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

[teddifax]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Having attended one of the public meetings, I understand that the west side of the complex along Market St is the service area.
I also believe there will be an effort to have some sort of art installation all along Market St

Great to know, thank you, I am sure with this, it will now not be
bleak!!

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Having attended one of the public meetings, I understand that the west side of the complex along Market St is the service area.
I also believe there will be an effort to have some sort of art installation all along Market St

... hopeful that Halifax steps up its art installation game on this one...

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

... hopeful that Halifax steps up its art installation game on this one...

One hundred million little lighthouses.

[teddifax]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

One hundred million little lighthouses.

Ha,ha, pleaaaaaseeeee, say it isn't so!!!!!

[Ziobrop]

Originally Posted by teddifax

Great to know, thank you, I am sure with this, it will now not be
bleak!!

The on Market, the sackville st. end will be retail, but the prince st. side will be the loading docks.

[Hali87]

Via Argyle by Hali87, on Flickr


Via Grafton by Hali87, on Flickr


Via Barrington by Hali87, on Flickr


Via Sackville by Hali87, on Flickr

[hoser111]

It's interesting how unimposing it is from that angle looking up Sackville yet quite the the opposite looking up a little north on Barrington.

[Hali87]

Part of it is that the building at Barrington/Sackville is about 3 storeys higher than the one at Barrington/Prince, so more of the Nova Centre is visible in the second case.

[fenwick16]

The glass cladding is progressing nicely.

It is good to see that they have a section of glass on the Sackville Street side, maybe they will soon have that side closed in. Once the Ballroom is closed in, they could start finishing the interior of the Ballroom.

[RangerNS]

They posted the "official" updates just before xmas at : http://novacentre.ca/construction-updates/december-2015



GENERAL UPDATE:

95% of the structure is complete at this point and now sits 283 feet above Argyle Street.
To date, roughly 40,000 cubic metres of concrete have been poured.
184 sections of building glass and 17 pieces of the ‘blue box’ glazing have been installed.
The deck over the ballroom is nearly complete with roofing schedules to start in the new year.
The main structure of the convention centre is almost complete.
Installation of the aluminum framing for the levels below L3 is underway.
Installation of the curtain wall system is underway up to level 8. The installation will now begin to ‘corkscrew’ around the building on two elevations.
Nova Centre is only the second project in Atlantic Canada using a unitized glazing system. The unitized system reduces a significant amount of on-site labour and helps to enclose the building faster by installing prefabricated glass and frame units, which are lifted into position using a crane.

WHAT’S COMING UP IN DECEMBER:

The installation of elevators and escalators will continue.
Installation of the ‘blue box’ glazing is underway and the face of Argyle will be completed before the end of December.
Interior framing will begin in both the convention centre as well as the cores.

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by RangerNS

They posted the "official" updates just before xmas at : http://novacentre.ca/construction-updates/december-2015



GENERAL UPDATE:

95% of the structure is complete at this point and now sits 283 feet above Argyle Street.

283 feet above Argyle? This seems high to me. Wouldn't that equate to approximately 28 stories?

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

283 feet above Argyle? This seems high to me. Wouldn't that equate to approximately 28 stories?

They might mean an elevation of 283 feet above sea level since I remember seeing drawings where it was written as a sea level elevation. It is a mistake on the Nova Centre website; I assume they must mean that it is at an elevation of 283 above sea level.

The following document shows a maximum height above Argyle Street of 214' 7" and that the average grade of Argyle Street is 84' 8" [above sea level] - http://www.halifax.ca/municipalclerk/documents/18708siteandbuildingplansandimagesoftheproposal.pdf. Thus I think the final elevation would be 214' 7" + 84' 8" = 299' 3" above sea level.

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

They might mean an elevation of 283 feet above sea level since I remember seeing drawings where it was written as a sea level elevation. It is a mistake on the Nova Centre website; I assume they must mean that it is at an elevation of 283 above sea level.

The following document shows a maximum height above Argyle Street of 214' 7" and that the average grade of Argyle Street is 84' 8" [above sea level] - http://www.halifax.ca/municipalclerk/documents/18708siteandbuildingplansandimagesoftheproposal.pdf. Thus I think the final elevation would be 214' 7" + 84' 8" = 299' 3" above sea level.

Ah, yes that makes sense. Still though, I'm impressed its going to top out at 215'. Taller than I had expected based on straight floor count. Guess some of those base floors are quite vaulted.

[fenwick16]

When I look at renderings I am still impressed by the complexity of the architectural/structural elements of the Nova Centre.

I think Joe Ramia deserves a civic award for being able to pull this off considering that he had to arrange the financing until the first payment (from the federal government) is received upon completion, coordinate the construction and design, and deal with the opposition that tried repeatedly to derail the process.

PS: I think that anyone who is impressed by the new Central Library will be blown away by the Nova Centre when it opens to the public.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

When I look at renderings I am still impressed by the complexity of the architectural/structural elements of the Nova Centre.

I think Joe Ramia deserves a civic award for being able to pull this off considering that he had to arrange the financing until the first payment (from the federal government) is received upon completion, coordinate the construction and design, and deal with the opposition that tried repeatedly to derail the process.

He is still having to deal with the incessant negativity of the obsessed Tim Bousquet, who unleashed a new mudslinging campaign today against Ramia and MP Andy Fillmore over this. What is even worse is that the comments on Bousquet's site reveal a number of people who simply nod and believe anything he posts. Very sad indeed.

PS: I think that anyone who is impressed by the new Central Library will be blown away by the Nova Centre when it opens to the public.

Not very many people seem impressed by the Library now that it is open for a year. "Cold and antiseptic" is what one hears about the stack o'glass.

[Hali87]

Untitled by Hali87, on Flickr

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

... Not very many people seem impressed by the Library now that it is open for a year. "Cold and antiseptic" is what one hears about the stack o'glass.

I haven't heard cold and antiseptic. Anyone I know with kids loves the place... most of my contemporaries without kids like the space: I've asked if they find it cold - they describe it as sleek and urban. My parents think it's exciting.

I can see how cold and antiseptic could be leveled at it by some (as a matter of taste... one person's sleek is another's sterile), but I think the use of wood grain (not sure it's actually wood) on the floor is helpful, and the furniture is quite nice.

[Nouvellecosse]

It may look cold and antiseptic on the exterior, but inside there's far too much colour, pattern, and texture for that. Perhaps the people saying that haven't actually been inside?

Unless of course they were talking to someone who didn't like it and listening to them rile about how it was the worse thing since ebola, and were just trying to think of something negative to say to avoid conflict.

[musicman]

I personally love the new library. But liking something is a very subjective thing. I love how it flows, and how there is always a feeling of excitement in the air even after it being open of over a year.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

but I think the use of wood grain (not sure it's actually wood) on the floor is helpful, and the furniture is quite nice.

I'm pretty sure the flooring is engineered hardwood.