General Updates and News

[Dmajackson]

Has it been mentioned that the Peepshow store on Barrington Street is now closed? And the Daily Grind on Spring Garden is closing shortly?

Also Partners Global now has the Carsand Mosher site lite as under an agreement. Gotta wonder whats going to happen to the lot

[-Harlington-]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

Has it been mentioned that the Peepshow store on Barrington Street is now closed? And the Daily Grind on Spring Garden is closing shortly?

Also Partners Global now has the Carsand Mosher site lite as under an agreement. Gotta wonder whats going to happen to the lot

wow, RIP slowly dieing downtown, things really gotta stop closing like this.

[someone123]

The Daily Grind didn't close, it's moving into Mills Brothers. They are going to retain the sign.

It's natural to have a lot of churn in small businesses in a downtown area. Many are owned by the shopkeepers who take out leases for a few years and then move on to other things, sometimes selling their business and sometimes not. It's different from standard chains.

It seems to me that Barrington is clearly losing business while the downtown as a whole is very slowly improving retail-wise. Retail vacancy is not that low but there's a steady stream of new space in buildings like the Paramount or W Suites.

Barrington's fortunes really just depend on whether the planned projects happen or not.

[fenwick16]

To be completely honest, downtown Halifax is dying because there are councillors who have a small town attitude when they should be doing all that they can to work with businesses and developers to make the city a more vibrant location. It is just lip service when you hear councillors say that they are under pressure to do what is best for constituents and think that they are doing it by opposing every development that comes along. Then they ask why the downtown is dying (who is going to develop the downtown if it isn't the developers?). Personally, I have nothing against city councillors who want to preserve heritage in Halifax, however it bothers me when they can't balance heritage with growth. Downtown residents who are against new developments should be told to move to the suburbs or a small town, and then commute to the city if they need to. A city should be a location where businesses can be concentrated so that small towns aren't over-taken by development. For example, city dwellers who are against a 5 story building should hit the road; they knew they were living in a city when they decided to locate in downtown Halifax. The best way to preserve Nova Scotia for present and future generations is to concentrate growth in the Halifax area, not by forcing Nova Scotians to move to other provinces by preventing growth.

Over the past few years, downtown Halifax could of had at least two large residential developments that would have brought more residents downtown and helped to support retail downtown. They reason that they didn't get built wasn't because of a soft economy, but instead because they were delayed until it was no longer feasible to proceed. Many Halifax residents, and ex-residents who have had to move away, want progress not a small town attitude.

I really think that businesses in downtown Halifax need to support candidates in the next election who will move the city forward. Otherwise downtown Halifax is going to become a ghetto. It frustrates me that many of the people with optimism in the future of Halifax, are the ones who have moved away to more progressive cities. Others currently in Halifax are thinking of moving away. It also bothers me that Halifax seems to keep growing in spite of poor business decisions by city leaders. Instead, with the proper business friendly city leaders, Halifax could be a very vibrant city, and possibly even a booming city. Preventing growth and jobs and forcing residents to move away isn't helping Nova Scotians.

It is unbelievable to many, but some city leaders in the Halifax area do not really want development and growth. They want the status quo, to avoid development pressures.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

To be completely honest, downtown Halifax is dying because there are councillors who have a small town attitude when they should be doing all that they can to work with businesses and developers to make the city a more vibrant location. It is just lip service when you hear councillors say that they are under pressure to do what is best for constituents and think that they are doing it by opposing every development that comes along. Then they ask why the downtown is dying (who is going to develop the downtown if it isn't the developers?). Personally, I have nothing against city councillors who want to preserve heritage in Halifax, however it bothers me when they can't balance heritage with growth. Downtown residents who are against new developments should be told to move to the suburbs or a small town, and then commute to the city if they need to. A city should be a location where businesses can be concentrated so that small towns aren't over-taken by development. For example, city dwellers who are against a 5 story building should hit the road; they knew they were living in a city when they decided to locate in downtown Halifax. The best way to preserve Nova Scotia for present and future generations is to concentrate growth in the Halifax area, not by forcing Nova Scotians to move to other provinces by preventing growth.

Over the past few years, downtown Halifax could of had at least two large residential developments that would have brought more residents downtown and helped to support retail downtown. They reason that they didn't get built wasn't because of a soft economy, but instead because they were delayed until it was no longer feasible to proceed. Many Halifax residents, and ex-residents who have had to move away, want progress not a small town attitude.

I really think that businesses in downtown Halifax need to support candidates in the next election who will move the city forward. Otherwise downtown Halifax is going to become a ghetto. It frustrates me that many of the people with optimism in the future of Halifax, are the ones who have moved away to more progressive cities. Others currently in Halifax are thinking of moving away. It also bothers me that Halifax seems to keep growing in spite of poor business decisions by city leaders. Instead, with the proper business friendly city leaders, Halifax could be a very vibrant city, and possibly even a booming city. Preventing growth and jobs and forcing residents to move away isn't helping Nova Scotians.

It is unbelievable to many, but some city leaders in the Halifax area do not really want development and growth. They want the status quo, to avoid development pressures.

