General Updates and News

[Dmajackson]

Carsand-Mosher to leave downtown
Building listed at $1.5m; company to stay in Bayers Lake
By BILL POWER Business Reporter
Thu. Jan 28 - 4:53 AM

Carsand-Mosher Photographic Ltd. is pulling out of its high-profile Barrington Street location to consolidate operations, a spokesman said Wednesday.

The two-storey building at 1559 Barrington St. is listed for $1.5 million. The company will now operate from its Bayers Lake Business Park store and its headquarters and processing centre in Truro.

A decision on the future of 15 workers at the downtown Halifax retail and processing centre is expected in about one week, said Roger Yorke, a member of the company’s management group.

"We can only confirm, at this point, that the building itself is for sale," Mr. Yorke said from the company’s Truro headquarters.

He said it was premature to comment on an eventual closing date for the Barrington Street site or the number of jobs to be lost.

Carsand-Mosher has operated out of its Barrington Street location since 1983. It is a two-storey complex of about 10,000 square feet, with about another 5,000 square feet in the basement.

Partners Global Corporate Real Estate Inc. is handling the sale. An advertisement on the broker’s website describes the building as offering "great exposure in a high-traffic area."

The photo equipment retailer and processor has a large retail operation in the Bayers Lake park at 201 Chain Lake Dr. and also a processing and retail operation at Truro at 56 Esplanade St.

The photographic-digital imaging business in the Halifax area became more competitive last year when Toronto-based Henry’s opened locations in Bayers Lake and at Dartmouth Crossing.

It is the latest in a string of recent Barrington Street closures.

The 60-year-old building at 1592 Barrington St. that is the home of CD Plus is also on the market. That two-storey building, originally a Tip Top Tailors location, is listed for $525,000. Greenwood Lane in Halifax is handling the sale.

[-Harlington-]

It is the latest in a string of recent Barrington Street closures.
great all i can say is RIP Barrington

[Phalanx]

For those who may be interested... CBC radio's Mainstreet program is doing a piece on Barrington street and it's current situation on tomorrow's (Friday, January 29, that is) program.

[sdm]

Lou Reznick, Starfish properties is buying the Mosher building.

Lets hope the plans for the building move more quickly then his other projects.

[Jonovision]

Plum pickings in the downtown

By ROGER TAYLOR Business Columnist
Fri. Jan 29 - 4:53 AM



STRUCTURES like the two-storey Carsand-Mosher building on Barrington Street may have a hidden value that few would have considered prior to that part of downtown Halifax being designated an historic district last year.

Paul MacKinnon, executive-director of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission, says the fact the building doesn’t hold any particular significance offers an opportunity for redevelopment that is relatively free of the restrictions attached to the more historically important edifices on the street.

It was revealed this week that Carsand-Mosher Photographic Ltd. of Truro was asking $1.5 million for its property at 1559 Barrington St., which has been home to the company’s flagship store in Halifax for the past 27 years.

"We’re distinguishing this from just a regular retail closure," MacKinnon told me in a brief conversation Thursday.

Although he doesn’t hold any inside information about the sale, MacKinnon prefers to think of it as a landowner deciding to sell a valued asset.

I’ve been told by sources that well-known property owner Lou Reznick of Toronto, through his holding company, has already made an offer on the Carsand-Mosher property, and they suggest he’s willing to pay top dollar.

Dan Sangster, vice-president of Partners Global Corporate Real Estate Inc., who is handling the sale, declined to comment Thursday, and Roger Yorke, who speaks on behalf of Carsand-Mosher, wasn’t available.

If it is Reznick’s company that has acquired the property, MacKinnon said the landlord has already had a "huge impact" on the street. His planned redevelopment of the former Sam the Record Man building on Barrington will probably be the first project to go through the new HRM by Design development process.

Reznick’s plans for the Roy Building, directly across the street from Sam’s, have been grandfathered under older development rules. MacKinnon, who was a member of the HRM by Design task force, said that plan will probably take a little longer to pass through the regulatory process.

