General Updates and News

[Dmajackson]

On the Peninsula there is only one new thing to note;

Case 16376 - Ammendments to the Beaufort-Oakland-Bellevue-Inglis Neighoburhood

[Keith P.]

I notice that Colliers Intl has listed for sale the property on Agricola St that currently houses the NSLC. I would take from that news that the proposed development for that site (which I cannot find a thread for but which I recall being discussed here) is now dead. Too bad. Hopefully someone will buy it and do something good with it. Wonder if that means NSLC is leaving.

[someone123]

What will the city do now that one of its great heritage gems has been destroyed?

I guess we have other historic attractions like the Dingle and Gloria McCluskey.


Source

[JET]

Originally Posted by someone123

What will the city do now that one of its great heritage gems has been destroyed?

I guess we have other historic attractions like the Dingle and Gloria McCluskey.


Source

What/where, is this? Wanderers grounds?

[someone123]

Yep. The whole story is classic HRM. Debate shack ad nauseam, register as heritage for some reason, make half-assed attempt to restore the building. Oops, looks like it will actually cost money, so let's break out own rules now and tear it down.

[haligonia]

Is is just the shed or is the house coming down too?

[Keith P.]

This is the fabled Wanderers Grounds "dry canteen" which was thrown up during WWII to give the troops a place to dance. It was totally unremarkable in both design and construction. Yet HRM gerrymandered the heritage registration process a few years ago and somehow awarded this thing a designation as a heritage structure and even allocated some tax money to help the rugby team that wanted it fixed up. It was a total boondoggle.

Of course once a competent contractor took a look at it they deemed it a disaster, full of mold and rot, and totally unsalvageable. Thank god. Otherwise we would have sunk millions into restoring a completely ordinary WWII wood-frame military building.

[beyeas]

But how can they put a modern tower like that next to an historic building?!?!
Where is the Vancouver Heritage Trust when you need them?!?!

/http://www.ecofriend.com/entry/oxford-properties-reveals-west-hastings-tower-design-in-vancouver/

This will clearly be the end of civilization in Vancouver. Likely the mere mention of such plans led to mass riots. Oh the humanity.

[resetcbu1]

Stoffer smells shipyard politics
MP slams extension given to bidders
By BILL POWER Business Reporter


An unexpected two-week extension to the $35-billion shipbuilding procurement competition sounds like political interference, NDP shipbuilding critic Peter Stoffer charged Wednesday.

"Certainly, we are all now watching anxiously what will happen on July 21," said Stoffer, the MP for Sackville-Eastern Shore.

"This is the new deadline and certainly any additional delays will indicate the process is not free of political interference and is not as transparent as Canadians were led to believe. There is very good reason to be concerned about what is happening behind the scenes when only two of the competing shipyards request extra time."

Stoffer said he is troubled by the way the two-week extension was announced in a news release that was issued by Public Works Department officials at 5:30 p.m. on June 30, after most media outlets were turning their attention to preparations for Canada Day and the pending arrival of the royal couple at the nation’s capital.

"Whenever the government makes an announcement . . . at the beginning of a long weekend, it indicates they are trying to get something out under the radar," said Stoffer.

Word of the extension was greeted with suspicion by the apparent front-runners in the national competition to become Canada’s new centre of excellence for warship construction for about three decades.

There were immediate cries of foul from officials with Irving Shipbuilding Inc. of Halifax and Seaspan of Vancouver.

It was obvious the request for an extension came from the financially insolvent Davie Yards, in Levis, Que., and Upper Lakes of St. Catharines, Ont.

"July 7 was to be the drop-dead date for bids and that was that. The competing shipyards have had over a year to work on this," said Stoffer.

He said it was also troubling that the original request was for an extension of two months.

"A two-month extension is certainly out of line and you have to wonder about the merits of allowing even two weeks," he said.

The decision by the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy Secretariat to grant the extension is "disappointing and raises concerns whether the process is free of political interference," said Stoffer.

"I am concerned that there are players and lobbyists behind the scene who pushed for that extension and the secretariat may have been swayed in granting this request."

He said Rona Ambrose, the minister of public works and government services, has said that lobbyists would not be involved with the process.

Stoffer said the two-week bid extension will unnecessarily push back the bid evaluations and the project schedule.

In Quebec City, where voters are used to having the Bloc Quebecois support local causes regardless of the problems it might cause elsewhere in the country, the NDP’s untried new MPs were coming under pressure to stand up for local shipyard workers.

The Bloc Quebecois attacked NDP MPs for their silence in a news release Wednesday.

"Do they say no to the possibility of creating 1,500 jobs at Levis," said MP Andre Bellavance. "Or do they dare to stand up for the workers of the Davie Shipyard?"


With Stephen Maher, staff reporter

[haligonia]

From today's Herald:

Barrington looks good to communications firm

By BILL POWER Business Reporter
Sat, Jul 9 - 4:54 AM

A MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS firm is moving into the former Carsand-Mosher building in downtown Halifax with a lot of enthusiasm about the future of Barrington Street.

"Perhaps 10 years ago it wouldn’t be the best move, but today I couldn’t think up a better place than Barrington Street," Mark Gascoigne, president of Trampoline Branding, said in an interview Friday.

"We want to be part of the energy that is building in the area."

Gascoigne said the exterior of the building at the corner of Barrington and Blowers streets is undergoing a major renovation that will contribute to a renewal of the area.