You have summed up the past 15 years to a Tee. If managed properly Halifax would be booming and would have been for the last 10 years. My guess is that 50% or more of councilors don't want that. Development is seen as negative by area residents because of traffic, noise, shadows etc. Councilors look like heros for supporting the residents and fighting development. Some councilors are 100% anti-development and if they could introduce a moratorium on all development on the peninsula they would. It will be hard to vote for someone who supports development because they never seem to run for office. As for council and planning staff they would not be able to handle the work load of a boom so to avoid it works for most. There are massive hurdles to development in downtown Halifax. View protection, narrow streets, heritage issues, parking problems, height restrictions, anti-development lobby, unsupportive public office, expensive to build (bedrock and application delays-years) not to mention the peninsula is shared with mostly single family residential neighbourhoods.

[someone123]

It's a little strange because there's a lot of dissonance when you hear councillors talking. I don't really think they're lying, I think they're just in over their heads. I really think most of them are elected because they're good at listening to complaints about traffic lights and cats and that it's ridiculous to have them make decisions about larger issues.

Everything in Halifax also moves at an absolutely glacial pace, both public and private sector. It's gotten a bit better, but it's very noticeable when you compare the way things work in Halifax to how they work in Toronto or Vancouver.

[Empire]

100% bang on summary of the common usage.

At the busiest time of day how many people are on the commons, 10-15?



Herald Mar. 31 - Voice of the People

Common usage


My partner and I live within half a block of the Common, which we enjoy on a regular basis. We have attended most of the concerts and even when we didn’t, the noise usually ended at 11 p.m. and the crowds always dispersed in an orderly fashion.

I have to tell you that when the concerts are on the Garrison Grounds, they are easily audible from our back deck. Admittedly, not quite as close as the Common, but definitely predominant in the neighbourhood.

There is a need to make the Common safer and more enjoyable.

I have seen the damage caused by the audiences and the trucks on the Common. But it has always been successfully remediated.

In the meantime, the Common is nothing more than a lovely, wide-open space that people cross on their way back and forth to work; that dog walkers use; and that squeegee kids sleep on in the good weather. Oh, and don’t forget the baseball players who occupy the diamonds, and who, despite the new bathroom on the north side, still relieve themselves in the bushes nearby.

If we want to make this more public, why can’t City Hall plan some of its public events on the Common, instead of at Parade Square?

We could encourage outdoor theatre there. Just look at the Boston Common — outdoor opera performances, Pride events, Shakespeare plays, speeches by the late Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II!

Also there should be recognition of its historical role. For example, why not make an effort with plaques or monuments to recognize the fact that thousands of Haligonians lived on the Common after the explosion of 1917?

If the Common was used this way more often, as a destination rather than a space to traverse, the large concerts (once or twice a year) would be part of the public context and not such a big deal.


Marie Thompson, Halifax

[sdm]

Originally Posted by someone123

The Daily Grind didn't close, it's moving into Mills Brothers. They are going to retain the sign.

It's natural to have a lot of churn in small businesses in a downtown area. Many are owned by the shopkeepers who take out leases for a few years and then move on to other things, sometimes selling their business and sometimes not. It's different from standard chains.

It seems to me that Barrington is clearly losing business while the downtown as a whole is very slowly improving retail-wise. Retail vacancy is not that low but there's a steady stream of new space in buildings like the Paramount or W Suites.

Barrington's fortunes really just depend on whether the planned projects happen or not.

i understand the tea place in the w suites went bankrupt this month.

So generally retail in the core is suffering. Hopefully it will rebound, but we need to get more people living near and within the core to really push this.

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by Empire

100% bang on summary of the common usage.

At the busiest time of day how many people are on the commons, 10-15?



Herald Mar. 31 - Voice of the People

Common usage


My partner and I live within half a block of the Common, which we enjoy on a regular basis. We have attended most of the concerts and even when we didn’t, the noise usually ended at 11 p.m. and the crowds always dispersed in an orderly fashion.

I have to tell you that when the concerts are on the Garrison Grounds, they are easily audible from our back deck. Admittedly, not quite as close as the Common, but definitely predominant in the neighbourhood.

There is a need to make the Common safer and more enjoyable.

I have seen the damage caused by the audiences and the trucks on the Common. But it has always been successfully remediated.

In the meantime, the Common is nothing more than a lovely, wide-open space that people cross on their way back and forth to work; that dog walkers use; and that squeegee kids sleep on in the good weather. Oh, and don’t forget the baseball players who occupy the diamonds, and who, despite the new bathroom on the north side, still relieve themselves in the bushes nearby.

If we want to make this more public, why can’t City Hall plan some of its public events on the Common, instead of at Parade Square?

We could encourage outdoor theatre there. Just look at the Boston Common — outdoor opera performances, Pride events, Shakespeare plays, speeches by the late Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II!

Also there should be recognition of its historical role. For example, why not make an effort with plaques or monuments to recognize the fact that thousands of Haligonians lived on the Common after the explosion of 1917?

