I wonder who the tenants are? I'm wanting commercial, as we already have a fair number of residential proposals and approvals -- as I'm hopeful for another round of renderings in case the design has changed. This development will have an even bigger impact on the skyline than the Citadel Hotel redevelopment, since it's filling such a big gap.
Doesn't there still need to be an approval of the construction drawings and permits issued?
Is this exempt because it is a provincial project? I'm not sure, but it seems like many publicly-funded projects don't follow the same approval process.
Is this exempt because it is a provincial project? I'm not sure, but it seems like many publicly-funded projects don't follow the same approval process.
Unless there has been an order in council in the legislature that I'm not aware of, it isn't. In fact Fenwick has mentioned several times the provision in HbD that provides specific direction on how it has to be reviewed for things like design, materials, location etc.
The Saddledome is a great example of a development that is completely exempt from Municipal Planning regulations, to this day.
Doesn't there still need to be an approval of the construction drawings and permits issued?
Pretty sure it still needs approval of HRM by design, construction drawings, and permits. Now under HRM by design the height is locked, but the design isn't.
Could the city and or province step in and exempt the project from the process, of course, but since its not a true crown project (still private) bending the rules may not look favourably, especially considering there is an election soon.
Yeah, they're going to paint them red and white, then entwine all of the limbs together, forming a giant, grotesque lighthouse to place outside of the main entrance.
That actually reminds me of a really creepy Japanese comic I read a while back. Gotta see if I can find some pages of it...
scratch that, found it but it probably isn't appropriate for reposting here, lol
Wow , I'm now SOOOOOO stoaked to come home to Hali, and NOT see a huge hole in the ground ..... I'm very interested to see who the new tenants will be . Any speculation?
I think a design review could be a good thing if they focus on street level interaction. Argyle Street and Grafton Street are both pretty important. I could see things going either way with the Grafton Street covered block -- it could be a great complement to the area if it's done well and is inviting, or it could end up as a kind of open air dead mall.
If there is a delay for HbD and permits I wonder if they can or will start excavation ahead of time.
If there is a delay for HbD and permits I wonder if they can or will start excavation ahead of time.
I remember reading (several months ago) that they planned to start excavation prior to all the plans being finalized.
This project never should have dragged on for so long. In my opinion, construction should have started 2 - 3 years ago. Much of the delay resulted from the change in provincial government (this isn't intended to be a jab at the NDP; the Save the View group probably was responsible for some of the federal and provincial foot-dragging).
Whatever is going on, all this delay is most unwelcome. The Nova Centre would nicely tie the Spring Garden Road district and the downtown core together, and would be a boon to all the restaurants on Argyle St.
I was down there the other weekend walking around, and this "crater" facing all those restaurants is really ugly. Talk about ruining the ambience!!!
So much for shovels in the ground...the wait continues:
from metro:
Ramia ‘optimistic’ convention centre will go ahead
By Alex Boutilier Metro Halifax
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Ryan Taplin/Metro File Developer Joe Ramia.
Joe Ramia said he is “optimistic” the proposed convention centre will go ahead.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday morning, Ramia said that he hopes to have an announcement about the project this summer.
“Hopefully soon we can make an announcement about where we are going with the convention centre,” Ramia said.
“We are always optimistic. If I wasn’t optimistic I would’ve ran away many years ago. So yes, we are optimistic.”
Ramia also addressed rumours he has found a main tenant for the financial centre component of the project – but did not say whether or not he had.
“We have worked on tenants, we are working on tenants and continue to work on tenants, but we haven’t made any announcement yet,” Ramia said.
The project has been stalled since August 2011, when the federal government agreed to commit $51.4 million to the project. At that time, it was believed construction could begin as early as spring 2012.
But a series of delays – caused mostly by Ramia’s difficulties in finding an anchor tenant – pushed that deadline back. Ramia told Metro in January that he expected to decide whether or not the project will go ahead by March 19. Since that deadline lapsed, Ramia has been difficult to get in touch with.
Both the province and the municipality have committed $56 million each to the project.
I was down there the other weekend walking around, and this "crater" facing all those restaurants is really ugly. Talk about ruining the ambience!!!
OTOH, the patios on Argyle have really benefited from the added light and sunshine on their side of the street with no building there. I can imagine they will be crying foul when construction starts and the building blocks the sun.
Wasn't the rumor regarding the tenant supposed to be BMO?
There was another AllNS article about this tonight and they put a more positive spin on Ramia's comments, pointing out that he confirmed he's still looking at option "A" (highrise) and that he expects to make an announcement soon.
I think the hole's pretty bad, and that area has had a half-finished look for many years. If this development goes up I think the difference will be like night and day. The library site's another big one, and if the parking lot at Barrington and George is ever built on it will have a big positive impact as well.
I agree. The hole isn't great (it's not that bad though...) but the sun on Argyle is glorious.
Turning the hole into an small Park would be nice (if the construction doesn't start soon), even if just temporarily. Just level the surface, dump a load of soil and put in some turf and plants, add a few benches. Wouldn't cost that much surely.
Turning the hole into an small Park would be nice (if the construction doesn't start soon), even if just temporarily. Just level the surface, dump a load of soil and put in some turf and plants, add a few benches. Wouldn't cost that much surely.
The last thing we need is another reason for people to fight something being built on this site. If we turn it into a park you'll be damned sure to have some sort of "friends of the park" group form to protect it . If it stays an ugly hole there should be less opposition when it comes to construction time.
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Talk about ruining the ambience!!!
. If it stays an ugly hole there should be less opposition when it comes to construction time.
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