Development Rumours

[TheNovaScotian]

Yes, I think the thousands of soldiers that passed through the armoury in times of war would love to see it turned into a performing Arts centre....
A stadium would have concerts to compliment the 12 home games, plus playoffs filling it more than 12 times a year and the worst part is we need to build it so when people are planning events they can plan around it

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by TheNovaScotian

Yes, I think the thousands of soldiers that passed through the armoury in times of war would love to see it turned into a performing Arts centre....
A stadium would have concerts to compliment the 12 home games, plus playoffs filling it more than 12 times a year and the worst part is we need to build it so when people are planning events they can plan around it

Are you suggesting soldiers would find the idea of making the armoury into an arts venue dishonourable? I don't see why.

[ILoveHalifax]

Wouldn't it be nice to design and build a building from scratch rather than trying to redo every old eyesore into something it was never supposed to be.

I would like a concert hall to look world class with great acoustics, a public venue that makes international write ups as the library is doing.

Hopefully when they build a new armory we can bull doze the old one before it falls on somebody and kills them.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Wouldn't it be nice to design and build a building from scratch rather than trying to redo every old eyesore into something it was never supposed to be.

I would like a concert hall to look world class with great acoustics, a public venue that makes international write ups as the library is doing.

Hopefully when they build a new armory we can bull doze the old one before it falls on somebody and kills them.

I would love to know more about what you feel is and is not an 'eyesore.' Or maybe I wouldn't.

[ILoveHalifax]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

I would love to know more about what you feel is and is not an 'eyesore.' Or maybe I wouldn't.

IMHO the armory is an eyesore and has been all my life. The forum is another eyesore, hope we get to doze that soon as well.

Question for Fenwick, if we get rid of the forum is there space enough for a stadium on the site?

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

IMHO the armory is an eyesore and has been all my life. The forum is another eyesore, hope we get to doze that soon as well.

Question for Fenwick, if we get rid of the forum is there space enough for a stadium on the site?

I downloaded a model of BMO Field (drawn by azz8) adjacent to the Forum lands. Here is a link - http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img837/3349/54m3y.jpg . It is a very tight squeeze and the 6191 Young Street site would also be required.

There is a residential tower approved for the adjacent lot at 6100 Young Street so practically speaking a stadium wouldn't fit there.

The Forum block includes the Pierceys site which is a big site but unfortunately the entire block is broken up by the Canada Postal station.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

IMHO the armory is an eyesore and has been all my life. The forum is another eyesore, hope we get to doze that soon as well.

Question for Fenwick, if we get rid of the forum is there space enough for a stadium on the site?

I get why you might think some of the run down or burnt out buildings on Barrington are "eyesores".

But the armoury? How is that an "eyesore"? It's been at least maintained and offers a 19th Century interpretation of medieval architecture. It's nice to have a mix of different kinds of architecture in the city.

Armories around North America are being re-purposed, with NYC seemingly leading the way; no one bulldozes these buildings. If people don't like the idea of a Center for the Arts, then, again, a private developer could likely build it up into a hotel / condo development.

Or, again, a public purpose. An armoury in the Bronx is being converted into a massive ice skating rink:



We already have the oval, but why not think big?

[counterfactual]

Also: any more news on the Dennis building / Birk site?

[ILoveHalifax]

The armory is falling down; that's why there is wooden canopy around it.
The site would be great for a high rise.
Bring in the wrecking ball for the Dennis building. Build something typical of the new BOLD Halifax.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

The armory is falling down; that's why there is wooden canopy around it.
The site would be great for a high rise.
Bring in the wrecking ball for the Dennis building. Build something typical of the new BOLD Halifax.

Bold, modern, progressive cities don't bulldoze everything that needs a little TLC. That's what provincial, out-of-date backwaters stuck in a 1970s planning mindset do.

In any case, the armoury is a nationally designated historic site that had renovations to the building envelope done in 2012. It isn't going anywhere.

[Spire]

A few thoughts on a performing arts centre:

The Cohn isn't a bad space, but it was never intended to be the main performance venue for the city - when it was opened in 1971, the Capitol Theatre (with double the seating capacity) was still being regularly used for concerts, in addition to films. Originally, the Cohn was exclusively controlled by a Dal Committee, which programmed annual "seasons" of performance events. The Committee was disbanded, and the Cohn changed to a rental-only facility, in 1988.

Currently, the Cohn is booked solid most weeks, with a steady stream of performances, but the lack of seating capacity is evident. Symphony Nova Scotia's concerts often have two performances, and each one often sells out. John Cleese did five sold-out shows there last year. Ballet Jorgen did three sold-out shows this year. The market definitely exists for a facility with more seats, that could accommodate more than just concerts.

