General Updates and News - Page 221

halifaxboyns · #**4401** Posted **Mar 18, 2013, 2:43 AM**

The regional plan expected 425,000 by 2031. But the models used are based on the circumstances at the time and it seems to me that by around 2006 (when the RP was nearing approval) the economic circumstances for HRM changed and began getting stronger. The population influx also changed and got stronger. Those sort of projection models are really tough to be accurate on, considering that a ship contract (or something similar) is a 1 off and you have no way of knowing when it would hit!

I suspect that if you had to prioritize a bridge over a stadium, the stadium would fail. But it will also depend on if there is private money that wants to get involved in the stadium or not. Also, keep in mind that the crossing of the harbour would likely involve Provincial $ and would be controlled by the Harbour Bridge Commission; which would also have some $ to put in. So because the crossing would be tolled; the leverage of the projected revenue might actually help with the costs - then again, I'm not an economist.

someone123 · #**4402** Posted **Mar 18, 2013, 5:37 AM**

Here's an article by Waye Mason about improvements that are needed downtown: http://halifaxmag.com/2013/03/features/the-case-for-downtown/

The public realm improvements downtown are, I think, the #1 quick/easy thing the city could improve right now. It's incredible how regional council has neglected the downtown area since amalgamation (almost 20 years ago!).

ILoveHalifax · #**4403** Posted **Mar 18, 2013, 1:59 PM**

Essentially, until we build a south bridge and an Arm bridge we are only using half of our road capacity. Mornings as far as the peninsula goes everybody is commuting south from the bridges and south east from the 3 western access routes. Our north bound lanes are basically empty. Evenings we all travel north to the bridges and north west to the exits from the peninsula.

I think a southern bridge and Arm bridge could include LRT providing high speed to the suburbs, following the Circumferential and Northwest Arm Drive and Bicnetennial. This could be fed by stops and buses intersecting at Main St, Portland St, Mount Hope, Pleasant, Purcells Cove, Herring Cove, St Margaret's Bay Road, Lacewood, Kearney Lake Rd, Larry Uteck, Hammonds Plains, etc.

Further down the road a twin MacDonald bridge would allow 2 lanes in each direction and a LRT in each direction to serve the inner city areas.

RyeJay · #**4404** Posted **Mar 18, 2013, 4:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

Here's an article by Waye Mason about improvements that are needed downtown: http://halifaxmag.com/2013/03/features/the-case-for-downtown/

The public realm improvements downtown are, I think, the #1 quick/easy thing the city could improve right now. It's incredible how regional council has neglected the downtown area since amalgamation (almost 20 years ago!).

And regional council may be fine with another 20 years of downtown neglect. Wayne is quite right about core investments being a hard sell to suburban and small town Nova Scotians. They see projects like the new Central Library and the Nova Centre, and think: Alright, downtown, that's enough investment for you for a while...

It's difficult to convince these people of the necessity for streetscape improvements, green space, public transit, etc...

Wayne's article also mentioned that Cogswell will be coming down in the next four years?!...

Drybrain · #**4405** Posted **Mar 18, 2013, 5:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyeJay

Wayne's article also mentioned that Cogswell will be coming down in the next four years?!...

Yeah, where'd that number come from? I wasn't aware there was a timeline. That would be amazing.

someone123 · #**4406** Posted **Mar 18, 2013, 5:06 PM**

It would be great. I guess 4 years is possible, but I remember the same sort of timeline being given in 1998 or so.

Complaining about downtown needing new sidewalks after council just funded the convention center is like complaining that your house needs a new roof even though you just redid your kitchen. The two things are unrelated.

The article also alludes to the fact that the downtown area is disproportionately important. A "fair" council would therefore give it a disproportionate amount of attention. It's not at all equivalent to another Bedford or Sackville that is just "spoiled". It's a major economic driver of the region, not a bedroom community.

halifaxboyns · #**4407** Posted **Mar 18, 2013, 6:51 PM**

I think Waye's article is a good start to getting the new council thinking; although really it's not all that much of a new council. That said, it's provoking discussion and I think Rye is right - there is this idea that a couple things happen, okay that's good enough. Well the reality is that good enough just doesn't work when it comes to the core, we need to go further...

One of the things I think the Regional Centre plan might address (I'm hoping) would be the issue of streetscape improvements. I go back and look at comments that Larry Beasley made when it came to the Vancouver model and the fact he said it takes considerable financial investment to build in Vancouver. Well - similar financial investments should be made in HRM; but proportionately scaled of course. When a new application comes in for the DT or Regional Centre; it should be automatic that a review of the sidewalks/curbs etc is done and if needed, new ones are provided by the Developer. If it happens to be a corridor, then perhaps part of the bonusing is that new street trees or sidewalks are provided? Or better yet wider sidewalks to promote more pedestrian activity?

It's all possible - we just have to think about the city we want to have when we grow up. That's the key to this equation; realizing that HRM is growing up and into a mature mid-sized region (500,000+ soon). It's all part of an evolution in the planning system and I think that's happening; although sometimes a little slower than many would like it seems.