The company moved into the upper level of the building on June 1, above three street-level retail spaces.

Trampoline, which employs about 15 people, is a full-service strategic communications agency that has worked for clients such as Saint Mary’s University, Halifax Shopping Centre and Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness. Last week the company was named the successful bidder to do work for the Waterfront Development Corp. 2012 Tall Ships event.

Gascoigne said Trampoline will offer its communications services "from a space that used to house some of the most impactful visual imagery of the region."

"We want to play a vital role in the revitalization of the downtown core," he said.

The Middle Spoon Desserterie and Bar is about to open at the street level of the same location. Argyle Fine Art is another ground-level neighbour, and a North Face outdoor equipment shop is the third.

The North Face shop is a new undertaking for Joachim Stroink, owner of the Trail Shop on Quinpool Road.

Development of the new eSpace retail and office complex in the former Sam the Record Man property is also underway across the street on Barrington.

[someone123]

Barrington does seem to be doing pretty well, despite the occasional doom and gloom type articles, which I'm sure will continue even if the street is re-paved in gold.

The "optics" of the street will be pretty good if the Espace development fills up and the Roy Building is under construction.

Not sure what's going on the the NFB redevelopment or Green Lantern Building.

[haligonia]

Apparently the Carsand Mosher Building will be getting re-clad, which should help a bit as well.

[fenwick16]

Here is a Street View image of the Green Lantern Building.

I found this halifax.ca document regarding tax incentives and grants - http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/110607ca1032.pdf dated June 7, 2011. The following quote is taken from that document.

1585 Barrington Street - Green Lantern Building: The Green Lantern building was extensively damaged by Hurricane Juan in 2003 and its upper floors have been vacant since that time pending resolution of an insurance settlement and development of plans for exterior restoration/renovation and interior conversion to mixed commercial and residential use. Site plan approval and construction permits were granted in July 2010 and the owner has indicated that, with these permits in hand, he is hopeful for final settlement of the insurance claim in the near future. While he is unable to provide a definitive date for commencing construction he indicates that it is close, with contractors hired, and the project is expected to begin in 2011.

[Jonovision]

Great news Fenwick.

And here are some pics of the Barrington facade I just happened to take this afternoon.

[fenwick16]

I just checked this document again - http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/110607ca1032.pdf . Although the report is from June 7, 2011 the appendix A may be from either March 2010 or March 2011 - I am no longer sure if the quote that I posted is from 2011 (both dates are given in the report).

I would certainly like to see a start on the Green Lantern Building this year. It is an interesting looking building, so fixing the facade will have a positive effect on Barrington Street.

[haligonia]

With a little TLC, Green Lantern could look incredible.

[wackypacky]

A friend of mine and the owner of a large construction company is in negotiations to purchase ocean towers and renovate them into condos. Its very early atm though and nothing is set in stone by any means. Cant say I have a good enough imagination to see a big appearance improvement without a ton of money though

[haligonia]

Apparently Argyle Street is now an official entertainment district. I'm doubtful how a few blocks can be considered a district, and I'm not exactly sure what this accomplishes. It sounds impressive, though.

[resetcbu1]

From todays CH...

Demand up for apartment construction
Slow growth, flat wages blamed for trend
By BRUCE ERSKINE Business Reporter
Tue, Jul 12 - 4:54 AM

This complex under construction at the corner of Almon and Gladstone streets will have 93 apartments and 20,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.(Christian Laforce / Staff)






SLOW ECONOMIC growth and flat wages are driving multiple housing starts in Halifax, says Matthew Gilmore, senior regional market analyst with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

"Wages aren’t keeping up with inflation," he said in an interview Monday. "It doesn’t lend itself to home ownership."

According to preliminary data released Monday by CMHC, multiple housing starts in Halifax last month were more than double what they were in June 2010.

"It’s almost exclusively in rental apartments," said Gilmore. "We’re seeing well above average apartment construction."

There were 202 housing starts in Halifax in June, including 110 multiple starts and 92 single starts, CMHC said.

That compared to 125 housing starts in June 2010, which included 34 multiple starts and 91 single starts.

Gilmore said the trend to apartments has been evident for the past three years and is a reflection of economic conditions.

"The new trend is reduced demand for single, detached construction."

Gilmore said the trend to rentals began with the global economic downturn and has persisted with the low rate of full-time employment growth in Halifax, which he pegged at one per cent, compared to six per cent part-time job growth.

"There is a high demand for lower priced units," he said, including semi-detached and row housing.

Gilmore said Halifax’s relatively transient population, with an annual 20 per cent turnover, is also driving demand for rental housing.

"People are moving around," he said. "That lends itself to rental demand."

Gilmore said existing home prices in Halifax, which average $260,000 and are up three per cent from last year, aren’t a bubble waiting to burst as in other, more volatile Canadian markets.

"We wouldn’t characterize it as such," he said. "They’re in line with (market) fundamentals of supply and demand."

CMHC said there were 313 housing starts in Nova Scotia communities with populations of 10,000 or more, including Halifax, in June 2011, up from 258 in June 2010.

In the Atlantic region, there were 1,051 new starts in June 2011, compared to 1,012 units during the same period in 2010.

In urban centres across Canada, total housing starts in June increased to 15,982 from 15,346 in June 2010.

[someone123]

Housing starts up due to FAILING ECONOMY.