General Updates and News

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

I don't the address of this Windmill Road build... it's one of the many drastically changing the north end of Dartmouth.

PXL_20260725_151200390 by A.J. Forsythe, on Flickr

[Dmajackson]

^That's The Bridgeview (354 Windmill Road) (Link to Tag on my Website)

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On a separate note it looks like Shelter Nova Scotia's plans are progressing at 5529 NORA BERNARD STREET.

DEV-ROW-2026-08842 - "The proposed project consists of the new construction of a six-storey, sprinklered supportive housing facility for Shelter Nova Scotia at 5529 Nora Bernard Street in Halifax. The building includes multi-unit residential supportive housing, office/support spaces, main floor community space, below-grade parking, bicycle parking, and associated site improvements."

[connect2source]

Originally Posted by Jstaleness

Hopefully the tower signage will still light up. Perhaps it will now be white lettering like some other locations in Canada. With LED, they may be able to make it any colour.

I can confirm that the tower letters light up in white, caught that early yesterday morning. I'll grab a photo next time I see it lit.

[Keith P.]

A rather shocking and sad story about the current state of what was once one of the more prestigious apartment buildings in the city, Park Victoria:

https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/ex-...hift-walls-at-halifax-apartment-building

I am a Saltwire subscriber so I can see all of this, but don't know if it is paywalled for anyone else. If someone could advise, I can post some of the rather alarming photos.

Essentially, someone is apparently subletting 1-bedroom apartments, erecting cheap plastic dividers in the LR and creating two extra bedrooms, each rented separately. The story also details ongoing pest infestations and generally decrepit conditions.

I am old enough to recall that it was built in the mid-60s (I believe by Ralph Medjuck) with somewhere around 400 units and was a rather prestigious address to some people, particularly wealthy south-enders who for reasons of downsizing or loss of a marriage partner decided to decamp to a unit there. I do know that even then it was often a co-tenant situation for 2 or 3 medical students at Dal or nurses working at the VG to share a 2- or 3-bedroom unit, but even with the occasional loud party, the landlords ran a tight ship, with a doorman and security on duty.

Back in the '90s I moved in myself when it was owned by the Zatzmans from Dartmouth who continued to keep high standards. It was a real mix of tenants, like my next-door neighbor, a wealthy and delightful elderly widow who still kept the 3-bedroom unit she had lived in for a long time with her late husband, doctors and other medical professionals working at the hospitals, still some nurses sharing a unit, Georg Tintner, conductor of Symphony NS who I would encounter in the elevators with his attendant and who really looked the part, and generally a rather nice place to live even if it could no longer compete with newer and more luxe buildings. It is sad to see how far it has fallen and one wonders what the future holds for it.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

A rather shocking and sad story about the current state of what was once one of the more prestigious apartment buildings in the city, Park Victoria:

https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/ex-...hift-walls-at-halifax-apartment-building

I am a Saltwire subscriber so I can see all of this, but don't know if it is paywalled for anyone else. If someone could advise, I can post some of the rather alarming photos.

Essentially, someone is apparently subletting 1-bedroom apartments, erecting cheap plastic dividers in the LR and creating two extra bedrooms, each rented separately. The story also details ongoing pest infestations and generally decrepit conditions.

I am old enough to recall that it was built in the mid-60s (I believe by Ralph Medjuck) with somewhere around 400 units and was a rather prestigious address to some people, particularly wealthy south-enders who for reasons of downsizing or loss of a marriage partner decided to decamp to a unit there. I do know that even then it was often a co-tenant situation for 2 or 3 medical students at Dal or nurses working at the VG to share a 2- or 3-bedroom unit, but even with the occasional loud party, the landlords ran a tight ship, with a doorman and security on duty.

