General Updates and News - Page 320

counterfactual · #**6381** Posted **Nov 28, 2014, 1:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluenoser

Armour Group unveils $200M-plan to redevelop former BlackBerry property in Bedford

...Halifax-based Armour said construction of a second building at the campus is getting away now. The seven-storey structure, which will have 120,000 square feet, is slated to be finished by the end of 2015.

The developer said EON Square will eventually have six or seven new office buildings at the site, as well as a hotel, restaurant and retail space. The project will be the largest campus of its kind east of Toronto, Armour said.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/12...op-former-blackberry-property-in-bedford

I don't know if this should go in 'Parks of West Bedford' or a new thread or what. I do remember this more or less being the plan for the area right from when the Blackberry building went in.

Sigh. Is anyone in HRM planning looking at this? How about downtown office vacancy rates? How about fighting to have *some* of these new jobs being placed downtown, rather than out in Bedford?

I understand why this happened under Peter Kelly-- because he didn't really like Halifax and ran it like he was mayor of Bedford.

But now, there are no excuses. Halifax: always asleep at the switch.

ns_kid · #**6382** Posted **Nov 28, 2014, 9:46 AM**

On the plus side, Bell Aliant is saying it will not be moving its head office from the Maritime Centre. Dan McKeen, the company's new CEO, said Bell will take over 16,000 square feet of the former Blackberry data centre, investing $7 million in upgrades. McKeen said the move was necessary because they were out of room at the old North Street data centre.

McKeen said there are no plans to move the 400 head office workers from Maritime Centre to Bedford, contrary to the earlier AllNovaScotia report. ANS, never ones to apologize for their faulty guesswork --er, reporting -- sniffed that "it was understood" the head office might move, adding that unnamed "industry insiders...wouldn't be surprised" if the Bell jobs move as leases expire.

Keith P. · #**6383** Posted **Nov 28, 2014, 4:12 PM**

I wonder exactly what is moving from the North St building and how much it would cost. I know that the old facility has some very expensive provisions to keep it online in the event of a disaster - redundancies not only in terms of power but in routing of connections to the outside world, etc. Plus it is in a heavily-built structure that could absorb a significant weather event or blast wave. It is apparently also sited and engineered to be in a location that is not prone to flooding. The block of North St where it is located is a mess but that facility is not going anywhere.

hokus83 · #**6384** Posted **Dec 18, 2014, 6:21 PM**

This might be nothing but I noticed a building on Portland st has a lot of renderings for developments for Dartmouth Cove in its windows, some of them looked new to me, some were of what I've seen before of conceptual plans. I have noticed a few of the buildings being demolished in the area.

Also noticed today a lot of work is being done to the interior of the United Books store

kph06 · #**6385** Posted **Dec 18, 2014, 6:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hokus83

This might be nothing but I noticed a building on Portland st has a lot of renderings for developments for Dartmouth Cove in its windows, some of them looked new to me, some were of what I've seen before of conceptual plans. I have noticed a few of the buildings being demolished in the area.

Also noticed today a lot of work is being done to the interior of the United Books store

I think that might be the office of Connor Architects and Planners Limited (CAP)

hokus83 · #**6386** Posted **Dec 18, 2014, 6:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kph06

I think that might be the office of Connor Architects and Planners Limited (CAP)

ah yes, looks like all the bloomfield stuff is what I thought was for Dartmouth Cove because of the close proximity to it. Seems like a odd thing to showcase in windows for an unrelated area. Only caught my attention on the bus, I hardly ever head that way and thought it was something exciting for the neighbourhood.

halifaxboyns · #**6387** Posted **Dec 18, 2014, 7:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I wonder exactly what is moving from the North St building and how much it would cost. I know that the old facility has some very expensive provisions to keep it online in the event of a disaster - redundancies not only in terms of power but in routing of connections to the outside world, etc. Plus it is in a heavily-built structure that could absorb a significant weather event or blast wave. It is apparently also sited and engineered to be in a location that is not prone to flooding. The block of North St where it is located is a mess but that facility is not going anywhere.

Can Bell move much of the stuff out of North street? That's a central office - major switching point for the peninsula? Wouldn't it be quite cost prohibitive to move all that equipment or am I mis-reading the conversation here? I am in vacation mode and counting down the hours to my flight home - so that's quite possible.