The density bonusing system is about leveraging private money to obtain public benefit; so if we are trying to create a streetscaping program for designated locations or the DT area; then it should be a part of the system. Same with any of the identified corridors in the RC plan. That can be how you actually sell the program to council - we would need X dollars as 'seed money', but likely get back in bonusing X dollars.

someone123 · #**4408** Posted **Mar 18, 2013, 8:17 PM**

Density bonusing can be good but the municipality also has to provide value for tax dollars collected downtown.

Getting developers to pay for sidewalks downtown while council foots the bill for road projects in the suburbs is just another example of a disparity that encourages development in the suburban office parks.

Dmajackson · #**4409** Posted **Mar 19, 2013, 1:07 AM**

From Councilor Watt's email;

Redevelopment at Isleville and Bilby Developer Meeting – March 21

Onyx Properties, GENIVAR and WHW Architects invite the public to a Developer Open House regarding the potential redevelopment of 2859-2863 Isleville Street, Halifax to be held at Bloomfield Centre, 2786 Agricola Street on Thursday March 21 from 6:30 to 9:00pm (neighbourhood walk 6:30 to 7:00 pm, Meet/Greet 7 to 7:30, Presentation 7:30 to 8:00 and design workshop from 8-9:00 pm. The proposal is in the early stages of the design process and a development application has not yet been submitted. Before the final design, residents are asked to share ideas and provide input. If you are unable to attend, or have questions, please contact Jeffry Haggett at GENIVAR (902) 835-9955, or by email at [email protected]

Phalanx · #**4410** Posted **Mar 19, 2013, 9:00 PM**

For anyone who may be interested, CBC Radio (Mainstreet, specifically) is hosting a public forum on the future of the Cogswell Interchange next Wednesday at their Bell Rd. site.

Audio will be on the radio, video will be streamed.

RyeJay · #**4411** Posted **Mar 19, 2013, 10:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalanx

For anyone who may be interested, CBC Radio (Mainstreet, specifically) is hosting a public forum on the future of the Cogswell Interchange next Wednesday at their Bell Rd. site.

Audio will be on the radio, video will be streamed.

?!...

Perhaps Wayne's article, claiming the Cogswell Interchange would be removed within the next four years, was privy to some insider info?

haligonia · #**4412** Posted **Mar 19, 2013, 10:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyeJay

?!...

Perhaps Wayne's article, claiming the Cogswell Interchange would be removed within the next four years, was privy to some insider info?

I hate correcting people, but it's Waye, not Wayne.

worldlyhaligonian · #**4413** Posted **Mar 19, 2013, 11:24 PM**

Could they not fix the street pattern easily?

RyeJay · #**4414** Posted **Mar 19, 2013, 11:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by haligonia

I hate correcting people, but it's Waye, not Wayne.

I need to work on that.

spaustin · #**4415** Posted **Mar 26, 2013, 2:17 AM**

I hadn't heard of this one before, but there's a small infill project in the works for Gerrard Lodge at Barrington and Harvey. They're going to convert the old place to condos and build an addition on the back parking lot. The report is coming before the Heritage Advisory Committee on Wednesday.

http://www.halifax.ca/boardscom/hac/documents/GerrardReport.pdf

Not a major project, but it'll restore a heritage building and a bunch of small infill projects like this can add up to a lot if there's enough of them. I like the garage doors! So much better than the absolutely ugly new building around the corner on South

http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ll=44.6...Wd9zpMs6UhlF0vzeGfg&cbp=12,327.42,,0,3.4

someone123 · #**4416** Posted **Mar 26, 2013, 2:41 AM**

This project has actually been around for a long time, in various incarnations. There was a DA poster up on the building maybe 5 years ago. I believe the small addition/townhouse attached to the left of this building has a different owner. It was restored some time ago and a similar addition was built on the back.

Not a fan of the garage doors but actually if they are done well they're not always so bad. Right now the back part of the lot is just parking and the house itself is in rough shape.

I would love to one day see good an overhaul of the "Snappy Tomato Pizza" vinyl-clad building on the corner of Morris Street, the small parking lot next door, and of the unfortunate beige Victorian across the street.

someone123 · #**4417** Posted **Mar 27, 2013, 10:18 PM**

Breakhouse has some renderings of some renos for the Bank of Montreal ground floor along a currently somewhat dysfunctional stretch of Lower Water Street. Nothing earth-shattering but they look good and I could see all of these improvements (TD, Scotia Square, Barrington Place) adding up and making the downtown (financial district?) a bit more pedestrian friendly and modern feeling. Streetscaping work along Barrington would complement this stuff nicely. There's also Cable Wharf, which would be great, but I am not sure that there are concrete plans to move forward with those improvements anytime soon.

http://breakhouse.ca/33839/1175107/all/bmo-at-5151-george-street

Drybrain · #**4418** Posted **Mar 28, 2013, 1:29 AM**

Look at all those people chillin' at the bank.

teddifax · #**4419** Posted **Mar 28, 2013, 2:09 AM**

Whatever happened to the plans to renovate both the BMO building and the Royal Bank together by the same developer of the TD bank site.

someone123 · #**4420** Posted **Mar 28, 2013, 2:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Look at all those people chillin' at the bank.

It does seem unlikely, but another rendering shows some type of restaurant or bar above.

By the way, another piece of news: it looks like Mickey MacDonald isn't going to move forward with his plans to redevelop Mills. I'm not sure what this means for the Chickenburger site. Is it going to sit as a parking lot for 5+ years now? If so, wow, what a waste..