[Halifax] Skye Halifax (1565 Granville) | 66 m | 2 x 21 fl | U/C - Page 15

beyeas · #**281** Posted **Jun 7, 2011, 10:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Did anyone watch the proceedings today at the council meeting? Does anyone know became of the resolution to discharge the development agreement?

Not sure if it ever would have come to a vote because things were pretty distracted from what I hear with the issue of the auditor general's report on the concert financing debacle.

sdm · #**282** Posted **Jun 8, 2011, 1:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by beyeas

Not sure if it ever would have come to a vote because things were pretty distracted from what I hear with the issue of the auditor general's report on the concert financing debacle.

there is, from what i took of it, a staff report to be generated on this matter. What it will be for i have no clue.

beyeas · #**283** Posted **Jun 8, 2011, 10:13 AM**

Just read in AllNS that UG claims they will make a decision on what they are doing with this lot by the end of the month.

Regardless it is now very clear that they are not building the previously proposed towers. The exact quote is "United Gulf's new plan will likely require a month's long planning process and council approval". They say that they are looking at three different options for the site.

Looks like it will be a parking lot for years yet. I really hope that they don't just back down and build some cheap squat building just to get this out of the way.

Jonovision · #**284** Posted **Jun 8, 2011, 12:44 PM**

Time to give do-nothing downtown developers a push, Sloane says

By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE

City Hall Reporter

Progress on projects proposed for downtown Halifax has been glacially slow and city hall needs to light a fire under developers who have approved but unfulfilled plans in the works, regional council heard Tuesday.

That’s the opinion of Coun. Dawn Sloane (Halifax Downtown). She told council there are about 23 developments proposed for the central core but hardly any construction is taking place on most of them.

She pointed to the so-called Twisted Sisters project as an example of a council- approved development that’s been dormant for years. The controversial project includes two highrises that are to be built on a vacant lot in the heart of the downtown that to this day remains empty.

Sloane suggested the development agreement for the former Tex-Park site, owned by United Gulf Developments Ltd., be scrapped. Her proposal to do so was deferred pending a city staff report.

Jenifer Tsang, a planning consultant for United Gulf, told regional council the company is discussing options with the project’s architect. She said the firm should be able to get back to council in a few weeks.

Tsang said the developer’s original concept was tied up in a planning appeal process for about two years and “the economy changed drastically."

United Gulf bought the property several years ago from Halifax Regional Municipality for more than $5 million.

Coun. Steve Streatch (Eastern ShoreMusquodoboit Valley) said he just wants to see the United Gulf development built.

If a revised proposal comes in from the developer then “I’d like to see that back here sooner rather than later and not hold this up" for another period of time, he said.

In 2006, council approved a $150-million condo and hotel project for the old Tex-Park site on the corner of Hollis and Sackville streets. The development would be 27 storeys high, if built.

Sloane said downtown Halifax is home to too many proposed developments stuck in neutral. She said city hall should do what’s necessary to get these planned projects built.

“Here, we have development agreements that are not being acted on and what are we doing? (We’re) sitting back and not even approaching (the developers) and giving them a prod with a stick, saying, ‘C’mon, you promised a development. Where is it?’ "

([email protected])

someone123 · #**285** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 6:30 PM**

So AllNovaScotia is confirming now that there are plans to push the proposal up to 48 storeys. I'm not sure if there are still plans for two towers, or what the planned use would be.

A 48 storey building could be interesting but I'm not sure how practical or even serious the proposal is. Surely they know that this will be tied up for years because it violates basically every NIMBY roadblock that has been built into the downtown development process during the course of the past four decades.

Is this a real plan to put a building up on that site or will we just have five more years with yet another weedy lot in the heart of the city?

Dmajackson · #**286** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 6:40 PM**

This could be an interesting proposal to watch ...

I think the only NIMBY by-law this wouldn't break would be the view-planes and that's because its impossible on that block I believe.

Well at least if this were to go through Halifax would have a clear "New Tallest".

someone123 · #**287** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 6:51 PM**

The ramparts bylaw however is considered the sacred cow of municipal planning by some people, however. The reasons for this aren't particularly clear -- I think it's just because it's a pretext to inflict blanket height restrictions on the entire downtown area.

A 48-storey residential tower could be something like 150 m, which I think would go nicely with nearby office towers and Fenwick. It would be the kind of focal point the city currently lacks, and would be visible from every direction (it had better look good!).

resetcbu1 · #**288** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 6:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

The ramparts bylaw however is considered the sacred cow of municipal planning by some people, however. The reasons for this aren't particularly clear -- I think it's just because it's a pretext to inflict blanket height restrictions on the entire downtown area.

