General Updates and News

[Empire]

Ship in Halifax Harbour middle left:

- from Woodside ferry
- time exposure

Photo by Empire
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q7/empire1_2007/IMG_4623.jpg

Halifax downtown ... all photos by Empire:

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q7/empire1_2007/IMG_4657.jpg

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q7/empire1_2007/IMG_4668.jpg

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q7/empire1_2007/IMG_4667.jpg

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q7/empire1_2007/IMG_4659.jpg

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q7/empire1_2007/IMG_4666.jpg

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q7/empire1_2007/IMG_4665.jpg

Imperoyal refinery - Woodside

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q7/empire1_2007/IMG_4671.jpg

[JustinMacD]

Noticed today that they tore down one of those old houses directly behind the Eastlink store on South Park... Wonder if something new is going to go in there or the old thing was just condemned.

Edit: nm, saw this was discussed in development rumors.

[CdnEh]

I have never hidden the fact that I am not a clueless youth.

I get it - it is a violation of basic social mores in a civilized society to willfully deface someone else's property. Always has been, always will be. Violate that social contract and I have every right to knock said artist's block off with a Louisville Slugger if I catch him in the act. Artistic license be damned. You simply do not do that.

As for the goddamn Hopscotch festival, it is a prime example of the decline of society and how our clueless, inept HRM Council pisses away property tax dollars on things most citizens would not support in the name of political correctness. It should be the first thing to be slashed, but never will be.

If there were an award given out for "ignorant post of the year", I'm sure this one would be a shoe in.

Holy crap.

[someone123]

Great photos Empire! Normally I take shots from the Woodside Ferry area. Looks like you went to a slightly higher up spot. I also like the view across the North End to the mainland area.

[Empire]

Great photos Empire! Normally I take shots from the Woodside Ferry area. Looks like you went to a slightly higher up spot. I also like the view across the North End to the mainland area.

The new Mt. Hope exchange provides a great vantage point and higher elevation. I took a couple from there and a couple from the ferry area.

[alps]

Halifax downtown ... all photos by Empire:

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q7/empire1_2007/IMG_4657.jpg


Wow! When most of the water is blocked the city looks pretty different.

[Wishblade]

It's looking good for surpassing $1 Billion :cheers:

Value of Halifax building permits skyrockets
StatsCan: Numbers hit $115 million in October, up nearly 240 % over last year

Halifax’s rental-apartment construction market is red hot as the number of multi-unit buildings shoot up across the city.

The value of building permits in Halifax hit $115 million in October, almost a whopping 240 per cent higher than the similar month last year, Statistics Canada said Thursday.

Compared with September of this year, the October increase was still significant. The value of building permits in October was nearly 50 per cent higher than the month before, said figures from the national statistics agency.

Matthew Gilmore, a market analyst with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., said measuring the value of building permits is a way to keep an eye on construction activity.

“We did have a very significant number of apartment buildings start construction in August, September and October,” Gilmore said in an interview.

“In those three months, we had 1,074 apartment units start construction, which is quite a significant number.”

Residential construction in Halifax is the highest it has been since the 1970s, he said.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/224724-value-of-halifax-building-permits-skyrockets

[Aya_Akai]

I read this a couple days ago, I figure it's worth a post.. Halifax setting a Canada-wide record for a fine for density?! ABUUH? lol

A Halifax landlord has been hit with a record fine for violating the municipality’s land-use bylaws.

Hanstholm Realty Inc. was fined $93,500 on Tuesday in Halifax provincial court for having more apartments in its building at 92 Parkland Dr. than it was permitted.

“I believe this is the largest land-use fine in Canadian history,” Josh Judah, who prosecuted the case for Halifax Regional Municipality, told The Chronicle Herald.

The previous highest fine was in the $30,000 range, he said..

Full story here. (http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/217936-halifax-landlord-fined-93500-for-having-extra-apartments)

[Jonovision]

The top half of the Salvation Army building on Gottingen is being reclad.

http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t513/jn434892/IMG_5767.jpg

[Jonovision]

Drove across the bridge today. It appears a crane has gone up on Arthur Street in Dartmouth to rebuild the apartment that burned down a year ago. Looked like the white and red crane that built the Trillium.

[Aya_Akai]

Drove across the bridge today. It appears a crane has gone up on Arthur Street in Dartmouth to rebuild the apartment that burned down a year ago. Looked like the white and red crane that built the Trillium.

Ah.. I guess that would be why those crane segments I spotted up in Russell Lake on sunday were gone today .. I guess they were just putting them there for the time being lol :haha:

[DigitalNinja]

How large is this new apartment going to be?

[kph06]

How large is this new apartment going to be?

I remember reading that it would be basically the same design, so that would make it 4? I was really hoping for something more from this site.

[JET]

I remember reading that it would be basically the same design, so that would make it 4? I was really hoping for something more from this site.

that was one ugly building, with a little effort..

[bluenoser]

Wow, that is quite a prime waterfront location. As with many areas on Google Street View, depending on exactly where you are located you might see an area in Spring 2009 or Summer 2012. In this case, if you move around a bit, you can see the building still intact or the concrete pad where the new one is going up.