Back in the '90s I moved in myself when it was owned by the Zatzmans from Dartmouth who continued to keep high standards. It was a real mix of tenants, like my next-door neighbor, a wealthy and delightful elderly widow who still kept the 3-bedroom unit she had lived in for a long time with her late husband, doctors and other medical professionals working at the hospitals, still some nurses sharing a unit, Georg Tintner, conductor of Symphony NS who I would encounter in the elevators with his attendant and who really looked the part, and generally a rather nice place to live even if it could no longer compete with newer and more luxe buildings. It is sad to see how far it has fallen and one wonders what the future holds for it.

It's sad. I lived in Park Vic in the early 2000s... it was already on the decline then, and that was before some of what has gone on with the building since.

Surely there are laws against the subdividing and the many people per bedroom? Alas, it doesn't seem like laws matter anymore in NS/Canada.

[terrynorthend]

It looks like Amazon is breaking ground in Burnside's phase 13 on their rumored Halifax fulfillment centre. AllNS reports it will be a 1.2 million square foot facility on two floors, making it the largest industrial building in Atlantic Canada. About 3x the size of IKEA or the Irving Shipbuilding Assembly Hall.
Presumably this will serve the Maritimes and NL, and allow for sameday shipping in Halifax and surrounds.

[Dartguard]

PORTLAND STREET WARNING.

The Portland street lane removal project kicked off today at the Portland street/Spring avenue intersection and oh my things will not be smooth.

I used the Hill from Cole Harbour this morning at about 11:30 AM and did not know why things were jammed shortly after the Portland Hills Bus turnoff until I saw the installation of Jersey barriers at the corner of Spring and Portland.

A road used by over 40,000 cars per day has been reduced to two lanes from Four. The Contractor finished installing the other set of Jersey barriers on the Portland Hills drive side later in the day. TRAFFIC IS ALREADY FUCKED.

I just returned from Portland Street and opted to return to Cole Harbour through Portland hills as the single lane to Cole Harbour had traffic jamming up the lights at the Superstore. At 9:10 PM.

Prediction # 1 at least 30 rear ender accidents before Labor Day

Prediction # 2 at least 4 Russian gas station like fist fights before September

Prediction # 3 The City is about to be inundated with complaints from neighborhoods that are suddenly overwhelmed by pissed Off drivers.

Prediction # 4 The Bike coalition will be the only folks happy although it will be interesting seeing ANYONE trying to go UP Portland Streets Hill.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by Dartguard

PORTLAND STREET WARNING.

The Portland street lane removal project kicked off today at the Portland street/Spring avenue intersection and oh my things will not be smooth.

...

A road used by over 40,000 cars per day has been reduced to two lanes from Four. The Contractor finished installing the other set of Jersey barriers on the Portland Hills drive side later in the day. TRAFFIC IS ALREADY FUCKED.

They are just fixing up the traffic lights. It's part of the recapitalization of Spring Avenue that is ongoing. I don't have a login to see the tender documents so if someone else can post the intersection plans it would be appreciated.

Halifax Tenders - HRM-2026-0134

The Portland Street Functional Plan did include reallocating lanes as an option for this area but it is not approved. If the province ever funds the BRT plan it could happen but this line isn't even the first one planned to be opened.

[terrynorthend]

More details emerged at the public engagement session for the Young/Robie FGN. The group looking to.build out 11 towers had a diagram with attached heights. Most were well over 100m, with one at 156m and two at 162m.
If approved/built, these would be Halifax's first 3 legitimate skyscrapers!

[JC1994]

I'm glad I took a picture. This is what they had posted there:

162, 162, 156, 147, 126, 111, 111, 102. The remaining 3 are below 100.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by JC1994

I'm glad I took a picture. This is what they had posted there:

162, 162, 156, 147, 126, 111, 111, 102. The remaining 3 are below 100.

Are you able to post the pic? It would be nice to see.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

More details emerged at the public engagement session for the Young/Robie FGN. The group looking to.build out 11 towers had a diagram with attached heights. Most were well over 100m, with one at 156m and two at 162m.
If approved/built, these would be Halifax's first 3 legitimate skyscrapers!

This is very interesting. A true 'uptown north'.