A 48-storey residential tower could be something like 150 m, which I think would go nicely with nearby office towers and Fenwick. It would be the kind of focal point the city currently lacks, and would be visible from every direction (it had better look good!).

Hmmm that would be cool , that would make it somewhere in the 20-25 tallest building in canada

but I have my doubts.......

wackypacky · #**289** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 7:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

So AllNovaScotia is confirming now that there are plans to push the proposal up to 48 storeys. I'm not sure if there are still plans for two towers, or what the planned use would be.

A 48 storey building could be interesting but I'm not sure how practical or even serious the proposal is. Surely they know that this will be tied up for years because it violates basically every NIMBY roadblock that has been built into the downtown development process during the course of the past four decades.

Is this a real plan to put a building up on that site or will we just have five more years with yet another weedy lot in the heart of the city?

omg this is like reading tabloids

JustinMacD · #**290** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 8:42 PM**

Navid Saberi On CBC now

haligonia · #**291** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 8:51 PM**

Saberi briefly discussed the proposal on CBC. He calls it Sky Halifax and it seems as if the proposal will be condominiums. He said that the project wouldn't fall in a viewplane, and that the reason for the increased height is the decreased width.

David1gray · #**292** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 10:14 PM**

captured this from the CBC 6 o'clock online.

q12 · #**293** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 10:16 PM**

My only question is why not go for 50 stories?

q12 · #**294** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 10:19 PM**

Twisted Sisters development could be double the size

UNITED GULF DEVELOPMENTS
http://media.greenradio.topscms.com/images/a6/39/381ece594934b59f95eac5fdc365.jpeg

News 95.7 Staff
Jul 20, 2011 17:47:13 PM
http://www.news957.com/news/local/articl...ers-development-could-be-double-the-size

Big changes are being proposed to the Twisted Sisters development downtown.

allnovascotia.com reports developer Navid Sabieri, who was going to build a twin structure towering 27 storeys, is now going to apply to almost double the project to an estimated 48 storeys.

The initial deal expired last march after being granted in 2007.

The whole plan has been dogged by delays.

There was an appeal to the UARB over the architecture, permits and the pre-sales of the units and then the economic downturn in 08-09.

The proposed site of the twin towers is between Hollis, Granville and Sackville streets.

halifaxboyns · #**295** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 10:30 PM**

The site is out of the viewplanes - it would be the rampart height rule. But that's not a rule, it's a policy in the Halifax Planning Strategy - so you could potentially argue that the policy needs to be revisted to think about the future?

Thinking about how this could go down...if council feels that the policy is appropriate, I would think that the first step would be to amend the MPS to deal with the rampart height issues. If that's approved and adopted into policy; then the DA could be approved.

fenwick16 · #**296** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 10:50 PM**

The HRM_by_Design has a height limit of 66 m for this site. Not only is there the ramparts maximum height limit to overcome, the HRM_by_Design limit would have to be surpassed also.

I don't know what to make of this proposal. I was actually hoping that it would be a proposal that would quickly pass through council in the 21 - 27 storey range. Since Navid Sabieri is very familiar with the Halifax development process (i.e. years of delays for anything above 10 stories in the downtown core) I don't understand why he presented this proposal.

fenwick16 · #**297** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 10:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by David1gray

captured this from the CBC 6 o'clock online.

Nice work David1gray - thanks for posting it.

Although it is an impressive proposal as far as the height is concerned, it doesn't look like much thought was put into the conceptual rendering; it almost seems like there isn't a definitive proposal for this site; whether it will be condos, hotel, commercial - it all seems to be up in the air. All that they seem to be presenting are two generic super-tall highrises (maybe they just want to get some publicity - could this just be a big promotion for a condo launch of a more realistic sized tower?).

q12 · #**298** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 11:09 PM**

CBC NEWS: HALIFAX at 6:00

Thanks David1Gray, I see you can view the full story on the CBC news replay. Here is a close-up they showed of the top of the towers.

The report says he plans to start construction by the end of next year (2012) if he gets approval.

fenwick16 · #**299** Posted **Jul 20, 2011, 11:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by q12

CBC NEWS: HALIFAX at 6:00

Thanks David1Gray, I see you can view the full story on the CBC news replay. Here is a close-up they showed of the top of the towers.

The report says he plans to start construction by the end of next year (2012) if he gets approval.

Thanks for the video link. It is fairly short, so it is easy to miss. It starts at 13:18 minutes:seconds in the video link (above).

haligonia · #**300** Posted **Jul 21, 2011, 12:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by David1gray

captured this from the CBC 6 o'clock online.

Just noticed that one of your tabs is "How to take a screenshot"