Canadian City Proposals

[The Gibbroni]

Originally Posted by someone123

Here are some revised renderings of the Nova Centre in Halifax. Excavation has begun for this project. The final renderings will be out sometime in November.

The shorter tower on the right will be offices and the other tower will be hotel. There are tenants for the office tower but as far as I know they haven't been announced yet. The main component of the development is convention space, which is why they have the large room spanning two blocks. Originally that room was going to be underground, but the public reaction to that wasn't very favourable and I think this looks nicer. Argyle Street is quite busy and has lots of sidewalk cafes so they've responded to that with a bit of a setback and some outdoor space. I assume the giant screen will show different videos, not just a fixed shot of some deck chairs. It seems obnoxious to me.

As always, the pasted-in Photoshop people are great.

From http://twitter.com/BuildYourCentre







Context:

This will be great for Hali as it will fill that pit of ill repute. I have to admit though, having worked at WTCC for 2 years, I'll be sad to see it replaced. I had so much fun working there!

[someone123]

Originally Posted by The Gibbroni

This will be great for Hali as it will fill that pit of ill repute. I have to admit though, having worked at WTCC for 2 years, I'll be sad to see it replaced. I had so much fun working there!

The pit has a bizarre, politicized history. The two blocks were mostly built on until a few years ago. Back in 2005 there was a proposal to build on the upper block but it was shot down for being too tall. A few years later, the Midtown Tavern on that block was demolished and from then on it was all empty.

This Nova Centre development was first announced maybe 5 years ago as a phased office/residential proposal that was going to start soon. Not too long after that the provincial government issues an RFP for convention space and they chose this developer and site, so the old proposal was scrapped. There was then a change of government and a period of multiple years of securing funding.

It's the kind of crazy story that seems to happen a lot in Halifax. There's always a series of arcane bureaucratic complications (for example, another tower project was delayed for over a year because of a surveying error, and this was after multi-year planning, municipally-mandated public consultations, etc.). Lately though for whatever reason a bunch of projects have quickly moved on to actual construction. The changes happening there right now are pretty impressive. I think it'll be a much better city in a few years. If this pace of construction keeps up for a while and maybe some better transit is built it will be great.

The delays do make me wonder though how many projects have quietly died over the years, and how the city might have turned out had it been less hostile to business. It feels to me like a lot of cities strive to succeed whereas in Halifax a lot of people fight to hold the city back. I think there's definitely a human element to economic success and there's definitely a kind of feedback loop where cities can either build on their success or wallow as backwaters and bleed talent.

[The Gibbroni]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

i really like 400 dowd. i would consider buying a unit. even if i don't live in montreal anymore, i feel like i need a foothold there.

Hehe! We agree on something! I love 400 Dowd. Perfect scale, perfect meld of old and new. And that park across the street is one of the best, little-known parks in downtown. 10/10. I hope this doesn't become a victim of the impending crisis.

[The Gibbroni]

Originally Posted by someone123

The pit has a bizarre, politicized history. The two blocks were mostly built on until a few years ago. Back in 2005 there was a proposal to build on the upper block but it was shot down for being too tall. A few years later, the Midtown Tavern on that block was demolished and from then on it was all empty.

This Nova Centre development was first announced maybe 5 years ago as a phased office/residential proposal that was going to start soon. Not too long after that the provincial government issues an RFP for convention space and they chose this developer and site, so the old proposal was scrapped. There was then a change of government and a period of multiple years of securing funding.

It's the kind of crazy story that seems to happen a lot in Halifax. There's always a series of arcane bureaucratic complications (for example, another tower project was delayed for over a year because of a surveying error, and this was after multi-year planning, municipally-mandated public consultations, etc.). Lately though for whatever reason a bunch of projects have quickly moved on to actual construction. The changes happening there right now are pretty impressive. I think it'll be a much better city in a few years. If this pace of construction keeps up for a while and maybe some better transit is built it will be great.

The delays do make me wonder though how many projects have quietly died over the years, and how the city might have turned out had it been less hostile to business.

I was deeply saddened by some of the changes I witnessed when I returned for a couple of months in 2010. Barrington had lost any number of businesses- including the record shops that I frequented back in 2004-2006. Gottingen was gentrifying but still no plans for a grocery store or even a badly-needed bank branch. The kooky café up on Agricola was no longer, the epic pizza/donair place on Cunard was no longer, the Marquee was closing-again, and Vortex was being turned into condos. Much character lost. Still, I'm hoping that most of the changes will be for the good and that Hali- city that I love- will not lose all of its character. Especially the North End!

