General Updates and News

[Hali87]

An interesting piece on RP+5: article

[Colin May]

Has the boom gone bust ?
Have property sales in HRM slumped by more than $400,000,000 ?
Certainly seems so, but you won't hear the local media or our Mayor telling you about the precipitous decline in property sales

HRM is projecting a $6 million drop in Deed Transfer Tax for the 2013/14 year compared with the 2012/13 year.
The HRM 2014/15 Budget is before council on April Fools day but staff have chosen to ignore the slump in property sales and have not included comparative data which would assist council and the public in realising the full extent of the drop in property sales.

Here is the budget link : http://www.halifax.ca/budget/documents/Operating-OverviewofBudgets.pdf
Scroll down to page 35 and DTT estimates are line item 4100.
To determine the drop in DTT you must access the 2012/13 Financial statements.



HRM Deed Transfer Tax Revenues (million)

1998/99 15,608
1999/00 16,819
2000/01 16,675
2001/02 21,074
2002/03 21,859
2003/04 23,456
2004/05 33,047
2005/06 32,097
2006/07 37,790
2007/08 34,700
2008/09 35,166
2009/10 33,344
2010/11 31,153
2011/12 39,302
2012/13 42,124
2013/14 39,000 budget 36,000 projected
2014/15 36,000 budget
sources : HRM Financial statements, HRM budgets

[Colin May]

The assessment for the Imperial Oil property has been slashed by more than 50%. As a refinery the property paid taxes based on legislation and now that the refinery is closed it will pay taxes based on the assessed value. This issue came up at HRM Committee of the Whole on Tuesday morning but CAO Richard Butts did not disclose the numbers. Butts did tell councillors that he understood Imperial had not appealed the new assessment.

Here are the assessed values for the years 2008 - 2014
2008 $159,121,900
2009 $161,689,900
2010 $164,469,900
2011 $164,469,900
2012 $163,982,900
2013 $155,783,900
2014 $76,210,900

For Halifax Shipyards :
2008 $8,345,200
2009 $8,291,900
2010 $8,291,900
2011 $8,312,000
2012 $12,180,700
2013 $12,226,100
2014 $39,811,700

[spaustin]

Originally Posted by Colin May

The assessment for the Imperial Oil property has been slashed by more than 50%. As a refinery the property paid taxes based on legislation and now that the refinery is closed it will pay taxes based on the assessed value. This issue came up at HRM Committee of the Whole on Tuesday morning but CAO Richard Butts did not disclose the numbers. Butts did tell councillors that he understood Imperial had not appealed the new assessment.

Here are the assessed values for the years 2008 - 2014
2008 $159,121,900
2009 $161,689,900
2010 $164,469,900
2011 $164,469,900
2012 $163,982,900
2013 $155,783,900
2014 $76,210,900

For Halifax Shipyards :
2008 $8,345,200
2009 $8,291,900
2010 $8,291,900
2011 $8,312,000
2012 $12,180,700
2013 $12,226,100
2014 $39,811,700

Pretty dramatic spike at the shipyard. Strange that at a greatly reduced assessment, the refinery will now pay more taxes to HRM because the provincial legislation no longer applies.

[Colin May]

Dramatic assessment increases on Agricola
2540 Agricola
2008 $151,800
2009 $154,500
2010 $164,200
2011 $254,000
2012 $364,100
2013 $619,200
2014 $1,469,400

Commons Inn (West/Agricola)
2008 $437,800
2009 $450,900
2010 $468,900
2011 $487,700
2012 $560,000
2013 $621,600
2014 $1,200,000

2559 Agricola
2008 $1,295,800
2009 $1,287,900
2010 $1,006,100
2011 $1,258,100
2012 $1,406,800
2013 $1,568,400
2014 $1,826,700

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by Colin May

Dramatic assessment increases on Agricola
2540 Agricola
2008 $151,800
2009 $154,500
2010 $164,200
2011 $254,000
2012 $364,100
2013 $619,200
2014 $1,469,400

Commons Inn (West/Agricola)
2008 $437,800
2009 $450,900
2010 $468,900
2011 $487,700
2012 $560,000
2013 $621,600
2014 $1,200,000

2559 Agricola
2008 $1,295,800
2009 $1,287,900
2010 $1,006,100
2011 $1,258,100
2012 $1,406,800
2013 $1,568,400
2014 $1,826,700

Crickey. Are there any other areas in HRM with such a remarkable increase in assessment value?

