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

[OldDartmouthMark]

To hook up to all the hotels mentioned, they are only really talking one block from Nova Centre to Scotiabank Centre, as this section would gain them access to the Prince George, and then all of the other hotels mentioned already link up to the Scotiabank Ctr. by the existing tunnel/pedway system.

I don't know what tunnels go for these days, but to me $10 million seems a little steep for such a short run.

That said, the west side of that stretch of Grafton isn't anything to look at anyways, why don't they forgo the tunnel idea and just build an elevated pedway alongside the buildings on the west side? It would fulfill the functionality aspects and cover up some of those ugly buildings in the process. This would make the Prince George access a lot less expensive as well...

https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.647035,-6...CSAc9KLNz7HDt-UGTYW4Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[JET]

Or maybe an Emirates cable car like they have in London, that would be neat!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirates_Air_Line_(cable_car)
It was $60 mil, but oh so cool

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by JET

Or maybe an Emirates cable car like they have in London, that would be neat!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirates_Air_Line_(cable_car)
It was $60 mil, but oh so cool

Cable cars are cool!

Not sure if this would be the best application, though...

[pblaauw]

Why build a tunnel all the way to the WTCC, when you could just build a tunnel or pedway to the Prince George RIGHT NEXT DOOR?!

Oh that's right, I keep forgetting that HRM has too much money to spend, right Keith?

[fenwick16]

Instead of a tunnel maybe the convention centre could just have a retail store that sells umbrellas, amongst other things. Then people wouldn't be confined to the pedway system and could go anywhere in the city

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Instead of a tunnel maybe the convention centre could just have a retail store that sells umbrellas, amongst other things. Then people wouldn't be confined to the pedway system and could go anywhere in the city

Except that umbrellas are frequently destroyed by our wind and rain.

[ILoveHalifax]

Umbrellas are frequently destroyed by wind in a lot of places and people survive. They either give up and get wet or they buy another one.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Umbrellas are frequently destroyed by wind in a lot of places and people survive. They either give up and get wet or they buy another one.

And then they bad-mouth the destination when they get home and seldom return.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by pblaauw

Why build a tunnel all the way to the WTCC, when you could just build a tunnel or pedway to the Prince George RIGHT NEXT DOOR?!

Oh that's right, I keep forgetting that HRM has too much money to spend, right Keith?

I was wondering about that, but didn't think the Prince George was set up to handle public pedestrian traffic all the way through the hotel. Even so, HRM would have to compensate them for the ROW so it wouldn't be free.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Instead of a tunnel maybe the convention centre could just have a retail store that sells umbrellas, amongst other things. Then people wouldn't be confined to the pedway system and could go anywhere in the city

I don't think that a tunnel/pedway is necessarily a bad idea, given that a lot of events might be held in conjunction with Scotiabank Centre, and especially given the atrocious conditions of our sidewalks last winter. However $10M for such a short run doesn't seem like a good use of funds, which is why I suggested a pedway.

[RangerNS]

HRMByDesign either forbids, or at least strongly discourages, pedways crossing North/South (that is, going over a up/down hill).

Besides, a pedway would get you as far as the wrong end of the Prince George. I can't see how them entirely rearranging their ground or 2nd floor would be viable. That kind of regiggering could get to $10Mil pretty quickly, if you consider the lost space for other existing, profit making activities. You can't just dump them into a 4' wide hallway of guest rooms.

[ILoveHalifax]

Isn't part of the advantage of having a hotel attached to the convention center so people will pay higher rates to enjoy avoiding weather. So why would the developer want to connect the convention center to every other hotel in town?
So if you don't want to get wet book in the convention center hotel.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I don't think that a tunnel/pedway is necessarily a bad idea, given that a lot of events might be held in conjunction with Scotiabank Centre, and especially given the atrocious conditions of our sidewalks last winter. However $10M for such a short run doesn't seem like a good use of funds, which is why I suggested a pedway.

A pedway between the PG and Nova Centre would be a very difficult sell as it would block a harbour view. Street views to the harbour are supposed to remain open.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Empire

A pedway between the PG and Nova Centre would be a very difficult sell as it would block a harbour view. Street views to the harbour are supposed to remain open.

Ah, good point. Didn't realize that.

Uh, well, back to the old drawing board...

[planarchy]

Originally Posted by Empire

A pedway between the PG and Nova Centre would be a very difficult sell as it would block a harbour view. Street views to the harbour are supposed to remain open.

The plan also had a strict policy on closing streets...didn't stop Staff or Council.

[RangerNS]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Isn't part of the advantage of having a hotel attached to the convention center so people will pay higher rates to enjoy avoiding weather. So why would the developer want to connect the convention center to every other hotel in town?
So if you don't want to get wet book in the convention center hotel.

Well, that is a selling point when they get around to bringing in someone to operate the hotel space in the complex. But a selling point to potential events is that the complex is connected to all the hotels downtown. I suppose that is a conflict, but there are a bazillion reasons why a given conference goer would book in a different hotel. Coopetition, as they say.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by RangerNS

Well, that is a selling point when they get around to bringing in someone to operate the hotel space in the complex. But a selling point to potential events is that the complex is connected to all the hotels downtown. I suppose that is a conflict, but there are a bazillion reasons why a given conference goer would book in a different hotel. Coopetition, as they say.

I would think that a connection to the Metro....errrr.... Scotiabank Centre would be another reason. For example, when they hold major curling events they use the trade centre for their big entertainment venue ("The Patch"). I'm not sure what the future of the trade centre will be once Nova Centre opens up, but if they want to use it in such a manner they will need to have some kind of tunnel or other system or people would be less likely to want to make the trek - which would be inconvenient even with a tunnel, or whatever.

I dunno... $10M still seems like a lot of money for what "the people" will get out of it, but I'm sure someone will correct me on this...

[Jonovision]

The tower is now starting to rise above the convention centre floors and making an impact on the skyline from multiple angles.

[fenwick16]

The progress on the steel and concrete work seems very slow to me. The hotel tower doesn't seemed to have progressed much in the past couple of weeks.

Is the slow progress due to a shortage of skilled workers? Other construction projects in the HRM (such as Icon Bay) and in other parts of Canada (such as the new stadium in Regina) seem to be proceeding at 2 or 3 times the pace of the Nova Centre.

[Hali87]

I'm guessing the site presents a lot more constraints than the average construction project.