For instance, there is a lack of a large proscenium arch facility in Halifax. Neptune's Fountain Hall has a woefully small stage, and is not available to rent for most of the year. The Bella Rose and Spatz Theatres have significant technical deficiencies, such as the lack of fly towers, wing space and sufficient grids for lighting. The James Dunn Theatre in the Dal Arts Centre is a great space, well-designed, and with the largest proscenium arch stage in the city - however, it only seats 200.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Also: any more news on the Dennis building / Birk site?

Not as far as I know, but I've actually got a meeting set up with Labi Kousoulis next month. Hope to learn more about the plans and make a case--a few other city planner types will be there.

It'd probably be helpful to the case if it really seems there's an outpouring in support for preservation and new adjacent development (rather than demolition and nothing at all, or probably a parking lot, as currently planned.)

His Ministerial email and constituency email are at this page.

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

If it could also be used by touring artists attracting 1,5000 to 3,000 person concerts, I'd be very supportive. Metro Centre is abysmal for music (concerts shouldn't be held in hockey arenas) and Cohn has issues.

There's no lack of performance venues here, but there's a lack of GOOD venues, built for acoustics and sightlines. It's a bit embarassing for a city this size, and with an arts community like we have here.

Having said that, we don't need a $300-million starchitect-designed building. I would really be curious to see if the Armoury could be outfitted with sound baffling or something else to improve acoustics--right on the Commons, downtown. Brilliant location and adaptive reuse if possible.

A good concert hall in metro would be an expensive and very bold statement. I don't expect HRM will make a very bold statement as their contribution to Symphony Nova Scotia and the arts in general is pathetic, and has been pathetic for many decades.

3 billion Kronor today is well over $550 million.

In Britain the 2,262seat Birmingham concert hall completed in 1991 cost over $60,000,00.

" Denmark doesn't often produce world-beaters, but now it has one. At three billion Danish kroner (£360 million), the new Copenhagen concert hall tops even the recent Disney Hall in Los Angeles, which at $274 million (£190 million) was once reputed to be the world's most expensive. "
Article dated Deb 2009


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/i...looks-seductive-and-sounds-terrific.html

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

I downloaded a model of BMO Field (drawn by azz8) adjacent to the Forum lands. Here is a link - http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img837/3349/54m3y.jpg . It is a very tight squeeze and the 6191 Young Street site would also be required.

There is a residential tower approved for the adjacent lot at 6100 Young Street so practically speaking a stadium wouldn't fit there.

....

I suspect sufficient parking for a stadium that size might also be a challenge in that location.

[xanaxanax]

This was posted by Matt Whitman today. Does anyone know if this is a interactive map somewhere with more information or does anyone know what some of these application on the way Proposals are, I know what about two of them are but thats it, there seems to be 12 new proposals on the way in this map.

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

This was posted by Matt Whitman today. Does anyone know if this is a interactive map somewhere with more information or does anyone know what some of these application on the way Proposals are, I know what about two of them are but thats it, there seems to be 12 new proposals on the way in this map.

Here and here. Duff (Development Duffett? Duffett?) has one too, but I don't has one too, but I don't have the URL bookmarked.

(And I don't seem to know Duffett's pseudonym on SSP either. ;( )

[xanaxanax]

Originally Posted by pblaauw

Here and here. Duff (Development Duffett? Duffett?) has one too, but I don't has one too, but I don't have the URL bookmarked.

(And I don't seem to know Duffett's pseudonym on SSP either. ;( )

No sorry neither of those are up to date and list any of application on the way that are listed in the map I just posted

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

No sorry neither of those are up to date and list any of application on the way that are listed in the map I just posted

Here is - I think - the other dev map, by Dmajackson, not Duffett.

[xanaxanax]

Originally Posted by pblaauw

Here is - I think - the other dev map, by Dmajackson, not Duffett.

Again none of them are listed and I'm well area of that map

Two of them are the other two sister sites, one of them is the ekistics City Centre development, one of them is the empty lot on Spring Garden Beside where DQ used to be, One of the markers looks like it is in the Superstore parking lot on Hollis and Barrington, two others are in empty lots on Hollis around where that building burnt down, one is behind the The Westin Nova Scotian building, one is behind the Vic condos, one is in the parking lot beside Delta Halifax. I'm unsure what the other 4 markers listed are

[Duff]

Originally Posted by pblaauw

(And I don't seem to know Duffett's pseudonym on SSP either. ;( )

That would be me.