[Halifax] Spring Garden West | 90 m | 2x30 fl | Approved

[egb]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

I'm certainly seeing developers delay and rethink projects as they digest the implications for their projects of the proposed changes.

I have not done anything resembling an analysis of this one, but I imagine this one will go ahead as-is. The proposed Centre Plan changes for this site allow 40 storeys of height, but only 8.0 of FAR, which is what's already approved through the DA. So the developer could get extra height but not extra floor area - I can't imagine the math would pencil out on doing a building re-design to not gain any extra floor area.

I thought all the CEN-2 zones were having their FARs bumped up to 10? That would be around 37 stories I think (25% FAR increase) so I could see a redesign if so.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by egb

I thought all the CEN-2 zones were having their FARs bumped up to 10? That would be around 37 stories I think (25% FAR increase) so I could see a redesign if so.

The write-up on the city's website says that, but the interactive map shows mostly lower FARs. Not sure why the discrepancy; perhaps the map is incorrect?

I'd hate to see these projects further delayed, but it would be pretty hilarious if, after all the whinging from the Friends of... NIMBYs, these buildings got even taller.

[egb]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

The write-up on the city's website says that, but the interactive map shows mostly lower FARs. Not sure why the discrepancy; perhaps the map is incorrect?

I'd hate to see these projects further delayed, but it would be pretty hilarious if, after all the whinging from the Friends of... NIMBYs, these buildings got even taller.

Oh, I see now, you're right (unfortunately). I looked through the actual map and the details are much less ambitious than the write-up. Very few spots get a FAR of ten despite the write-up saying 'most' CEN zones do. There even looks to be some places that are being down-zoned. The zoning at the corner of Joe Howe and Scot street will shrink to five stories even though they are building an 8 story building there.

A lot more micromanaging than the comms suggests sadly.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by egb

A lot more micromanaging than the comms suggests sadly.

HRM Planning micromanaging their policies? I’m SHOCKED, I tells ya, shocked!

[Insigne]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

I'm sure it's on the developer to return with a new plan on this, but I can't help feel that the city should be doing everything in its power to expedite it, rather than leave a half-started construction site lingering. At the very least, surely there's other work that can be done on this while that specific corner lot with the heritage house is worked out behind the scenes.

The building that Kara's was in has a for lease sign in it's window and Flynn's Dairy bar moved in in the last year. Housing shortage or not - Dexel is in no hurry to develop this site and I am sure they will maximize their return. I don't think it is the city that is holding up this project. They are playing the game - come on "architectural projections" to increase gross floor area. You have to give it to them for creativity, they are playing the long game until they are ready to build. Rentals are paying the taxes and mortgages in
the meantime.

The Quinpool MacDonald's site is their next project. They will need all their forces for Spring Garden West and I would be surprised to see any movement until 2026.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by Insigne

The building that Kara's was in has a for lease sign in it's window and Flynn's Dairy bar moved in in the last year. Housing shortage or not - Dexel is in no hurry to develop this site and I am sure they will maximize their return. I don't think it is the city that is holding up this project. They are playing the game - come on "architectural projections" to increase gross floor area. You have to give it to them for creativity, they are playing the long game until they are ready to build. Rentals are paying the taxes and mortgages in
the meantime.

The Quinpool MacDonald's site is their next project. They will need all their forces for Spring Garden West and I would be surprised to see any movement until 2026.

I’m talking about the Promenade project, which is in need of a new DA due to the accident with the heritage house last year.

Though re: Spring Garden West, the developer apparently told tenants they'd be out by the end of 2024, which I hope portends a 2025 groundbreaking.

[Dmajackson]

Demolition permits have been submitted for this project! Dexel is currently working on SOQU Residences and Press Block. When the latter is finished early next year I expect this will commence excavation.

[new2halifax]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Demolition permits have been submitted for this project! Dexel is currently working on SOQU Residences and Press Block. When the latter is finished early next year I expect this will commence excavation.

Yes! This is the project I'm most looking forward to see it complete.

[terrynorthend]

Happy to see this moving forward, although I definitely preferred the earlier designs. The dark cladding looks oppressive.

[teddifax]

Maybe it's just me, but I wish there could always be a link at the top of each page to the design of each project so you can go in and see what is proposed or to refresh your memory, rather than having to look way back to see if you can find it.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by new2halifax

Yes! This is the project I'm most looking forward to see it complete.

While I too am very pleased to see this development become a reality, the one I'm most looking forward to seeing complete is the Rouvalis project on the other half of the block. Much more attractive buildings, to my eye. I hope it actually happens.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

While I too am very pleased to see this development become a reality, the one I'm most looking forward to seeing complete is the Rouvalis project on the other half of the block. Much more attractive buildings, to my eye. I hope it actually happens.

A revised DA with an alternative plan for the heritage component is going to council in the spring. That'll be about two years from the accident with the heritage house--this thing would be most of the way to completion if that hadn't happened. It feels pretty ridiculous, but I have no insight into why it took so long. Hopefully this all goes ahead swiftly once the DA is approved. The whole block is just boarded up and waiting for this to move ahead.

One thing I'm wondering about: the federal government yesterday announced pretty sweeping immigration reforms, which if implemented will result in a slight population decline nationally over the next two years. Theoretically, this means Halifax's growth could go from +20,000 this past year to zero (or even shrink) next year. What will ideally happen in that scenario is that developers will keep building, to catch up on the housing backlog, so we're in a better situation once growth resumes in 2027. But I worry there's also a risk that it'll spook builders into scaling back or cancelling projects--especially big, expensive, ambitious ones.

In any case, I hope shovels are in the ground on this again before the current boom comes to an end. And I really hope we don't see any demolitions for SG West until they're ready to start building.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Theoretically, this means Halifax's growth could go from +20,000 this past year to zero (or even shrink) next year.

Hopefully this will be managed better so cities see sustainable growth over the long run and there will be demand for more housing units. It doesn't really make sense for the feds to cut urban growth to 0 long term just as it didn't make sense (from a long-term Canadian perspective, not short-term cynical political perspective I guess) to invite so many nonpermanent residents that they overwhelmed the housing and job markets and had poor prospects here.

It seems like there should already be lots of pent-up demand and construction should depend on many factors like local desirability, the aforementioned pent-up demand due to lots of people living in less desirable places, interest rates, availability of labour, etc. The peninsula should always be pretty desirable while the big losers are likely to be very highly priced low-end apartments in less desirable areas.

[Musicman Halifax]

We have to remember as well that right now housing is the main construction driver in Halifax. Our infrastructure has been put on the back burner, not to mention institutional projects as well. I expect that when the housing building slows there will be a huge demand for infrastructure far surpassing anything we have seen before.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by Musicman Halifax

We have to remember as well that right now housing is the main construction driver in Halifax. Our infrastructure has been put on the back burner, not to mention institutional projects as well. I expect that when the housing building slows there will be a huge demand for infrastructure far surpassing anything we have seen before.

Also, commercial development (office buildings) is net zero.

[egb]

It will be interesting to see how the market changes over the coming years for sure. Population growth will definitely slow but to HRM and the province’s credit they have legalized a lot of units and I think you can make a case that if developers keep building Halifax will keep growing at a decent pace.

Just because there is a slowdown in immigration nationally doesn’t mean Halifax can’t keep recruiting a high number (by historical standards) as long as developers keep delivering housing. The same goes for interprovincial migration. Housing construction is being throttled in Ontario and I think that new housing in Halifax will get soaked up (especially single family homes and townhouses).

[terrynorthend]

I wonder about those population projections. How does reducing PR immigration by 105k for the year lead to population decline when the country is growing at 500k plus per year?

Originally Posted by Drybrain

A revised DA with an alternative plan for the heritage component is going to council in the spring. That'll be about two years from the accident with the heritage house--this thing would be most of the way to completion if that hadn't happened. It feels pretty ridiculous, but I have no insight into why it took so long. Hopefully this all goes ahead swiftly once the DA is approved. The whole block is just boarded up and waiting for this to move ahead.

One thing I'm wondering about: the federal government yesterday announced pretty sweeping immigration reforms, which if implemented will result in a slight population decline nationally over the next two years. Theoretically, this means Halifax's growth could go from +20,000 this past year to zero (or even shrink) next year. What will ideally happen in that scenario is that developers will keep building, to catch up on the housing backlog, so we're in a better situation once growth resumes in 2027. But I worry there's also a risk that it'll spook builders into scaling back or cancelling projects--especially big, expensive, ambitious ones.

In any case, I hope shovels are in the ground on this again before the current boom comes to an end. And I really hope we don't see any demolitions for SG West until they're ready to start building.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

I wonder about those population projections. How does reducing PR immigration by 105k for the year lead to population decline when the country is growing at 500k plus per year?

There’s an explainer on the government website here and this is a pretty good chart from a Bloomberg reporter. But basically, the government is slashing non-permanent immigration. So over the next two years, nearly a million non-permanent residents (students, TFWs) will leave as their visas expire, and a much smaller number of new non-permanent residents will arrive, making for a net decline. Also, the government has said that about 40 percent of next year’s 395k new permanent residents will actually be non-permanent residents transitioning to permanent status, so not new people coming in.

[Musicman Halifax]

Originally Posted by egb

It will be interesting to see how the market changes over the coming years for sure. Population growth will definitely slow but to HRM and the province’s credit they have legalized a lot of units and I think you can make a case that if developers keep building Halifax will keep growing at a decent pace.

Just because there is a slowdown in immigration nationally doesn’t mean Halifax can’t keep recruiting a high number (by historical standards) as long as developers keep delivering housing. The same goes for interprovincial migration. Housing construction is being throttled in Ontario and I think that new housing in Halifax will get soaked up (especially single family homes and townhouses).

And we have to remember that Halifax has a current deficit of 30k units give or take. We are building 5-6k units a year. That is at least 5-6 years of building even if not one single new person moves here.

[worldlyhaligonian]

It would seem like all the buildings along here are now vacant as of the new year.

What are the odds on a demo in the near term? Is SOQU moving along at a good pace?