[Halifax] The Maple | 72 m | 21 fl | Completed - Page 13

xanaxanax · #**241** Posted **Jan 23, 2014, 8:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanWatson

I am VERY happy with Halifax not being NYC.

Someone should Photoshop the statue of liberty on Georges island. The islands are roughly the exact same size, maybe we should have some sort of 90 meters tall national statue monument on it. Lets ask some European country to build us one

Keith P. · #**242** Posted **Jan 23, 2014, 11:31 AM**

I don't hear us not wanting to be NYC very much. However, the "We're not Toronto" refrain seems common.

RyeJay · #**243** Posted **Jan 23, 2014, 3:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

I like New Brunswick... I just prefer Halifax to NB's cities. Interestingly, there is potential for and NB city to overtake if they play their cards right for long enough (alot of big companies HQ'd in the province and if they open to rampant development, nobody would hesitate to develop there over Halifax). I mean, its all about critical mass and city size.

I won't lie: culturally, I enjoy myself more in New Brunswick.

As far as the province's cities, though -- they have sprawled away their potential and haven't the cards to play.

Jonovision · #**244** Posted **Jan 23, 2014, 5:45 PM**

Has this project been approved yet?

someone123 · #**245** Posted **Jan 23, 2014, 6:33 PM**

In another thread, somebody posted a link to an interview of Jim Spatz from Southwest Properties. He complained that the massing requirements of HbD for this site are unreasonable. I wonder if this has turned into a snag for the project?

halifaxboyns · #**246** Posted **Jan 23, 2014, 6:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I don't hear us not wanting to be NYC very much. However, the "We're not Toronto" refrain seems common.

Why can't we just be the best HRM we can be?
We can take inspiration from other cities like New York or Vancouver but ultimately what happens in HRM is the HRM vision.
Things that happen in other cities can inspire, create ideas - but they will happen in HRM based on how HRM is setup (geography, street design, etc.).

OldDartmouthMark · #**247** Posted **Jan 23, 2014, 7:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

Why can't we just be the best HRM we can be?
We can take inspiration from other cities like New York or Vancouver but ultimately what happens in HRM is the HRM vision.
Things that happen in other cities can inspire, create ideas - but they will happen in HRM based on how HRM is setup (geography, street design, etc.).

kph06 · #**248** Posted **Feb 12, 2014, 2:36 AM**

The building now is wrapped in a fine mesh to catch debris. I could see the structure starting to disappear soon.

kph06 · #**249** Posted **Feb 13, 2014, 9:31 PM**

Elevator penthouse is half gone. Structural demolition has begun.

halifaxboyns · #**250** Posted **Feb 14, 2014, 7:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Well I'm passionate about Halifax being the best it can be - but it shouldn't be another New York or Toronto. Halifax will always have it's own context but can get inspiration from other cities to do 'it's own' version of things.

This gets back to the whole debate in another thread about the federal government helping to fund the streetscape improvements along SGR and Barrington and the confidence in what's going on in Downtown. Confidence goes up when actions occur. With the level of development happening in both DT Halifax and Dartmouth - confidence in things is going up, but there is still some concern or 'can't do' attitude out there.

Confidence in downtown will go up as more things happen and sometimes government has to be the group that induces action. Sometimes these actions are small (streetscape improvements on multiple streets) or large (Portland's Streetcar system as an example). Let's look at Portland - they spent $90 million on a streetcar (year 2000 $'s) and that created $3 billion in private sector investment - I'd say that was a success. Does that mean HRM would be as successful? Maybe - it could be more...or it could be less. But even if we spent $120 million (rough guess at 2014 $'s) and got back $1 billion - that's a huge improvement.

Take inspiration from other cities - but be the best city we can be is my feeling. Really, they should have some speakers from NYC and other cities come to Halifax and speak about places like Time Square and how they changed them to be really great places, did bike lanes better, did whatever better. It will open minds, get the brains firing and get ideas flowing.

That's what's happening out here in Calgary. I have the joy of being co-organizer of the Baconfest - a planning film festival showing various documentaries on city building which started out with the films of Ed Bacon (Head of the Philadelphia Planning Commission and Kevin Bacon's dad). We had night 5 on Wednesday and we are getting 200 people a night; had 1,300 so far (first night was close to 300). Stuff like that - that helps build confidence.