[kenandpat]

I see B.D. Stevens is putting up a new building in the parking lot of the Dartmouth Gate complex in Woodside. It is opposite Valve Village beside Highway 111. It looks like it could be a fast food restaurant based on the size of the pad. Just wondering if anyone has info on what it might be.

[musicman]

Digging on the site of the old gas station on Bayers Road... is this actualy going ahead that quickly?

[cormiermax]

Digging on the site of the old gas station on Bayers Road... is this actualy going ahead that quickly?

Are you referring to the mid-rise proposed for Oxford?

[Dmajackson]

Digging on the site of the old gas station on Bayers Road... is this actualy going ahead that quickly?

It's not approved yet however they could be doing soil testing (driller on site?), soil remediation (think this is already done though), or market-faith excavation to get a head start for the spring season (excavator on site?)

[musicman]

New crane up in bayers lake... Short little guy maybe 4-5 stories.. Anybody hear what this one is for?

[kph06]

Here's a couple of the Arthur Street crane by me from today:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8060/8278809790_18861931a4_b.jpg
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8082/8278809486_46a22afcf9_b.jpg

[kenandpat]

I see B.D. Stevens is putting up a new building in the parking lot of the Dartmouth Gate complex in Woodside. It is opposite Valve Village beside Highway 111. It looks like it could be a fast food restaurant based on the size of the pad. Just wondering if anyone has info on what it might be.

I heard today this is a new Starbucks location.

[someone123]

There's going to be an information session tomorrow night on the Crombie project for the corner of Duke and Albemarle. I think the renderings are somewhere in this thread; it's a 100,000 square foot office building to be built on an existing pad, but it only amounts to an additional 3 storeys. It's not a very visible corner either, but just about anything would be an improvement over what's there now:

http://goo.gl/maps/LL3GJ

IBM or BMO are possible tenants.

It will be interesting to hear about other Crombie projects like the possible redevelopment of Brunswick Place (Trade Mart).

[teddifax]

There's going to be an information session tomorrow night on the Crombie project for the corner of Duke and Albemarle. I think the renderings are somewhere in this thread; it's a 100,000 square foot office building to be built on an existing pad, but it only amounts to an additional 3 storeys. It's not a very visible corner either, but just about anything would be an improvement over what's there now:

http://goo.gl/maps/LL3GJ

IBM or BMO are possible tenants.

It will be interesting to hear about other Crombie projects like the possible redevelopment of Brunswick Place (Trade Mart).

The project - Westhill on Duke - almost looks like the main entrance will be taking over the existing entrance for the Bell Aliant offices. I wonder will these offices be affected, maybe consolidating the area nearer to the mall entrance to allow for this new project?

[Northend Guy]

I heard today this is a new Starbucks location.

It is a small strip mall - and it does include a Starbucks. There will also be a Pizzatown, and I think there are 2 or 3 other tenant spaces in there.

[macgregor]

There's a Development Application notice up on the side of Winsby's Shoes (SW corner of Spring Garden and Birmingham). I only caught a glimpse but remember it saying Westwood Developments and 7 floors.

There were rumours last year that it might be a copy of the 4 floor Westwood building now housing a TD branch. (Which is diagonally opposite to it).

Looking forward too seeing what they are planning.

[bluenoser]

Wow, Spring Garden Road is undergoing incredible change these days. There will be an entire area of new buildings at almost the same time including Winsby's, the library, Chickenburger/Mills, both sister sites and the TD building. I remember hearing about this potential redevelopment awhile ago and I was excited - I really don't think a lot of people will miss this particular building.

7 stories sounds pretty good but in this area I am even more interested in quality and consideration of the street frontage (the latter being somewhat lacking in their TD building).

[Drybrain]

I'm really anxious for a rendering too—I'm wary as well though, since Westwood's developments and proposals tend to be really lacklustre (Drum Condos, anyone?) The TD building is the best thing they've ever done, and it's not that great—street frontage in particular being lacking, as bluenoser points out.

I'm also nervous for the Chickenburger/Mills site. The SGR frontage works really well as-is, and Micco is yet another "meh" developer.

2013 could be a great year for SGR, or it could be the year we look back on as when a whole bunch of junk went up due to some mediocre developers. I think the neighbourhood's really got to keep their quality-control metres tuned up in the next few months.

[Dmajackson]

Good to hear! Though I wonder if there is such as thing as too many proposals in such a small area. Just think how messed up it would be to be a pedestrian if this, Mills Brothers, the fire lot, and the Library all underway at the same time.

Anyways ~7 floors is a good height for the area. It's tall enough to allow for the needed density to reach critical mass but short enough that it doesn't overwhelm the street and block out the sunlight. IMO 12+ floors should be the norm along South Park St from the hill down to Morris, 6-9 floors should be the buffer around Schmidtville, 4-9 floors should be allowed near SGR (say half a street width from the edge of the sidewalks), and 12+ floors should be allowed in the Park Lane block.

