[Halifax] The Maple | 72 m | 21 fl | Completed

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

The Southwest website somehow overlooks the historical fact that the south end of the planned building is the site of the former Queen Hotel at 115 Hollis Street. (The front door of the Bank of Canada Building, at 1583 Hollis Street, is roughly the equivalent of 123 Hollis under the original civic numbering system.) History buffs will know that 28 people died when the Queen Hotel burned in 1939, one of the worst fires in the city's history aside from the 1917 explosion.



http://www.halifax.ca/archives/QueenHotelFire.html

Thanks for pointing that out, I had heard of that fire and have seen the pics but it never occurred to me that this was the site.

On a related note, does anybody know if there will be any archaeological activity on the site once demolition is complete? Having read the book 'Underground Halifax' I am aware that there may be all sorts of historical information to be gleaned from the site, though with the depth of the dig back when it was built, all that stuff might be long gone by now.

http://www.amazon.ca/Underground-Halifax-2nd-Paul-Erickson/dp/1551097435

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

The conversation this thread is currently experiencing is unnecessary because no incident of disrespect has occurred just now.



But you were so hoping, eh, ILoveHalifax?

Methinks ye doth protest too much.

I think we all know who the source of any disrespect on here is. It's from a certain know-nothing young punk. That person is not ILoveHalifax.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I think we all know who the source of any disrespect on here is. It's from a certain know-nothing young punk.

I think it goes both ways.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

The Southwest website somehow overlooks the historical fact that the south end of the planned building is the site of the former Queen Hotel at 115 Hollis Street. (The front door of the Bank of Canada Building, at 1583 Hollis Street, is roughly the equivalent of 123 Hollis under the original civic numbering system.) History buffs will know that 28 people died when the Queen Hotel burned in 1939, one of the worst fires in the city's history aside from the 1917 explosion.



http://www.halifax.ca/archives/QueenHotelFire.html

Thanks for this, ns_kid. I love historical bits like this.

Sad about the hotel. It looks like it was a beautiful building.

I've seen people on here talk about the "old" "Customs Building", but I can't figure out where it was located...

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Thanks for pointing that out, I had heard of that fire and have seen the pics but it never occurred to me that this was the site.

On a related note, does anybody know if there will be any archaeological activity on the site once demolition is complete? Having read the book 'Underground Halifax' I am aware that there may be all sorts of historical information to be gleaned from the site, though with the depth of the dig back when it was built, all that stuff might be long gone by now.

http://www.amazon.ca/Underground-Halifax-2nd-Paul-Erickson/dp/1551097435

Great point. They should certainly be on the look-out.

One of the interesting things I've recently been reading about, is the fact that when excavating at Ground Zero in NYC-- to rebuild WTC 1-- builders found the hull of an 18th Century ship that was probably sunk there, back when that portion of lower Manhattan was still in the Hudson River.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/18th-century-ship-found-at-trade-center-site/?_r=0

[Ziobrop]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

I've seen people on here talk about the "old" "Customs Building", but I can't figure out where it was located...

I believe it's building at Hollis and price that is now part of the agns

[ILoveHalifax]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

The conversation this thread is currently experiencing is unnecessary because no incident of disrespect has occurred just now.



But you were so hoping, eh, ILoveHalifax?

What's this RayJay?

You trying to start a fight?

What is your problem?

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

What a wealth of knowledge. When will the young ones learn to express more respect?

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

What's this RayJay?

You trying to start a fight?

What is your problem?

Keep trying.

[TheNovaScotian]

Just because I hate ageism, ILoveHalifax my respect is earned and the old ones are the most to blame for todays current state of affairs and when the old ones get off their high horses and stop blaming young people for old problems than maybe my respect gets earned.

[JET]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

Keep trying.

I guess that's the end of the love fest, anyways it was starting to feel too warm and fuzzy

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by TheNovaScotian

Just because I hate ageism, ILoveHalifax my respect is earned and the old ones are the most to blame for todays current state of affairs and when the old ones get off their high horses and stop blaming young people for old problems than maybe my respect gets earned.

Of course, that works both ways.

Being in my forties, I don't consider myself old (though some may think so), but whenever I hear people in their teens, twenties and thirties (and forties) blaming the older generations for all the world's problems, I can't help but think how convenient it is, given that the 'old' people that they are blaming will have no way to see how well the younger generations have done when they themselves become 'old'.

No question that in some ways the world is a mess, but if you study history you will find it always has been a mess in some ways or others. The difference is that technological advances through the ages have given humans more power to create bigger and better messes.