He said the downtown business commission generally views the sale of structures like the Carsand-Mosher building as a positive event. The Barrington Street Heritage Conservation Revitalization District Plan identified "a couple of sites" that were prime opportunities for redevelopment, and the Carsand-Mosher property is one of them.

It may or may not be a simple decision to close a faltering retail operation, but MacKinnon said he has the sense the company realized the building was at its maximum value and this is an opportunity to cash out.

The old Tip-Top Tailors building at 1592 Barrington St. is in the same situation, he said. The building is owned by the proprietor of the CD Plus store that has operated there for a number of years. The two-storey building is listed for $525,000 by broker Greenwood Lane Inc.

So far, there haven’t been any signs of a deal for the Tip-Top property, but MacKinnon said he believes it would provide a great development opportunity.

"I don’t think it would be very controversial if they proposed to make significant changes or even demolition of that property and they could do something much more significant there," he said.

While the sale of properties may be an indication of the level of interest in the long-term prospects for historic Barrington Street, there are currently plenty of empty shops and that doesn’t bode well for the immediate health of the downtown district.

No matter how rosy one tries to paint the current situation, the long-suffering business district is going through a painful period once again.

( [email protected])

[Dmajackson]

There's no link available yet but the Dartmouth oppurtunity site information I posted earlier this week has lead to a public information meeting on February 15, 2010 at the Dartmouth High School @ 7pm.

Case 15781 - Application by 3233503 NS Ltd. and 3200892 NS Ltd. to amend the Downtown Dartmouth MPS to allow mid to high rise residential development on Pine Street Extension & Ochterloney Street

[haligonia]

Originally Posted by sdm

Lou Reznick, Starfish properties is buying the Mosher building.

Lets hope the plans for the building move more quickly then his other projects.

What are the plans for this building?
I hope that they will either tear down the building and rebuild something nice and modern (barrington really needs a modern landmark building) or at least renovate the entire building, keeping the original structure. As long as they remove that frightning yellow cladding, I'll be happy.

[haligonia]

Originally Posted by sdm

Lou Reznick, Starfish properties is buying the Mosher building.

Lets hope the plans for the building move more quickly then his other projects.

What are the plans for this building?
I hope that they will either tear down the building and rebuild something nice and modern (barrington really needs a new landmark building) or at least renovate the entire building, keeping the original structure. As long as they remove that frightning yellow cladding, I'll be happy.

Sorry, double post.

[spaustin]

Originally Posted by haligonia

What are the plans for this building?

More display windows for Attica?

In all seriousness, Barrington's future is really his to decide now. Starfish's holdings there just keep growing. Hopefully they'll do something interesting with the site. Maybe he'll buy CD Plus as well.

[Jonovision]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

There's no link available yet but the Dartmouth oppurtunity site information I posted earlier this week has lead to a public information meeting on February 15, 2010 at the Dartmouth High School @ 7pm.

Case 15781 - Application by 3233503 NS Ltd. and 3200892 NS Ltd. to amend the Downtown Dartmouth MPS to allow mid to high rise residential development on Pine Street Extension & Ochterloney Street

Thanks for the info. I will definitely be there.

[Jonovision]

Also from todays Herald.

Businesses upset with funding change


By JUDY MYRDEN

Business Reporter

Downtown business groups are upset with Halifax council’s de cision to transfer $3.2 million from downtown projects to fund other initiatives.

But a municipal councillor says council voted to switch the funding to match federal stimu lus money earmarked for pro jects such as the new central li brary in Halifax and a fire sta tion in Sheet Harbour. That mon ey must be spent by March 31.

“The business improvement districts were neither informed nor consulted on the decision and it came as a complete sur prise," said Bernie Smith, man ager of the Spring Garden Road Area Business Association, on Friday.

Mr. Smith said the municipal funding was going to be used to make street upgrades on major routes in Halifax and Dart mouth.