BTW since this is in the HbD zone we will likely get more information before January 10th (next DRC meeting). Also on the agenda could be the redevelopments for Mills Brothers lots and the fire lot next to Eastlink.

Also for those worried about the quality remember that Westwood is behind Gladstone Ridge & Gladstone Ridge North.

[Drybrain]

Also for those worried about the quality remember that Westwood is behind Gladstone Ridge & Gladstone Ridge North.

Uh, Gladstone is a terrible development (IMHO)—cheap-looking facade, ugly massing, poor street frontage, weird setbacks. It looks like it ought to be on the side of a highway somewhere in an architecturally-scarred suburb.

Halifax deserves more decent stuff in the Vic Suites/Grainery Lofts vein. Or, what's so hard about this kind (http://urbantoronto.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/display-default/images/articles/2012/10/6518/urbantoronto-6518-21169.jpeg) of stuff (http://www.pugawards.com/pug/sites/default/files/styles/building_full/public/2012nominees/One%20Park%20West_01.jpg):

[essaysmith]

Anyone know what's going in at the old Seaside Book and Stamp in downtown Dartmouth now that the old building is coming down?

[halifaxboyns]

Good to hear! Though I wonder if there is such as thing as too many proposals in such a small area. Just think how messed up it would be to be a pedestrian if this, Mills Brothers, the fire lot, and the Library all underway at the same time.

Anyways ~7 floors is a good height for the area. It's tall enough to allow for the needed density to reach critical mass but short enough that it doesn't overwhelm the street and block out the sunlight. IMO 12+ floors should be the norm along South Park St from the hill down to Morris, 6-9 floors should be the buffer around Schmidtville, 4-9 floors should be allowed near SGR (say half a street width from the edge of the sidewalks), and 12+ floors should be allowed in the Park Lane block.

BTW since this is in the HbD zone we will likely get more information before January 10th (next DRC meeting). Also on the agenda could be the redevelopments for Mills Brothers lots and the fire lot next to Eastlink.

Also for those worried about the quality remember that Westwood is behind Gladstone Ridge & Gladstone Ridge North.

Keep in mind that most of the SGR area is painted with Viewplanes 9 and 10; so 7 is likely the best most sites can do.

EDIT: I see I posted a little quickly. The block where Trillium is located and the block next to it (heading away from Victoria Park) are not painted in a viewplane and as I understand it were specifically exempted from the views so that if the area ever built up, these could be the high density blocks.

I think now that you have park vic and trillium, with some of the adjacent high density it's safe to say that there is sufficient context to support 20-25 stories in the block where Trillium is located. But I would keep the height low adjacent to Schmidtville, as a carrot to them to not complain. The parking lots, unfortunately, are high by VP9/10 so 9 is as best as it will get, depending on the slope of the VP.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Anyone know what's going in at the old Seaside Book and Stamp in downtown Dartmouth now that the old building is coming down?

It would be great to see high density residential all along that section of Alderney. The ferry is right there!

[haligonia]

There's a Development Application notice up on the side of Winsby's Shoes (SW corner of Spring Garden and Birmingham). I only caught a glimpse but remember it saying Westwood Developments and 7 floors.

There were rumours last year that it might be a copy of the 4 floor Westwood building now housing a TD branch. (Which is diagonally opposite to it).

Looking forward too seeing what they are planning.

I like what I'm seeing:

http://thechronicleherald.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/ch_article_main_image/articles/SpringGarden5504_4web.jpg
Source (http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/269283-12-million-condo-retail-project-planned)

[halifaxboyns]

Not bad - my only issue is there are no balconies. So unless there is a roof top amenity area for common use, I'm not a fan of that. I've lived in a condo for a long time and I love my balcony. I use my bbq all year long (when I was in Fort Mac and it was -42, I was still out bbq'ing, granted not for very long!!) and since we get nice Chinooks here in Calgary, I use it when it's warm. Not having one would feel weird to me.

[Drybrain]

Not bad - my only issue is there are no balconies. So unless there is a roof top amenity area for common use, I'm not a fan of that. I've lived in a condo for a long time and I love my balcony. I use my bbq all year long (when I was in Fort Mac and it was -42, I was still out bbq'ing, granted not for very long!!) and since we get nice Chinooks here in Calgary, I use it when it's warm. Not having one would feel weird to me.

If I lived in the condo, I'd definitely agree, but it's really hard to make balconies graceful on a building facade, unless they're set back.

Anyway, this is better than I thought it'd be--not amazing, but better than anything else Chedrawe has done.

[someone123]

Everybody makes trade-offs when they buy housing. The balconies must not be that big of a deal to some people because they are willing to buy in buildings without them.

The quality of building designs can vary a lot between different projects undertaken by the same developer. HRM has better design guidelines now and there are more examples of good buildings out there. I agree that the TD building is not perfect but it was built for a bank. There are only a few tenants like that on the whole street. Most retailers probably prefer a more open entrance.

[teddifax]

Everybody makes trade-offs when they buy housing. The balconies must not be that big of a deal to some people because they are willing to buy in buildings without them.

