General Updates and News

[JET]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scoti...-building-could-be-redeveloped-1.3074575
Trying to save the facade, sounds optimistic.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by JET

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scoti...-building-could-be-redeveloped-1.3074575
Trying to save the facade, sounds optimistic.

The province is especially interested in parking for provincial politicians and staff at Province House across from the Dennis Building.

Seems like a lot of expense to go through to provide parking for politicians when Metro Park is located just one block away. Let them walk and use that land for something more productive. The fresh air would do them good.

A boutique hotel would be an excellent use for the Dennis Bldg.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Seems like a lot of expense to go through to provide parking for politicians when Metro Park is located just one block away. Let them walk and use that land for something more productive. The fresh air would do them good.

A boutique hotel would be an excellent use for the Dennis Bldg.

Metro Park is closer to 3 blocks away. Not a pleasant walk many days here in spring and fall when the Leg sits.

I have posted previously that the govt could use the Dennis for accommodations for out of town MLAs instead of having them rent apts all over town.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Metro Park is closer to 3 blocks away. Not a pleasant walk many days here in spring and fall when the Leg sits.

I have posted previously that the govt could use the Dennis for accommodations for out of town MLAs instead of having them rent apts all over town.

Oops, my mistake. Should have checked google maps before posting...

I think that's a good idea that you had there. Turn the Dennis into a hotel, incorporate a parking garage into the building on the adjacent lots with Granville-level entrance. Include street-level retail on the Barrington side of the new building, etc. Work out an agreement for discounted rates for out of town MLAs and everybody's happy.

Don't know how it would work practically, but looks good at a glance.

[ILoveHalifax]

Is there some reason why MLAs cannot walk a few blocks like everybody else does. We pay them far too much for too little work so they certainly have the time to walk, unlike Joe public who has much less time because they are so busy trying to make a living, to pay their taxes so these guys can live high on the hog.

[halifaxboyns]

Keith makes an interesting point if the building is used as a hotel.
This site would be an interesting opportunity to think outside of the box in terms of the land use/development and be able to provide parking for the public (and the folks at Province House), retain the facade and perhaps turn the building into a great hotel/residential building.

I wonder if they could take the building facade apart like they did the old York Hotel when building the Bow office tower here in Calgary. They literally took the York down brick by brick, labelled each one and it's in storage. Could they not do the same thing here?

Then once the building was removed the site could be excavated to build a level (possibly two) of public parking. Then build the parking structure so it's completely below grade and put the building back. I don't mind some of the surface parking being retained behind the building as well, but that would likely end up being the service area for waste/recycling and parkade access. If it could be improved (maybe some nice landscaping?) even better.

The site is painted by Viewplanes 4 & 5 but if there is no change to the building height and the height meets the viewplane then that shouldn't be an issue? Plus - dare I say it - wouldn't we want to make an exception for an older building? You can't see it from the hill view location so I can't imagine this would be an issue.

Plus if you retained the building as a heritage site or even just kept the facade and added on to the bulk but kept the same height - I'd say it would be worth it to give funding through the Barrington Heritage Conservation program because you get to keep the facade. The parking could then be turned over to HRM to run as it does the parking garage by Maritime Centre.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Metro Park is closer to 3 blocks away. Not a pleasant walk many days here in spring and fall when the Leg sits.

I have posted previously that the govt could use the Dennis for accommodations for out of town MLAs instead of having them rent apts all over town.

I say screw MLAs. The only reason why we have a big hole in the middle of a key part of downtown is because of these lazy idiots have basically wanted to retain private parking lot.

Turn it over to a developer to make a new residential development, possibly retaining the facade.

If MLAs want to rent an apartment in the new building or buy a condo, they're welcome to get in line with the rest of us.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Is there some reason why MLAs cannot walk a few blocks like everybody else does. We pay them far too much for too little work so they certainly have the time to walk, unlike Joe public who has much less time because they are so busy trying to make a living, to pay their taxes so these guys can live high on the hog.

Exactly. Screw the MLAs. They can pay for parking (and parking tickets) like the rest of us.

If they don't like having to drive and find parking elsewhere, they should be encouraged to live downtown and walk to work. Lead by example. Lazy incompetents.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

Keith makes an interesting point if the building is used as a hotel.
This site would be an interesting opportunity to think outside of the box in terms of the land use/development and be able to provide parking for the public (and the folks at Province House), retain the facade and perhaps turn the building into a great hotel/residential building.

I wonder if they could take the building facade apart like they did the old York Hotel when building the Bow office tower here in Calgary. They literally took the York down brick by brick, labelled each one and it's in storage. Could they not do the same thing here?