“This sets us a back another year," said Mr. Smith.

Coun. Tim Outhit (Bedford) said the funding was transferred to ensure the federal stimulus projects go ahead.

“We are scrambling to come up with our portion," said Mr. Out hit.

Mr. Outhit said the funding for the business groups will proba bly be set aside in upcoming bud get talks for this year.

Mr. Smith said $2 million of the total transferred had been in tended as an initial contribution to a five-year streetscaping plan that would see a makeover of ma jor portions of downtown Hali fax and Dartmouth streets.

([email protected])

[spaustin]

Didn't the Spring Garden Road Merchants actively scuttle the streetscape plan? Seems kind of backward to sabotage something and then be upset when the money gets diverted elsewhere. Maybe I'm remembering incorrectly?

[someone123]

Yeah, they griped about it until it was delayed. This is a big part of why the downtown's so run down.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by someone123

Yeah, they griped about it until it was delayed. This is a big part of why the downtown's so run down.

its sad that money has to be pulled from other projects to fund Kellys mistake of proceeding with the four plex without proper funding.

[Jstaleness]

I was looking through the Halifax Diagrams tonight and a thought occurred. If this was ever mentioned in previous posts I apologize.
Between 1971-1975 five of Halifax's tallest were built. (Six if you include Maritime Centre in'77). This was before my time so I'm just curious as to what caused the boom in construction during that short time? Anyone think that its possible that it's happening again? I doubt that we'll see that many tall (i struggle to use Highrise) buildings like that but there is lots of projects close to or already approved that should be starting soon. Anyway, just thought I would ask.

[miesh111]

I wasn't around either, but my study of history would indicate that between the late 60's and mid 70's, restrictions on heights and heritage buildings were pretty much completely lifted as part of the thought of the period: Urban Renewal and the implementation of "New, Modern" buildings, back then it was all about concrete.

Obviously that didn't work, as we lost a lot of good buildings simiply because their owners would sell to a developer.

This period was good for high rises but bad overall for the city, it resulted in the cogswell interchange, demolition of many historic buildings, and the wipeout of affricville. Yes we saw a boom, but at what cost?

To an extent we have again seen that relaxation now with defined development requirements for properties, but the difference this time is we have identified our heritage and it is protected. We can see a boom, provided recession and banking liquidity don't hold anything up.

[Wishblade]

South end to get green apartments
Southwest Properties plans 113-unit LEED-certified complex


A green apartment complex is in the works for south-end Halifax.

The 113-unit, six-storey LEED-certified project destined for South Bland Street will cost about $15 million to build, said Jim Spatz, the chief executive officer of Southwest Properties Ltd.

It will sit alongside the Terraces, another company building created in the late 1980s.

"That’s a very exciting project for us," Mr. Spatz said in a recent interview. "We will be finished our plans in a little under two months and we hope to get a shovel in the ground in 2010."

Southwest Properties hopes to have the building ready for tenants by the spring or early summer of 2012.

The company is hoping it will be the first LEED-certified apartment building in Atlantic Canada.

The acronym stands for leadership in energy and environmental design, a widely used North American standard.

"We’re learning a lot and having a lot of fun with it," Mr. Spatz said.

The project’s carbon footprint will be somewhere between 30 and 40 per cent less than a typical building, he said.

"I think that will attract a lot of customers who will like to live in an environmentally responsible building."

The loft-like building will have more open space than most typical apartments, and lots of windows, Mr. Spatz said.

The building will have in-floor radiant heating, coupled with "a gas-fired heating system that gets up to about 97 per cent efficiency," he said.

"We’ve got solar panels on the roof for domestic hot water. And we’ll have the typical water conservation stuff like dual-flush toilets and low-flow showers. But we’ll actually have water metering in the units so that if somebody uses less hot and cold water, they’ll pay a little less rent."

A little over 60 per cent of the apartments will be two-bedroom units, with the balance having one bedroom.

