Development Rumours

[Jonovision]

Originally Posted by teddifax

http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1426117-high-end-aparments-slated-for-robie-street-in-2020 in tomorrow's paper

That is a very misleading article. Not once does it mention the lack of approval or the approval process this project is undergoing. It makes it sound like its a done deal.

[TheGreenBastard]

Originally Posted by teddifax

http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1426117-high-end-aparments-slated-for-robie-street-in-2020 in tomorrow's paper

Wait, so it's approved?

[IanWatson]

http://thechronicleherald.ca/busines...street-in-2020 in tomorrow's paper

For those who don't want to give clicks to the CH, it's an empty "story" about #14, the two-tower proposal at College and Robie. Developer says it will start construction in 2017 and be finished by 2020. Except...

Originally Posted by TheGreenBastard

Wait, so it's approved?

No, it's not. They're one of the applications for MPS amendments ahead of Centre Plan. No indication of what's going to happen to those applications. Assuming they just get folded into Centre Plan, the draft does indeed identify that site for tall development. However, the current draft has it set at 20 storeys, so they would need to chop off 6 storeys. Also, they'd still have to go through the site plan approval process and probably the Design Review Committee.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

That is a very misleading article. Not once does it mention the lack of approval or the approval process this project is undergoing. It makes it sound like its a done deal.

Standard circa-2016 Herald reporting. Even the quotes in the story are stilted and formal-sounding, which makes me think it was probably written from a press release.

As for the development, I dunno: I think it's the worst large-scale one of the recent crop of proposals. I don't care about the height, but the design is ugly, ugly, ugly. If it were bogged down in the approvals process and the developer had to go back to square one, that would be fine by me.

[portapetey]

Originally Posted by teddifax

http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1426117-high-end-aparments-slated-for-robie-street-in-2020 in tomorrow's paper

I don't mind this development overall, but it seems to be getting lots of bad reviews.

I think if they got rid of the cheap looking round tower element on the corner and replaced it something more striking (not sure what...), it would look a lot better.

The round glass tower thing looks like the main entrance to far too many cheap Clayton Park condo buildings.

[RussellLake]

Prepare to see more weak reporting, this time from from Amanda Panacci, who has been snooping around for details on the surplus RCMP HQ property at Oxford and Bayers.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Update on the situation with the Dennis Building at the CBC site today:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scoti...halifax-province-ns-government-1.3878192


2 historic downtown Halifax buildings may be in private hands next year
Taxpayers pay $46,000 for new scaffolding to protect pedestrians from possible injury

By Jean Laroche, CBC News Posted: Dec 03, 2016 6:00 AM AT


After years of sitting idle and as a potential hazard, the Nova Scotia government is hoping to sell the historic Dennis Building in downtown Halifax to a developer in the new year.

The minister responsible for the file, Labi Kousoulis, wants the issue settled as soon as possible.

"I anticipate that the tender will be on the street in January," Kousoulis told CBC News Thursday.

"I'm not sure the exact timing of the new owner taking over ownership of the building but I would be assuming within months after that."

- more at source -

This is great; what should have been the plan long ago. Do a RFP with specifics about preserving key parts of the building.

SO much better than the plan to demolish the Dennis for more Provincial politician parking.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

This is great; what should have been the plan long ago. Do a RFP with specifics about preserving key parts of the building.

SO much better than the plan to demolish the Dennis for more Provincial politician parking.

I understand the RFP will include provisions for a long term provincial lease of part of the space, and for provision of underground parking to get politician's vehicles out of the Province House grounds. Maybe even a walkway tunnel between it and Province House.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by portapetey

I don't mind this development overall, but it seems to be getting lots of bad reviews.

I think if they got rid of the cheap looking round tower element on the corner and replaced it something more striking (not sure what...), it would look a lot better.

The round glass tower thing looks like the main entrance to far too many cheap Clayton Park condo buildings.

It's just dated looking. It looks like proposals from around 2006. The article mentioned that the developers have been assembling properties for many years so maybe they had the rendering done a long time ago. Hopefully the design will be updated as it goes through the approval process.

