General Updates and News

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

It's as if they took one of their stock store designs from a place like Bayers Lake and dropped it onto this lot without any consideration of the fact that it fronted on a street.

The planning rules for this area need to be fixed. This looks terrible. The Shoppers at Robie and Almon is the same.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

It's as if they took one of their stock store designs from a place like Bayers Lake and dropped it onto this lot without any consideration of the fact that it fronted on a street.

Great point.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by someone123

The planning rules for this area need to be fixed. This looks terrible. The Shoppers at Robie and Almon is the same.

Would there not have to be a DA?

Why is it we have epic battles for three storeys across town, and here, Rona is able to throw up a barn and we don't know about it until it's halfway done?

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Would there not have to be a DA?

Why is it we have epic battles for three storeys across town, and here, Rona is able to throw up a barn and we don't know about it until it's halfway done?

This is an as-of-right development. Most of the "lower" North-End (south of Hydrostone) was once a large industrial area with only a scattering of houses so most of the lands still have an industrial or commercial zoning both of which have lax height and massing rules. It's the same reason why the neighbourhood seems random with large residential projects going up next to self-storage and bus repair depots.

Speaking of the area I got photos of some more projects today. Below are St. Alban's Street, Agricola NSLC, and Willow Park addition respectively.



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[someone123]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Would there not have to be a DA?

Why is it we have epic battles for three storeys across town, and here, Rona is able to throw up a barn and we don't know about it until it's halfway done?

The planning rules in most of the city encourage this type of development. They are all about setting limits on height/density, minimum setbacks, lot coverage, parking requirements, etc. This was inherited from the 1950's-80's (when a lot of planners thought low density, car-oriented development was a workable ideal) and it's why Halifax gets the sort of buildings it does. Outside of downtown, ugly suburban boxes are still the path of least resistance.

I think this might be the #1 planning problem in Halifax at the moment, or it's at least tied with poor transit planning and poor transit/land use coordination.

[someone123]

Thanks for wandering around and taking pictures of all these little developments. I really like seeing these sorts of updates.

What type of siding is that on the St. Albans building? It looks like plastic-covered pressboard, and unfortunately it's gotten pretty popular on low-end buildings (there's another one at North and Agricola). The colour doesn't help either.

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

[mcmcclassic]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Haven't been there since it was Piercey's and that was such a poor store I never went back. I would head out to Bayers Lake for hardware.

It is still the same in there today... The only reasons to shop there are if you need basic building supplies and want expert advice (most of the guys there have been there 20+ years).

As far as the design of the new store is concerned, it is essentially a stock model of a small-format RONA location that they build everywhere. I don't think the bigwigs in Montreal consider things like making the building look good against the street...

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Speaking of the area I got photos of some more projects today. Below are St. Alban's Street, Agricola NSLC, and Willow Park addition respectively.



[/IMG]

Is this done on the upper floors? What an abomination. Excuse the hyperbole, but it should be immediately demolished. Really, hugely embarrassing. Thank God most new developments are far, far better than this.

As far as the RONA, nice to have a building-supply store, but it seems like big-box retail should be demolished around here, not built, eh?

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by someone123

What type of siding is that on the St. Albans building? It looks like plastic-covered pressboard, and unfortunately it's gotten pretty popular on low-end buildings (there's another one at North and Agricola). The colour doesn't help either.

I don't know the technical details, but it looks even worse in person than in the pics. It looks unbelievably cheap. I first thought it was the same type of material used to clad the Spice condos on Barrington, which had its own problems, but now I'm not sure it is - the Spice material looks to me to be of better quality.

[Drybrain]

OH: The horrible St. Albans building is the new Centre for Islamic Development, which replaced a very dilapidated structure they basically had no choice but to demolish. Apparently they had a really hard time fundraising for it, and were worried about losing the facility altogether.

So I feel a little more forgiving of its absolute shit-itude, since it's not a for-profit developer, but a small religious centre.

On the other hand, it apparently cost $2.1 million, and I'm pretty sure I could put together something better with enough Lego. So.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

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Speaking of the area I got photos of some more projects today. Below are St. Alban's Street, Agricola NSLC, and Willow Park addition respectively.
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Are both of these pictures for the Willow Park addition? I am not too sure of the exact location. Is it associated with the new Willow Park armoury?

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Are both of these pictures for the Willow Park addition? I am not too sure of the exact location. Is it associated with the new Willow Park armoury?

Yes, the photos are of the same building. It's not the armoury but I am pretty sure it is just a vehicle storage facility. This is on the northern part of the block east of Windsor Street, the armoury should start construction this year on the southern half close to Windsor/Bayers/Young.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Yes, the photos are of the same building. It's not the armoury but I am pretty sure it is just a vehicle storage facility. This is on the northern part of the block east of Windsor Street, the armoury should start construction this year on the southern half close to Windsor/Bayers/Young.

Would it be in this area - http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rf90kj9...0street%2C%20halifax%2C%20ns&form=LMLTCC east of Windsor Street? I am just wondering if one of the old buildings was torn down and rebuilt or was it built on a vacant lot?

[bluenoser]

Not exactly development-related, though it could have an impact on how some Haligonians feel about development in general.

http://timbousquethalifax.wordpress.com/2014/03/10/im-leaving-the-coast/

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I can't understand why they didn't design a windowed wall along the Almon St side.

Agreed.

With Walmart recognizing the effect of natural light on sales and starting to require skylights, you know it's got to have decent payback. It's totally bizarre that they treated the sidewalk like this - not that I expect them to care about the street realm, but shouldn't the city have development rules that disallow this sort of disregard for the ingredients of a good city.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by someone123

...
What type of siding is that on the St. Albans building? It looks like plastic-covered pressboard, and unfortunately it's gotten pretty popular on low-end buildings (there's another one at North and Agricola). The colour doesn't help either.

I suspect it's some kind of fibre-cement board, CertainTeed and James Hardie make versions.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

Agreed.

With Walmart recognizing the effect of natural light on sales and starting to require skylights, you know it's got to have decent payback. It's totally bizarre that they treated the sidewalk like this - not that I expect them to care about the street realm, but shouldn't the city have development rules that disallow this sort of disregard for the ingredients of a good city.

ha, ha, ha, ha. Yes, indeed we should! Instead, for most of downtown; most of everywhere, we have crappy development rules and zoning that encourage crappy suburban box development... EVERYWHERE!

And don't expect this Council to fix it anytime. It's too busy re-zoning land from "urban reserve" to exurb/suburban development for the Sprawl (ie Housing) Lobby.

[q12]

That's great news for Halifax that Tim Bousquet is leaving the coast this month.
Now if we can just deport him....

[teddifax]

Now, if they can get someone really qualified and truly objective to replace him - Mr. Jackson, please!

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by q12

That's great news for Halifax that Tim Bousquet is leaving the coast this month.
Now if we can just deport him....

Uh. Without Tim Bousquet, and his dogged investigation into the corrupt estate deadlines of our former mayor, we would still have Peter Kelly.

Getting rid of Peter Kelley is worth FIVE keys to the city.