[The Gibbroni]

Originally Posted by someone123

I think you have to be careful here and not confuse building heights and condo stats with progress (sacrilege, I know, on a site such as this!) Halifax is an old city with much heritage to protect. It also has its own Mount Royal (Citadel Hill) from which views should be protected. Halifax is situated on the edge of Canada- out of the spotlight of ROC, and therefore able to create its own vibe without much interference. Smaller cities will always bleed talent to larger centres; the opportunities are always better regardless of how many tall buildings you have. Don't think that any kind of building spree/skyline enhancements are going to make Halifax more famous- they're not, and they will not stop successful people from leaving to bigger markets- this is natural. Most important is that the city retains its character and not lust after all of the generic crap that the rest of this country seems to be so obsessed with (Bed Bath and Beyond? Fuck off!!!).

And I can point you to any number of locals who refuse to leave and who are doing amazing things in film, music etc.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by The Gibbroni

I think you have to be careful here and not confuse building heights and condo stats with progress (sacrilege, I know, on a site such as this!)

But the problem is, many people in Halifax currently do. They think just because a building is shorter or in a more "traditional" style that it is somehow superior, which as you pointed out, it clearly incorrect. If a building is of high quality, people shouldn't oppose it just because its modern or tall.

Originally Posted by The Gibbroni

Halifax is an old city with much heritage to protect. It also has its own Mount Royal (Citadel Hill) from which views should be protected. Halifax is situated on the edge of Canada- out of the spotlight of ROC, and therefore able to create its own vibe without much interference. Smaller cities will always bleed talent to larger centres; the opportunities are always better regardless of how many tall buildings you have. Don't think that any kind of building spree/skyline enhancements are going to make Halifax more famous- they're not, and they will not stop successful people from leaving to bigger markets- this is natural. Most important is that the city retains its character and not lust after all of the generic crap that the rest of this country seems to be so obsessed with (Bed Bath and Beyond? Fuck off!!!).

And I can point you to any number of locals who refuse to leave and who are doing amazing things in film, music etc.

I'm all for protecting heritage. To me, that means preserving older buildings, to ensure they aren't all razed to make way for more profitable new ones.

But much of the heritage preservation crowd is against modern buildings (unless they're small and faux-historic) that are even being built on empty lots, simply because they fear they will alter the "character" of the area. The thing they forget is that preserving heritage means remembering our past, not living in it. We're in our own era today and the buildings, aesthetics, and sensibilities of every era must be allowed to make their mark on the city. If they aren't, we'll be stealing a vital piece of heritage from future generations as the era in which we're living will have left few relevant markers for which we can be remembered.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by The Gibbroni

I think you have to be careful here and not confuse building heights and condo stats with progress

I don't really care about building heights. I like that empty lots are being filled in, the population of the core neighbourhoods is going up, and it seems like there's more going on in town than in the past. Halifax's core neighbourhoods do have a lot of character but in many cases they are held back by a lack of development and population density. Gottingen doesn't have a grocery store or a bank branches because few people live there now. More infill could bring back those businesses, helping the current residents in the process.

In a lot of ways I think an improved economy and a bigger local market could increase opportunities to showcase the local culture and character that currently exist. Most of the businesses that have been popping up are locally owned and a lot of them are much better than what existed before. The dilapidated pizza shops are interesting but I like that Halifax has decent restaurants now. I don't think that weedy lots or empty storefronts are a necessary part the city's culture, even though those things sometimes all get conflated a little.

[The Gibbroni]

Originally Posted by someone123

I don't really care about building heights. I like that empty lots are being filled in, the population of the core neighbourhoods is going up, and it seems like there's more going on in town than in the past. Halifax's core neighbourhoods do have a lot of character but in many cases they are held back by a lack of development and population density. Gottingen doesn't have a grocery store or a bank branches because few people live there now. More infill could bring back those businesses, helping the current residents in the process.

In a lot of ways I think an improved economy and a bigger local market could increase opportunities to showcase the local culture and character that currently exist. Most of the businesses that have been popping up are locally owned and a lot of them are much better than what existed before. The dilapidated pizza shops are interesting but I like that Halifax has decent restaurants now. I don't think that weedy lots or empty storefronts are a necessary part the city's culture, even though those things sometimes all get conflated a little.