The rent will be "mid-market for apartments in the south end," Mr. Spatz said.

"The largest part of the market will be 30ish-year-old people who work downtown. The design’s going to be fabulous."

The building won’t have a grass roof. But there will be an enclosed exercise facility on the top with a large roof deck "for the nice days," Mr. Spatz said.

"The interesting thing about building a green building is that much of the stuff that you do is quite economically feasible today. It’s not some pie-in-the-sky kind of thing."

The project will cost between three and five per cent more than it would to put up a conventional apartment building, he said.

"But we’ll get a good return on that three to five per cent that we’ve put in, so it just makes sense."

Windows of the building will allow a maximum amount of daylight into the project, said Richard Kassner of Kassner/Goodspeed Architects Ltd.

"Some of the appliances are a little bit more progressive than you’re seeing in your average apartment or condominium — condensing dryers, ductless dryers, things like that that are more efficient energy-wise and, in the long run, are much more cost-effective than the standard approach," Mr. Kassner said.

The design calls for systems that will delay flood water from hitting the storm-sewer pipes, he said.

The building will have solar chimneys in the mechanical penthouse to preheat air entering the ventilation system, Mr. Kassner said.

He explored the possibility of using geothermal heating for the project.

"It was about a 40-year payback, which didn’t make any sense. The problem being that the bigger the building, the more concentrated the footprint, the harder it is to get enough energy on the site."

He has made allowances in the design to put a photovoltaic array on the roof if the price comes down.

"We can see, at the speed PV is moving, that within another five to 10 years, it will be a very cost-effective way of producing energy."

The new building will look like something it never was.

"The general image we’re trying to achieve is a converted warehouse," Mr. Kassner said.

[Dmajackson]

Thanks for posting that Wishblade the forum wouldn't let me on this morning.

However this project does have its own thread somewheres so I'm going to copy it there.

[DigitalNinja]

I just wanted to mention something about what I heard on the radio this morning. Now this is politcal, but I assume most of you will agree with me. Two, HRM counselors were arguing on public radio. Ms. Uteck, and some other one, I forget her name, over some stupid... Shit.
Instead of focusing on what's good for the people and the city it seems like they cannot see past their own big ass noses.
And then they blame the Mayor of the city when they can't agree on anything. How stupid can you be? They can't agree on anything because they are only looking out for themselves.
HRM counselors have to stop thinking that their own shit don't stink and grow some political ballz. Pisses me off when NIMBYS like these get voted in and don't do jack shit.

/rant over.

[Jonovision]

From todays Retail and Services section in the Herald.

It mentions two new developments for downtown Dartmouth in the works. Both by Urchin.

Retail, service businesses move into downtown Dartmouth


By Melanie Furlong

Special Features Writer

The economic potential for downtown Dartmouth is tremendous, says Tim Olive, executive director of the Downtown Dart mouth Business Commission.

“It’s never been this good. People have never been this optimistic that things are going to change."

The reason for this optimism stems from several residential and commercial devel opments that are either newly built or in the works.

Founders Corner, a building by Nova New England featuring 32 new condomini ums with retail space on the ground floor — at Wentworth and Ochterloney — is now open. Olive says their Two By Sea Cafe has taken right off and there is some talk of a small farmers’ market type-shop on another corner.

Another residential/commercial devel opment is under construction at Pine and Ochterloney.

“It’s a redevelopment of the old Green vale High School," says Olive, “and it’s an excellent use of a very historic building built and designed by Andrew J. Cobb. It’s a win for heritage groups and for people looking for high-end apartments in Dart mouth. It’s been an empty building for 15 years or so." The new building is being done by Dexel and will include beautiful, high-ceilinged apartments and some com mercial space on the ground.

The biggest project of all, King’s Wharf, which will cost an estimated $300 million, will mean three 12-storey apartment build ings with commercial space on the ground and one 10-storey building for commercial and office space.

