Quote:
Originally Posted by counterfactual
So, today, all those low rise single unit homes in Halifax have become density killers; seniors or empty nester Boomers inhabiting big homes, with no kids left. Those Boomers are slowly moving to condos in the city, but it's a slow development.
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Since much of the peninsula are these low-rise, low density single-unit homes, we need to compensate with greater levels of intense density and high rise development elsewhere. We're not doing that. Every proposal is a war.
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These are both good points, and I agree (though I definitely think a lot can be accomplished with mid-rise intensification on our under-built streets).
One cheering sign is that since neighbourhoods are cyclical (in terms of old neighbourhoods vs. young neighbourhoods) I think we're starting to see places like the North End and inner Dartmouth again becoming more youthful. The sheer number of strollers I see on the streets and babies I see in restaurants/cafes seem to suggest that a lot the old houses being bought and renovated by young people are once again home to growing families, which is great to see. So maybe the density per house is again on the rise.
But yeah, much of the 1960s peninsular density (like the 1910s Manhattan density) was due to OVERcrowded houses in the slums.
So we need intensification and taller buildings as well, but that should go without saying.