If the Common was used this way more often, as a destination rather than a space to traverse, the large concerts (once or twice a year) would be part of the public context and not such a big deal.


Marie Thompson, Halifax

Very nicely worded - I actually know Marie.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by sdm

i understand the tea place in the w suites went bankrupt this month.

So generally retail in the core is suffering. Hopefully it will rebound, but we need to get more people living near and within the core to really push this.

I don't know.. I heard about the tea place but don't have a sense of how many places overall are opening or closing. However, I think it's easy to conflate a number of factors. Closings might be due to dwindling local traffic, or they could be because it just wasn't the right kind of business, or because it was poorly managed, or because there are too many of that particular type of store downtown. In Halifax I think there has been too much tendency in the past to blame problems on a poor economy. I've heard "Downtown is dying!!" for 20 years when in reality some parts are the same and many parts are much better than they were.

Overall what we want are retail statistics for the core - vacancy rates, new construction of space, and absorption rates.

I am not personally too worried about the old North End, south end of Barrington, or Spring Garden Road since there is a decent amount of new construction and growth happening in those areas. It's not necessarily ideal since there are some underused sites that are developed too slowly, but they will probably improve on their own eventually. Barrington is a different story.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by someone123

Overall what we want are retail statistics for the core - vacancy rates, new construction of space, and absorption rates.

numbers will be out very soon. The true cbd (not including sgr) is in a very sharp decline with negative absorb and increasing vacancy rate.

As for historical rates, well that would take some digging but i'd say we are back to where we were in the early 90's

[fenwick16]

This is not an uncommon trend. In the Toronto downtown core, over the past 20 years, there have been very few large office developments; most of the tall buildings being built now in the Toronto downtown core are condominiums. In the future, Halifax will likely have to really work at attracting development to the downtown core and much of it will likely be residential (if they don't drive it away by making it too difficult for developers to build). It seems like more and more office and residential development will be in the suburbs.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by sdm

As for historical rates, well that would take some digging but i'd say we are back to where we were in the early 90's

You mean for retail vacancies along Barrington? That seems correct, although one key difference is that there are currently proposals and buyers for Barrington Street properties whereas nobody was touching anything there in the 90s.

Also we have both the waterfront Emera offices and Waterside Centre under construction. Both will be good for the downtown. I am hoping we also see a couple of other projects as well.

I would like to see more office development in the core but I also think that we should partly forget about the "CBD" and look at a larger area including Spring Garden Road and a bit of the North End. I would like to see a better mix of development, with some residential in the old downtown core and some office buildings sprinkled in various parts of the peninsula. This is a much better model than a 9-5 commuter downtown, both for retail and for quality of life of residents as a whole.

[planarchy]

I don' think this project has been mentioned yet - some infill on May Street.

May Street Condos - Brand new construction and custom design by Norman Flynn Developments. Quality high-end finishings that include a combination of walnut floors and 12"x24" porcelain tiles as well as in-floor radiant heat on all levels. A custom steel and glass staircase connects over 1500 sq. ft. of living space with an added bonus of a south-facing private courtyard (14'x25'6). See the "additional details" and "floor plans" sections for all particulars. See the showroom at Norman Flynn - 2698 Agricola Street.

Units range from $400,000 to $500,000.

More info./images here at Red Door Realty

[phrenic]

Want.

[haligonia]

Those look really nice!
I'm guessing that the white bit is the NFD building on Agricola, so these will be built behind that, on the south side of May between Fern and Agricola. I have no issues with the structures, but I think that there will be a tough sell; gentrification is slowly starting to happen on this side of North, however the area is still very gritty. Grittiness is not a bad thing; in fact I know of some people who love the urban grittiness of the north end. But, it is not something that is coherent with half a million dollar condos.

[someone123]

Looks like this is mostly on the little empty lot on the south side of May Street, halfway down the block just west of Agricola..? Apparently there's also a small house that would be demolished. Looks good.

[planarchy]

Originally Posted by someone123

Looks like this is mostly on the little empty lot on the south side of May Street, halfway down the block just west of Agricola..? Apparently there's also a small house that would be demolished. Looks good.

Here is a link to the site location -

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_...X9Y3F6ej0rRaPtud5w&cbp=12,206.33,,0,2.11

The small yellow house immediately adjacent to NFD will be removed.

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by planarchy

Here is a link to the site location -

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_...X9Y3F6ej0rRaPtud5w&cbp=12,206.33,,0,2.11

The small yellow house immediately adjacent to NFD will be removed.

Interesting location - I always thought that Argyle street should have had taller buildings though - maybe no higher than the existing Aliant Central office, but still something taller.

[Keith P.]

I see in allnovascotia.com today that the NSLC seems to have committed (or at least showed some serious intent) to be a tenant in whatever gets developed on the SGR parking lot at the corner of Queen and Clyde. It says it wants to consolidate its existing Clyde St store with the Port of Wines up on Doyle and make one new big shiny store facing on Queen St. in the new development.

Hopefully this will help kickstart that development, though HRM needs to get off its collective duff and finally offer the parcel for sale.