The quality of building designs can vary a lot between different projects undertaken by the same developer. HRM has better design guidelines now and there are more examples of good buildings out there. I agree that the TD building is not perfect but it was built for a bank. There are only a few tenants like that on the whole street. Most retailers probably prefer a more open entrance.

They can always build in those recessed balcony door types with the wrought iron railing in front of sliding glass doors, giving the illusion at least of having a balcony, maybe putting them in alcove-type windows jutting out a bit... Also, can we get a thread started for this one!

[bluenoser]

Here is a small building planned at Mount St. Vincent, for which they are currently fundraising. The "Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research". I'm not sure what else they could do in an academic building...

http://www.msvu.ca/site/media/msvu/McCain%20centre%20November%202012.jpg
http://www.msvu.ca/en/home/alumnae/projecttwenty12/thecentre.aspx

[fenwick16]

I really like the Mount St. Vincent design. I especially like how the grade change is terraced. The landscaping design looks fantastic.

[spaustin]

It would be great to see high density residential all along that section of Alderney. The ferry is right there!

Last I read it was an as of right condo. I haven't seen any renderings, but I seem to recall 5 floors? Maybe it was 7? What would be really great would be to see something happen with the Belmont House block. The surface parking lot and the really short parking garage wastes a lot of space. If that happened and HRM sold their surface parking lots on the other side for development (they're also wasting land), Alderney Drive could gain a whole block of urbanized street frontage!

[someone123]

There's a new and seemingly even more absurd chapter now to the St. Pat's-Alexandra train wreck.

Here's my understanding of the events reported in Allnovascotia:

- Community groups get upset about HRM awarding development to Jono
- Lawyer Ron Pink declares that he will do pro bono work for community groups
- Community groups win their case, Jono loses development
- Judge rules that HRM and Jono must pay legal fees of the community groups. Ron Pink submits $30,000 or so bill, explaining that pro bono work does not preclude him from trying to get court costs covered. Jono must pay 25%. Taxpayers are on the hook for the remaining 75%.
- End result of a developer submitting a winning bid to HRM: no development rights and some legal fees. And there appears to be no plausible plan to build on the derelict St. Pat's-A site.

This is the worst development story since the Jazz condo debacle.

[scooby074]

There's a new and seemingly even more absurd chapter now to the St. Pat's-Alexandra train wreck.

Here's my understanding of the events reported in Allnovascotia:

- Community groups get upset about HRM awarding development to Jono
- Lawyer Ron Pink declares that he will do pro bono work for community groups
- Community groups win their case, Jono loses development
- Judge rules that HRM and Jono must pay legal fees of the community groups. Ron Pink submits $30,000 or so bill, explaining that pro bono work does not preclude him from trying to get court costs covered. Jono must pay 25%. Taxpayers are on the hook for the remaining 75%.
- End result of a developer submitting a winning bid to HRM: no development rights and some legal fees. And there appears to be no plausible plan to build on the derelict St. Pat's-A site.

This is the worst development story since the Jazz condo debacle.


That is pretty sickening. You have a developer who had constructive plans for the site lose out to a bunch of "community" groups who don't have 2 cents to rub together other than what they get from handouts. Nice.

Something, something, Lawyers, something, something.:hell:

[Keith P.]

Joe M. ought to sue HRM for several million.

[worldlyhaligonian]

There's a new and seemingly even more absurd chapter now to the St. Pat's-Alexandra train wreck.

Here's my understanding of the events reported in Allnovascotia:

- Community groups get upset about HRM awarding development to Jono
- Lawyer Ron Pink declares that he will do pro bono work for community groups
- Community groups win their case, Jono loses development
- Judge rules that HRM and Jono must pay legal fees of the community groups. Ron Pink submits $30,000 or so bill, explaining that pro bono work does not preclude him from trying to get court costs covered. Jono must pay 25%. Taxpayers are on the hook for the remaining 75%.
- End result of a developer submitting a winning bid to HRM: no development rights and some legal fees. And there appears to be no plausible plan to build on the derelict St. Pat's-A site.

This is the worst development story since the Jazz condo debacle.

HRM, using resources effectively since... never.

[someone123]

This is a classic example of a well-intentioned but bad policy that added complexity to the process and, ultimately, derailed it entirely.

I also have a pretty low opinion of people who play the "Africville" card to try to shut down debate. The original Jono development had a lot of public merit, and nobody would have been displaced to build it.

Joe M. ought to sue HRM for several million.

I'm not a lawyer but this is my impression as well. It seems completely unfair that Jono is on the hook for HRM incompetence.

[JET]

Last I read it was an as of right condo. I haven't seen any renderings, but I seem to recall 5 floors? Maybe it was 7? What would be really great would be to see something happen with the Belmont House block. The surface parking lot and the really short parking garage wastes a lot of space. If that happened and HRM sold their surface parking lots on the other side for development (they're also wasting land), Alderney Drive could gain a whole block of urbanized street frontage!

