[Halifax] The Roy (1650 Granville) | 71 M | 22 FL | Completed

[Ziobrop]

No word on the windows, However the HTNS newsletter from march 2009 offers bit of history.

when the roy was built, it was intended to be 5 stories on both Barrington and Hollis. originally built as 3 in 1897 it was ravaged by fire in 1919 and a forth floor was added. the final 2 stories were added in 1928. The Johnston Building Just predates those additional 2 stories (3 on Granville street)

its a good mystery...

[Jonovision]

It's getting smaller!

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

It's getting smaller!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/h...00416164321109_2992467367266291157_n.jpg

Thanks for the street-view perspective. It is getting close to being level with Barrington Street.

It is good to see that the ones operating the excavation equipment from the rooftop have almost finished the job successfully without incident.

[mcmcclassic]

One of mine from yesterday:

[Ziobrop]

View from above this AM:

http://buildingtheroy.tumblr.com/

Can whoever it was getting shots from the maritime center post a more recent one. I'm curious if it helps to resolve the window mystery any.

[JET]

window mystery, sounds intriguing; what is it?

[Ziobrop]

Originally Posted by JET

window mystery, sounds intriguing; what is it?

See NS_Kid and Kieth P's Posts from June 28

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by Ziobrop

Can whoever it was getting shots from the maritime center post a more recent one. I'm curious if it helps to resolve the window mystery any.

Great shot, Ziobrop. I've been meaning to take another shot from the south side...when not obstructed by fog or drizzle!

Not much new insight on the windows, though. I did notice when the crew was pulling down the walls on the third floor that again the glass, or at least the frame, of one of the windows was still intact. Seems surprising but apparently when the Eaton's building went up in 1928 the Roy's contractor felt it was good enough to simply rebuild the interior walls and leave the old exterior wall intact, complete with windows still in place. And I suppose it didn't really make much difference.

[ns_kid]

The Roy Building has now been reduced to two stories.

The window detail is now clearly visible from the top four floors. It appears that these are the ghostly remnants of the Roy's original windows. I can only assume that the Roy's windows were framed into the top two floors in 1928, before the plans for the Eaton's building were known. Or the contractor built the floors with windows because that's what the plans called for, dammit, even though they already knew Eaton's would catch up and cover them.

I zoomed in pretty closely on my original photos and it seems clear the brickwork in the window areas is quite consistent with the rest of the wall and was installed at the same time. It seems to me that the Eaton's brick was laid (from the inside of course) against the wall of the older Roy Building, and the bricklayers simply cut in around the windows and sills of the Roy building, hence the gaps under each window.

As was visible in the previous photos, the Roy contractors just left the glass in place in the covered-over windows in some cases, while in others it appears the windows were removed and replaced with plywood or plasterboard. Presumably this helps explain the different levels of discolouration.

An interesting snapshot from the past, which will soon enough be covered up again.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Cool piece of archaeology! Thanks for posting this!

[Ziobrop]

thanks ns_kid
i got impatient and climbed metropark..
from h


i also setup a webcam to timelapse the floor going away on monday. i suspect its mostly rain drops, but we will see.

[Ziobrop]

good news - despite the weather the time lapse doesn't completely —.

have a look - 1 week of work.
http://buildingtheroy.tumblr.com/post/92160203078/1-week-of-work-removing-a-floor

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Ziobrop

good news - despite the weather the time lapse doesn't completely —.

have a look - 1 week of work.
http://buildingtheroy.tumblr.com/post/92160203078/1-week-of-work-removing-a-floor

Not too bad at all. Thanks for all the pictures.

I will remember to click on the ads whenever I check your tumblr page (I believe in free enterprise - )

[curnhalio]

That's awesome! It's so cool to be able to get that kind of view. Thanks for putting that up.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by Ziobrop

good news - despite the weather the time lapse doesn't completely —.

have a look - 1 week of work.
http://buildingtheroy.tumblr.com/post/92160203078/1-week-of-work-removing-a-floor

Great work on the photos.

Also, thank God that was only 1 week time lapse.

Otherwise, the overarching conclusion is that there is no sun in this cursed land.

I think there was a spot of blue sky around 0:55. The rest, gray, sad, clouds, fog, rain.

Depressing. FFS, come on, Halifax!

[portapetey]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Great work on the photos.

Also, thank God that was only 1 week time lapse.

Otherwise, the overarching conclusion is that there is no sun in this cursed land.

I think there was a spot of blue sky around 0:55. The rest, gray, sad, clouds, fog, rain.

Depressing. FFS, come on, Halifax!

Come on now, we've been having a lovely warm, mostly sunny summer - and not enough rain, actually. Last week was the exception (this year at least!) not the rule.

Don't let a few days of cloud get you down!

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by portapetey

Don't let a few days of cloud get you down!

[Jonovision]

Took this today.

[lawsond]

Depressing. FFS, come on, Halifax!

Coastal cities get a lot of cloud and rain. Boston, Vancouver, Seattle, San Fran. Miami. But the coast is the most...

[ns_kid]

The Roy Building is facing its final days.

The scaffolding is being dismantled even as the final floors are demolished.

Some photographic evidence, from Barrington Street:




From Sackville Street:




From Grafton Street:




The Grafton Street entrance: