General Updates and News - Page 527

mleblanc · #**10521** Posted **Oct 20, 2021, 8:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Half-Axed

It took me a minute too.

The three buildings near the bridge are on Young St. (There are actually 4 but one is behind another).

The lower huddle of buildings is Bayer’s Road Centre and the surrounding apartments.

Yup, the mid rise in the foreground is the corner of Bayers and Joe Howe.

Corker · #**10522** Posted **Oct 21, 2021, 2:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mleblanc

Yup, the mid rise in the foreground is the corner of Bayers and Joe Howe.

It is a great picture and I too was puzzled by what angle it was taken from. It looks like the ballfield in the foreground is Piercey Field at the top of Fairview and the picture is probably taken from the vicinity of Fairview Heights Annex. The houses neighbouring the field in the picture give a great perspective of how steep Frederick Street and Fairview in general are.

Dmajackson · #**10523** Posted **Oct 25, 2021, 2:15 AM**

34Eleven (3411 Joseph Howe Drive)

Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson)

The Rosedale (1 Rosedale Ave)

Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson)

La Villa West (3488 Dutch Village Road)

Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson)

3690 Dutch Village Road - Possible Addition

Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson)

Joseph Howe & Scot (Proposal by Kingsbrook Properties)

Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson)

robotropolis · #**10524** Posted **Oct 30, 2021, 5:42 PM**

Halifax is recruiting for the design review committee!!

Looking for one city planner, two architects and two residents at large.

https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/boards-...n-review-committee-volunteer-opportunity

Dmajackson · #**10525** Posted **Nov 7, 2021, 4:15 PM**

FBM Offices - 5560 Cunard

Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson)

Construction permit has been issued for this project. It's listed as office use with 7 residential units.

teddifax · #**10526** Posted **Nov 8, 2021, 3:13 AM**

I can't find the actual site.... but I would love to see updated pictures of the renovations at Maritime Centre.....

MeEtc · #**10527** Posted **Nov 10, 2021, 1:49 AM**

Demolition fencing is now up around the site of St Josephs - A Mackay school on Russell/Kaye St. Playground structure was already removed. This is in preparation of a 2 year project for the site. It was originally going to be a renovation(?) (reference), but now appears to be a demolish and rebuild (ref)

Keith P. · #**10528** Posted **Nov 10, 2021, 12:27 PM**

The original St. Joseph's school building was/is about 100 years old. I imagine the building has numerous issues. The more modern building was built in the '60s and has some decent period design features, but is much smaller. I feel badly that it may also be going away as I went to that school for a short time.

OldDartmouthMark · #**10529** Posted **Nov 30, 2021, 5:11 PM**

Looks like yet another downtown office building - the Centennial Building - is going to be converted to residential. The transformation of the downtown that's happening before our eyes is amazing to see.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scot...-conversion-sidewalk-developer-1.6266068

Quote:

A Halifax development group is planning to convert vacant downtown office space into apartments.

The conversion will happen at 1660 Hollis St., a 54-year-old office tower known as the Centennial Building.

Elliot MacNeil, president of Sidewalk Real Estate Development, said about 30 per cent of the building was vacant when purchased earlier this year and he expects that rate to increase to about 50 per cent with upcoming lease expiries.

As those commercial tenants clear out, about half the building will be renovated into one-, two- and three-bedroom loft apartments.

The project is one of three announced by the province last week as the recipients of more than $6 million to partially subsidize rents on some units.

Keith P. · #**10530** Posted **Nov 30, 2021, 6:12 PM**

The Centennial Building is very dated for office space and as a visitor, the configuration of the office floors always felt very cramped to me, with narrow corridors around the central core of elevators and washrooms. I'm not sure if that is easy to change but think it probably is. I suspect the bigger challenge will be installing the plumbing. I don't know if there is any parking available underground there. If not, that will be a detriment to renting for some.

atbw · #**10531** Posted **Nov 30, 2021, 8:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

The Centennial Building is very dated for office space and as a visitor, the configuration of the office floors always felt very cramped to me, with narrow corridors around the central core of elevators and washrooms. I'm not sure if that is easy to change but think it probably is. I suspect the bigger challenge will be installing the plumbing. I don't know if there is any parking available underground there. If not, that will be a detriment to renting for some.

Not the first project of this kind in Halifax. That office tower on SGR and Brenton has been undergoing a commercial to residential Reno for some months now. It probably won’t be too bad, as it’s probably set up as large floor plates which just need to be divided into smaller units. It also has a parking garage accessed off Granville which will probably see as much use as any other downtown tower.

Summerville · #**10532** Posted **Nov 30, 2021, 8:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atbw

Not the first project of this kind in Halifax. That office tower on SGR and Brenton has been undergoing a commercial to residential Reno for some months now. It probably won’t be too bad, as it’s probably set up as large floor plates which just need to be divided into smaller units. It also has a parking garage accessed off Granville which will probably see as much use as any other downtown tower.

walked past it the other day. They removed the large set of steps to the sidewalk. With the Spring Garden re-do, it will be quite the location.

