[Halifax] Skye Halifax (1565 Granville) | 66 m | 2 x 21 fl | U/C

[fenwick16]

Here is the map for District 12 - http://www.halifax.ca/municipalclerk/documents/District12.pdf . I am wrong in my perception that no development is taking place in that District since it includes Spring Garden Road and Gottingen Street where new development is taking place.

Instead of a confrontational approach why can't Councillor Sloane phone the United Gulf developer and see if she can do anything to help them proceed - are there obstacles at city hall that she can help rectify? The developers with land in the downtown core should be treated like VIPs instead of like the enemy. I think Halifax needs them as much or more than they need Halifax; the developers can just go to business friendlier locations such as the Greater Toronto Area or Calgary or even the suburbs surrounding Halifax.

Another problem that is mentioned in downtown Halifax is the lack of parking. What are the solutions; some possibilities are - 1) do what Calgary did, allow developers to spend less on parking and instead contribute to better transit like frequent shuttles in the downtown core (there was a free shuttle at one time which Councillor Sloane supported). With a free shuttle people could park in areas with more space on the perimeter of the downtown core and then get a shuttle downtown. 2) Encourage more residential construction so that more people live downtown and don't have to drive there. What are some other ideas??? - I don't think that stopping development is a good approach to take.

At this point, it would be good to even see a single 20 story residential tower built at the former TexPark location instead of a vacant parking lot. This is one possibility that the developer stated in the allnovascotia.com story.

In my opinion, a stepped tower taking up most of the block would look good - I have always liked this one on Brunswick Street (except I think this might be commercial)- http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rf72jp9...q=halifax%2C%20nova%20scotia&FORM=LMLTCC - if it occupied the entire block and went up to 27 stories I think it would look good.

How about something like this: (source: https://www.eere-pmc.energy.gov/PMC_News/EERE_Program_News_10-08.aspx)


Actually, something shorter might look good. How about this one: (source: http://www.insidehalton.com/community/burlington/article/837718). This one looks like it is about the right size.


There is also this one, but it would have to be shorter than this proposal which is 116 meters (381 feet) - http://www.jetsongreen.com/products/nature/page/7 . Does anyone know how much freedom United Gulf has in changing their design?

[fenwick16]

Since the United Gulf developer mentioned changing the twisted tower design, does anyone else have any suggestions. Maybe we should send him some ideas since it sounds like they aren't sure what to do with that land .

[DigitalNinja]

I like the second one. I think that something should be put here that opens up to the public that integrates the waterfront with the business area. There is a opportunity for a world class high rise to be put up here with the right architect behind it.

[reddog794]

ah yes, but sadly, most developers tend to pick the most un-inspiring architects.

Number 2 kinda made my pants fit funny.

The location is prime, to hide the "waffle-iron" from the street.

Part of me wants to buy Niche, and open a Belgian Waffle house, I've even got a great fried chicken recipe!

[someone123]

If parking is so important then the United Gulf site should be particularly attractive -- it has a new city-build parkade right next door.

I personally don't think that parking alone is going to do much. There is no point in making the downtown attractive for cars because cars just don't work well at that density level. Urban infill and transit are far more important.

I've said it many times, but put 30,000 more people on the peninsula, give them half-decent transit (streetcar with dedicated ROW when possible), and both downtown and budget problems will likely sort themselves out. Halifax would also become a much more interesting city.

[fenwick16]

Thanks for the information someone123. The MetroPark is also on that superblock - http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rf6vts9...ax%2C%20NS&q=Halifax%2C%20NS&FORM=LMLTCC . Has the small building next to the MetroPark been torn down?

[Dmajackson]

This came out during the notices of motion tonight;

On May 31st, Councillor Sloane will be requesting Council's support in discharging the development agreement for the former Texpark lands currently owned by United Gulf.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

This came out during the notices of motion tonight;

On May 31st, Councillor Sloane will be requesting Council's support in discharging the development agreement for the former Texpark lands currently owned by United Gulf.

Not sure what this will accomplish. If anything it will likely force the lot to sit in its existing condition for longer.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by sdm

Not sure what this will accomplish. If anything it will likely force the lot to sit in its existing condition for longer.

Let's be honest.. she voted against this in 2004. She's probably putting forward the motion because she wants to kill it if she can, not because she's a stickler for municipal process.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by sdm

Not sure what this will accomplish. If anything it will likely force the lot to sit in its existing condition for longer.

One outcome of discharging the development agreement is that the HRM_By Design height is 66 meters (post bonus) instead of the ramparts maximum which is close to 90 meters. At this point, I would be happy to see a 66 meter building there, but I don't think that discharging the development agreement will accomplish that. I would rather see the Councillor and HRM staff working together with the developer than against.

[Northend Guy]

Honestly, I am not sure what to think of this. Honestly I am unconvinced that this developer has any real chance of ever doing what they have proposed. I'm with Fenwick on this one. I would be happy with a shorter building on this site as long as something happens. Whether it would be quicker to quash the current proposal, or to move on to something else is something that we'll never really know.

[halifaxboyns]

While I was really happy with the development as it was being negotiated and when it was approved through appeal - I have to say I'm really disappointed in these guys. This is the same group that's doing trillium is it not?

