Saint John’s Keith Brideau has made a name for himself by tackling projects nobody else would. His company Historica has transformed the city’s uptown landscape, taking vacant or rundown urban properties and turning them into vibrant apartments, retail and office spaces. We asked Keith three questions: 1) Why did you see an opportunity in redeveloping…

SAINT JOHN * Sitting on his rooftop patio on Canada Day, Keith Brideau had the perfect view of the fireworks. He and 15 friends mingled on the deck, barbecuing and basking in the warmth of the night. Rooftop patios are a growing trend in Saint John, something Brideau said is helping to expand the real…

  One of Saint John’s most forward-thinking developers is showing his faith in the city’s Uptown. Keith Brideau of Historica Developments has announced plans to develop a block on Canterbury Street with three businesses and a series of high-end apartments. Mr. Brideau already owns a series of developments in the city’s Uptown and has invested…

Three New Brunswick businesses are teaming up to bring a mix of local food, beer and art to an historic building in uptown Saint John. Keith Brideau, the president of Historica Developments, says the new Canterbury Carpark will open in November 2015. (CBC) Historica Developments, owners of the Canterbury Carpark, a Victorian-era commercial building in…

Saint John * Keith Brideau’s vision for a revitalized section of uptown Saint John is one step closer to reality. The co-founder and vice-president of Historica Developments announced construction is underway at 30-38 Canterbury St. to make way for a trio of new businesses and 14 high-end apartments. Setting up shop below the units will…

Historica is pleased to announce Picaroons, Real Food Connections & Buckland Merrifield Gallery will soon be coming to Uptown Saint John. All three businesses are working on plans to occupy space on the ground level of Historica’s newest acquisition, the former Canterbury Carpark located at 30-38 Canterbury Street. Picaroons is a New Brunswick based Brewing…

Keith Brideau flipped his first house right out of university, back in 2004. He put some sweat equity into it, spent a few thousand dollars, painted it, put new countertops in the kitchen and added new hardware, new light fixtures, etc. It was a really cheap townhouse but it was one of the most important…

SAINT JOHN * After more than 100 years in the Bustin family, Bustin’s Fine Furniture has become HistoricaDevelopments’ newest tenant. Historica has purchased 99 Germain St., occupied by Bustin’s, along with neighbouring 107 Germain St. – home to Dr. Brown, Claire Driscoll, Ispire and Enovex – and 109 Germain St., a five-unit apartment occupied building.…

SAINT JOHN – With exposed brick, timber beams pierced with old nails, granite countertops and built-in surround-sound systems, Keith Brideau’s latest development in the formerHayward and Warwick warehouse on 89 Princess St. combines old and new in high-end living spaces with “all the bells and whistles.” It’s why Brideau, co-founder and vice-president of Historica Developments,…

When Keith Brideau walks onto his rooftop patio, he’s greeted by sweeping views of the Saint John harbour. Four storeys below, in the hundred steps it takes to reach his office, he passes by a half-dozen new storefronts that serve everything from cupcakes to Cajun and Creole fare to the city’s increasingly bustling uptown. A…

“Flip Saint John” has been Keith Brideau’s mission statement ever since he became involved with real estate development in New Brunswick. He grew up in the Old North End of the city and obtained a degree in Engineering from the University of New Brunswick (UNB), specializing in risk management. But Keith soon discovered his passion…

Heritage buildings play a special role in Canadian cities, offering historic, aesthetic and economic value that simply cannot be found in new developments. However, along with their social worth, these old buildings have unique costs and retrofitting challenges that leave them at risk of being lost through demolition or neglect. The Heritage Canada Foundation’s Natalie Bull says…

Notices posted on the front doors of the upscale, fine dining restaurant Bourbon Quarter and its sister eatery, Magnolia Café, brought on sighs and grief. They’re bankrupt. Not far away, just down the same street, in fact, a native Saint Johner who has returned after an eight-year hiatus is investing in her hometown with a…

A Saint John real estate company is transforming one of the city’s oldest businesses, adding 27 new apartments to the city’s uptown along the way. Historica Developments is turning the warehouse of the china shop Hayward and Warwick — owned by five generations of Haywards — into apartments. But the 157-year-old ceramic supplier will continue…

SAINT JOHN – The rooftop of Keith Brideau‘s King Street property overlooks the signature streetscapes of the historic commercial district, rich with colour and stunning architectural design. A cascade of red brick buildings tumble down to the waterfront, a view with considerable market value. A floor below Brideau’s rooftop are three spacious lofts with vaulted, 16-foot…

SAINT JOHN – The city’s small fund that doles out cash for heritage restoration projects is expected to be mostly wiped out by the time the board starts writing cheques, with eight months left in the year. City hall typically subsidizes property owners who fix up their heritage buildings, but Common Council cut spending on…