Then once the building was removed the site could be excavated to build a level (possibly two) of public parking. Then build the parking structure so it's completely below grade and put the building back. I don't mind some of the surface parking being retained behind the building as well, but that would likely end up being the service area for waste/recycling and parkade access. If it could be improved (maybe some nice landscaping?) even better.

The site is painted by Viewplanes 4 & 5 but if there is no change to the building height and the height meets the viewplane then that shouldn't be an issue? Plus - dare I say it - wouldn't we want to make an exception for an older building? You can't see it from the hill view location so I can't imagine this would be an issue.

Plus if you retained the building as a heritage site or even just kept the facade and added on to the bulk but kept the same height - I'd say it would be worth it to give funding through the Barrington Heritage Conservation program because you get to keep the facade. The parking could then be turned over to HRM to run as it does the parking garage by Maritime Centre.

I would prefer a residential development; again, it's great to bring more density and more people to this area. Will really help the revival of Barrington and the long term viability of small biz in the area -- more people around to spend.

We already have plenty of hotels, especially with Nova soon coming online.

The only way a hotel makes sense, is if they retain the facade and really try to guy high end, with a design that incorporates heritage, with modern elements. Something that can rival Lord Nelson for classy/classical design.

[beyeas]

I could almost see something like a Kimpton hotel fitting there (they love funky old buildings) but I am not sure if they have sites in Canada

[hokus83]

How many new hotels do we need? nova center hotel, rumored spring garden hotel, queens landing hotel, some other hotel rumored for downtown or is there 2 more and this dennis building on, seems like a bit of over kill but we can never have enough residential

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Exactly. Screw the MLAs. They can pay for parking (and parking tickets) like the rest of us.

If they don't like having to drive and find parking elsewhere, they should be encouraged to live downtown and walk to work. Lead by example. Lazy incompetents.

Whatever MLAs pay, WE pay. It is all coming out of our pockets as part of their expenses. Why not keep that in-house and stop supporting landlords?

[ILoveHalifax]

Good point Keith but we can set limits restricting payment to bus fare. Politicians seem to think it is good enough for the rest of us so why not them.
Their work is not near as important as most of the rest of us, who actually contribute to society rather than drain from society.

[ILoveHalifax]

Good point Keith but we can set limits restricting payment to bus fare. Politicians seem to think it is good enough for the rest of us so why not them.
Their work is not near as important as most of the rest of us, who actually contribute to society rather than drain from society.

[JET]

MLAs get free transportation and parking, right where they work; while bus passes are being taken away from disabled people; it's the gang that coudn't shoot straight.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

Keith makes an interesting point if the building is used as a hotel.

I wonder if they could take the building facade apart like they did the old York Hotel when building the Bow office tower here in Calgary. They literally took the York down brick by brick, labelled each one and it's in storage. Could they not do the same thing here?

The thing is it could end up the same as the York--has their been any progress on getting that re-assembled? Seems to be in indefinite storage.

[spaustin]

Yep. Allowing parking on the grounds at Province House is silly. There was (is?) a plan to redo the Grounds, including moving the parking out and openingit up, but there doesn't seem to be any urgency. MLAs should just park at Metro Park or Purdy's or Scotia Square or the waterfront or at any of the many, many spaces available Downtown. Having to walk 2 or 3 blocks isn't unreasonable. The whole thing makes me think of how councillors use to park in Grand Parade. Took quite a bit of public attention to end that too. Maybe one day the grounds at Province House will be a great public space instead of a fortified parking lot.

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by JET

MLAs get free transportation and parking, right where they work; while bus passes are being taken away from disabled people; it's the gang that coudn't shoot straight.

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

I wonder if they could take the building facade apart like they did the old York Hotel when building the Bow office tower here in Calgary. They literally took the York down brick by brick, labelled each one and it's in storage. Could they not do the same thing here?

The same thing was done, successfully, when the Delta Barrington was built in the late 70s. The facades of the buildings on Granville Street were dismantled, coded, and stored. They were reassembled around the frame of the hotel, which opened in 1980.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by spaustin

MLAs should just park at Metro Park or Purdy's or Scotia Square or the waterfront or at any of the many, many spaces available Downtown. Having to walk 2 or 3 blocks isn't unreasonable. The whole thing makes me think of how councillors use to park in Grand Parade. Took quite a bit of public attention to end that too. Maybe one day the grounds at Province House will be a great public space instead of a fortified parking lot.

Precisely my thinking when I originally posted it. I made a mistake saying it was 1 block instead of 3 without checking it on a map, but in actuality anytime I've done that very walk myself it didn't seem very far... never bothered counting the blocks... hence my saying one block.

Regardless... how many people who work in the downtown core get to park right outside their place of work? Why should it be any better for politicians, who, in fact, are supposed to be public servants - i.e. have the best interest of the public as their raison d'être?

I stand by my original statement that they should park at Metro Park and let the grounds go back to being landscaped.