Great Canadian Skyline Thread II

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by someone123

As far as earlier comments go, 750 foot highrises aren't permitted in downtown Halifax according to the local planning rules. There was a proposal for a pair of 48-storey buildings but it was rejected a couple of years ago. There is a mixed-use building with condos being sold in Dartmouth that is 38 storeys tall (probably a little over 100 m). In the future, I think most of the tallest buildings in the region will be outside of downtown Halifax.

The Cogswell interchange next to downtown Halifax is going to be demolished soon, and 80-90 m towers are permitted in that area, so that could end up being a major expansion of the skyline in 5-10 years.

Locally there's definitely a common story around how there was no development for years before the sudden boom but actually there was always a steady stream of highrise construction in Halifax since the late 90's (there was a real estate bust from ~1990-1996, but there are even some buildings from that period). But there were normally a couple of highrises under construction at any given time, not a dozen or more. There is definitely a greater volume of construction now, even compared to 2010. Part of that is due to low interest rates and a stronger local economy and part of it is due to an improved planning process that gives developers a better sense of what they are allowed to build. The old planning process was terrible (developers had to go through a multi-year process to know what they could or couldn't build) and so there was a lot of pent-up demand for residential units downtown.

Another thing that happened a couple of years ago is that several major bank leases were up. The Nova Centre office tower is for BMO, RBC moved into a new building, and the TD tower was renovated and expanded. The older bank towers now will move downmarket or be renovated for some other use, like hotel or residential. The owners of those towers complain about it but it seems like a healthy process for downtown as a whole.

Great news about the Cogswell interchange. When you mention that 750ft buildings aren't permitted in downtown does that mean that one could build that tall where the McDonald bridge is?

[jakethesnake]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Edmonton is killing it right now, don't think anyone is disputing that

You would think some people can accept that Edmonton's doing a lot of good things, but apparently not. Like I said, haters gonna hate.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by jakethesnake

Really??? Nice response and example, really proved me wrong.

I don't see how anyone could dispute what I've said. It's simply fact.

The name calling was completely uncalled for

[logan5]

Originally Posted by jakethesnake

You would think some people can accept that Edmonton's doing a lot of good things, but apparently not. Like I said, haters gonna hate.

Chad2.0.

[craner]

Love Halifax representing on here - don't get enough of that.
Keep it coming.

[jakethesnake]

Originally Posted by north 42

The name calling was completely uncalled for

Wow, I never thought someone would be so thin-skinned to be offended by being called an 'ignorant fool.'

Like, are you serious? Don't be so sensitive. I wasn't even talking to you.

[jakethesnake]

Originally Posted by logan5

Chad2.0.

Don't know what that's supposed to mean, but I'll take it as a complement.

Thank you!

[giallo]

Originally Posted by jakethesnake

Don't be so sensitive.

You should heed your own advice.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Great news about the Cogswell interchange. When you mention that 750ft buildings aren't permitted in downtown does that mean that one could build that tall where the McDonald bridge is?

There is a bylaw that prohibits the construction of buildings that would be visible from within the parade square of the Citadel. This limits anything between the Citadel and the harbour to below 80-90 meters or so. Closer to the Citadel, the effective limit is much higher. There are other limits as well, specific views that are preserved, and general limits put in place for different blocks.

North of Cogswell Street is not covered under the same plan so somebody could propose a 750 foot building there, but it probably would not be approved. In the future, that area will be covered by a plan similar to downtown and I am guessing that not much over 20 floors will be permitted. More height will probably be permitted along the Young Street corridor, west of Robie.

[someone123]

Here are a couple of aerial photos of Halifax from back in November:




Source

You can see site prep work for Queen's Marque in the second picture along the waterfront. One thing I like about that project is that the whole 9-block stretch of Prince Street running from the Citadel to the harbour will be built up evenly with decent buildings, with the exception of one little bit of surface parking along Market Street that hopefully will be redeveloped soon. The holes are disappearing quickly.

[jakethesnake]

Originally Posted by giallo

You should heed your own advice.

Please, and how am I being sensitive? I don't recall ever getting offended about someone being described in a super-tame critical manner.

It's sad that people have to resort to quarrels about being called 'ignorant' while completely ignoring the actual purpose of what's being discussed. Stick to the content people, this is about skyscrapers - not who can be the most offended about a harmless insult (if you can even call it that). Not one person has addressed the original point of the comment, in that no other major city in Canada has 3 (or even one for that matter) skyscrapers under construction that's taller than anything else in the city. This is remarkable, and to call it anything other than 'trans-formative' would be simply ignorant.

If the mods would like, I'd be happy to oblige and remove the 'ignorant fool' part of my comment from before. I honestly didn't believe it'd become a controversy.

^And those are some awesome photos of Halifax, I'd like to visit one day

[craner]

Originally Posted by someone123

Here are a couple of aerial photos of Halifax from back in November:

[URL="https://www.instagram.com/brintonphotography/"]
.

Canada's version of Alcatraz ?

[giallo]

Originally Posted by jakethesnake

Please, and how am I being sensitive? I don't recall ever getting offended about someone being described in a super-tame critical manner.

It's sad that people have to resort to quarrels about being called 'ignorant' while completely ignoring the actual purpose of what's being discussed. Stick to the content people, this is about skyscrapers - not who can be the most offended about a harmless insult (if you can even call it that). Not one person has addressed the original point of the comment, in that no other major city in Canada has 3 (or even one for that matter) skyscrapers under construction that's taller than anything else in the city. This is remarkable, and to call it anything other than 'trans-formative' would be simply ignorant.

If the mods would like, I'd be happy to oblige and remove the 'ignorant fool' part of my comment from before. I honestly didn't believe it'd become a controversy.

^And those are some awesome photos of Halifax, I'd like to visit one day

I was just saying that you were rather sensitive about Whippersnapper not giving Edmonton its fair due.

And for the record, I agree with you. I think Edmonton's downtown is going through the most impressive changes at the moment, and I'm very excited to see how it all comes together.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by jakethesnake

Wow, I never thought someone would be so thin-skinned to be offended by being called an 'ignorant fool.'

Like, are you serious? Don't be so sensitive. I wasn't even talking to you.

What are you, 12? If someone has a different view than you, you call them names? Grow up already!

[MonkeyRonin]

Gee, what a pleasant addition to the forum

[Calgarian]

So anyway, how about those Canadian skylines!

[SkahHigh]

Port de Montréal by Sébastien Peyrot, sur Flickr

[Rico Rommheim]

^That photo just screams out "Canadian City"

[G.S MTL]

Don't think this was ever posted ! Uploaded December 9


http://instagram.com/keepingupwiththekirkdashians

[jakethesnake]

Wow people here are fragile, aren't they? Oh well, let's move on people.

^Some good looking photos of Montreal, I can see quite a few cranes in that pic