Development Rumours - Page 16

someone123 · #**301** Posted **Jun 21, 2008, 4:17 AM**

They can do up to something like 22 storeys as-of-right. They could try to get a development agreement to go higher but that would be kind of silly.

Jonovision · #**302** Posted **Jun 21, 2008, 5:58 AM**

22 storeys and as mentioned before 400 000 sqr ft of office space. Apparently it was suppose to be released a week or 2 ago, but got held up, so anytime now.

terrynorthend · #**303** Posted **Jun 21, 2008, 11:06 AM**

It was approved for development in the 80s

Spitfire75 · #**304** Posted **Jun 21, 2008, 11:33 AM**

Excellent. We're surprisingly getting a lot of new tall buildings. Triangle lands, Trinity site, UG towers, South Park and Brenton, ect.

Halifax is growing nicely even amidst all the negativity and red tape.

terrynorthend · #**305** Posted **Jun 21, 2008, 2:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spitfire75

Excellent. We're surprisingly getting a lot of new tall buildings. Triangle lands, Trinity site, UG towers, South Park and Brenton, ect.

Halifax is growing nicely even amidst all the negativity and red tape.

Not to mention the Alexander (presuming it gets the nod) and Salter's Gate (maybe not supertall, but up to 12 floors on the waterfront will have skyline impact for sure)

Now if we can just break ground on some of these projects

Haliguy · #**306** Posted **Jun 21, 2008, 3:33 PM**

Could be a busy construction season ahead and I think could be real this time.

Jonovision · #**307** Posted **Jun 21, 2008, 4:42 PM**

Things are looking good, but I'm still holding my breath until I see some cranes flying.

someone123 · #**308** Posted **Jun 21, 2008, 4:53 PM**

With the condos it's unlikely that we'll see them all go up at once, but we could see a couple of them begin construction along with some apartment buildings.

I don't know anything beyond what was said for the Triangle Lands proposal but theoretically if they have their ducks in a row they could announce it and then begin construction very soon thereafter.

In the Herald today they also mentioned that the farmers' market has its required amount of public investment commitments. Another major development is the highrise planned (as-of-right) for Brunswick and Cogswell.

Even if all we see is a new office tower, Salter St, and maybe the Trillium or something similar that's still a lot of construction that will significantly improve the downtown area. United Gulf would also be huge of course.

worldlyhaligonian · #**309** Posted **Jun 22, 2008, 9:09 PM**

I think that UG and South Park x Brenton will be the most important developments to see break ground, althought Trinity and Triangle lands will both hugely benefit the scale of the city in and around Cogswell.

Its good to hear about the smaller downtown infill projects such as the Life Sciences Research Centre and the development at Sacred Heart.

And lets not forget Dartmouth in all of this.

My hope is that as the current projects wind down (Armoury Square et al.) that the developers will be more keen to get on board for the big stuff.

Isn't alot of the hold-up with UG right now due to the developer's work on other developments?

someone123 · #**310** Posted **Jun 22, 2008, 10:08 PM**

UG have maintained for a long time that they would begin the downtown towers after completing the Waterton, which is still under construction. They also said that they still have some design work to do.

The bottom line for any of this is that it's up in the air until ground is actually broken, or even later in some cases. The Halifax real estate and development market is quite conservative.

GreatTallNorth2 · #**311** Posted **Jun 23, 2008, 6:58 PM**

I don't want to rain on your parade, but I remember when London (Ontario) built it's new convention centre, the proposal by the developer was to build a nice new big hotel beside the convention centre. Then when the developer got the contract with the city to build, they removed the hotel portion...kind of a bait and switch. These things tend to happen in London, hopefully not with your new convention centre. The developers like to put out fancy wonderful plans and then they proceed with less than they promised.

worldlyhaligonian · #**312** Posted **Jun 23, 2008, 8:08 PM**

Personally, I wouldn't mind some underhanded tactics from our developers... its hard to get anything built here. Yeah, its only going to be 10 stories (build 16), lol.

