[Halifax] Nova Centre | 65-58-58 m | 16-15-14 fl | Completed

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

Escalators, based only one what I've seen, tend to have their supports integrated within the units themselves... the building must be designed for bearing at each floor slab, but the span itself is handled by the escalator unit. I don't expect escalators should have so many mid-span landings, and I also assume that it typically makes sense for the undersides of escalators be accessible for service?

Already been clarified by another poster that escalators will flank this on either side.

If that's the case, those must be Killer Stairs™

No, since those stairs shown are only for backup to the escalators and will be mostly unused. Killer Stairs™ are those that are foolishly meant to be the primary means of access to upper floors as part of a social engineering objective. If these were Killer Stairs™ there would be no escalators at all.

[JET]

Keith, I'm worried that someone has trademarked 'Killer Stairs' for engineering rather than musical purposes; sounds like some sort of lapse on your part, or potentially a good lawsuit.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by JET

Keith, I'm worried that someone has trademarked 'Killer Stairs' for engineering rather than musical purposes; sounds like some sort of lapse on your part, or potentially a good lawsuit.

I shall have my people look into it.

[lawsond]

"Killer Stairs" was a punk band from the 80s. "Lost in the New Library...I can no longer read happily...."

[fenwick16]

Based on Ziobrop's tumblr page - http://novacenter.builthalifax.ca/post/108112203853/5-in-place, all the tub girders are in place.

I can also see from the Nova Scotia webcams page that cross members are being installed between the tub girders, which I assume are to support the steel decking (or wood forms) for the concrete floor over the main Exhibition Hall.

I wonder if it will be possible to pour the Exhibition Hall ceiling/Grafton Street floor during the winter? (the area below the concrete can he heated but will it be too cold above?). If the concrete can be poured during the winter then more of the interior work can be done during the winter.

(source: http://www.novascotiawebcams.com/en/webcams/nova-centre/ )

[fenwick16]

Since the large tub girders are now in place, I wonder if the crawler crane will be moved soon (or even completely removed from the construction site)? It will be in the way where it is currently located.

[bluenoser]

The girders seem to be oddly spaced (at least at the moment); I suppose more support is needed for vehicles around the entrance to the parkade?

I wonder if the ceiling of that convention space will be recessed to some extent? Those girders are huge, so there is a lot of space in between them. Could make the room feel bigger - or it could look cheesy, I don't know.

From Ziobrop's blog:

http://41.media.tumblr.com/ed6ea64518085119afbd9851a47f3080/tumblr_nia7qtzS5z1sjmgsso1_1280.jpg

[ns_kid]

It's Revenge of the Thiels, Part II.

This morning, the Thiel Group filed a notice of appeal at the Nova Scotia Court of Appeals, taking issue with last month's Supreme Court decision on Nova Centre.

Thiel, you'll recall, was challenging the province's right to allow Argyle Developments to proceed with construction of the Nova Centre subgrade through the use of a Statement of Provincial Interest, without waiting for an HRM development agreement. In December, Justice Frank Edwards disagreed, saying the Minister of Municipal Affairs (then Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations) acted well within his authority. The court even awarded nominal costs against Thiel. Thiel disagrees, saying the province gave Argyle an unfair leg-up on the competition.

So the bun fight continues, even though Thiel is not looking to stop the development or ask for damages. They just want the court to slap the province's wrist, to preserve that mythical "level playing field".

[halifaxboyns]

There is no 'level playing field' when it comes to being involved in a Provincial project. These guys need to just accept that they weren't chosen and move on. Or as my cousin would say 'would you like some cheese with your WHINNNNEE?'.

[fenwick16]

Have they continued to pour concrete during the winter months? I hope the progress will become more apparent over the next several months.

Is the Nova Centre expected to be topped during 2015? (the interior won't be completed until 2016)

[musicman]

Been hearing rumours that the form company walked off the job last week... Anybody have any info on this wether it is true or not?