It looked like it might have been a total demolish, but it may just be a partial rebuild. The southern end of the building is gone except for a short stone wall.
the middle part is down to one story, and there is tyvek on the wall of the northern part that remains. Any rumours?

[kph06]

Here is the crane on Lovett Lake Court, photo by me:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8355/8326137069_fc53a0c638_b.jpg

[someone123]

Here's a small but interesting proposed development: http://www.halifax.ca/planning/Case16958Details.html

I remember passing by the "Cleveland Industries" building on Oxford many times on the bus. I didn't know the building was still in use 6 years ago; it looked like it was abandoned in the 1970's or something.

[Drybrain]

I noticed that one a few weeks ago. Looks like a perfect little scale for that location. Might even be an attractive building, if they don't cheap out on finishing materials!

[Keith P.]

When I was in university I lived not far from the Cleveland Industries location and often caught the bus at the stop right outside their door. They had a '60s-era cutaway Johnson outboard in their showroom window forever that I thought was really neat. Wonder whatever happened to it.

[cormiermax]

Cleveland Industries was always a wonder for me. Same with that corner store on Chebucto that seemed to have closed in the 70s and all its contents remained inside.

[alps]

Wasn't there a slightly larger proposal made for the Cleveland Industries building? Or did I imagine that? Maybe it was wishful daydreaming over years of waiting for the bus next to it.

My family has lived near it since the mid-90s and it's always seemed pretty dormant.

Happy new year all! Best wishes for 2013.

[DB15]

Wasn't there a slightly larger proposal made for the Cleveland Industries building? Or did I imagine that? Maybe it was wishful daydreaming over years of waiting for the bus next to it.

My family has lived near it since the mid-90s and it's always seemed pretty dormant.

Happy new year all! Best wishes for 2013.
Correct. I believe there was a proposal for a mid sized apartment building at one point.

[Dmajackson]

Gottingen projects ‘in holding pattern’
January 2, 2013 - 8:25pm BY REMO ZACCAGNA BUSINESS REPORTER

A date to begin construction on two Gottingen Street residential projects is unknown because they are in planning limbo, says the proponent.

Ross Cantwell, president of the Housing Trust of Nova Scotia, has proposed to build a 10-storey building at 2183 Gottingen, the former Met building, and a 10-storey building at the former Diamonds bar location at 2215 Gottingen.

The non-profit group purchased the sites in April 2010 for $3 million, money it received from the province under the Canada-Nova Scotia Co-operation Agreement on Economic Diversification because of its plan to offer half of the units as affordable housing.

...

They have scheduled an open house at the Halifax North Public Library on Jan. 17 at 6 p.m.

...

(rzaccagna@herald.ca)

[someone123]

Too bad, but not unexpected. There's a thread for this project here: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=197993

[halifaxboyns]

I've moved the story over to the correct thread.

[Dmajackson]

Just some random project on Shore Road in Dartmouth (photo by me):

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8463/8348145675_01bcb6001f_c.jpg

[Empire]

Just some random project on Shore Road in Dartmouth (photo by me):

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8463/8348145675_01bcb6001f_c.jpg

It won't win any design awards.

[Dmajackson]

Photos by me:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8498/8351030747_aa09582388_z.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8047/8351036183_56e5c6f0f2_z.jpg

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8506/8352099800_bd7c63d09c_z.jpg

[cormiermax]

That new Dal building looks like a mix of 60s dated cladding and faux heritage... nice (sarcasm).

[Keith P.]

^^^ What/where is this?

[worldlyhaligonian]

^^^ What/where is this?

I assume the first building is the one at SMU and the second one with the 60's glass is on Oxford just down and across from Sacred Heart where the NRC building is.

[Dmajackson]

^Exactly. Sorry I usually label the photos.

[worldlyhaligonian]

I assume the first building is the one at SMU and the second one with the 60's glass is on Oxford just down and across from Sacred Heart where the NRC building is.

I meant Armbrae. Its the dal bio ocean centre or something of that nature.

[kph06]

Looks like work has begun on a new building at the Grove St. Defence Research Canada building. This building is being added along the Windmill Rd edge of the complex.

http://www.dsra.ca/sites/default/files/styles/large_project_images/public/projects/sheet_-_main_entry_copy.jpg
http://www.dsra.ca/sites/default/files/styles/large_project_images/public/projects/elevations-ew-copy.jpg
Source (http://www.dsra.ca/projects/dnd-drdc-research-building)

[cormiermax]

Looks nice, very northern European.

[zamboni]

Lovett lake court is an office building, East Point Engineering did the mechanical on it. Job close's soon.

[DigitalNinja]

Someone who works for Emera told me today that they bought 5096 Terminal Rd. http://goo.gl/maps/0S5Cc

No idea what they are going to do with it though... Hopefully not a parking structure.

[teddifax]

It was in today's CH. Emera will be using it as the new NS Power building is at capacity.

[Drybrain]

Someone who works for Emera told me today that they bought 5096 Terminal Rd. http://goo.gl/maps/0S5Cc

No idea what they are going to do with it though... Hopefully not a parking structure.

