General Updates and News

[someone123]

The Barrington Street renovations for Scotia Square were approved by the Design Review Committee today. Both the Barrington addition and the new Duke Street office building could be started this spring.

[Nifta]

What's happening on the Barrington St side? Is there a link someone could point me to? Thanks!

*edit*

Google helped me http://www.halifax.ca/boardscom/drc/documents/130214drc6.1Barrington.PDF

Looks to be an improvement, but I'd hoped it might be a change to the stretch between the corner of Duke along Barrington to the pedway. That sections just a desert. Faceless concrete wall. Oh well, one step at a time.

[pblaauw]

There was a notice in today's paper from The Halifax Club, seeking Expressions of Interest in helping them diversify their portfolio/holdings/business. The notice mentions a possible hotel, but allows applicants to bring forth their own ideas.

I guess they've run out of hobnobbing space.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by pblaauw

There was a notice in today's paper from The Halifax Club, seeking Expressions of Interest in helping them diversify their portfolio/holdings/business. The notice mentions a possible hotel, but allows applicants to bring forth their own ideas.

I guess they've run out of hobnobbing space.

It's probably more likely that they've run out of enough people willing to pay for hobnobbing in the space they have.

They've been trying to attract younger members for some time now: I have no idea how well that's been going, but if they're looking to redevelop their building, then I'd say it hasn't had the desired effect.

[Drybrain]

What exactly does the Halifax Club do, as is? As in, what are their holdings and portfolio and activities, etc., besides a bunch of rich folks hobnobbing in a fancy building? What would they do with a hotel? Etc. Genuinely, I have no idea what their deal is, besides being a private business club.

(I doubt they would/could redevelop the building—it's a registered heritage property and seems pretty integral to their whole old-money aristocratic air.)

EDIT: Lookie here. They want to preserve the existing building and add what I guess would be a sort of boutique hotel on top of it. Could be cool, if it's well done. (I would really hope it wouldn't necessitate screwing with the integrity of the building's interior elements, 'cause they look might impressive.)

Coincidentally, there's an almost identical project just planned for a mid-rise historical hotel in Toronto.

[someone123]

The new Mother's Pizza building on Agricola. It's nice to see so many little construction projects happening all over the North End. The big projects get most of the attention, but I think the fine-grained organic growth adds a lot to neighbourhoods.


http://www.motherspizzacanada.com/tag/mothers-halifax/

[isaidso]

Is that a reno or a new construction?

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Is that a reno or a new construction?

New. The old Rumley & Johnson building was demolished.

It is unfortunate this was permitted to be built right to the sidewalk on the Young St side. That street badly needs to be widened in that block. HRM missed an opportunity.

[spaustin]

It's small, but I like it. Could have done with a more modern look instead of the faux-tudor, but it comes up to the curb, has an active corner, multiple doors and good windows. Nice little project.

[ILoveHalifax]

Looks very hydrostone and why not stretch the neighborhood an extra blook or 2.

[Drybrain]

The little peaks are a bit faux-looking (I mean, to be expected: the whole thing is faux) but whatever--it's definitely a step up from the usual purpose-built restaurant building. I wonder if the pizza's any good...

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Looks very hydrostone and why not stretch the neighborhood an extra blook or 2.

I was thinking the same thing; it looks like a direct stylistic transfer from the Hydrostone Market's main building(s). IMO it looks much better than most of the "faux-hydro" buildings that have gone up in the area lately. Garden Stone Place is the one exception, but has its own stylistic elements that make it work better than say the residential building just east of it.

Also reminds me a bit of the building at Windsor and Almon.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

The little peaks are a bit faux-looking (I mean, to be expected: the whole thing is faux) but whatever--it's definitely a step up from the usual purpose-built restaurant building. I wonder if the pizza's any good...

I agree - in general, it's not bad... but those little faux peaks at the windows lower the perceived level of quality.

[Duff]

Condo project proposed for Dartmouth

Developer Besim Halef is planning a multimillion-dollar condominium project in the central Dartmouth neighbourhood where his two children grew up.

The four-fifths of a hectare lot on Richmond Street, near a new Sobeys and a liquor store, is owned by Plazacorp Property Holdings Inc. and Sobeys Capital Inc. But Halef said he has entered into an agreement with the owners to buy the property, now zoned for commercial use.