I'm a bit disappointed that so many character buildings will be torn down on this block but these new buildings are pretty substantial and will add a lot of new density.

I've always hoped that Spring Garden Road would grow out to Robie Street and then Coburg Road would become a bit more commercialized and take on a university village feel, similar to what the block just east of Robie is like right now.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I understand the RFP will include provisions for a long term provincial lease of part of the space, and for provision of underground parking to get politician's vehicles out of the Province House grounds. Maybe even a walkway tunnel between it and Province House.

I hope they implement these plans. They have been talked about for years, maybe a decade or more. The Province House area could and should be a gem, and the building itself is one of the most historic in the country, but the surroundings are kind of shabby.

The George Street hole likewise is Barrington Street's biggest flaw right now. It is hard to have a successful retail street when it is physically broken up, and the parking lot and gaps just look bad. They also detract a bit from the Grand Parade, which is otherwise surrounded by buildings.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by someone123

I hope they implement these plans. They have been talked about for years, maybe a decade or more. The Province House area could and should be a gem, and the building itself is one of the most historic in the country, but the surroundings are kind of shabby.

The George Street hole likewise is Barrington Street's biggest flaw right now. It is hard to have a successful retail street when it is physically broken up, and the parking lot and gaps just look bad. They also detract a bit from the Grand Parade, which is otherwise surrounded by buildings.

It needs something like this in the corner:
Credit: igeeksblog

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I understand the RFP will include provisions for a long term provincial lease of part of the space, and for provision of underground parking to get politician's vehicles out of the Province House grounds. Maybe even a walkway tunnel between it and Province House.

I have absolutely no problem with the Government staking a claim to a part of an underground parking lot. But the idea of wasting a key piece of real estate on an ugly surface parking lot, that could be making money via sale & contributing to the area with a good development, was outrageous.

Labi is making the right decision. Good for him.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

It needs something like this in the corner:
Credit: igeeksblog

We can dream, right?

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

We can dream, right?

[Ziobrop]

Originally Posted by portapetey

I don't mind this development overall, but it seems to be getting lots of bad reviews.

I think if they got rid of the cheap looking round tower element on the corner and replaced it something more striking (not sure what...), it would look a lot better.

The round glass tower thing looks like the main entrance to far too many cheap Clayton Park condo buildings.

AKA the pringles can of shame (if you read mcmansionhell)

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by portapetey

I don't mind this development overall, but it seems to be getting lots of bad reviews.

I think if they got rid of the cheap looking round tower element on the corner and replaced it something more striking (not sure what...), it would look a lot better.

The round glass tower thing looks like the main entrance to far too many cheap Clayton Park condo buildings.

I don't hate the form/massing, but the whole thing looks dated. Someone else suggested 2006. I'd suggest 1996.

[Northend Guy]

Originally Posted by Northend Guy

Not sure who the developer is, but it looks as if the lot in the link below at the corner of Young and Barrington is going to get some attention. 11 or 12 floors above Barrington, 115 units.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.664937,-6...ijn-U9IhnFhNx2NJ-iPmQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

A bit more news on this. Permit drawings have been submitted for this. Michael Napier is the architect on it. Probably won't be long before demo starts.

[planarchy]

Originally Posted by Northend Guy

A bit more news on this. Permit drawings have been submitted for this. Michael Napier is the architect on it. Probably won't be long before demo starts.

It's owned by SAMIR METLEJ and ELIAS BITAR. A good buy for them. C-2 zoning meaning it's by-right with no real height limit, but silly angle controls.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Northend Guy

A bit more news on this. Permit drawings have been submitted for this. Michael Napier is the architect on it. Probably won't be long before demo starts.

Are there any renderings or description of how high it will be?

[Northend Guy]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Are there any renderings or description of how high it will be?

I can't post the elevations. However, It will be 12 floors above Barrington. Ground Floor Commercial. 115 apartment units or so.

I'm unsure of finishes, although the only very generic wall schedule I've seen refers to metal panel and stone finishes. We'll see.