Yeah. An apartment/retail structure would be good though. That building as it is has no right to front Hollis Street—totally out of place, right down to the suburban office-park landscaping out front.

[scooby074]

It was in today's CH. Emera will be using it as the new NS Power building is at capacity.

Who says NSP's management is bloated? :hell:

They filled that giant new building already? Now they have to buy additional waterfront property in Halifax???? No wonder our electricity costs are among the highest in Canada.

[spaustin]

Instead of buying Terminal Place, they should have built a new building on the surface parking lot across the street. NSP HQ on one side, Emera on the other and one less surface parking lot.

[someone123]

NSP is regulated by the NSUARB and often they are constrained in what they can do. They had to prove that the new building was cheaper than leasing downtown, for example, and their budget was limited. They are not allowed to build whatever they like.

Hopefully NSP will now sell off their Morris Street lot.

[Keith P.]

You are confusing NSP with Emera.

As was said, NSP had to make a business case to the URB for the reno of the waterfront building. This purchase was made by Emera and will be used for their offices, not NSP's. Thus it was not subject to any URB review and in theory should have little to do with the rate base here.

[scooby074]

You are confusing NSP with Emera.

As was said, NSP had to make a business case to the URB for the reno of the waterfront building. This purchase was made by Emera and will be used for their offices, not NSP's. Thus it was not subject to any URB review and in theory should have little to do with the rate base here.


NSP's profit's go to Emera.. Emera buys the new building..Ergo, NSP ratepayers are paying for at least part of this building.

If the added expense of this new building causes NSP to not meet its 9% profit, guess who will be picking up the slack? NS ratepayers.

[Haligonian88]

NSP's profit's go to Emera.. Emera buys the new building..Ergo, NSP ratepayers are paying for at least part of this building.

If the added expense of this new building causes NSP to not meet its 9% profit, guess who will be picking up the slack? NS ratepayers.

Wouldn't the added expense only affect Emera's budget, not the percentage profit generated by NSP. Sure Emera might use the profit NSP provides them with, but 9% is 9%, or whatever the number is. It shouldn't impact the ratepayers.

[scooby074]

Wouldn't the added expense only affect Emera's budget, not the percentage profit generated by NSP. Sure Emera might use the profit NSP provides them with, but 9% is 9%, or whatever the number is. It shouldn't impact the ratepayers.

Maybe Im a bit jaded.. maybe I'm completely wrong... but if past experience with NSP/Emera is any indication, we ratepayers in NS will end up with the short end of the stick when it comes to Emera's spending, be it directly or as the result of creative bookkeeping on Emera's part.

[Keith P.]

NSP's profit's go to Emera.. Emera buys the new building..Ergo, NSP ratepayers are paying for at least part of this building.

If the added expense of this new building causes NSP to not meet its 9% profit, guess who will be picking up the slack? NS ratepayers.

Far be it for me to defend NSP in any way, but that is just bass-ackwards and totally wrong.

[scooby074]

Far be it for me to defend NSP in any way, but that is just bass-ackwards and totally wrong.

Meh.. wouldnt be the first time I was wrong :tup:

I just know when it comes to NSP and Emera, we Nova Scotians get the shaft coming and going. I dont doubt for a minute that somehow our bills will rise, ever so slightly, to cover this new building.

They never lose money (yay, guaranteed rate of return :notacrook:) and yet have a long history of waste. Look no further than the $54 million showpiece of an office building, less than a year old, that isn't even large enough to hold all their staff so now they have to buy more. Way to plan for the future Emera!!!

[musicman]

If anybody wants to read an interesting, (depressing, funny, ridiculous, and completely half baked) article, check out the coast this week.. There is a wonderful article about basically a study of all the studies and downtown plans... When is this going to end and actually get something done...

[Jonovision]

Was walking by Scotia Square this afternoon and noticed a second development application sign. Crombie is planning on renovating and adding onto the Barrington Frontage. It looks like it will run from the base of Barrington Tower over to the base of the Hotel tower.

More info here: http://www.halifaxdevelopments.com/scotia-square.php

http://www.halifaxdevelopments.com/images/img-head-scotia-square.jpg

[someone123]

Interesting. Here's what this part of the facade looks like now: http://goo.gl/maps/yNnVU

The new addition will be separated from the rest of Barrington by the big blank wall to the south, but it is a busy area for transit.

The International Place lot is right across the street, and there's a lot of potential for other improvements when Cogswell is torn down.

[fenwick16]

Was walking by Scotia Square this afternoon and noticed a second development application sign. Crombie is planning on renovating and adding onto the Barrington Frontage. It looks like it will run from the base of Barrington Tower over to the base of the Hotel tower.

More info here: http://www.halifaxdevelopments.com/scotia-square.php
.
.


Its looks like it will make a big improvement. Having retail along the Barrington Street side will hopefully attract pedestrians to that end of Barrington Street.

[RyeJay]

Well, well :) !!