“I like the neighbourhood. My children went to Northbrook School,” the president of Banc Properties Ltd. said Thursday.

Northbrook closed as an elementary school in 2004. The Chapman Street building now serves as a community centre and police training facility. There is also a small park nearby.

Halef, an engineer who came to Canada from Turkey in 1975, said his son and daughter grew up on Wyse Road in his first property, which he purchased in 1976.

“We have a lot of good memories over there,” he said. “I lived there for 10 years.”

Right now, Halef plans to build two condominium buildings and townhouses on the site.

Read More - http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1124058-condo-project-proposed-for-dartmouth

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

The little peaks are a bit faux-looking (I mean, to be expected: the whole thing is faux) but whatever--it's definitely a step up from the usual purpose-built restaurant building. I wonder if the pizza's any good...

I wonder if they are ever going to open. Work seems to have ground to a halt.

[someone123]

It's good to see that some tentative redevelopment of that area of Dartmouth is happening. It's such a wasted opportunity right now, with Brightwood and the terrible train wreck around the bridge. Is the large toll plaza even necessary now? It seems like having so many lanes merge would actually be a bad thing.

It's a huge waste to have so much empty land in inner Dartmouth while apartment buildings are going up in places like Sackville.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by bluenoser

Barrington Street height limit increase considered

Proposal will affect Westin Nova Scotian, Via Rail and Atlantic Superstore

CBC News
Posted: Mar 15, 2013 9:41 AM AT
Last Updated: Mar 15, 2013 12:00 PM AT


This lot on the corner of South and Hollis streets has been vacant since a fire two years ago. (CBC)

The Halifax Regional Municipality is considering increasing the height limit for several properties at the south end of Barrington Street, including a lot that has been vacant since a fire two years ago.

Although the current height restriction on the site is 45 feet or approximately 13.7 metres, planners with the municipality want to change that to nearly 22 metres — approximately seven storeys.

Waye Mason, the councillor for Peninsula South Downtown, said the lower height restriction was kept in place while new rules were developed for the Barrington Street Heritage Conservation District near the street's south end.

But some historical buildings at the corner of South and Hollis streets had to be demolished after faulty wiring sparked a fire two years ago — the lot has been vacant since.

Mason said he doesn't think the previous height restrictions need to be in place for a vacant lot.

...

Phil Pacey, of the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia, said the proposal alarms him.

...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2013/03/15/ns-barrington-height-limit.html

------

I wonder if Phil feels another parking lot better complements the train station and rounds out Cornwallis Park?

This issue will be considered by HRM Council on April 30th - http://halifax.ca/council/agendasc/130430rcAgenda.html. Changing the shaded area in the map to 22 meters seems like a logical choice. It contains a vacant lot, Atlantic Superstore with adjoining surface parking lot, Westin Hotel (which is already over 22 meters) and the VIA Station.

Staff is recommending the change whereas the Design Review Committee is recommending against.

This is the area under consideration:
(source: http://halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/130430ca1015.pdf )

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

This issue will be considered by HRM Council on April 30th - http://halifax.ca/council/agendasc/130430rcAgenda.html. Changing the shaded area in the map to 22 meters seems like a logical choice. It contains a vacant lot, Atlantic Superstore with adjoining surface parking lot, Westin Hotel (which is already over 22 meters) and the VIA Station.

Staff is recommending the change whereas the Design Review Committee is recommending against.

For the sake of stronger development in an area that can potential extend the downtown further south -- I want the staff's will to prevail in this case.

Just think of what could be a massive SuperStore redevelopment, using all of that wasteful surface parking, and creating a sidewalk presence as strong as what we see on Spring Garden.

What would a height increase to 22 metres threaten?

[Jstaleness]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

What would a height increase to 22 metres threaten?

I think you are missing the point. How will the grass get it's sun? A height increase of that size will surly mean that the whole south end will need AstroTurf for it's greenery.

[macgregor]

At least one of the ugly business buildings on Barrington between the Superstore and Tim Horton's is for sale. It's a bit of an eyesore right now and would make a good spot for some residential - with good soundproofing because the trains idle at night.