My guess is: NO.

My extrapolated point: this is another way the peninsula subsidizes the rest of HRM...

[pblaauw]

There's fencing around the RapidLube on Robie St. I doubt that space is big enough for anything substantial, but it's been there as long as I can remember.

[Metalsales]

There is a Needs going into that location. the whole lot is being redeveloped

[kph06]

If I remember correctly, Sobey's bought (or partnered with) all the Shell stations around.

[Colin May]

Commonwealth Games 2014 in Glasgow will have an opening ceremony which includes blowing up 30 storey apartment buildings live on TV !!!

" The Games organisers announced on Wednesday that the 30-storey blocks, which were once some of the tallest residential buildings in Europe, will be demolished simultaneously as Commonwealth dignitaries and athletes open the Games at Celtic football stadium nearby.

The detonation, described by organisers as the largest attempted in Europe, will take approximately 15 seconds and be shown live inside the stadium on a 100m-long LED screen taking up the south stand of Celtic Park. "

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/apr/03/glasgo"w-2014-red-road-flats-demolished-opening-ceremony-commonwealth-games

[Dmajackson]

Approval of the DHX/Starbuck's Building Expansion will be at the Design Review Committee next week, April 10th, 2014. The new tenant will be the Royal Bank of Canada and construction should start immediately.

Design Review Committee Report

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

In a interviewer with cbc they were saying it would be a 20 story addition on top of the building, is that still the intention.


Here is the interview where they are talking about this being 20 stories but I haven't heard any mention of it since then http://www.cbc.ca/video/share/share.html?ID=2430176066

20 storeys?! You can't get 8 storeys in downtown Halifax without a NIMBY World War.

It's 20 feet. They're only adding 2 storeys.

[xanaxanax]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

20 storeys?! You can't get 8 storeys in downtown Halifax without a NIMBY World War.

It's 20 feet. They're only adding 2 storeys.

yes I completely heard that wrong

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

20 storeys?! You can't get 8 storeys in downtown Halifax without a NIMBY World War.

It's 20 feet. They're only adding 2 storeys.

World War NIMBY!

Seriously though, we even have NIMBYs... when its nobody's backyard!

20 stories is a dream

[counterfactual]

Anyone else notice this? Here's a little case study.

For the above mentioned potential St. Mary's Cathedral development, here are three different news stories, and the accompany titles:

The Herald:

"Developer, church have vision for 'most important street corner in Halifax"
http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/10...-in-halifax?from=slidebox&slidebox=title

Metronews:

"Archbishop eyes major development for Halifax church site"
http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/269737/archibishop-eyes-major-development-for-halifax-church-site/


And finally, the CBC (same story):

"Halifax church expansion could affect hidden graves"
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scoti...ion-could-affect-hidden-graves-1.1279214


Yes, let's preserve "hidden graves" that are currently hidden under.... a parking lot?

I find CBC Halifax does this often. They wait a day before reporting a story, and seek out Phil Pacey, Heritage, STV, or some other NIMBY for a critical story on the proposal.

Other examples, all CBC, and all manage to find a negative spin on a new development or proposal. If height is at issue, you can be sure that CBC will focus on that, and from a negative angle:

"Halifax's Artillery Place proposal too tall? - Nova Scotia - CBC News"
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-s-artillery-place-proposal-too-tall-1.2565069

New Halifax YMCA development has opponents - Nova ... - CBC News"
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/new-halifax-ymca-development-has-opponents-1.1048882

"People up in arms about development in Halifax"
http://www.cbc.ca/player/AudioMobile/Information+Morning+-+NS/ID/2439697578/


"Height rule waived for Halifax YMCA proposal"
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/height-rule-waived-for-halifax-ymca-proposal-1.1199973


"Cell tower concerns raised in north-end Halifax"
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/cell-tower-concerns-raised-in-north-end-halifax-1.1179426

"Barrington Street height limit increase considered"
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scoti...ight-limit-increase-considered-1.1334253


4 Halifax projects exempt from new development rules
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scoti...empt-from-new-development-rules-1.855734

[Waye Mason]

Two points - 1 - every project has people who are against it for different reasons, and those reasons need to be evaluated on their merits (or lack) and 2 - not all development IS good development.

