[Dartmouth] — Irishtown Road | ? m | 11 Fl | Proposed

[dharrison]

Hello, please sign our petition and help support a well-planned project for the continued development of Downtown Dartmouth.

https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/support-the-seagate-residence-in-downtown-dartmouth

Feel free to pass this petition request along.

Many thanks!

David Harrison, MCIP
Ph: 902-404-2844
[email protected]
http://www.davidharrison.ca

[Dmajackson]

Signed.

Just do everyone in Halifax a favour and find a way to make sure the development stays accurate to the renderings. We don't want to hear a similar story to the CanEuro (Horizon Court) mess that is going on right now especially downtown.

[DigitalNinja]

I signed it as well. It's gotta 5 more supporters since I signed it. Lets hope this one gets built!

[hfxtradesman]

Signed it too. Downtown Dartmouth needs a new face lift. As a trade company in this city alot of the old buildings are beyond bandaid repair and need to go.

[dharrison]

Thank you for supporting development in downtown Dartmouth. We would welcome your endorsement at the public hearing which will be March 21, 6:00 pm, former Dartmouth City Hall.

Dmajackson: There were many issues associated with the Can Euro project. There are no guarantees in life of course, but an agreement is an agreement, and through various means, in particular at the building permit or occupancy permit stage, I am confident this would have been dealt with... admittedly after much grief.

[Jstaleness]

signed

[Jringe01]

I wanted to sign it even in spite of my aesthetic reservations however...they demand my street address and postal code. That's too much personal info for a petition, certainly not needed so I won't sign it. Sad....

[fenwick16]

I am just so underwhelmed by this project that I can't sign the petition.

[someone123]

This still has the feel of a shoehorned development designed first and foremost to fit as many units onto the property as possible.

The buildings would look much better if they were broken up a bit to reduce their boxy appearance, and the property as a whole would be nicer if it were more open and if there were some kind of path linking Ochterloney and Prince Albert Road. It's good that the WDC seems aware of the fact that the giant industrial Canal Street block doesn't necessarily make much sense for mixed use development and that they plan to break it up. This block is similar.

This is basically unrelated but it's too bad nothing ever came of all the canal daylighting talk.

[Dmajackson]

So apparently our little forum is very well-known across the Halifax urban development scene. I just got this email from a good friend of mine Walter Regan.

"Hi All

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT-PLEASE ATTEND

Just in case you didn't know.

The public hearing for the Seagate Residences (an urban re-development project that will create a new gateway for Downtown Dartmouth) will be held March 21, 6:00 pm, 90 Alderney Drive (former school board / city hall).

IF YOU SUPPORT - a revitalized downtown Dartmouth, A Daylighted Sawmill River, revitalization of the Shubie Canal at this location, linking the Trans Canada trail with the Waterfront Trail, boosting our bus and ferry ridership, realizing a vibrant / revitalized streetscape at this location, a children's playground that will be accessible to the community, with all tenant parking located underground, and a healthier community, and meets the intention of the Downtown, Dartmouth MPS and Regional Plans...

Then please consider coming out and expressing your support for Daylighting of Sawmill River in this project.

Here is the link to the Skyscraper Forum page. This page lists projects in the urban core, click on Dartmouth Seagate to see the ongoing discussions - http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/forumdisplay.php?f=223

Here is a link to the full staff report on the Seagate proposal www.halifax.ca/Commcoun/east/documents/HACtoHEMDCCCase17849combined.pdf"

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

So apparently our little forum is very well-known across the Halifax urban development scene. I just got this email from a good friend of mine Walter Regan.

"Hi All

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT-PLEASE ATTEND

Just in case you didn't know.

The public hearing for the Seagate Residences (an urban re-development project that will create a new gateway for Downtown Dartmouth) will be held March 21, 6:00 pm, 90 Alderney Drive (former school board / city hall).

IF YOU SUPPORT - a revitalized downtown Dartmouth, A Daylighted Sawmill River, revitalization of the Shubie Canal at this location, linking the Trans Canada trail with the Waterfront Trail, boosting our bus and ferry ridership, realizing a vibrant / revitalized streetscape at this location, a children's playground that will be accessible to the community, with all tenant parking located underground, and a healthier community, and meets the intention of the Downtown, Dartmouth MPS and Regional Plans...

Then please consider coming out and expressing your support for Daylighting of Sawmill River in this project.

