[Halifax] Nova Centre | 65-58-58 m | 16-15-14 fl | Completed - Page 285

someone123 · #**5681** Posted **Dec 12, 2017, 6:27 PM**

One would think the interior plaza, if installed correctly, would last really well since it shouldn't be exposed to much water. Water that works its way into cracks and then freezes and expands is what does much of the damage to those surfaces.

RangerNS · #**5682** Posted **Dec 13, 2017, 4:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

One would think the interior plaza, if installed correctly, would last really well since it shouldn't be exposed to much water. Water that works its way into cracks and then freezes and expands is what does much of the damage to those surfaces.

That , and all of the plaza is above a heated space. Some of it is going to freeze, sure, but its not going to get the 100 freeze/thaw cycles that NS streets usually get.

Haliguy · #**5683** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 7:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

What a shock. A return of the old 1980s ankle benders. Many predicted this but Mason assured us these would be different. Those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it.

It's not the same

q12 · #**5684** Posted **Dec 15, 2017, 4:33 PM**

Quote:

Joe Ramia says the convention centre is 98% complete. Says hotel will be announced in a few weeks

https://twitter.com/MariekeWalsh/status/941703908115787776

Official opening today:

https://twitter.com/scanway/status/941682163849691136

https://twitter.com/hfxconventions/status/941701644877811713

https://twitter.com/DrRob_Thacker/status/941700267887783938

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DRGWQGqX0AUnywG.jpg
https://twitter.com/DrRob_Thacker/status/941699021713887235

https://twitter.com/DrRob_Thacker/status/941698703554961408

https://twitter.com/DrRob_Thacker/status/941676100249374721

https://twitter.com/DrRob_Thacker/status/941699021713887235

q12 · #**5685** Posted **Dec 15, 2017, 6:17 PM**

Halifax convention centre officially opens five years after first proposed (7 photos)

https://www.halifaxtoday.ca/local-news/h...ars-after-first-proposed-7-photos-792079

Quote:

HALIFAX — The convention centre portion of a massive $500-million construction project that dominates downtown Halifax has officially opened its doors, several years behind schedule.

Built with $169 million in taxpayer funding, the 120,000-square-foot Halifax Convention Centre is to host its first event — the Canadian weightlifting junior nationals — on Jan. 20.

Convention centre CEO Carrie Cussons says 90 events are already booked for the first year of operations.

Cussons says that number includes nearly three times more national and international events than have ever been hosted at the city's much smaller convention facility.

First announced in 2012, the entire one-million square foot development known as the Nova Centre, includes a hotel, office tower and public plaza.

Construction began in January 2013, but the timetable was dealt setbacks after developer Argyle Developments had to make design changes and mechanical upgrades to the building.

Joe Ramia, Argyle's president and CEO, says construction is about 98 per cent complete with the finishing touches expected to be ready by March.

Keith P. · #**5686** Posted **Dec 15, 2017, 8:58 PM**

I don't quite get the meaning of the blue "O" on the signage. I figured they would use the "H/\LIF/\X" design too.

I hope they have some blinds for those windows. The solar gain at times will be massive and the light blinding.

Glad to see its open. The early bookings are promising.

terrynorthend · #**5687** Posted **Dec 15, 2017, 10:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I don't quite get the meaning of the blue "O" on the signage. I figured they would use the "H/\LIF/\X" design too.

I hope they have some blinds for those windows. The solar gain at times will be massive and the light blinding.

Glad to see its open. The early bookings are promising.

It does appear to look quite nice inside. Hopefully there will be something interesting that I can attend there in the new year.

Empire · #**5688** Posted **Dec 16, 2017, 4:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

It does appear to look quite nice inside. Hopefully there will be something interesting that I can attend there in the new year.

Hopefully they do something with the columns....paint - dryvit - tile - glass?

connect2source · #**5689** Posted **Dec 16, 2017, 4:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I don't quite get the meaning of the blue "O" on the signage. I figured they would use the "H/\LIF/\X" design too.

I'm confused about the "O" too, looks as if the "O" theme continues up the grand stairway as well.