Has there been any discussion about Bell Aliant moving from the Scotia Square customer service centre? I remember when I took some time off from my degree working in there - the kitchen area (which jets out at the corner of Barrington/Duke) has quite the view. I used to love working some of the night shifts during the parade of lights and taking my lunch to watch the parade and people.

Keith P. · #**6388** Posted **Dec 18, 2014, 10:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

Can Bell move much of the stuff out of North street? That's a central office - major switching point for the peninsula? Wouldn't it be quite cost prohibitive to move all that equipment or am I mis-reading the conversation here? I am in vacation mode and counting down the hours to my flight home - so that's quite possible.

Has there been any discussion about Bell Aliant moving from the Scotia Square customer service centre? I remember when I took some time off from my degree working in there - the kitchen area (which jets out at the corner of Barrington/Duke) has quite the view. I used to love working some of the night shifts during the parade of lights and taking my lunch to watch the parade and people.

I was referring to their data center/data storage operation there. I understand that location also houses some or most of their main telephone switching equipment. I don't think that is going anywhere.

someone123 · #**6389** Posted **Dec 20, 2014, 6:49 PM**

Before and after for the little "Cleveland Industries" building at 2100 Oxford. I remember going past this on the bus:

Source

kph06 · #**6390** Posted **Dec 22, 2014, 4:03 PM**

Continued work at the old Bay:

DigitalNinja · #**6391** Posted **Dec 22, 2014, 9:53 PM**

Any idea what tenants are going into the new building going up?

Dmajackson · #**6392** Posted **Jan 14, 2015, 8:38 PM**

The new owners of the former Rockingham Community Centre have proposed to amend the Halifax LUB to allow for buildings up to 50' as-of-right on the Bedford Highway. The current rules allow for 35' as-of-right and excess height if a development agreement is approved.

There will be Public Information Meeting held on February 4th at the Rockingham United Chruch on Flamingo Drive.

Since this is a general amendment and not site-specific there are no renderings or details available about the proposed redevelopment of the community centre.

Case 19533 Details

Empire · #**6393** Posted **Jan 16, 2015, 6:51 PM**

Halifax south of downtown.

Source: Empire

Empire · #**6394** Posted **Jan 17, 2015, 8:47 PM**

Halifax downtown from Citadel Hill:

Looking NE

Looking South...New Library in center of photo.

Source: Empire

someone123 · #**6395** Posted **Jan 17, 2015, 9:01 PM**

Thanks for the photos.

The buildings by Rainnie Drive look pretty bland, but the new one going up is supposed to have some coloured glass panels reminiscent of the Vic Suites. Hopefully it'll make this view a bit more interesting.

Keith P. · #**6396** Posted **Jan 17, 2015, 9:39 PM**

The library blocks the view of the harbor from the Citadel! Where was STV when this was proposed?!?

Colin May · #**6397** Posted **Jan 18, 2015, 1:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

The library blocks the view of the harbor from the Citadel! Where was STV when this was proposed?!?

It meets the requirements of the view plane from Citadel Hill. The top floor is deliberately set at the angle of the viewplane, it could not have been flush with the lower levels.

Keith P. · #**6398** Posted **Jan 18, 2015, 2:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colin May

It meets the requirements of the view plane from Citadel Hill. The top floor is deliberately set at the angle of the viewplane, it could not have been flush with the lower levels.

The STV bunch have never let compliance with view planes stop their criticism of other developments.

Empire · #**6399** Posted **Jan 18, 2015, 2:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

Thanks for the photos.

The buildings by Rainnie Drive look pretty bland, but the new one going up is supposed to have some coloured glass panels reminiscent of the Vic Suites. Hopefully it'll make this view a bit more interesting.

This area is quite bland. Starting on Barrington with Scotia Sq., Trade Mart, the apartments on Market and Brunswick, Red Cross, Police Station and now this group. 5445 Rannie Dr. will help spruce it up as will the Trinity development if it ever starts.

ILoveHalifax · #**6400** Posted **Jan 18, 2015, 2:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Empire

This area is quite bland. Starting on Barrington with Scotia Sq., Trade Mart, the apartments on Market and Brunswick, Red Cross, Police Station and now this group. 5445 Rannie Dr. will help spruce it up as will the Trinity development if it ever starts.

I looked at the pic and was very impressed with the grey brick and how the apartment building is all grey and each hotel an accent of grey.
I like grey.