I sent Councillor Sloane an email - if there is one thing I agree on (that she said at the public hearing last night) is that it's time for people to sh*t or get off the pot so to speak. Waterside is a complete and utter embarassment to this city. It's like a post apocolyptic nightmare! And it doesn't appear to be making much if any progress and I think Sloane's (and it appears Uteck's as well) frustration with the pace of development is reaching a breaking point.

The Roy/Discovery Centre applications have sunset clauses, because they were grandfathered. I think they should be doing the same for all other applications from this time forward, in the regional centre (which would include downtown Halifax and downtown Dartmouth). I'm tired of all this talk and nothing...

[Northend Guy]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

While I was really happy with the development as it was being negotiated and when it was approved through appeal - I have to say I'm really disappointed in these guys. This is the same group that's doing trillium is it not?

No - not the same people as the Trillium. Fares is doing the Trillium. United Gulf is the group associated with Greater Homes...yes Greater Homes. As I recall, this is the same group of people who brought you the Motherhouse debacle. A few years ago they set out to reno the old Motherhouse on the hill behind MSVU. Can't remember the exact numbers, but they had spent half or more of their budget (several million dollars) on remedial work, and bringing in some exotic stone to match the existing finishes, among some other items that should have been fairly elementary - well before they got to the expensive part of the project (interior). When it became clear that they were not going to be within a lightyear of meeting the budget, the plug was pulled. The building was leveled not too long ago after the Sister of Charity built their new home.

Here's a link to an article from around that time:http://famvin.org/en/2006/11/23/srs-of-charity-halifax-motherhouse-reconstruction-problems/

It's based on this, among other things I've seen from these guys, that I say I am not particularly confident that these guys will ever pull off something that is the scale of the twisted sisters.

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by Northend Guy

No - not the same people as the Trillium. Fares is doing the Trillium. United Gulf is the group associated with Greater Homes...yes Greater Homes. As I recall, this is the same group of people who brought you the Motherhouse debacle. A few years ago they set out to reno the old Motherhouse on the hill behind MSVU. Can't remember the exact numbers, but they had spent half or more of their budget (several million dollars) on remedial work, and bringing in some exotic stone to match the existing finishes, among some other items that should have been fairly elementary - well before they got to the expensive part of the project (interior). When it became clear that they were not going to be within a lightyear of meeting the budget, the plug was pulled. The building was leveled not too long ago after the Sister of Charity built their new home.

Here's a link to an article from around that time:http://famvin.org/en/2006/11/23/srs-of-charity-halifax-motherhouse-reconstruction-problems/

It's based on this, among other things I've seen from these guys, that I say I am not particularly confident that these guys will ever pull off something that is the scale of the twisted sisters.

AH yes; now I remember. Thanks!!
It seems to me that some developers pride themselves on biting off more than they can chew. These guys and the developer for Waterside Centre have been great examples of that.

They give people like Starfish Properties and Medjuck a bad name.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

They give people like Starfish Properties and Medjuck a bad name.

Well, Medjuck was at the helm of the failed Salter block development...

We can complain about UG but one big problem was that the city just sold off land without any real strings attached. Instead, the HRM should have played an active role in developing the property and should have required timely progress in terms of planning and construction.

Developers are generally self-interested and will do things like sit on empty land for 30 years if it is profitable to them and requires little work. Often they are very risk-averse, particularly in Halifax, and will sit back and wait for a perfect situation where some kind of huge windfall is guaranteed. This is why we have large office towers and empty parking lots. It's the city's job to prevent scenarios like that from happening and they've been doing it miserably.

At the end of the day it's pathetic that this site has sat empty for 7-8 years.

Thankfully, the Clyde Street lands are being handled a bit better. They've still taken forever to be developed though, costing millions in lost tax revenue, business, housing, etc. What is the excuse?

[Northend Guy]

Originally Posted by someone123

Thankfully, the city seems to have learned its lesson and is doing things a little differently with the Clyde Street lands, though of course that is still proceeding at a glacial pace...

Which of course is much better than the geologic pace to which we have grown accustomed.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by someone123

Well, Medjuck was at the helm of the failed Salter block development...

That was Ralph. This is his little brother's company.

Thankfully, the Clyde Street lands are being handled a bit better. They've still taken forever to be developed though, costing millions in lost tax revenue, business, housing, etc. What is the excuse?

Bureaucratic bungling and inertia at city hall.

[halifaxboyns]

The problem with the UG site is that I don't think the city can get terribly involved into development because of how the HRM act is established. I don't think HRM could have developed the site in a way that it would've had the City end up as a developer in the residential market or commercial? I could be wrong though - I'd have to go through the HRM act (it's been a while).

I know a lot of cities out this way tend to have arms length groups that do that sort of thing, but they aren't necessairily the city per sae. Calgary has the Calgary Municipal Lands Corp which is doing the east village. They could have done it that way...if the act had allowed it and then built something that would have allowed centralizing of city services downtown.

[-Harlington-]

According to CTV news if this does not go through that there will be a nine
story building put there
i dont know what there source is since thats all they said

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by -Harlington-

According to CTV news if this does not go through that there will be a nine
story building put there
i dont know what there source is since thats all they said

The HbD map says post bonus height is 66m. I'm not sure how many stories that is?