I wonder if this could be proceeding concurrently with the previously proposed Scotia Square addition? I wasn't expecting these changes to take place so quickly! I'm quite thrilled about this development :tup:

[someone123]

By the way, the rendering PDF also suggests a new addition beneath Cogswell tower that would be farther north along Barrington, and what look like 2 additions along Albemarle (one on the corner, and one on top of what's currently a parking garage). It's also missing an existing tower.

Here are some images from Jonovision's link above:

http://imageshack.us/a/img689/122/scotia.png

http://imageshack.us/a/img809/6238/scotia2.png

[RyeJay]

http://imageshack.us/a/img689/122/scotia.png

This rendering re-kindles my longing to see International Place happen.

[Jstaleness]

This looks as though the "mall" may become a mall again. Looking at the additions there would be room for some high square footage stores. Maybe the idea of a downtown mall isn't dead here yet.

[cormiermax]

Things are changing so quickly these days in Halifax, I wonder what the city will be like by the end of the decade. Perhaps we should start looking at hosting a major event to give the city a better worldwide image.

[someone123]

This rendering re-kindles my longing to see International Place happen.

There's no sign that it will happen anytime soon, but the same was said of Waterside back in 2010 or so.

I think IP would make this area "work" a lot better. Right now Granville Mall and Scotia Square just feel like dead ends, and the whole area is a disaster for pedestrians.

Soon there will be 2 big hotels on the Citadel Hotel site, but there won't be any short, clear, attractive path to Scotia Square's shops, even though it could be a 5-minute walk away.

On Barrington, there's almost half a kilometre of street frontage north of Freak Lunchbox but there is very little reason for most people to walk that way, and it's not very attractive. No visitor is going to look up that way and decide to go there right now. In the future if something good is built at George Street, the TD building turns out nicely, IP goes in plus this Scotia Square expansion and some good streetscaping happens then maybe it will be a different story. Add in half a dozen or so residential highrises and a nice transit terminal and it would really be something.

[Keith P.]

Things are changing so quickly these days in Halifax, I wonder what the city will be like by the end of the decade. Perhaps we should start looking at hosting a major event to give the city a better worldwide image.

Well, we don't have a stadium, our arena is 35 years old and totally obsolete, and the convention center is still a ways off. Don't know where you'd put it. :shrug:

[cormiermax]

Well, we don't have a stadium, our arena is 35 years old and totally obsolete, and the convention center is still a ways off. Don't know where you'd put it. :shrug:

Such events typically generate such venues.

[RyeJay]

Halifax will not be holding any major international events anytime soon. We need to continue infilling the downtown and grow our economy to more easily justify investing in sports infrastructure. As the population grows, people will become more vocal for a stadium (and we already have a pro-stadium mayor).

At the moment, however, public transit expansion is certainly prioritised above a stadium. I would be disappointed to see funds go toward a stadium without vital plans worked out for dealing with Halifax's growing traffic crisis.

The City's next big moment will be at the national level, in 2017, to commemorate the Halifax Explosion. I wonder if the federal government will want to organise and/or fund any special events for the occasion?

The Nova Centre must be finished before this time. Ideally, I'd like to see those Barringtons towers (Roy and the Dis. Centre) up as well.

I want Canada to see Halifax as an actual city, not just some naval town with universities.

[teddifax]

By the way, the rendering PDF also suggests a new addition beneath Cogswell tower that would be farther north along Barrington, and what look like 2 additions along Albemarle (one on the corner, and one on top of what's currently a parking garage). It's also missing an existing tower.

Here are some images from Jonovision's link above:

http://imageshack.us/a/img689/122/scotia.png

http://imageshack.us/a/img809/6238/scotia2.png

I would love to see a re-working of the blank wall currently on the south end of Scotia Square, ending at Duke St. It would be nice if this new North End could just be continued all along, creating a true streetscape the whole length of Barrington St.

[resetcbu1]

Halifax will not be holding any major international events anytime soon. We need to continue infilling the downtown and grow our economy to more easily justify investing in sports infrastructure. As the population grows, people will become more vocal for a stadium (and we already have a pro-stadium mayor).

At the moment, however, public transit expansion is certainly prioritised above a stadium. I would be disappointed to see funds go toward a stadium without vital plans worked out for dealing with Halifax's growing traffic crisis.

The City's next big moment will be at the national level, in 2017, to commemorate the Halifax Explosion. I wonder if the federal government will want to organise and/or fund any special events for the occasion?

The Nova Centre must be finished before this time. Ideally, I'd like to see those Barringtons towers (Roy and the Dis. Centre) up as well.

I want Canada to see Halifax as an actual city, not just some naval town with universities.

I love to show people here in Calgary pictures of the Halifax skyline , they are quite often blown away if they have never been out that way and most say it is beautiful with interesting buildings and that it looks much larger than they had thought it was ............ this reaction will be more common in the near future I would suspect :D

[Empire]

There's no sign that it will happen anytime soon, but the same was said of Waterside back in 2010 or so.

I think IP would make this area "work" a lot better. Right now Granville Mall and Scotia Square just feel like dead ends, and the whole area is a disaster for pedestrians.

