[Halifax] Citadel Halifax Redevelopment | 3X49 m | 18-16-16 fl | Completed - Page 32

Empire · #**621** Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 12:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haligonian88

I don't see why so many people are so hung up on one, relatively small, blank wall, when the development as a whole is a great thing for the area and the city. As for whether or not the developer "cheaped out," why don't you email them and find out why it was done instead of making baseless accusations. They chose to invest a lot of money in this site, I would hardly call them cheap.

I don't need to email them and ask them why they didn't put expensive windows in a 16 storey wall facing a National Historic Site when they didn't have to. No one called them on it and they got away with one.

Here is a blank wall that was constructed in 1983 with the premise of someone building next door and hiding the cheap out. You be the judge of whether the blank wall is O.K. because the developer spent a lot of money in 1983 to build this building.

Blank Wall
http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=halifax&hl=...twgkbtImR-xzwn-AwW2zw&cbp=12,325.42,,0,0

terrynorthend · #**622** Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 1:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by teddifax

I think they can address this situation by some form of building decoration and for sure decorative lighting in the evening. This would take away from the starkness of the blank wall.

How about painting "MORSE'S TEAS" in 10 foot vertical letters...

Haligonian88 · #**623** Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 3:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empire

I don't need to email them and ask them why they didn't put expensive windows in a 16 storey wall facing a National Historic Site when they didn't have to. No one called them on it and they got away with one.

Here is a blank wall that was constructed in 1983 with the premise of someone building next door and hiding the cheap out. You be the judge of whether the blank wall is O.K. because the developer spent a lot of money in 1983 to build this building.

Didn't the developer of the TD building do the same thing? There was a blank wall due to the premise of building on the lot next to it, and now there is an extension going up in that place, I don't consider that cheaping out, it's planning ahead and spending accordingly. Maybe a building will go up next the Homburg building (or better yet, it'll come down). Sure it's unfortunate in that case there is such a large portion of the building with a blank wall for such a long time, thankfully that's not the case with the Citadel.

I guess it's up to the city to decide if the blank wall is reasonable. The site approval document clearly shows the blank wall on page 16 (http://www.halifax.ca/boardscom/drc/documents/120119drc71.pdf), so I'm not sure it just slipped by them. Regardless, it looks like it's going to be a blank wall, hopefully the guests won't mind not seeing the Citadel in the stairwell and will see it from the multitude of windows facing south.

Empire · #**624** Posted **Jun 3, 2013, 11:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haligonian88

Didn't the developer of the TD building do the same thing? There was a blank wall due to the premise of building on the lot next to it, and now there is an extension going up in that place, I don't consider that cheaping out, it's planning ahead and spending accordingly. Maybe a building will go up next the Homburg building (or better yet, it'll come down). Sure it's unfortunate in that case there is such a large portion of the building with a blank wall for such a long time, thankfully that's not the case with the Citadel.

I guess it's up to the city to decide if the blank wall is reasonable. The site approval document clearly shows the blank wall on page 16 (http://www.halifax.ca/boardscom/drc/documents/120119drc71.pdf), so I'm not sure it just slipped by them. Regardless, it looks like it's going to be a blank wall, hopefully the guests won't mind not seeing the Citadel in the stairwell and will see it from the multitude of windows facing south.

It is up to the city to decide if a blank wall is reasonable and the city is fine with blank walls. Just because there is a rendering in the site approval document showing a blank wall it doesn't ensure everyone was aware of it and that it was discussed as in "this wall will be blank for all 16 storeys, is everyone O.K. with that".

The TD building will always have a blank wall on the north side but the visual impact is not the same as the Citadel building being on a main street leading into downtown. Even if a building were built to the same height next to the Citadel Hotel in the next 100 years you would still see the blank wall.

The CIBC building on Barrington is set back from the property line and therefore they have windows all-around. This is a thoughtful design for the tenants as well as the community.

kph06 · #**625** Posted **Jun 4, 2013, 9:13 AM**

Two from yesterday by me:

Duff · #**626** Posted **Jun 5, 2013, 12:16 PM**

Here are two I took yesterday. The second one is from the corner of Gottingen & Falkland.

kph06 · #**627** Posted **Jun 8, 2013, 11:23 PM**

One from today, the brick is spreading:

someone123 · #**628** Posted **Jun 8, 2013, 11:52 PM**

The towers really fill in that corner nicely. Such an improvement over what was there before.

I like how they're visible from Gottingen Street, along with the colourful Edna facade on the left. Apparently there are also some improvements coming for the Paragon (is that what it's called now? Formerly the Marquee). I think it'll add a lot to the city for Gottingen to become a normal functioning street again with a good mixture of shops and a decent amount of pedestrian traffic.

haligonia · #**629** Posted **Jun 9, 2013, 12:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

The towers really fill in that corner nicely. Such an improvement over what was there before.

I like how they're visible from Gottingen Street, along with the colourful Edna facade on the left. Apparently there are also some improvements coming for the Paragon (is that what it's called now? Formerly the Marquee). I think it'll add a lot to the city for Gottingen to become a normal functioning street again with a good mixture of shops and a decent amount of pedestrian traffic.

It was the Marquee, then the Paragon, and now it's back to being the Marquee.

And I totally agree about these buildings. They make that are of downtown seem so much more urban, and I love how they're visible from so many vantage points.

Keith P. · #**630** Posted **Jun 9, 2013, 1:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kph06

One from today, the brick is spreading:

That's unfortunate.

I guess brick is considered a step up from precast and the like, but it is slow to install and I really hate how it looks. It is so overdone here.

Haligonian88 · #**631** Posted **Jun 9, 2013, 1:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

That's unfortunate.

I guess brick is considered a step up from precast and the like, but it is slow to install and I really hate how it looks. It is so overdone here.

I'm curious as to what you would clad the building with? I guess a lot of people like glass buildings, but for a project this size and location, I can see why one might avoid it.

Looking at the renderings, I think the brick will be much less prominent upon completion, as it does not cover significant portions of the building. http://www.citadelhotelmakeover.ca/images/

RyeJay · #**632** Posted **Jun 9, 2013, 3:03 PM**

^

Keith P.: Three-week-old kittens. Yes, they've opened their eyes by then, but they're a quality product.

Keith P. · #**633** Posted **Jun 9, 2013, 3:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyeJay

^

Keith P.: Three-week-old kittens. Yes, they've opened their eyes by then, but they're a quality product.

Stick to posting photos. That way nobody has to read the stuff you post.

RyeJay · #**634** Posted **Jun 9, 2013, 6:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Stick to posting photos. That way nobody has to read the stuff you post.

I. am. stunned. by your condonance for my photos. I will accept the semi-compliment. My faith in your ability to be lighthearted is restored.

ILoveHalifax · #**635** Posted **Jun 9, 2013, 9:39 PM**

Ray Jay
What's with the kittens and where is the dog?

worldlyhaligonian · #**636** Posted **Jun 9, 2013, 10:06 PM**

The glass on the brunswick street side is pretty impressive looking.

These are generic buildings, but simplicity is okay. I think it adds to an aesthetic for the area of brick. We do need more glass, but I'm hoping that will be coming in the Bank of Canada proposal.

I think that Halifax just needs to avoid building stubby and tacky buildings.