[someone123]

Well, they can build up to those heights on the YMCA site but not the CBC site because it is next to the Citadel.

There would be nothing wrong with a well-designed 12 storey building right next to the Citadel, particularly if it steps back at higher levels. If it were up to me I'd also encourage development on the Citadel grounds themselves - it would be good to have some small buildings (maybe four storeys) on the north side of Sackville Street, for example. The edges of open areas like the Citadel should be built up.

The notion that the city should shy away from developing the periphery of public spaces like the Citadel really makes it difficult to bring in enough people to make these places vibrant. The Citadel and Commons are oversized for Halifax and underdeveloped. South Park and Cunard are sort of halfway toward being what we should see around these areas. The city should also be looking at uses for the inside of the Citadel. It is a unique piece of history but it doesn't need to be segregated from the rest of the city.