There are a lot of people who live on Gottingen and the in the immediate area but they are poor, and the banks know that they make more money off the 'white' ATM's than they would if they were to place a machine there or open a branch. A grocery store would be a godsend, yet it's weird how many Canadian neighbourhoods don't include them. People on Gottingen are forced to walk a minimum of 20 minutes to the nearest grocery. Try that when it's pouring rain or - 20. In Montréal, even the poorest hoods have grocery stores and deps that sell stuff beyond chips, beer and pop. I'm not glorifying decrepitude but the pizza/donair place that I described (Rassy's?) was truly a neighbourhood classic! Major loss of an authentic Halifax style food joint.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by The Gibbroni

There are a lot of people who live on Gottingen and the in the immediate area but they are poor, and the banks know that they make more money off the 'white' ATM's than they would if they were to place a machine there or open a branch.

When it comes to business, especially bigger businesses like banks, race is largely a red herring. The most important factor is just whether or not Gottingen locations would have enough business to be viable.

There are actually plans to open a grocery store on Gottingen Street. I forget the exact number but the group behind it said that typically for an urban grocery store they need something like 15,000 people within a certain number of blocks. Gottingen used to have it, but now it does not. If more development happens then it might hit that threshold again and more businesses will be viable. Some of the new housing stock will be market-rate condos but there are also a number of affordable housing projects.

The Montreal neighbourhoods (and other neighbourhoods in Halifax that do have a wider variety of shops, like Spring Garden or the Fenwick area) are the same story. The difference there is that they were higher density to begin with and there are fewer empty lots, so the population density is still there to support a wider range of businesses.

In addition to bringing in businesses I think a better local market would help the existing residents of Gottingen Street. There would be more employment options and more opportunities to open new businesses that cater to the larger group of area residents.

[lake of the nations]

Here is a new proposal for downtown Sherbrooke. It has been approved by the city council on last monday. That may become the tallest building built in the area since 1956!


LeFrontenac par lake of the nations, sur Flickr

[MTLskyline]

^ I really hope they do something about the middle part of it... It looks like there is one building growing out of another.

[urbandreamer]

400 Dowd is this week's RenderPornStar I'm not a major fan of Karl Fischer's work but this project may be his best. It's not cheesy like many of his other buildings.

New project coming to Winnipeg: http://glasshousewinnipeg.com Edit: It's part of the CentrePoint/Alt hotel development launching this Fall. "Glass House Sky Lofts."

[Nicko999]

Originally Posted by lake of the nations

Here is a new proposal for downtown Sherbrooke. It has been approved by the city council on last monday. That may become the tallest building built in the area since 1956!


LeFrontenac par lake of the nations, sur Flickr

Couldn't they do something more... original.

[MTLskyline]

Here's a nice lowrise proposal on Montreal's Lachine Canal in Pointe Saint-Charles (replacing a carpet storage warehouse or something)

Myst Condos - 7 floors

2365 Saint Patrick Street







http://www.buzzbuzzhome.com/myst-condos/photos/exterior/2012_10_04_02_02_23_myst1.png

[Martin Mtl]

Originally Posted by Nicko999

Couldn't they do something more... original.

That would implied that the promoter hires an... architect!

[Martin Mtl]

Originally Posted by The Gibbroni

Hehe! We agree on something! I love 400 Dowd. Perfect scale, perfect meld of old and new. And that park across the street is one of the best, little-known parks in downtown. 10/10. I hope this doesn't become a victim of the impending crisis.

Work has already started, so no worry...

[PoscStudent]

Here's a proposal for a new recreation centre, which will replace an old one in the east end of St. John's.

Originally Posted by jeddy1989

Here She be ... Looks great!

[Rico Rommheim]

Le Victoire, Square Victoria

Originally Posted by MTLskyline

Here's a higher resolution night shot (I never knew Citibank had a tower in Old Montreal...)


http://www.buzzbuzzhome.com/le-victoire

[Martin Mtl]

Isn't it strange that this project is promoted as being located in Old Montreal, but the render shows the tower against a generic american city that doesn't look anything like Old Montreal ?

[begratto]

Originally Posted by Martin Mtl

Isn't it strange that this project is promoted as being located in Old Montreal, but the render shows the tower against a generic american city that doesn't look anything like Old Montreal ?

And there's a car parked on the sidewalk, just at the front entrance of the building!