Soon there will be 2 big hotels on the Citadel Hotel site, but there won't be any short, clear, attractive path to Scotia Square's shops, even though it could be a 5-minute walk away.

On Barrington, there's almost half a kilometre of street frontage north of Freak Lunchbox but there is very little reason for most people to walk that way, and it's not very attractive. No visitor is going to look up that way and decide to go there right now. In the future if something good is built at George Street, the TD building turns out nicely, IP goes in plus this Scotia Square expansion and some good streetscaping happens then maybe it will be a different story. Add in half a dozen or so residential highrises and a nice transit terminal and it would really be something.

I wonder if one of the obstacles in IP moving forward is the street grade. Part of the site is restricted by the Barrington ramp leading into the Cogswell St. Interchange. If the building were to be developed now at street level and then the Cogswell Interchange dismantled there would be a gap at the North end of the site by approx. 15ft.

[Hali87]

Right now Granville Mall and Scotia Square just feel like dead ends, and the whole area is a disaster for pedestrians.

I would say that it doesn't feel so much like a dead end as it just turns inward. The easiest way to get around this part of town is through the pedway system and the network of passageways that make up the lower floors of Scotia Square, Barrington Place/Granville Mall, Purdy's Wharf, and the WTCC/Metro Centre. There is actually retail basically all along this stretch (with the exception of the WTCC and the pedways themselves) so it's not as soulless an experience as you'd expect, unless you go through at night when everything is closed. I agree that improving the streetscape and is a good initiative though, and International Place would fill in a gap.

I like this proposal. It's very reminiscent of the Rideau Centre in Ottawa, which was a nice place to catch the bus. I hope that as they build additions to Scotia Square that they also reclad or otherwise update the sections in between. Otherwise the disjointed patches of concrete are going to look pretty weird. I also wish they'd do something with the blank walls facing Barrington. I remember seeing a couple buildings in Vancouver that were simply outlined in neon light tubes (or a more modern equivalent). I think this would work well on Scotia Square. That, or project images/video onto them. I do like the Duke Street frontage though and I hope that they don't drastically change that side anytime soon.

[Hali87]

I want Canada to see Halifax as an actual city, not just some naval town with universities.

This is basically 100% semantics, but I'm just wondering what you mean when you say "an actual city". This is a question that I've been asking a lot of people lately, especially the more that I see of Canada, because different people are looking for different things, and have varying degrees of familiarity with their own region and others. I think you'd be surprised how much Halifax has to offer compared to almost every city in Canada outside of the largest five. Ultimately, the only things that Toronto and Montreal have that Halifax doesn't, at least as far as the average citizen is concerned, are subway systems and major league sports. I guess for a lot of people, these are the deciding factors, but based on those criteria Quebec City wouldn't be a real city (anymore) either. I agree that a major, tangible investment in public transit, beyond just incrementally adding more bus routes and replacing subpar infrastructure, should be prioritized above a stadium, and if we're being real here, is probably a more realistic short term possibility since it would be much more likely to receive federal funding. I'm talking about LRT or something equivalent in terms of both functionality and appeal.

[eastcoastal]

This is basically 100% semantics, but I'm just wondering what you mean when you say "an actual city". ... Ultimately, the only things that Toronto and Montreal have that Halifax doesn't, at least as far as the average citizen is concerned, are subway systems and major league sports. ...

I'm not sure I agree. I think that Toronto and Montreal both offer interesting urban neigbourhoods where people can, and do, live while having access to a full range of basic (streetfront grocery) and recreational (neighbourhood rec centres) within walkable distances. They allow young families to be able to afford living somewhere urban (not necessarily "downtown"), without requiring two vehicles per dual-parent household. I have visited and stayed with friends in both cities, and we could actually walk to a decent park to play with their kids without loading them all into car seats, and do it all with only one parent. It's actually a pretty big deal.

Not that I don't agree that Halifax is actually pretty cosmopolitan. I think it is.

For a city of its size.

I think that the concentration of universities and traditional role of a seaport, combined with the fortune (misfortune?) of not having any other cities of reasonable size close by, have left Halifax a de facto centre of culture and commerce. There are certainly exceptions, and other maritime cities do have their pockets of business and arts, but Halifax has much more to offer than many other cities that are similar in size (population size).

[Hali87]

I'm not sure I agree. I think that Toronto and Montreal both offer interesting urban neigbourhoods where people can, and do, live while having access to a full range of basic (streetfront grocery) and recreational (neighbourhood rec centres) within walkable distances. They allow young families to be able to afford living somewhere urban (not necessarily "downtown"), without requiring two vehicles per dual-parent household. I have visited and stayed with friends in both cities, and we could actually walk to a decent park to play with their kids without loading them all into car seats, and do it all with only one parent. It's actually a pretty big deal.

You can do this in Halifax though. There aren't as many neighbourhoods like that, but think Spring Garden (both ends), Queen and South, Quinpool, Chebucto, the Hydrostone... Many major Canadian cities have even fewer areas like these, and this includes places like Edmonton that are significantly larger.