Jonovision · #**313** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 3:18 PM**

There was a notice in the paper for a new office building with ground floor retail at 1651 barrington st. The old Roy building. It's an application by Ontario Ltd./Starfish Properties. I wonder if they are just refurbishing the building, or if its coming down? There has been a lot of closures in that building over the past few years. I hope it doesn't come down.

Empire · #**314** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 4:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonovision

There was a notice in the paper for a new office building with ground floor retail at 1651 barrington st.

That is really bad. I think the plan is to demolish the Roy building. Typical Halifax, rip it down and build a precast ugly 7 storey boring building.

The way to resolve significant buildings from being destroyed is to pass legislation that allows the city to designate buildings such as the Roy Building "Heritage significant" which would not allow demolition. The return to the owner for this inconvenience is a 50% reduction credit on the assessment. Without a plan with real bones all of these types of buildings will disappear and be replaced with garbage as is happining yearly!

Keith P. · #**315** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 4:39 PM**

I don't know the details so I'm just speculating but it may not be a demolition necessarily. Starfish Properties has a reputation for preserving rather than demolishing. Having seen the exterior of the Roy building recently it certainly needs much work though. Depending on the overall condition of the structure it may make sense to take it down.

I remember as a little kid back in the 60s my dad had an office in that building. He took me there one day and I remember the elevators were very strange. They had hinged doors on the corridor of each floor that you opened and stepped into the car when it arrived. I don't know if they had kind of safety locks on them but I sure hope so.

spaustin · #**316** Posted **Jun 28, 2008, 5:53 PM**

Tearing down the Roy Building would be a huge mistake, but I don't think its in the cards. As others have said, Starfish is in the restoration game. The Roy Building is a really big structure. Its not an old small wooden heritage building that would be difficult to make economical. I'm not too worried. That said, if they're planning on tearing the place down I'll find myself in the Heritage Trust camp. Building next to heritage buildings is one thing but demolishing them, especially signficant and viable ones, is quite another.

Jonovision · #**317** Posted **Jun 30, 2008, 4:42 AM**

I was talking to a friend the other day who works at Murphy's on the waterfront and she was telling me about their redevelopment plans. She was telling me they are closing in october and redoing the entire thing. She didn't know a whole lot, except it would be very modern and nice. And something about a glass dome?! Sounds really exciting if you ask me!

someone123 · #**318** Posted **Jun 30, 2008, 5:54 PM**

I guess anything is possible but up until recently the story I heard was that Starfish was either looking for or was in the process of lining up some large ground floor retail tenants (really Dooly's was not ideal for that location) and would undertake some major restoration work. Given the other heritage buildings successfully managed by the company that sounds like a reasonable story.

I do hope we see some significant work put into the Roy and Keith buildings.

The Murphy's renos sound good.

Keith P. · #**319** Posted **Jun 30, 2008, 8:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonovision

I was talking to a friend the other day who works at Murphy's on the waterfront and she was telling me about their redevelopment plans. She was telling me they are closing in october and redoing the entire thing. She didn't know a whole lot, except it would be very modern and nice. And something about a glass dome?! Sounds really exciting if you ask me!

I hope it causes them to step up their quality of presentation and product. Murphy's is perhaps the worst example of a tourist trap in Halifax. The absolute worst food I have ever encountered in this city.

sdm · #**320** Posted **Jul 1, 2008, 12:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

I guess anything is possible but up until recently the story I heard was that Starfish was either looking for or was in the process of lining up some large ground floor retail tenants (really Dooly's was not ideal for that location) and would undertake some major restoration work. Given the other heritage buildings successfully managed by the company that sounds like a reasonable story.

I do hope we see some significant work put into the Roy and Keith buildings.

The Murphy's renos sound good.

The roy building plans call for a 16 storey office building with ground floor retail. Existing building will be taken down with the exception of the roy building facade.

Needless to say HT will be at the meeting. That being said, HT was probably at the meeting for dartmouth crossings amendment to allow 5 stories.....