Here is the link to the Skyscraper Forum page. This page lists projects in the urban core, click on Dartmouth Seagate to see the ongoing discussions - http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/forumdisplay.php?f=223

Here is a link to the full staff report on the Seagate proposal www.halifax.ca/Commcoun/east/documents/HACtoHEMDCCCase17849combined.pdf"

It sounds like there are a lot of positives associated with this project. I would have preferred that the towers were taller and slimmer - but I guess the neighbours might have objected

[spaustin]

I just finished up a little piece for Spacing Atlantic about this project. Try as I might, I just can't muster a lot of enthusiasm for it. I don't think, design-wise, that it's in the same league as the other stuff that's been built or is in the pipe (Founders Corner, King's Wharf, Lotus Point, Dartmouth Cove). It does raise some interesting bigger picture issues though for how HRM handles planning applications in Downtown Dartmouth. Here's the link

http://spacing.ca/atlantic/2013/03/20/seagate-residences-why-downtown-dartmouth-needs-hrmbydesign/

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by spaustin

I just finished up a little piece for Spacing Atlantic about this project. Try as I might, I just can't muster a lot of enthusiasm for it. I don't think, design-wise, that it's in the same league as the other stuff that's been built or is in the pipe (Founders Corner, King's Wharf, Lotus Point, Dartmouth Cove). It does raise some interesting bigger picture issues though for how HRM handles planning applications in Downtown Dartmouth. Here's the link

http://spacing.ca/atlantic/2013/03/20/seagate-residences-why-downtown-dartmouth-needs-hrmbydesign/

Great article. I agree with your statement "In the Seagate project, the discussion became so focussed on height that other design issues have been almost completely overlooked. This is not a good way to manage growth in a complex Downtown area, and it is certainly no way for Dartmouth to reach its potential."

[spaustin]

This one was approved this evening after a long public hearing, 3-1. Karsten, Nicoll and Hendsbee voting in favour, McCluskey voting against. Fisher was chair so I'm not sure if he voted.

[someone123]

This one building isn't going to make or break the area, and it will probably be good for the neighbourhood on balance, but it could have been a lot better. It seems to me like the developer was even willing to be flexible in this case, but that there wasn't much design guidance from the city. I agree about HbD-style rules for this area instead of the clearly inadequate "councillors will know it when they see it" approach.

Predictably, there was a "too tall" and "too dense" quote from Gloria McCluskey in ANS. If this site within walking distance of the ferry isn't suited for high density, I'm not sure what is. Downtown Dartmouth is constrained in terms of available land and its road connections to suburban Dartmouth, so for it to work properly I think it needs fairly high densities, particularly if the aim is to preserve most of the older buildings of heritage value. The current densities aren't really enough to support Portland Street and to provide a full mix of services and businesses for residents, nor would they be enough if the city permitted only a handful of small buildings. King's Wharf and some 200 unit + developments will make a difference.

It would be really great if the North End and Dartmouth were to develop the same sort of vibrancy and amenities that exist along Spring Garden Road. Quinpool could be more like that too. Halifax would be a way more interesting city with 4 or 5 solid neighbourhoods. Because of the ferry, downtown Dartmouth could become a real gem. It's a lot more affordable too.

[halifaxboyns]

Can someone post the ANS article (just copy and paste it for those of us who don't have an account)?

It's a shame that the public hearing isn't broadcast because it's community council. I would've enjoyed watching the comments.

[JET]

the public meeting was on Monday

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/06/26/ns-dartmouth-public-mtg.html

http://www.thecoast.ca/RealityBites/arch...ed-dartmouth-development-raises-concerns

[Antigonish]

Originally Posted by JET

the public meeting was on Monday

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/06/26/ns-dartmouth-public-mtg.html

http://www.thecoast.ca/RealityBites/arch...ed-dartmouth-development-raises-concerns

It's funny, I briefly glanced at your links, noticed the corner of the bottom link in my eye saw "..aises-concerns" at the end of the link. Knew it was the Coast right away..

[spaustin]

Originally Posted by JET

the public meeting was on Monday

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/06/26/ns-dartmouth-public-mtg.html

http://www.thecoast.ca/RealityBites/arch...ed-dartmouth-development-raises-concerns

That was Monday last year

[Aya_Akai]

Originally Posted by spaustin

That was Monday last year

I was about to say.. lol holy s$!t time travelling NIMBYS