There are some photos and details about the festival on the website.

kph06 · #**251** Posted **Feb 23, 2014, 5:50 PM**

Not the greatest quality, but a photo I took today that shows progress.

counterfactual · #**252** Posted **Feb 23, 2014, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kph06

Not the greatest quality, but a photo I took today that shows progress.

Ugh. Look at the typically ugly, empty, parking lot across the street, a lot that should also be developed.

Who owns that one? The province as usual?

fenwick16 · #**253** Posted **Feb 23, 2014, 8:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Ugh. Look at the typically ugly, empty, parking lot across the street, a lot that should also be developed.

Who owns that one? The province as usual?

I am pretty sure that is the United Gulf site, previously the Twisted Sisters and Skye were proposed for that site.

Yes, "ugh" is right. United Gulf should sell that site; even under HRM_by_Design a couple of 20 - 22 storey towers can be built there.

counterfactual · #**254** Posted **Feb 23, 2014, 8:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenwick16

I am pretty sure that is the United Gulf site, previously the Twisted Sisters and Skye were proposed for that site.

Yes, "ugh" is right. United Gulf should sell that site; even under HRM_by_Design a couple of 20 - 22 storey towers can be built there.

You're right, it is. Don't we have a buy back right on that site?

Tim Bousquet is right, we should buy it back.

http://www.thecoast.ca/RealityBites/arch...er-5-million-to-buy-a-gravel-parking-lot

Looking at who pitched originally, I'm sure Lawen or Spatz would bid again. Both of those guys are serious. We would have had a development by now, if staff hadn't recommended United Gulf.

It's an eyesore and ridiculous waste. Either buy it back, or impose a big development tax on it. Develop it or sell it. Period.

EDIT: they're "re-examing" the site, with a plan to have something in "18th months"; so, early 2015. Just great. http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/874994/...-site-re-examining-twisted-sisters-plan/

worldlyhaligonian · #**255** Posted **Feb 23, 2014, 9:41 PM**

"Buy" back... if anything productive ins't done here, it should be expropriated.

This site needs to be redeveloped as soon as possible and with groundfloor retail and apartments above.

I sincerely hope downtown Halifax densifies.

xanaxanax · #**256** Posted **Feb 23, 2014, 10:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

"Buy" back... if anything productive ins't done here, it should be expropriated.

This site needs to be redeveloped as soon as possible and with groundfloor retail and apartments above.

I sincerely hope downtown Halifax densifies.

I agree the city should have a right to expropriate this land from United Gulf, 18 months is unreasonable as they've had 8 years now to come up with something

halifaxboyns · #**257** Posted **Feb 23, 2014, 11:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

I agree the city should have a right to expropriate this land from United Gulf, 18 months is unreasonable as they've had 8 years now to come up with something

I don't think an expropriation would be necessary here - there was a buy back clause if I'm not mistaken.

Who knows - maybe they have initiated the process? It wouldn't exactly be a public discussion (this is something that would likely be protected by Freedom of Information) so that the exact cost of the site isn't released. Thus, if the process is done; people wouldn't 'under' bid.

RyeJay · #**258** Posted **Feb 24, 2014, 3:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

"Buy" back... if anything productive ins't done here, it should be expropriated.

This site needs to be redeveloped as soon as possible and with groundfloor retail and apartments above.

I also feel strongly about this. It would be nice to see HRM be this assertive but as halifaxboyns has mentioned, an expropriation may not be needed.
Condos or apartments. The market will decide. Whatever comes to be: it's more residential for the downtown.

When there is the option to build to the Citadel ramparts, going through the HRMxD process and limiting the project to around 20 storeys would not be the best use of this site.

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

I sincerely hope downtown Halifax densifies.

Even as this property sits empty the core has been gradually developing its remaining sites. If this pace continues, we won't have anymore land in the core left to develop after the next decade.

For the sake of density, again: this site needs to build to the Citadel ramparts.
HRMxD compromises too many residents that could be feeding the downtown's economy.

kph06 · #**259** Posted **Mar 1, 2014, 3:50 PM**

2 from today by me:

Dmajackson · #**260** Posted **Mar 7, 2014, 2:07 AM**

More information going forward to the Design Review Committee next week ;

http://www.halifax.ca/municipalclerk/documents/drcmar131la.PDF