Otherwise, with all it's flaws and delays, it is quite beautiful and exciting.

someone123 · #**5690** Posted **Dec 18, 2017, 2:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by connect2source

Otherwise, with all it's flaws and delays, it is quite beautiful and exciting.

It's a nice modern building and it came along with a great transformation for Argyle Street. It is hard to think of any equivalent spaces in downtown Halifax that existed before this was built. The library was similar, and Queen's Marque will be too if it is successful.

I am not sure how likely it is but if I had to pick the next area for an overhaul it would be the Dennis building, the empty lot behind it, and the north end of the Province House block.

Jonovision · #**5691** Posted **Dec 18, 2017, 5:38 PM**

You can now walk through the covered street.

20171216_134351_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20171216_134347 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

eastcoastal · #**5692** Posted **Dec 18, 2017, 6:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonovision

You can now walk through the covered street.

20171216_134351_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

Wow

I'm yet to be convinced that Rogers St. is an inviting place to be. I will have to visit in person (and wait until there are storefronts... there will be storefronts, won't there?) before firmly closing my mind though.

MonctonRad · #**5693** Posted **Dec 18, 2017, 7:02 PM**

Looks like an incipient wind tunnel to me (and rather cold and uninviting too).

Of course it might be better once all the fixtures are complete and tenants have moved in.

At the very least, it would give pedestrians someplace to hide during a sudden rainstorm..........

Keith P. · #**5694** Posted **Dec 18, 2017, 9:11 PM**

I was downtown today so I decided to roll past and check this out.

The rebuilt Argyle St in this block was relatively passable even despite the trucks parked in front of Nova Centre unloading things. However the next block south on Argyle is already proving to be a disaster. Foamcore signs zip-tied to poles trying to indicate where cars are and are not allowed. The sign poles are everywhere and very close to the one narrow travel lane just waiting for a snowplow to break/bend them. Not sure how vehicles are supposed to drop people off or make deliveries. I predict this will need to be rethought soon.

The Rogers Plaza (?) section pictured above was still blocked off when I was there with a "no vehicle access" sign posted. Having a crew there digging a trench at the Sackville St end did not make it seem inviting. But the entire development is still very much a construction site and largely unfinished at street level. I could not see where the parking garage was accessed nor could I tell how to visit the BMO site. Still a long ways to go on the outdoor parts and with winter coming it will likely take a while.

Colin May · #**5695** Posted **Dec 19, 2017, 12:48 AM**

Premier McNeil had baloney in his remarks saying that this development caused the building boom in Halifax and that before the start of the Nova center there was not much activity.
In February 2012 there were 12 cranes visible on the Halifax skyline. I guess his speechwriter is from away.

Keith P. · #**5696** Posted **Dec 19, 2017, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

The sign poles are everywhere and very close to the one narrow travel lane just waiting for a snowplow to break/bend them. Not sure how vehicles are supposed to drop people off or make deliveries. I predict this will need to be rethought soon.

Nailed it:

someone123 · #**5697** Posted **Dec 19, 2017, 8:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Looks like an incipient wind tunnel to me (and rather cold and uninviting too).

Of course it might be better once all the fixtures are complete and tenants have moved in.

It's possible that this would become a wind tunnel, but wind studies were completed as part of this development. I would guess that the covered portion was included in the study.

Most of the wind problems downtown are older buildings built before wind studies were common, and the main issue is "downwashing"; air that collides with a vertical building facade and is deflected downward toward pedestrians. This problem is easy to mitigate with setbacks on upper floors, wind screens, etc.

One potential problem with the covered street is that daylight is very bright. It is easy for artificially-lit places to look like caves in the day even if they appear well-lit at night. We won't know what this area will look like until it's finished though. It's just a bare skeleton right now.

Franco401 · #**5698** Posted **Dec 19, 2017, 11:07 PM**

Shared Space pedestrian streets are typically built with little to no signage at all. Big oversight putting that there.

Halifax · #**5699** Posted **Dec 20, 2017, 12:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Nailed it:

LOL good call Keith

Keith P. · #**5700** Posted **Dec 21, 2017, 3:39 PM**

Shall we officially term this debacle on Argyle St "Mason's Folly"?

I am thinking of starting a poll as to when it will again all be ripped up.

Mason's Folly