That said, it would better serve the citizens of tomorrow to consider how to change human nature such that great power can be used for beneficial purposes rather than hiding behind blame placed on those who came before you. The world will be a much better place if we can all stop blaming one another and instead join forces and actually learn from each other.

Just my . Sorry for the derail - let's stop bickering and get back to the subject at hand.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Great point. They should certainly be on the look-out.

One of the interesting things I've recently been reading about, is the fact that when excavating at Ground Zero in NYC-- to rebuild WTC 1-- builders found the hull of an 18th Century ship that was probably sunk there, back when that portion of lower Manhattan was still in the Hudson River.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/18th-century-ship-found-at-trade-center-site/?_r=0

Very cool! Thanks for sharing that link, I hadn't seen it before.

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

I've seen people on here talk about the "old" "Customs Building", but I can't figure out where it was located...

The original Custom House is the building that now houses the main part of the Art Gallery of NS, backing on George Street, between Hollis and Bedford Row.

http://novascotia.ca/nsarm/virtual/Notman/archives.asp?ID=878

It opened in 1868 but was actually started pre-Confederation in 1863 when it was designed by the NS government to house its own customs, post office and railway departments.

I'm not certain when customs operations left that building. They had been in a variety of buildings in Halifax, including sites on Quinpool Road and Marginal Road before being consolidated in the Ralston Building sometime in the 80s. Most customs offices moved next door to the Bank of Canada Building between 1999 and 2001, to the best of my recollection. With the impending demolition of the BoC building, offices have returned to the Ralston Building though that is likely short term as the Ralston's main tenant, Canada Revenue Agency, is due to vacate the Ralston in 2015. It's likely the Ralston will be closed or sold by Public Works and Government Services Canada soon after.

[someone123]

Here is the Customs House that was built circa 1900 (I guess because they started to outgrow the 1860's building) and demolished in the 50's. It was located east of Bedford Row, across from the AGNS building shown above:


Source

It's too bad this building didn't survive because there's a great cluster of sandstone buildings around Province House. The 7-storey building at Barrington and George Street was another big loss, along with the Victorian-era Royal Bank block. The Joseph Howe Building also replaced some stone Victorian buildings similar to the Halifax Club. It would have been a lot better if these blocks had been preserved in their 1950 state and if the new office towers had been built somewhere else.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by someone123

Here is the Customs House that was built circa 1900 (I guess because they started to outgrow the 1860's building) and demolished in the 50's. It was located east of Bedford Row, across from the AGNS building shown above:


Source

It's too bad this building didn't survive because there's a great cluster of sandstone buildings around Province House. The 7-storey building at Barrington and George Street was another big loss, along with the Victorian-era Royal Bank block. The Joseph Howe Building also replaced some stone Victorian buildings similar to the Halifax Club. It would have been a lot better if these blocks had been preserved in their 1950 state and if the new office towers had been built somewhere else.

A beautiful building that would be great to still have around. Ugh.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

The original Custom House is the building that now houses the main part of the Art Gallery of NS, backing on George Street, between Hollis and Bedford Row.

http://novascotia.ca/nsarm/virtual/Notman/archives.asp?ID=878

It opened in 1868 but was actually started pre-Confederation in 1863 when it was designed by the NS government to house its own customs, post office and railway departments.

I'm not certain when customs operations left that building. They had been in a variety of buildings in Halifax, including sites on Quinpool Road and Marginal Road before being consolidated in the Ralston Building sometime in the 80s. Most customs offices moved next door to the Bank of Canada Building between 1999 and 2001, to the best of my recollection. With the impending demolition of the BoC building, offices have returned to the Ralston Building though that is likely short term as the Ralston's main tenant, Canada Revenue Agency, is due to vacate the Ralston in 2015. It's likely the Ralston will be closed or sold by Public Works and Government Services Canada soon after.

Wait, where is CRA going? Please tell me they're not leaving the downtown and heading to the suburbs.

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Wait, where is CRA going? Please tell me they're not leaving the downtown and heading to the suburbs.

I don't believe the winning bid has been announced yet but, yes, I believe the expectation is it will be outside the downtown core.

[JET]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

A beautiful building that would be great to still have around. Ugh.

similar to the Dartmouth Post Office
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rdb466/8298901780/in/set-72157631530744457

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by JET

similar to the Dartmouth Post Office
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rdb466/8298901780/in/set-72157631530744457

I think the Dartmouth post office building is still the one that's at Queen and Wentworth, right? Only the tower has been lopped off.

[JET]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

I think the Dartmouth post office building is still the one that's at Queen and Wentworth, right? Only the tower has been lopped off.

correct