For example, putting a cell phone tower in a residential area or in sight of Laurencetown Beach is something I think it is reasonable to be against (though I can see exceptions to the former).

The people emailing me who are against Bank of Canada site because it is too tall when it is exactly the height that is allowed under the downtown plan, not so much.

[xanaxanax]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Anyone else notice this? Here's a little case study.

For the above mentioned potential St. Mary's Cathedral development, here are three different news stories, and the accompany titles:

The Herald:

"Developer, church have vision for 'most important street corner in Halifax"
http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/10...-in-halifax?from=slidebox&slidebox=title

Metronews:

"Archbishop eyes major development for Halifax church site"
http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/269737/archibishop-eyes-major-development-for-halifax-church-site/


And finally, the CBC (same story):

"Halifax church expansion could affect hidden graves"
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scoti...ion-could-affect-hidden-graves-1.1279214


Yes, let's preserve "hidden graves" that are currently hidden under.... a parking lot?

[/url]

Personally I think a few of the graves yards in Halifax should be developed on, we have more graves yards in a small central areas than most major cities do, there are sure a lot more graves yards in Halifax than in Toronto or probably any other Canadian city.

The Christ Church Cemetery, Mount Hermon Cemetery, Holy Cross Cemetery and this church parking lot should all be developed.

if Mount Hermon Cemetery and The Christ Church Cemetery were developed those areas in Dartmouth would be a heck of a lot safer as well

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

Personally I think a few of the graves yards in Halifax should be developed on, we have more graves yards in a small central areas than most major cities do, there are sure a lot more graves yards in Halifax than in Toronto or probably any other Canadian city.

The Christ Church Cemetery, Mount Hermon Cemetery, Holy Cross Cemetery and this church parking lot should all be developed.

if Mount Hermon Cemetery and The Christ Church Cemetery were developed those areas in Dartmouth would be a heck of a lot safer as well

I have mixed feelings about this. I find old grave yards to be a fascinating record of the history of a city. But you certainty are right in that most cities don't have so much space taken up by graveyards. Many cities have dug up graves and moved them; the Paris catacombs are an interesting, and rather macabre example - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombs_of_Paris

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Waye Mason

Two points - 1 - every project has people who are against it for different reasons, and those reasons need to be evaluated on their merits (or lack) and 2 - not all development IS good development.

For example, putting a cell phone tower in a residential area or in sight of Laurencetown Beach is something I think it is reasonable to be against (though I can see exceptions to the former).

The people emailing me who are against Bank of Canada site because it is too tall when it is exactly the height that is allowed under the downtown plan, not so much.

The media isn't supposed to be biased though. It seems certain outlets are.

I like your point... but then again, if a development conforms to the plans it shouldn't be allowed to be stricken down based upon height alone. Do they require public input regarding height in those cases?

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

Personally I think a few of the graves yards in Halifax should be developed on, we have more graves yards in a small central areas than most major cities do, there are sure a lot more graves yards in Halifax than in Toronto or probably any other Canadian city.

The Christ Church Cemetery, Mount Hermon Cemetery, Holy Cross Cemetery and this church parking lot should all be developed.

if Mount Hermon Cemetery and The Christ Church Cemetery were developed those areas in Dartmouth would be a heck of a lot safer as well

It seems silly to respond to such a silly idea, but that's not going to happen--especially in the case of a cemetery like Holy Cross, a registered historic site with 25,000 graves, including that of a prime minister, and veterans of most major wars Canada has taken part in since the mid-19th century. Plus loads of eminent locals.

Large, centrally located cemeteries are inevitable in any historic city. I don't know what to tell you--great cities and nations don't bulldoze monuments to their dead to build new condos and office towers.

(I'm reminded of a visit to London when I was surprised by all the little cemeteries packed into the inner core, on the lands of the city's old churches. And that's not including the "magnificent Seven", seven enormous graveyards built in the 19th century in various parts of the central city.)

I'll certainly give you the parking lot--it's value as a landmark is long gone, since the grave markers and whatnot were all hauled away long ago. Bring in some archaeologists and historians to document what's underneath, and then build.