OldDartmouthMark · #**10533** Posted **Dec 1, 2021, 4:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atbw

Not the first project of this kind in Halifax. That office tower on SGR and Brenton has been undergoing a commercial to residential Reno for some months now. It probably won’t be too bad, as it’s probably set up as large floor plates which just need to be divided into smaller units. It also has a parking garage accessed off Granville which will probably see as much use as any other downtown tower.

Also, didn't I read not long ago that the old Bank of Montreal tower is being converted to residential?

It's an interesting shift that is helping to drive the conversion of DT Halifax from a dead business district to a vibrant hub of business, entertainment and residential.

Keith P. · #**10534** Posted **Dec 1, 2021, 7:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

It's an interesting shift that is helping to drive the conversion of DT Halifax from a dead business district to a vibrant hub of business, entertainment and residential.

I'm not seeing much evidence of that. However, it is so difficult to get to and move around in the DT that I am probably not the best judge of that. The core problem is that the demand for traditional office space is way down, and older buildings like those undergoing residential conversions cannot compete.

atbw · #**10535** Posted **Dec 1, 2021, 8:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Also, didn't I read not long ago that the old Bank of Montreal tower is being converted to residential?

It's an interesting shift that is helping to drive the conversion of DT Halifax from a dead business district to a vibrant hub of business, entertainment and residential.

I ultimately think the future of cities is in moving away from the suburbs - downtown dichotomy and moving towards a more dispersed way of city building. I don’t necessarily need all the nightlife the city has to offer at my doorstep, but I would like a decent neighbourhood pub and a grocery store within walking distance. Getting more residential downtown, and more density and mixed use in the suburbs is a great start to this.

OldDartmouthMark · #**10536** Posted **Dec 2, 2021, 1:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I'm not seeing much evidence of that. However, it is so difficult to get to and move around in the DT that I am probably not the best judge of that. The core problem is that the demand for traditional office space is way down, and older buildings like those undergoing residential conversions cannot compete.

The downtown that I remember from 30 - 40 years ago was a busy, bustling hub during the day, and a dead zone that was mostly populated by bar patrons (and those participating in criminal activities) at night. Downtown shopping was all but gone, except for SGR, which was limited. Even Scotia Square was somewhat dead much of the time.

The increase in residential downtown has balanced this out somewhat, and that will only improve as more residential is added. It's a much different place now than it was back then.

OldDartmouthMark · #**10537** Posted **Dec 2, 2021, 2:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atbw

I ultimately think the future of cities is in moving away from the suburbs - downtown dichotomy and moving towards a more dispersed way of city building. I don’t necessarily need all the nightlife the city has to offer at my doorstep, but I would like a decent neighbourhood pub and a grocery store within walking distance. Getting more residential downtown, and more density and mixed use in the suburbs is a great start to this.

Good observation. I would like to see things move in that direction as well.

Half-Axed · #**10538** Posted **Dec 2, 2021, 3:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atbw

I ultimately think the future of cities is in moving away from the suburbs - downtown dichotomy and moving towards a more dispersed way of city building. I don’t necessarily need all the nightlife the city has to offer at my doorstep, but I would like a decent neighbourhood pub and a grocery store within walking distance. Getting more residential downtown, and more density and mixed use in the suburbs is a great start to this.

That's something I really like about central Vancouver. So many parts of the peninsula and near surrounds are practically self-contained, and whatever you want / need is within a couple of blocks.

atbw · #**10539** Posted **Dec 2, 2021, 4:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Half-Axed

That's something I really like about central Vancouver. So many parts of the peninsula and near surrounds are practically self-contained, and whatever you want / need is within a couple of blocks.

I spent a year in South Korea, living on the outskirt of a fairly dense city. Even out there, I was able to walk to 2-3 grocery stores and accomplish day to day stuff on foot. Of course downtown had bigger stores and bigger institutions, but going out to eat, drink, or grab daily essentials shouldn’t require a trek across town.

This is hopefully a model that decreases stress on downtown, and taps into that “build more” solution to housing.

You can build all over the place, but at the moment an apartment in Lower Sackville doesn’t have the same draw and isn’t quite equivalent to one on the peninsula.

Keith P. · #**10540** Posted **Dec 2, 2021, 7:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

The downtown that I remember from 30 - 40 years ago was a busy, bustling hub during the day, and a dead zone that was mostly populated by bar patrons (and those participating in criminal activities) at night. Downtown shopping was all but gone, except for SGR, which was limited. Even Scotia Square was somewhat dead much of the time.

The increase in residential downtown has balanced this out somewhat, and that will only improve as more residential is added. It's a much different place now than it was back then.

There is even less retail DT now than what you recall. What there is of it is, not surprisingly, mostly boutiquey and small-footprint shops selling niche items.