was a significant part of the work the property needed. It was a process that started in April 2020 and ended two months later. It required the purchase of 160 new windows that were individually measured to ensure they fit the building.
Dupuis said the pandemic and its assorted supply chain issues did not impact their timeline, since the windows were ordered before April of that year.
“We had to replace every exterior window. There were windows that weren’t there, boarded up–so we had to add those windows,” she said.
“The existing windows weren’t energy efficient and didn’t meet code, so we had to put all new ones in which was a bit tricky because every single one was its own size.”
Dupuis said the three-storey, Italianate building, just down the street from the iconic Bell Tower, was in fairly good shape but needed upgrades and maintenance work–which was carried out by Acadian Construction.
“The bones of the building were pretty good,” she said.
Built in 1901 and 1907, the 23,400-square-foot Higgins Block is actually two separate buildings that have been joined together by the work recently completed on them.
“You couldn’t cross from one building to another, but we actually built halls on the second and third floors,” said Dupuis.
The renovation was a joint effort between Adelin Properties and MACC Properties, who purchased the building together under the Fusion Commercial Properties brand in December 2018.
The interior work–running from January to October, 2021–entailed the installation of a new up-to-code elevator to replace an aging freight elevator. A formerly-closed entrance on the Botsford Street-facing side of the property was reopened.
“We can’t say the last time it was in use, so we reinstated the main entrance on that side,” said Dupuis.
The second and third floors of the property, unoccupied since the 1980s, were completely empty and bare to the brick walls.
“When you walked on the flooring up there, it was just floor boards put up, so you could see through and it made your knees a little bit weak,” said Dupuis.
Fusion’s contractors removed one of two exterior stairwells coming in off Main Street, and modified the other, extending it to go all the way through the building, also adding a new interior stairwell and lobby.
The Higgins Block’s tenants include Japan Go Restaurant, Harvest Farm-to-Table-Eatery, which is taking over the space formerly occupied by Freshii, on the first floor.
Quebecois software firm Thinkmax is the sole second-floor tenant. The third floor is occupied by the Bella Promessa bridal shop, MACC Commercial Properties, and Into Designs New Brunswick.
Dupuis said five more suites are available on the second and third floors, running about 1,300 square feet each.
“We’ve had some interest from a few law firms, and a small accounting firm,” said Dupuis. “We’re confident we’ll fill it up in the next couple of months.”
Sam Macdonald is a Huddle reporter in Moncton. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].