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by musicman

Been hearing rumours that the form company walked off the job last week... Anybody have any info on this wether it is true or not?

In this picture taken by Ziobrop on January 30th, 2015 I can see a couple of workers who appear to be installing rebar - http://novacenter.builthalifax.ca/post/109589030388

There is a story in the Chronicle Herald regarding the slow down in work, which is attributed to the snow and cold weather - http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/12...%99s-nova-centre-alive-and-going-forward. I wonder if some of the concrete workers have been asked to stay home until the weather improves? Concrete can't be poured below a certain temperature (near freezing) unless the area is enclosed and heated.

TAYLOR: Halifax’s Nova Centre alive and going forward
ROGER TAYLOR
Published January 30, 2015 - 7:43pm
Last Updated January 30, 2015 - 7:45pm
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Recently, rumours suggested that work on the $500-million multifaceted venture had been stopped, but Joe Ramia, CEO of Argyle Developments Inc., says nothing could be further from the truth.

Some people may be tempted to judge how things are going from what they can see from the street or on the Nova Scotia Webcams view of Nova Centre progress, but that can be deceiving.

Work was slowed due to poor weather conditions recently, Ramia says, but that was expected at this time of year. In fact, this has been a good winter for outdoor construction, especially when compared with the previous winter, he said.

“When it snows, you can’t work and the next day you have to clean up. It’s an expensive proposition,” Ramia told me Friday.
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[worldlyhaligonian]

Misinformation at this stage is just laughable. Like, really? What's next?

I'm pretty sure they're doing well for February due to the nice weather in December.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by musicman

Been hearing rumours that the form company walked off the job last week... Anybody have any info on this wether it is true or not?

Based on viewing the Nova Scotia webcams webpage - http://www.novascotiawebcams.com/en/webcams/nova-centre/ - there was quite a bit of activity on the construction site today likely due to the mild temperatures. I saw several workers, concrete mixer trucks and it appears as though a large section of floor was poured.

Temperatures are forecast to become significantly colder though, so the observable construction activity might be infrequent until the temperatures become consistently milder.

[hokus83]

Think they made up any lost time they said they were behind by due to the above average mild winter we had and two months straight with pretty much no snow

[fenwick16]

Ziobrop has several pictures uploaded today on his tumblr page - http://novacenter.builthalifax.ca/ (builthalifax). They are progressing with the Grafton Street floor (Exhibition Hall ceiling) wood forms in spite of the cold weather. I assume they will start laying the rebar within the next week (just my wishful thinking).

If Halifax has a string of mild days in February maybe we will see the floor poured before the end of the month.

Here is one of Ziobrop's pictures from today (Feb 12) inside Exhibit Hall A.

[Jonovision]

[Jonovision]

The hotel tower has finally started to rise above Market Street.

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

The hotel tower has finally started to rise above Market Street.

AllNovaScotia has reported that Ramia is in discussions with Marriott Hotels to brand the 19-storey Nova Centre hotel with one of its "upscale" brands. Given that Marriott has five hotels in Halifax now (with the acquisition in January of the city's two Deltas), this would certainly give the chain a pretty significant chunk of the hospitality trade here. This may surprise some who thought the Hilton chain was most likely to attach to the Nova Centre.

Publicity around the Nova Centre has always attached the word "luxury" to the hotel component. The Marriott has several high-end brands, including J.W. Marriott, Rennissance and Ritz-Carlton. All would be a strong addition to the local market but I can't help but think it will put further pressure on some other established players in town, like the Westin.

Of course ANS cites only unnamed "sources familiar with the situation" for this information and their success rate with such predictions is spotty at best. The same story says Ramia is in discussions with Westerkirk Capital, owned by the Thomson family, as he tries to attract investors to the project.

[ILoveHalifax]

I certainly prefer Marriott to Hilton. Seems to me Hilton is a lower tier brand