What height does a skyscraper start at? 8 stories to some, apparently.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

More details emerged at the public engagement session for the Young/Robie FGN. The group looking to.build out 11 towers had a diagram with attached heights. Most were well over 100m, with one at 156m and two at 162m.
If approved/built, these would be Halifax's first 3 legitimate skyscrapers!

Surely this will cause the world to spin off its axis!!!

Where is Dawn Marie Sloane when we really need her to save us???

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Surely this will cause the world to spin off its axis!!!

Where is Dawn Marie Sloane when we really need her to save us???

"Now, that's a name I've not heard in a long time. A long time."

[OldDartmouthMark]

As housing starts expected to slow, major developer says Canada must continue building.
CEO of Skyline expects immigration and housing demand to pick up again in the future

As some housing developers hold back on new construction projects, one of Canada's largest real estate companies says it intends to keep building — and it’s important the country continues to do so.

Different parts of Canada have seen record levels of housing construction in recent years. But the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation projects housing starts will decline over the next few years “as builders continue to respond to unsold inventories and high construction costs.”

Despite recent federal cuts to immigration, the co-founder and CEO of the Skyline Group of Companies expects demand to rebound.

Halifax-based real estate consultant Neil Lovitt agrees with that sentiment. He says Ottawa’s immigration cuts are creating a one-time, short-term drop in demand for housing, but warns there’s a “real risk” of mistaking that as “mission accomplished” for addressing affordability.

Lovitt views the current period — where rent increases have slowed and asking rents have dropped from their peak in some areas — as a time to catch up on building the housing supply that’s needed.

Non-market and deeply affordable housing “are where we see the largest gaps between what really is needed and what has been supplied,” Lovitt said.

Some experts have pointed to Canada’s decades-old deficit in building non-market housing as one reason for the country's housing affordability problems.

[Dmajackson]

This application caught my attention. It appears a large redevelopment of the Oxford-Connolly block of Bayers Road has been submitted. My theory is this is the mysterious Bayers Road project listed as a Ghosn Group Future Project.

Bayers Road — Halifax
100-unit mixed-use development positioned to serve both residents and the surrounding commercial district.

VAR-2026-02284
Submitted Date 06/08/2026
Location: 6421 BAYERS RD, HALIFAX, NS B3L2A9
PIDs 00084590, 00084608, 00084616, 00084624, 00084632, 00084640, 00084657, 00084665, 00084673, 00084681
Proposed Activity Description: Minor variance to reduce front yard setback requirement setback from 3 meters to a range between 2.9 and 1.5 meters as described in the enclosed Rationale and Plans

[Corker]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

This application caught my attention. It appears a large redevelopment of the Oxford-Connolly block of Bayers Road has been submitted. My theory is this is the mysterious Bayers Road project listed as a Ghosn Group Future Project.



VAR-2026-02284
Submitted Date 06/08/2026
Location: 6421 BAYERS RD, HALIFAX, NS B3L2A9
PIDs 00084590, 00084608, 00084616, 00084624, 00084632, 00084640, 00084657, 00084665, 00084673, 00084681
Proposed Activity Description: Minor variance to reduce front yard setback requirement setback from 3 meters to a range between 2.9 and 1.5 meters as described in the enclosed Rationale and Plans

It looks like this is 10 mid-block properties along the north side of Bayer's Road, across from Look Ho Ho, the former Dr. Piano, and the new Bayers and Young building. This is the section that is about to be torn up for the Bayer's Road widening.

Interesting that they only front on Bayer's and not back to Roslyn on the other side, which would suggest this will be a slimmer project than Bayers and Young. A lot of these properties have been changing hands the last few years so I wouldn't be surprised if this evolves from whatever they currently planning.

[HalifaxRetales]

Silver Dragon closing, new owner plans to knock it down

[JC1994]

I've been waiting for Silver Dragon to go along with the tire shop nextdoor.

[Keith P.]

It makes sense that both property owners would want to cash in at this point. The other spot nearby that one would think would be in play would be what's left of the former Eastlink property further along Bilby and the large empty parking lot adjacent to it.