“We expect that to break ground this spring or summer," says Olive. “That’s going to be just huge for the retail down town. We’re going to have 1,200 condomi niums built over the next seven years and that means more than 2,000 new residents all living within a two or three block dis tance from our retail sector."

Olive says the King’s Wharf project has attracted a host of other buildings and businesses. Urchin is interested in putting up a large residential/commercial complex on the corner of Queen Street behind the historic Sterns building over the next few years. Another site they’d like to put com mercial and residential property is at the corner of Victoria and Portland where they have a vacant lot attached to Sea Coast Towers.

“When you look at the prospects for retail growth in Dartmouth and the number of units that are going up and those that are planned for the future, you can see it will result in thousands of more residents in the downtown. The retail market is very, very positive."

Seventeen new retail and service businesses moved into downtown Dartmouth in 2009, says Olive.

“New people who have moved in are saying, ‘Wow, I’m here at the right time.’ That number of new businesses is unheard of in downtown. People are usually looking at shopping malls."

One of those new businesses was Head Space Design, owned by Kevin Springer.

“Downtown Dartmouth is ideal," says Springer.

“We all live close by, we have the banks, all the businesses, and the post office is just across the way. Historic downtown Dartmouth has more of an old world feel.

The people at the post office know your name and Tim Olive and the DDBC do a good job developing a sense of community. It’s a great lifestyle."

Springer says economics are another part of their decision to operate in Dart mouth. “We’d be paying three times the amount for rent in Halifax for the same size unit," he says.





Bringing Barrington back as a retail destination


By Melanie Furlong

Special Features Writer

The Downtown Halifax Business Com mission, representing the area from Citadel Hill to the waterfront, is seeing lots of investment by property owners right now, especially those on Barrington Street.

“Barrrington Street is the bell-weather for downtown Halifax," says Paul Mac Kinnon, executive director of the Down town Halifax Business Commission. “Last year we had some papered up windows on the street, but behind that paper, things were happening. Now we’re starting to see some results due to the Barrington Street Historic District that was put into place in October 2009."

The Barrington Street Historic District has a five-year program offering grants and tax incentives through HRM to properties meeting its requirements.

“The idea behind it was to get some revitalization in downtown Halifax," ex plains MacKinnon. “There’s a sense the city can spark a lot of private investment. We have a great collection of historic buildings on Barrington Street. We’re trying to pre serve these buildings for the general public as well as the property owners."

Two commercial buildings on Barrington were renovated in accordance with the Barrington Street Historic District — the Caldwell Building, home to Certainly Cin namon on the ground floor, and the Free masons’ Building, at the corner of Salter and Barrington.

Another two buildings on Barrington have been restored as well. One is the former National Film Board Theatre, now owned by Costa Elles and Chris Tzanteas, which burned down about 15 years ago.

“That’s been just a facade for years. The intention is to build a brand new building behind it for loft apartments and maintain the facade."

Across the street, the upper floors of the Green Lantern building, housing the Pogue Fado, have been unoccupied since Hurri cane Juan damaged it. It’s being converted to office and residential space.

Finally, the owner of the former Sam the Record Man store is planning to rehabil itate that building along with two others and adding two storeys. Retail, office and some residential space may be available.

“These great historic buildings are being re-done with modern, exciting retail on the ground floor and will bring Barrington back as a retail destination," says Mac Kinnon.

A new World Trade and Convention Centre planned for Argyle Street is also exciting for downtown Halifax.

“A new WTCC will bring in millions of dollars of economic spin-off with new conventions, tourism and a whole new development around hotels."

Although no decisions have been made about the existing WTCC, MacKinnon suggests it could become office space for City Hall.

Plans for a mixed-use residential, hotel and office space next to Bishop’s Landing have also been approved by the province and the waterfront development. The com plex will include an indoor skating rink and can go ahead at any time.

“Right now we have a lot of new devel opment moving forward when we’ve com plained for years that things aren’t moving forward," says MacKinnon.