Cogswell Interchange

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by alps

Thanks! Very interesting!



I hope you are correct, but I don't know that they would have bothered to plant trees and put down a small plaza if they intended to rip it all out again in the near future.

Some discussion of this online, with some explanation (tl;dr, the grassy landscaping was shifted from Granville Square to this smaller space, called Ordnance Plaza, and Granville Square will get more hard landscaping, which makes sense). So the trees and grass here are probably permanent.

Honestly, I'm not very bothered by this. It does look a little meh, but this is not the main public square in the area, and in person a lot of what's being put in looks to be of a pretty high quality. There's a lot up in the air still, but I'm cautiously optimistic and in fact reasonably certain that the public space aspects will be decent. I'm much more interested in what form the building development takes.

[Keith P.]

A bit underwhelming so far.

[ArchAficionado]

Given that one of the goals of this project was to densify / add buildable plots to downown it's a bit annoying to see this go from being grass and roads to ... grass and roads, at great expense. I know this is only a small part of the project site but this part is by no means a meaningful upgrade. Probably, the Purdy's pedway interferes with the potential of a building plots there and should have been taken down, undergrounded, or otherwise removed through this process.

[ArchAficionado]

Although I admit, this 2-converging-street spot is a bit awkward for anything other than some trees and a flowerbed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyTTATFLWW0

I look back at this plan from 10(!) years ago with cautious optimism for what the end product will look like, although I fully expect this whole area to get populated with 6 storey commie blocks. That video's release date really puts into perspective how long it takes them to get the ball rolling ... I was in junior high school when that came out and now I'm a practicing professional engineer!

[Empire]

Sooo HRM!

Is the monument yet to come? That grassy area was perfect for the flatiron building and still is.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Empire

Sooo HRM!

Is the monument yet to come? That grassy area was perfect for the flatiron building and still is.

It wouldn't be much of a building. That lot looks like you could park no more than 4 or 5 cars next to each other at the wide end and maybe 2 or 3 at the narrow end. Hopefully the supposed multi-million dollar building lots that were supposed to pay for this boondoggle are behind the photographer of this pic. Otherwise it is just more Mason misdirection.

[q12]

Here is the webcam view from this morning:

Webcam link: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax...ogswell-webcam

[JET]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

A bit underwhelming so far.

But they are putting in a new overhead walkway to the Lobster Trap, and what looks to be a nifty ski hill under that.

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Hopefully the supposed multi-million dollar building lots that were supposed to pay for this boondoggle are behind the photographer of this pic. Otherwise it is just more Mason misdirection.

Yes, they are.



Personally, I'm really impressed how this is all turning out. This is a generational infrastructure project on one of the main routes into downtown, and they've so far managed to pull it off on-time and on-budget without major traffic disruptions. That being said, next month is the kickoff of the next phase when they close the Scotia Square terminal and start to remove the big ramp up to Barrington; hopefully it continues to go smoothly.

[ArchAficionado]

Originally Posted by q12

Here is the webcam view from this morning:

Webcam link: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax...ogswell-webcam

Looks like the new alignment of barrington is taking shape in the middle of the worksite there - presumably they'll link this up to cogswell with a temp. alignment while they regrade the remaining elevated section and lower the existing barrington @ scotia square to transition down to intersect with cogswell.

[ButterNutPecan]

Looking good!

[IanWatson]

I've been wondering why they did the new Bells Lane in concrete. Will that be the finished surface or is it a sub-base for pavers?

[q12]

Brighter view from 2pm today:

[HarbingerDe]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

It wouldn't be much of a building. That lot looks like you could park no more than 4 or 5 cars next to each other at the wide end and maybe 2 or 3 at the narrow end. Hopefully the supposed multi-million dollar building lots that were supposed to pay for this boondoggle are behind the photographer of this pic. Otherwise it is just more Mason misdirection.

Boondoggle - "work or activity that is wasteful or pointless but gives the appearance of having value - waste money or time on unnecessary or questionable projects"

This project is anything but a boondoggle.

It's ambitious, on time, on budget, and creates a huge new plot of land to be developed for new housing. The water/utilities installed are designed to support up to 3,400 new units.

An ambitious plan to create livable space for thousands of people that pays for itself and removes a grotesque artifact of an abandoned highway project from our downtown city core is just about the furthest thing I can imagine from a boondoggle.

I am truly baffled by how one could even come to such an assessment of the project.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by HarbingerDe

I am truly baffled by how one could even come to such an assessment of the project.

Open your eyes, and you will see.

[ArchAficionado]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Open your eyes, and you will see.

Sweet comeback man ... Doesn't sound like a very solid argument to me ...

I've gotta say I'm with HarbingerDe on this one. While they shouldn't have spent so long in the planning lollygagging with this one, and the ultimate success of the project will depend on the built form of the buildings that eventually occupy the space, this is certainly a positive change. Having so much wasted space in the central business district of a fast growing city was absolutely a blight in numerous ways.

This goes with out saying the district energy solutions, upgrades to utilities, etc. opportunity when re-grading a large area like this should provide a substantial benefit to utility reliability in the area.

I think the one missed opportunity within this project was to incorporate a below-grade (cut/cover tunnel) priority bus corridor through barrington. Could have set the stage for an eventual transit tunnel of the entire barrington st. corridor.

Off-topic, but it cracked me up seeing people on facebook replying to haligonia.ca's post, furiously decrying the closure of barrington for the regrading work and that they'll "avoid downtown at all costs". I think such folk ought to really reflect if that actually want to live in a city, or if they ought to find a more *bucolic* environment (see: stroads, car dependent suburbs, dearth of stress-level interaction characteristic of our suburban centres).

TL;DR +1 in favour of cogswell redevelopment, here.

[Keith P.]

Avoiding downtown at all costs has been a sound strategy for many people for many years. Since HRM has put in so many measures designed to stop vehicles from entering and easily moving people in and out of the area, many no longer go near DT unless they are forced to. I know when I had to renew my passport recently I could go to the office in the old WTCC or to Bedford. I went to Bedford.

OF course all the junior planning types love what HRM is doing to DT. The previous generation's same group loved what they did back in that era too.

[LikesBikes]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Avoiding downtown at all costs has been a sound strategy for many people for many years. Since HRM has put in so many measures designed to stop vehicles from entering and easily moving people in and out of the area, many no longer go near DT unless they are forced to. I know when I had to renew my passport recently I could go to the office in the old WTCC or to Bedford. I went to Bedford.

OF course all the junior planning types love what HRM is doing to DT. The previous generation's same group loved what they did back in that era too.

Sounds like a win win. You get to go to your place in the suburbs where you don't see anyone walking and biking, and downtown has one less grumpy driver going through it.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Avoiding downtown at all costs has been a sound strategy for many people for many years. Since HRM has put in so many measures designed to stop vehicles from entering and easily moving people in and out of the area, many no longer go near DT unless they are forced to. I know when I had to renew my passport recently I could go to the office in the old WTCC or to Bedford. I went to Bedford.

OF course all the junior planning types love what HRM is doing to DT. The previous generation's same group loved what they did back in that era too.

Dude is afraid of downtown. Why are you on this forum?

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

Dude is afraid of downtown. Why are you on this forum?

I feel it is important for the junior planning students to realize that the real world is very different from what their sources tell them is true.